I, Draugr Chapter 14 (Patreon)

Aurelia had to admit… She both liked and hated Skyrim.

The sights were breathtaking, some of the people were incredibly loyal and wonderful, warriors she'd willingly fight with until the end.

And then there's the kind of people that do not like outsiders. Not one bit.

All of Falkreath was made up of these people, who ignored her questions or downright screamed her way.

She prided herself on her patience, but it was wearing very, very thin after so much rudeness for no reason at all.

Here she was, hoping to save children from the disgusting plans of the Argonians they came to hunt down, and the very people of the city stop her from doing so and instead just make her waste more time.

Very valuable time too.

Hopefully Leo has had a better luck than her.

Despite being an idiot the majority of the time, her friend was quite charismatic, so perhaps he had far greater success than she did.

So, with a defeated sigh, Aurelia decided to return back to their set meeting spot.

And as she turns around, she comes to a pause when a wild horse rushes right by her.

Her eyebrow twitches.

Said horse is followed by another, then several more, then finally, a loudly screaming horse followed suit.

Attached to its tail was a rope, and attached to the rope was a hogtied Argonian screaming his literal lungs out.

And to make things worse?

Standing and riding atop the Argonian while spouting slurs and insults at the hogtied reptilian was, of course, Leonidas.

Her eyebrows twitch, and she slowly breathes in.

"Lord Arkay, please give me strength…" Why did she agree to split up?

She really had to expect such things would happen when Leonidas is let loose.

"I really need to put a collar on that idiot…" She growls out, pausing to watch another Argonian wield a pair of short-swords rush by and chase after the hollering Leonidas.

At least he found two of the damn bastards.

And the one that wasn't hogtied looks like he got the worst beating of his lifetime. For being a skeleton, her friend could really hit hard, huh?

Shaking her head, she stomps the ground and rushes ahead, easily catching up with the running Argonian Her hand swings out, striking the back of his head hard enough to knock the bastard out before he could even realize what was wrong.

Grabbing him by the tail, she rushed forward and-

"Say hello to my lil' friend!"

Awooo-!

Booom!

Great. Leonidas bought out the suicidal flaming wolves.

Aurelia stared at the rising dust cloud with a mix of annoyance and amusement, then grinds to a halt once she turns a corner.

There, before her, is Leonidas, crouched down before a large crater.

"Hm?" He perks up and turns his head her way, then waves at her in a very cheerful manner, as if he didn't just cause absolute chaos in city where they aren't really welcome. "Aurelia! Come, look! He's doing the Yamcha pose!"

The what?

And why did he sound as giddy as a damn child?

"Leo…" She starts, dropping the knocked out Argonian she was dragging at the edge of the crater while glancing inside it. So that is the Yamcha pose? Interesting. "We are very likely in deep trouble for this chaos you caused."

Her friend shrugs, clearly not really caring that much about it, "We were gonna get in trouble anyway." His words make her raise a confused brow his way, "The Jarl hired these dumb-fucks. Dunno why." Well… That complicates things, a lot.

This was supposed to be a quick job. Just grab the bastards, drag them out of Falkreath one way or the other, gut them, then be done with it knowing she stopped further useless deaths of innocent children.

But now the damn Jarl had to butt in, hiring these bastards for whatever reason.

Sighing through her nostrils and ignoring the rising commotion and shouts around them, Aurelia glances down to the knocked out Argonian at the edge of the crater. One of his hands still held one of his weapons, and her eyes narrow as she casts a simple simple.

Instantly, she is alarmed at the dangerous poison lacing the weapon. Paralysis, numbness, and a drug that manipulates the senses.

These weapons… They are dangerous, but seem to be made to deal with large and powerful beasts, to slowly wound them and tire them out with the mixed poisons.

She didn't focus on it any longer, as dozens of armed guards started rushing towards them from both sides of the street. Still, she filed that information in the back of her head.

"Should we kill these two?" Leonidas asks while dropping a cheek on his palm, still squatted down beside the crater he formed with the suicidal wolves explosion.

Aurelia considers it. She really does. "Not yet." But she decides against it, "Let's hope they'll want revenge against you, and bring the others with them."

