Killing Two Dragons With One Axe

Loredas, 12 Heartfire

I continue to be pleased that I chose to purchase my house in Whiterun.  Not only does it provide me a place to sleep without having to hand over my hard-won coin for a bed, it is also next door to War-maiden's, the armorer's shop in Whiterun.  I have been given leave to use the smelter and forge outside, where Adrianne Avenici does her smithing.  

Yesterday after waking in my own bed, I rose and visited Acadia, the alchemist.  She has also given me leave to use her alchemical equipment.  It's impressive how kind and accommodating the people of Whiterun are by comparison to the sour residents of Windhelm.  I used Acadia's equipment to prepare a few potions, and she purchased some from me.  Though she has a peculiar habit of proclaiming that I look ill each time I enter her shop, I find the place amenable.  I stocked up on healing potions, then decided that I should follow up on a bounty I'd heard about when I visited Falkreath.  I put on my helm, shouldered my shield, and Lydia and I set out for Bilgegulch Mine beyond Falkreath.

I had determined that our best course would be to visit Falkreath first before heading off in search of the mine.  But no sooner had we arrived than the village was beset by a dragon!  Lydia and the town guards peppered it with arrows.  I couldn't stay out of range of its fiery breath.  It was just as well that I had purchased those potions from Acadia.  Despite having been set ablaze, I was able to vault onto the beast's head and bury the blade of my axe in its skull.  As before, when the flames consumed its flesh I felt a rush of power as its soul flowed into me.

Feeling quite satisfied by this turn of events, I decided not to bother staying overnight in Falkreath.  We continued on in search of the mine, traveling by the light of my candlelight spell.  Not far outside the town we came upon an unusual ruin.  Suddenly there was a flare of light and a spriggan rushed us.  Lydia plied her bow to good effect and soon brought it down.  Inside the ruin we found that it had slain two men.  Some bandits had evidently been making the ruin their base, for there was also a chest inside with a few goods in it.  

Continuing on into the night, I became aware of a roaring echoing off the mountains around us.  Was it a dragon? I wondered.  But I couldn't tell what direction it came from.  The sound was too distorted by the echoes.  Eventually we came down into a valley and though it was dark and misty, I spotted a dragon ahead hovering over a spot on the ground.  When Delphine and I fought the dragon at Kynesgrove there were actually two dragons, one of which spoke some words in what I assume is the draconic tongue.  This dragon I saw now was doing the same.  It almost seemed to be chanting.  I decided to take cover and watch for a little while.  Soon I witnessed as strange stream of energy shooting out of the earth into the sky.  Could it be possible, I thought, that this chanting dragon was resurrecting one of the long-dead dragons?

I was right in my surmise.  I saw the second dragon rise up, while the first called out some phrase and then flew away.  Thinking that the newly-reborn dragon might still be weak, I raced toward it, hurling a shard of ice as soon as I was within range.  It wasn't as weak as I had hoped, but to my relief it did not simply fly off.  It repeatedly swooped toward us, breathing not flames but frost.  I don't know if my ice spikes did it any harm, but my axe did, as did Lydia's arrows.  It wasn't easy, but soon enough the dragon was consumed in fire and its soul passed to me.  Dawn was just breaking.  I had slain two dragons in as many days.

Feeling emboldened by this success, I marched on in search of Bilgegulch Mine.  We came upon a Khajit trader who had been slain by two bandits, who promptly attacked us and gave up their lives for it.  One of them tried to plead for mercy, but Lydia would have none of that.  It wasn't until then that I noticed the fort on the cliff above us.  But I decided to forego exploring it and continue my mission to find the bandits at the mine.  

While trying to find a more direct route toward the mine's location, I spotted another structure on the mountainside, dramatically set over a waterfall.  Thinking this might be the mine - though it looked more like Bleak Falls Barrow in design - we crossed the river and were immediately fired upon by someone high up on a promontory.  Lydia fired back, and I ended his life with an icy spike.  After we slew a second man I realized these people were no bandits, they were Forsworn.  As I'd thought, this wasn't a mine, but there was something about the place that pulled at me, telling me that I should take the time to investigate it further.