DS 544

(544: Battle for Winterhold (2))

The advantage of the information in war is basically the most important of all. If you know where the enemy is coming from, you will ambush them. If you know where and how the enemy will ambush you, you will counter that ambush and render it useless. Surprisingly, those two situations happened almost at the same time.

Wayward Pass and Winterhold were currently under attack by that Mysterious Enemy. In Winterhold, it was almost the same assassins who attacked when he arrived for the first time. Of all the goals to aim at, they were fixed on reaching Jon's house and kidnap Alina.

Why her?

Alina could make a rough guess herself but the ultimate goal is to get to Jon.

This enemy is not some Dragon Cult seeking to attack the Warlord who supports the Dragonborn or any of the matter, this was an act of revenge against Jon himself. The Blood in Alina's dream meant either War or Blood Oath and not surprisingly, it was both.

The enemy operatives were many and skilled enough to enter the city undetected. Still, once inside the city, a bloodbath awaited them and it was made of cold steel and venomous fangs. Around the Manor, there were enough Agents from Team 0 to give a Daedric Prince a hard time going past them. Around the city in the dark alleyways, many spiders heeded the call of Jullanar's flute and crawled from the sewers and the hidden areas.

An arrow flew towards her throat with a terrifying precision but a sudden flash appeared around her and sent the arrow flying. The assassin who shot the arrow suddenly stopped moving as something caught him by the face and a stinger struck his skull. The Daedra inhabiting the man wailed and faded back to Oblivion as the stinger reached the center of the brain and suddenly the man turned to his companions with a large spider on his face.

"!!"

"!!"

Even if they were inhabited by Daedra, what they saw was a thing from the nightmares. They wanted to deal with it silently but as soon as they tried to cut the spider with their companion's head, he jumped on their swords in a freakish way and traded the arm of his companion with his life. The Mind-Controlling Spider jumped off the Man's body and attempted to take one of his companions but the target struggled badly and stabbed himself with the spider on his face.

One remained on this team and he was already too terrified to go forward but the Daedra inside him hated the feeling of mortal weakness and fear so he didn't give the man the chance to retreat and plainly jumped off the high point running madly towards the Sea Mist Manor for an arrow to silently strikes his eye.

Almost all the Agents of Team 0 shook their heads seeing how messy their enemies are. They may have been possessed by something powerful but a power gained through no effort at all is a danger to its user rather than its opponent. They prided themselves to be the best at what they do. Still, those enemies are a far cry compared to the ones that faced Alina in Saarthal, they can't even resurrect themselves when they die.

They heard during the mission briefing that this may be related to the Daedra inhabiting the Host but this was just pathetic.

The scene repeated itself with many different spiders afterward. Spiders that can explode in poison clouds, spiders that can freeze their surroundings, large spiders that can bite badly, spiders that smell so bad as if the rotten flesh and touching them burns the skin. From the looks of it, Jullanar has taken her liberty with her spider pets.

"Trash! All Trash!"

But of course, not all the enemies were those cannon fodder. The plan of the attackers was to lure out the security detail around Jon's house and then seriously attack them but this thing about running into spiders was simply too infuriating. Weak and feeble beings were able to wipe out almost a hundred Daedra Thralls, the amount that is by no means easy to just make.

He finally gave a signal and the real force behind him moved openly. It wasn't only stealthy assassins this time but also creatures of the night as well as undead and summoned Daedra. It must have taken them quite a long time and a lot of resources to sneak each and every one of those people inside the Hold without anyone noticing but that isn't what was important, the fact that these people were attacking during daybreak meant they were having some sort of plan.

Was it to expose the whole ability of Winterhold’s best defenders or draw them all out or were they being arrogant? Jullanar didn’t think of it much now as the enemy was moving but she could feel the murderous intent they harbored.

The enemies charged towards the Sea Mist Manor from the south, east and north like hungry beasts. Jullanar finally decided to jump off the roof and meet the enemies head-on but as she landed on her feet, she quickly turned tail and ran away from the scene.

Soldiers do not abandon their posts this easily and there was no way that Jullanar, the one who was a literal pain to the cult’s operatives to retreat like that… unless…

From the sides of the scene, multiple canisters rolled on the ground catching the attention of the attackers and by the next second…

*Flash* *Flash* *Boom*

The grenades exploded one after the other blinding those who can be blinded and causing a Sun Damage to the undead. The Solar Grenades were designed specifically to deal with Vampires and Undead while a small number of grenades were Silver Frag Grenades that would harm werewolves. This was merely the beginning as all the houses around the Sea Mist Manor were literally packed with Agents dressed as Dare Troopers, they all opened the windows and scaled the walls nearby aiming their crossbows at the attackers.

"FIRE!"

It was so foolish for the attackers to think that as long as they are inside Winterhold, no one other than the powerful figures would stand in their way. They simply had numbers and would use that to distract people like Jullanar or Hilda to try to get to Alina but not only did the powerful figures not appear, they defenders of Winterhold were already onto their plan and readied the perfect counterattack.