Leonidas hums and nods, then stands up and dusts off his robe.

That's when the guards neared them, swords and bows drawn.

"Halt! You violated the law-"

"We surrendeer!" Leonidas instantly cries out joyfully, hands high in the air. "Aw man, this is the first time I've gotten arrested!"

First time…?

Yeah, that has to be one massive lie.

                                                                                    ….

Good thing, they weren't fully arrested and taken to jail.

Bad thing, they were taken before the Jarl.

Why is that a bad thing? Leonidas.

The far too relaxed skeleton in disguise should never be put before authoritative figures. Or rulers.

"Man, smells like bitch in here…" The hidden skeleton sniffs from besides her, making her eyebrow twitch as she keeps her gaze on the throne before her, the home of the Jarl of Falkreath being a far cry to the imposing and breathtaking Dragonsreach.

Siddgeir, the Jarl of Falkreath, narrows his gaze towards Leonidas due to his very loudly spoken words. The man looked young, perhaps in his early thirties… And from the way he sat on his throne and the empty bottles of mead scattered to the side, she could easily guess what kind of man he was.

Beside him stood a tall Altmer woman, her face expressionless and relax despite the two unconscious bodies resting in between them. The… 'proof' of Leonidas chaotic actions.

Finally, after a tense silence that lasted far too long, the young Jarl finally speaks up, "Give me one good reason on why I should have you two slammed in a cell and throw the key away for causing all that chaos in my city." His tone was harsh, and his words were nearly growled out, yet Aurelia could tell he was all bark and no bite.

He seemed… afraid of them. Perhaps due to how Leonidas easily handled and made a joke of the two Argonians still unconscious on the ground.

Leonidas beats her to the punch, speaking up before she could do so herself, "First of all, your city is a cesspool of uncivilized and retarded monkeys that cannot even fathom that there exists a world with other people beyond the walls of this sewer you call a city."

The Jarl's frown grows more noticeable, his hands clenching into fists while the Altmer's woman eyes widen in surprise at Leonidas sheer gall. She saw nothing yet.

"Second of all, and this is actually the real reason; These cretins you hired?" Leonidas foot jabs towards the two unconscious bodies, "They are murderers. They hunt, kill and eat children, for fun." The Jarl stills, gaze flicking between Leonidas and the two Argonians, "So we have been sent to take care of them. I'd be grateful if you didn't butt in, but I doubt you are smart enough to do that."

Why must you insult the Jarl, Leonidas?!

Angered by Leonidas words, Siddgeir straightens himself upon the throne and turns his nose up towards the hidden Undead man, "Do you have any proof? A bounty, mayhaps? No? Then all you have are just words, and you have still attacked mercenaries under my pay."

Aurelia stopped herself from clicking her tongue, having hoped the Jarl would just trust their word-

"Ah, so if I go out there and kill the bandits stalking the roads – You know, the dumbfucks who give you a cut of their raid – I'd still be breaking the law?"

Very, very slowly, Aurelia turns her head to regard Leonidas with wide, shocked and horrified eyes. He had to be lying…

Yet, the moment her gaze flicks towards the Jarl and she takes in his surprised and even scared face, Aurelia felt a burst of fury and desire to turn the bastard into a bloody smear grow within her.

"What do you want?" The Jarl finally growls out, shoulders squared and tense, his gaze flicking between them and the guards standing by the doors far behind them.

"Their lives, for one." Leonidas drawls out cheerfully as he nods towards the still unconscious Argonians, "And the locations of their other pals too, preferably."

Deciding to speak up too, Aurelia takes a half-step forward to take the lead, "We just want to stop their useless murders, then we'll be on our way. That we swear, Jarl of Falkreath." Even if she didn't want to, she had to overlook the situation of the bandits.

Even if it made her sick to the stomach.

In the back of her head, Aurelia thought of throwing out her title as the Dragonborn in hopes for… something, but in the end she swiftly decided against it.

"My Jarl." Suddenly, the Altmer woman speaks up, and the Jarl leans in her direction as she bends down to whisper something in his ear.

