The Dragonborn

Part 107

The hulking draugr rolled its shoulders and cracked its neck. Mark and Frea took a few steps back, discreetly reaching for their weapons as slowly as they could without drawing its attention. Jack was speechless at its massive size. He had never seen a draugr this big. It had to of been part giant. Jack's eyes quickly scanned the draugr's armor. It was ancient looking, but intact. It wouldn't be easy to get through. It was made of thick iron and looked just as heavy. What was odd was that the draugr had a strange leather cord around its neck. The cord looked rather new, but whatever was on it was hidden beneath his chest piece. Jack's eyes drifted to the crypt where the draugr had come from. The back of the coffin had a strange dragon carved design. He didn't get to observer much more of it because the draugr dragged its heavy dragon bone mace across the ground, before lifting it up to point at Mark. Jack's panic got the better of him. Was his mace magic? He couldn't take the risk.

Raising his hands, he sent up a ward in front of Mark. The draugr's head turned straight in Jack's direction. Jack lowered his hands, standing up straight. The draugr was looking for a specific target. A magical one. The draugr turned to face Jack, its voice dark and gravely as it uttered out with just its grey teeth. "Bovul Het." Mark drew his greatsword, asking Jack softly. "What did he say?" Frea shrugged, but Jack easily translated. "He wants us to flee from here." Mark gripped his sword hilt tighter, growling out. "Or he'll kill us, right? We'll see about that!" Jack raised a hand to stop Mark, causing the draugr to glance in Mark's direction with an unfazed expression. Jack cleared his throat, picturing the words in his mind as he asked him back. "Het Wah Viik Miraak." The draugr's head shot back to look at Jack with narrowed glowing blue eyes. Mark tensed up, rushing out. "Jack? What did you say to it?" Jack stood firm, telling them without looking away from the draugr. "I told him we're here to defeat Miraak." Mark groaned to himself, grimly whining out. "Should you have said that to him? Jack..." Frea tensed up herself, adding shakily. "I have to agree. He's guarding Miraak, isn't he?"

The draugr took two sweeping strides up to Jack, but Jack didn't move. He stood his ground as the draugr pointed one of the three curled dragon claws on his mace just under Jack's jaw. Jack stared into the draugr's eyes fearlessly, when the draugr answered in a frustrated tone. "Pah Fen Dir. Miraak Mul. Hin Sahlo. Hin Mey." Jack shook his head, stating out under his breath. "You're wrong. We won't die. He isn't strong. I'm not weak, nor am I a fool. I'm Dovahkiin." The last word caused the draugr to lower his mace a little. The draugr straightened up to his full height with a stern expression and Jack told the others seriously. "Get ready. He's not going to let us pass." The draugr shook his head with disappointment, lifting his mace to brace over his shoulder as he uttered out coldly. "Ni Dovahkiin. Ney Lo." Jack shook his head only slightly this time with pity, telling him softly. "You're making a mistake." The draugr turned slightly, quickly pointing his mace toward the five small crypts against the wall. From the mace a purple pulse shot out and the lids fell heavily to the floor one by one.

The three center lids fell to the ground, sending up waves of dust as three draugr bodies fell lifeless to the ground. The years had not been kind to them. However, as the two lids on the far ends fell open... two Deathlords stepped out. Mark cursed and ran to intercept one, while Frea locked axes with the one closest to her. The large draugr then turned to look back at Jack and brought his mace down. Jack rolled out of the way as the mace bashed into the ground so hard that it left an imprint in the dirt. Jack conjured bound daggers into his hand, telling the draugr bitterly. "You've got power... but your slow." The draugr hefted his heavy mace up and swung it out at Jack. Jack dropped to the ground to dodge the hit, then dashed forward and slashed the thigh muscles of the draugr as he slid between his legs. The draugr didn't feel it and adjusted to step on him. Jack waited as long as he could, then rolled away just enough to be missed. When the draugr's foot slammed onto the ground, Jack slashed the blade across his Achilles tendon.