But did any of that matter? Hardly. The attackers came with the intention of sacrificing as many as they could as long as they can harm Jon's people and kidnap his wife. They intended to deliver the most devastating blow of humiliation to Jon who is their most hated antagonist.

What followed was just pure mayhem. The Necromancers commanding the undead cast [Corpse Explosion] on their fallen comrades who were close to the defenders attempting to injure as many as they could. Reinforcements that were hidden nearby joined the attackers and tried to scale the walls and enter the houses but…

*Tink* *Tink* *Tink*

Bear Traps! They were everywhere hidden by illusion magic but not just that…

*Boom* *Boom* *Boom*

They were Exploding Bear Traps, as if the original function wasn't terrifying enough.

Frost Runes, Solar Grenades, Exploding Bear Traps, shooting from windows. It was as if the defenders of Winterhold were not a legit army but rather a band of thugs. In truth, the Dare Troopers were trained in both Urban and Open Field situations making them a deadly force that individually increase in power the more they join each other. Their astonishing coordination befitted the most destructive Mercenary Force in the North.

The attackers still kept the strategy of numbers and as many would think it wouldn't work, it was actually working. They managed to push the defenders by a block and adapted to the traps and their pattern.

"Hya! Kill them all!"

Yet from the back, an unexpected defense strategy showed itself. The Dare Troopers with a band of Firemanes and Moonblades led by Hilda Firemane assaulted the attackers from the back even with their number and mobility disadvantage.

Hilda was as towering as ever holding an axe that is as tall as her and swinging it around dying the background in blood. Her frenzy kicked in the moment she saw enough blood and kept brutalizing the enemies on a rate of her own while the rest followed her momentum.

This woman is truly brutal, worthy of the name "Bloody Hilda". Even with her late experience with motherhood and becoming more docile now that she settled in Winterhold, old habits seemed to be dying hard seeing her turning the enemies into gore.

Her destructive power alone wasn't enough sadly, the enemies could easily escape from her or try to attack her from behind but at this moment, another figure showed up in the Shalidor Plaza. Holding a spear and fighting like a machine, Isha came down from her house with a feral anger killing and chasing every enemy she saw.

The number of monster-class warriors in Winterhold was not something anyone would expect. Isha, Mirren and Miranda are strangers and never showed up that often so they were completely an unwelcome surprise, the Dare Troopers are known to be powerful in the field but not as agile as cats reminding the attackers of the Black Pigeons who snoop around them, even the Firemanes and the Beasts were present and the younger generation members showed a shocking potential.

The fight reached its climax with the two parties at each other's throats. The normal residents of Winterhold were evacuated to the other districts of the city where it is safe and the Jarl even showed up in a squad of his guardsmen and blocked the roads. When the attackers wanted to use any house’s residents as hostages, they would find out that a band of Dare Troopers or some Firemanes were waiting for them inside.

How were these people this ready? The leader of the attackers never knew. The plan which was put down to him by his leader, the one called Helmer is now gone and only death awaits his band if they stay further. They can still retreat, they very much can. But one day… one day those people of Winterhold will know true fear, they will shiver in dread when the heads of the Firemane and the Dares are hung on spikes when the true owners of Winterhold truly return.

“The Bloodsail Clan shall purge this hold once again! Mark my words, Winterhold!” He shouted in absolute hate as he turned tail and was about to use the Teleportation scrolls to retreat… but…

A beautiful woman appeared.

She is as beautiful as the word beautiful can get, she is tall, dignified and carries the air of the noblest person any came across.

A lady.

No, the Lady.

Winterhold’s Queen, the Red Witch of Crimson Moon, Alina Dare.

Her head was crowned by a circlet made of Mithril and she held on a staff. Both the circlet and the staff were items of great power.

The attackers knew what to do to this woman who simply walked out of her house’s front door.

Catch her! Hold her! Aim the teleportation scrolls towards her and send her with them. She is the target they’re after. Jon Dare’s weakness.

Alina looked at them with absolute abhorrence, even with them being creatures of the night and daedra worshippers, the look in her eyes stripped them from any chance of redemption. There is no going back or any sort of salvation for their souls after they were stripped from Divine Mercy just by angering that woman. She is Kyne’s favored, Kyne who carries the souls to the afterlife in honor. Now Kyne will no longer bless or carry them, it is a fate they signed up for when they damned their own souls but now, this damnation is eternal.

They knew it all but they could no longer hesitate. She has to be taken no matter what Divine they anger or what curse they conjure.

They stepped towards her, she sighed.

“You Dare?” She spoke.

Dare? An infuriating name indeed. They wanted to curse that name that rendered their clan to ruin but Alina’s wrath came swifter.

She is indeed weakened, she has spent a lot of vitality to uncover their plans by looking into time, she put her life at risk so that she can corner them in a moment like this.

Corner them?

Yes.

She alone was holding their lives in her very hands. She didn’t use a staff or a circlet to cast magic, in fact, she didn’t even use magic. She didn’t unsheath her deadly blades. She was just standing in her home clothes covered by a fur cloak that added dignity to her appearance and in her free hand, she held a Control Tablet, one of those light screens made by Jon.