Leonidas snorts and shakes his head, a sigh soon leaving him as he rolls his shoulder. "What a fucking waste of time…" He mutters below his breath, gaze firmly locked onto the two unconscious Argonians.

She could feel his desire to just end them and disregard the consequences, and the reason he very likely wasn't going to do exactly that is because she is with him.

He'd rather not cause trouble for her too.

Slowly, she takes his hand in his and gives it a comforting squeeze. Yet, when he doesn't react to the gesture, a know forms in her stomach and she bites her inner cheek harshly.

Right, lack of feelings…

She gives his hand another squeeze, this one for herself, before drawing her hand back and straightening herself.

That's when Leonidas decides to speak up once more, "If you need incentive to give these fucks over to us, then we can just deal with the reason you have hired them ourselves. Free of charge."

His words bring a flash of hesitation on the Jarl's face, and the Altmer woman finally draws back, her face still the same as before.

Leaning back against his throne, Sidggeir looks between them and the Argonians for a few seconds, then he openly sneers, "I'd rather trust those with a clear reputation than two fools that caused chaos in my city."

With a shake of the head, he waves his hand dismissively towards them, "Leave. You are pardoned for your crimes this once."

This fucking-

"Yeah, fuck this." Leonidas pipes up, then turns towards her, "I'm gonna do it."

Aurelia blinks, then her eyes widen in realization.

"Leo, no-!"

"Woe, flamin' wolves be upon ye!"

Not the fucking wolves again-!

BOOM!

                                                                                      ….

They got kicked out of Falkreath.

Which, to be fair, is far better than being locked up in a cell.

Deep down, Aurelia knows that the only reason they were allowed to leave and were not arrested is due to Siddgeir hoping to make use of them if the five Argonians fail in the task he hired them to do.

Then he disregarded that when Leonidas… Did a Leonidas, and just kicked them out of Falkreath directly.

Mostly because there are no cells that can hold a Mage of his caliber, so he can only be banished outside of the city and pray he decides not to unleash further suicidal wolves upon their wolves.

Something Leonidas is considering quite a lot.

"You know…" The source of her problems and amusement speaks up, and Aurelia snaps a nasty glare his way that makes Leonidas pipe down instantly.

"We are not kidnapping a granny to let us into the city through a hostage situation, Leonidas." Aurelia grows out through very gritted teeth, insanely pissed off at having their horses still inside the city with them now locked outside.

Leonidas has the gall to sulk at her refusal, as if he was pouting her way. She hated and loved how expressive he could be despite not having a face. "Not what I was going to say, but fair… Anyway, I met a kid inside the city, and I'm fairly sure she has Lycanthropy and is a follower of Hircine." He reveals, surprising her a great deal.

"In fact, she's the one that helped me find the two bastards I beat up and told me the Jarl hired them." Leaning back against the tree, Aurelia hums lowly as she crosses her arms.

A sigh soon leaves her lips though, "You hope she can help us?" Her friend shrugs, hands rummaging through the small bag she thankfully still had on her and did not leave with the horses.

"Maybe." He trails off, then hums, "I knew I forgot something. We did pass by a Dragon Mound on our way here." Aurelia blinks, then steps close to peer over his shoulder at their made up map of Skyrim showing the locations of the Dragon Priests and the Dragon Mounds.

And as he said, they did indeed walk past a Dragon Mound on the way… Though there is another one quite close by too. "That one is very close."

Leonidas nods in agreement, "Probably a short walk. Half an hour, or an hour at most." He hums, then puts the map away and stuffs it back into the sack. "Wanna make a quick stop by the Dragon Mound?"

He asks, and before she could answer, another voice speaks up. From right beside her, "The fuck's a Dragon Mound?"

Aurelia yelps, then turns startled and wide eyes towards the green eyed and rust-red haired child standing right next to her. Where did she even come from!?

"You're a sneaky brat, ain't you?" Leonidas remarks, amusement tinging his voice as the girl turns up her nose. "But it's dangerous to be outside at night, Gretel." Then he swiftly chides her, tone gentle and warm.

"I don't give a shit." The foul-mouthed Gretel sniffs and crosses her arms, head tilted up to look down her nose at Leonidas, "I'll beat the fuck outta anyone that tries something!"

Leonidas just chuckles and pats her head, "I'm sure you will, brat."

Aurelia bites her inner cheek at the sight, something in her stomach churning with a strange need and warmth as she looked at Leonidas.

Gods, this man was going to ruin her…

Ignoring the flush on her cheeks, Aurelia swiftly coughs into her fist, "She's the kid you told me about?"

Leonidas pipes up and nods, ignoring the glowering pout the girl is throwing his way for daring to head-pat her. "It is. With her sister hiding behind a tree over there." Aurelia blinks, then turns around to stare in the direction of Falkreath, several trees standing between her and the sight of the barely lit tall walls of the city.

Gretel sulks and sighs, "Damn, hoped you wouldn't notice…"

"I didn't." Leonidas reveals and playfully flicks her nose, "You just proved my suspicion."

"Fuck!" The child curses, then nearly throws herself at Leonidas if a loud sigh didn't echo out from behind one of the large trees Aurelia kept her gaze on.

Slowly, a tall woman with long and thick rust-red hair steps into view, a thick white shirt with bits of leather armor covering her upper body while pitch-black leather pants and heavy boots cover her lower body.

"Gretel, you curse too much." The woman states, her face in a perpetual scowl, her right eye covered by a very noticeable eye-patch. "Wait 'till we get home."

Gretel lets out an aggravated cry of despair, "But granny says it makes me adorable!"

"I approve." Leonidas nods with a thumbs up.

The woman's glowering glare flicks towards Leonidas, "You shut the fuck up." Then the furious gaze snaps towards Gretel, "And I don't give a fuck about what granny thinks." Well, they truly were sisters…

Gretel whines and childishly kicks at the ground as her sister turns her gaze back towards Leonidas, "You the fucker that caused all that chaos in the city?"

A thumbs up is her first answer, "Yep! It me, Mario!" What's with that stupid, squeaky voice?

"I thought your name was Leonidas?" The red haired woman raises a confused brow.

"It is!"

"Then why the fuck-" She stops herself and takes in a deep breath before letting it out. Yeah, that's the effect Leonidas has on people. "Listen, my sister insisted that the big guy hired you, and I hope you aren't bullshitting."

Aurelia shares a glance with Leonidas before she nods towards the tall red haired woman, "I promise we aren't. We just want to take care of those five Argonians, then go back to Whiterun." A lone green eye remains locked on her for several quiet seconds before the woman's tense shoulders relax.

"Fine…" She sighs out, "I'm Hildr, that dumbass's older sister." Gretel squeaks out in indignation at being called a dumbass, earning a tiny smile from Hildr, "If you want to deal with those five bastards, then you'll have to set up an ambush around the area they will have to go to."

Slowly, Leonidas stands up, "And you know why the Jarl hired them?" Hildr breathes in, then she nods.

"Around a week ago, the whole city saw around fifty guards go out of the city armed to the teeth." The woman starts, crossing her arms below her bust and leaning against the tree beside her, "Not even three hours later, only four guards come back, bloodied and covered in dust from head to toe, looking downright traumatized."

Aurelia reels back in shock as Gretel speaks up next, "I was there when they came back." The child reveals, "Kept screamin' about the giant beast by the Shrine of Akatosh, the one near Twilight Sepulcher."

"And that's where the bastards will be headed." Hildr states finally, gaze harsh and serious.

"Fuck." Only for Leonidas to curse and grasp his face with one hand.

"Leo?" Aurelia asks, worry tinging her voice and gaze, "What's wrong?"

"We need to move." He states instantly, gaze snapping towards Hildr, "Could you go and grab our horses from inside Falkreath? This is a pressing matter." The woman's gaze narrows further, but she nods briskly and turns around to quickly run back into Falkreath, her little sister hot on her trails.

"Leo, what's wrong?" Aurelia asks softly as her friend sighs deeply.

"The Dragon Mound." He states heavily, making her eyes widen, "It's right next the Shrine of Akatosh."

Oh…

Oh no…

"I can assure you that the beast the Jarl hired those fucks to hunt down and kill is a damn Dragon of all things. The one supposed to be in the Dragon Mound."