She tapped on the screen and images appeared then added a few taps and swiped across the screen before adding one final tap. No one knew what sort of madness she just conjured but soon after, they learned of what kind of horror she called upon.

She smirked in mockery.

“Now… look what you made me do.”

Once the Firemanes and Dare Troopers… basically, once everyone in Winterhold saw what just happened, they abandoned their posts and ran away without even looking back.

Ominous? Not even close.

Mechanical sounds were heard from all across the city as random pillars and structures started to transform as if it was a Dwemer Ruin or a Clockwork Machine, the next thing seen was these structures opening up and strange-looking pillars appearing in their stead with orbs on them.

*Bzzzt* *Bzzzt*

Alina simply turned around as every attacker around the city was now under the mercy of the Defense Tesla Towers.

That’s right, Jon equipped the inner city with a secret Tower Defense system connected directly to his Control Panel. Like… if he can do it, why not?

***

Wayward Pass was about to descend to the same havoc as Winterhold. Only difference is, the defenders of Winterhold were the ones on the offense in this situation and what a sight it was.

First, a large man walked towards Wayward Pass alone holding nothing but a Katana blade. He stood in the middle of the roads detecting all the presents around him and slowly unsheathing the blade.

It was weird for the ambushers stationed on the path as they expected an army to pass by. They were reading their arrows, traps and large rolling rocks to completely decimate the Dare Troopers but for only one man to show up and not just any man, it was the King of Ashes himself.

The ambushers consisted of many fallen clans that were destroyed by Jon Dare, the Firemanes and their Allies. They knew who Jonrad Firemane is and knew very well the danger of facing a Dragonknight. He is now standing in the middle of their trap at the highest point of Wayward Pass next to the altar and every arrow and blade were pointed at him.

Still, it rather felt like they were the ones who were being ambushed.

It was a “whoever moves first dies first” sort of situation. Jonrad was calm, very calm. He looked like an aged version of his son with a larger beard and sleepier face but the same domineer was there when the two are about to do something reckless.

His killing intent was dense and combined with his seeing flames, he slowly let out his Aura with a mere hum instead of crying a Kiai.

A Manifestation! The highest form of Aura.

At first, Jonrad's Aura was Elemental, a Flaming Aura. It then showed its Advanced form affecting the earth beneath him into Lava. Finally, Ash spread from the molten Earth under his feet and enveloped the area around him with what could be seen as clouds forming an image of a man whose eyes were flaming red holding countless blades.

The illusion manifesting around Jonrad was his Battle Spirit, his uniqueness as a warrior and his character as a man. This manifesting illusion was the highest Mastery an Aura Master can reach and Jonrad has a place secured in the list of those who can manipulate their surroundings with their Breath and Aura

"Attack!"

There was no longer a leeway from confronting this monster, a signal was given for the attack and all the ambushers showed themselves and their traps but suddenly…

*Poof*

Jonrad disappeared as if he wasn't there to begin with.

"Surrender or none of you will walk out of here alive!" A shout came from up the mountain as the ambushers suddenly discovered that they were surrounded.

It was hard to imagine how this happened but Jonrad seemed to have never been on Wayward Pass to begin with. He was still down the mountain but simply used a stealth technique to copy his Aura into something that exactly resembles him and gave it some of his power to induce his aura in the surroundings. The former spy was not just good at hiding his presence but also at creating living mirages and distractions to make the enemy fall into their own traps.

While his Aura Mirage distracted the ambushers, Wulfur and Dare Troopers scaled the mountain for a higher ground advantage and Reinforcements arrived from Saarthal. What happened next was more of a desperate defense rather than an ambush.

At the back of the Troopers, Jonrad had a light screen that he used to send a request for reinforcements and it also carried instructions from Alina.

It seemed that Winterhold City was secured and all that was left were the ambushers here and at the ones attacking Fort Fellhammer. During the fight, Jonrad observed Wulfur who fought a large man possessed by a Daedra, seemingly the leader of the whole attacker force. With the people here finally getting slaughtered and imprisoned by the Troopers, Winterhold emerged victorious on the Evil Force that wanted to lay waste to its safety.

Or so they thought. Of course, things can't just be sunshine and rainbows.

The Bloodsails Clan, the clan which plagued Winterhold for years with their Blood Horkers pirates, seemed to have survived the Pirate Purge at the hands of Jon Dare three years ago. Not only that, but they also combined their Forces with the enemies of Winterhold and the Firemanes, they were working for the Dragon Cult and they were hell-bent on revenge.

When they were all defeated, when their forces in Winterhold and Wayward Pass were destroyed, they didn't give up and called for their endgame card.

From a lonely mountain, one man stood on its peak and cried to the Sky. His shout was heard not as like Thu'um but it had an echo to it and it caused those who heard it to shiver in fear.

What replied to such a grim cry was a roar, a thundering roar that almost split the heavens.

The skies were covered by two massive wings as a terrifying creature circled around Saarthal.

A Dragon!