The poisons meant to slowly drain the energies out of whatever they are inserted into, lacing the blades of one of the Argonians hired by the Jarl…

That makes sense now.

It didn't take long for Hildr to come back with the horses, having even also gotten the right horses instead of random ones.

"Big sis threatened the idiot at the stable with magical harm!" Gretel happily explains how Hildr got the right horses from her spot behind her sister, who is also riding a large white horse.

"You sure you wanna bring the girl along?" Leonidas asks as he mounts his horse, Aurelia doing the same from right beside him.

Hildr nods, a scowl on her face, "I'd rather have her close by instead of inside the city and without me around." She explains, and Aurelia had to agree that it was a wise choice, "Where are we going?"

"Straight ahead." Leonidas states, then flicks his wrist to conjure four flaming wolves. "Spread out and run ahead of us to light the path." He orders swiftly, and the flaming wolves howl and swiftly move into action.

Hildr seemed surprised at Leonidas's spell, but visibly held back her question as they started moving.

"Keep an eye out for any weird shaped hill! It looks like a burial site!" Aurelia calls out, her horse neighing as it picks up speed, hooves clicking loudly on the paved road beneath them.

"I know where that is!" Gretel suddenly calls out loudly, drawing her surprised gaze, "It's close to the Shrine! To the right of a massive rock!"

Aurelia inwardly started hoping the Dragon Mound was still there and untouched, so she could remove the threat of another Dragon coming back to life.

But then what else could have slain nearly fifty guards within the blink of an eye?

Not even the Dragon she faced before Whiterun was that powerful and would have surely fallen to the warriors that swiftly gathered to take it down.

Perhaps the only Dragon that could truly wipe out so many Dragons so quickly… Is Yolosqah.

A Dragon equal in power to that one, if not stronger… The thought sent shudders down Aurelia's spine.

"I see the rock!" Hildr calls out, pointing far ahead of them and above the treeline, the faint light from the moon above highlighting the sharp jagged stones rising high into the air.

It was massive and very eye-catchy too, especially once the horse rushed out of the forest and into an open valley of hills and swamps.

Aurelia's gaze glides down the large jagged rocks and towards where Gretel said the Dragon Mound would be, and her eyes land on a large hill of earth.

One that… looked very weird.

"The fuck?" Gretel mutters aloud as the horses slow down, the four flaming wolves rushing ahead of them and lighting the area with their bodies. "That hill… It was never there before?"

The wolves near said hill, lighting up the earth and dirt that makes it up.

Then the horses near it, and Aurelia feels a chill as she gets to gaze at the ground that makes up the hill Gretel was sure wasn't here before from up close.

"It's dug out dirt…" Hildr whispers out, eye narrowed in pure confusion. "What caused this?" Aurelia knew.

Yet she followed after Leonidas as he walked up the mound of earth and dirt, until they slowly reached the top.

And gazed into the massive pit that was surely the Dragon Mound not too long ago.

It was enormous. At least a hundred meters wide and half as many meters deep.

Leonidas breathes out and starts circling the edge of the massive crater as Hildr and Gretel catch up, their faces changing in pure horror and shock at the sight before them.

"What the fuck caused this?!" Gretel cries out, and Hildr herself is too shocked to reprimand her sister for her language.

Instead, the woman gulps and starts looking around, until her gaze lands on something. "Whatever did this… Also left that behind."

She points out, and Leonidas stills and follows her gaze and pointed finger. Aurelia and Gretel do the same.

Not far from the massive crater, and lit up by a lone flaming wolves running inside it, lay a giant claw print in the ground.

Aurelia gulps, as she realizes the size of the claw print was nearly as big as Yolosqah himself.

A single damn claw, bigger than then strongest Dragon she has faced so far.

"Wallahi, we're cooked…"

Leonidas's words didn't make things any better.

A.N. Kaiju battle inbound. Will Gretel solo the Dragon? Or will Leonidas go 'Nah, I'd blow his back out.'?

Stay tuned and find out!

Hope y'all enjoyed the chapter!

Lots of love and huggies towards y'all that support me so damn much! Y'all are amazing!

Toodles!