"Alright, where the heck are we?" Danny asked.

"Ugh, I never went into this part of the forest," Dovahkiin mumbled.

"Maybe if you haven't ran after that stupid deer we would have stayed on the road," the ghost teen deadpanned.

"That's it, you are walking on your own."

"What do you...Ah!"

With a yelp Phantom fell off the horse and landed on his butt after Dragonborn's had pushed him. Danny glared at the smirking nord, before getting up and brushing off the dirt.

"Very funny," he grumbled. "Still, it won't help us to find the way."

"So you have a bright idea? Mind sharing?"

Two shining rings appeared around Danny's waist as he turned in his ghost form. Without saying a word Phantom flew up in the air and above the trees. He started looking around and noticed that there was an opening not so far away. He landed back on his feet and turned human again, before smirking widely at Dovahkiin's not amused expression.

"C'mon now, I think I found something."

Danny went forward and Dragonborn didn't have any choice but to follow. Soon they got to the opening. It was small, but luckily they found a small path, which meant that there should be a bigger road not so far away. The opening was positioned under rocky cliff, and there was a small muddy pond nearby.

"Can at least have rest," Dovahkiin muttered, getting off the horse.

Danny, however, seemed uncomfortable. He couldn't quite place this feeling, it was like his ghost sense, but there was no chilly vapor coming out of his mouth. Just some hollow feeling inside his chest. Emptiness in its finest.

Dragonborn's eyes followed the teen as he was wondering around, not knowing that Phantom was actually trying to find what was giving him that feeling. Danny approached the cliff and found a hole, walking inside, he found himself in utter darkness. The half ghost ignited his palm and the cavern was filled with deathly green color. His eyes widened at what he saw.

"Ehm, pal, mind coming here, I found something," Danny called.

Dovahkiin raised his eyebrow, but still got up and went inside. Phantom pointed his free hand at one of the walls. The blond looked there and his heart skipped a bit. There was a stone door, with a picture of giant skull engraved on it. That picture could mean only one thing.

"Lad, we just found the hideout of Dark Brotherhood."

"Ahem, I think you are forgetting I'm not from around here!" Danny raised his hands in exasperation.

"Order of the assassins, worshippers of Sithis. I heard that they were extinguished almost entirely," the Nord explained.

"And this 'Sithis' is he god of death or something?"

"No, I'm not sure what he is, I never was into this stuff. I follow the Nine Divines and that's enough."

Danny nodded. "Soo, are we going to knock?"

"Are you insane? It is probably filled with skilled murderers."

"You deal with them daily," Phantom retorted.

"You made a point," Dovahkiin responded after a moment of silence. "But I'll just send a messenger to Penitus Oculatus, they will deal with this stuff. And I'll get money for finding the Dark Brotherhood."

"You are too greedy for a Choosen One," Danny deadpanned.

"Hey, that's their job, not mine. I'm not going to eat their bread. Let's get going."

Phantom shrugged and followed the Nord. After getting on the horse, thankfully Dovahkiin let him sit. They went in random direction, hoping that they would find the open road. After ten minutes of walking, Danny got a sudden thought.

"You know, I actually don't have the slightest idea of your name."

"What do you mean?" The blonde looked at him.

"Well, I doubt any mother can be so cruel to name her kid 'Dragonborn'."

"That's how I'm known around here. I'm fine with living in Skyrim. Being famous and all, even if the guards still spew at my face. Nasty bastards. I shot the knee of one."

"Soo...you don't have any?"

Dovahkiin was silent as Danny's shoulders sank. "Alright then, I'll call you Dave."

Newly named Dave groaned. That kid was going to be a death of him.

They continued their long path, and thankfully they found a path again. Now when they didn't need to find a road, they could relax. Danny found the forest quite peaceful, but suddenly his expression became unreadable. Dovahkiin noticed the unusual silence of his companion, so he looked back, shifting the horned helmet up his head.

"What is it?"

"Oh, I just remembered how I once spent a vacation with my Mom in a middle of nowhere. It is a story which includes her amazing surviving skills, my wacko for an uncle and the very bad mathematics skill. Wanna hear it?"

"I'd prefer silence."

"Well, everything began from a letter from a questionable fellow..."

Dave groaned and put a hand over his face. Thank the Divines, Falkreath was nearby, and the kid was too interested in eyeing the new city to chat. Falkreath was the center of one of the eight realms in the province of Skyrim, and hardly the largest. It was mostly made from wood, with only a small and thin stone wall around the city itself. It was famous for the hunting products, deer pelts were used for making clothes, antlers were utilized for potions, and their meat was used for food.

Two heroes were let through the gates, and they went through. Danny noticed some glances thrown their way, but paid no attention to that. Suddenly he noticed a guard walking to them. He was dressed just like the same guys from Marcarth, but the clothes were colored in dark blue.

"Hey, Dragonborn, have you seen a dog out of the city walls?"

"This isn't exactly my speciality," Dave responded.

"Curses, anyways, the blacksmith is offering a good reward for someone who finds the dog. Won't miss it, there are only wolves around."

The guard walked off. The team didn't stay in the city for long, they were merely passing by. The road was calm afterwards. Danny was still curiously looking around, at the same pine trees and oaks, also searching for possible fantasy animals. On one of the turns Dave turned to the side, away from the well built stone road.

"Hey, is that a dog?" Danny pointed at the cur, which was looking at them with undivided attention.

Dovahkiin looked at the spot. He indeed saw a grey and big dog. It sticked the tongue out and panted, looking at the two curiously. Phantom jumped off the horse before his companion could say anything. Danny approached the dog and rubbed its chin, making it whine.

"Looks like we found the mutt," Dragonborn noted, jumping off as well.

"He is not a mutt," Danny narrowed his eyes at him. "Look at how nice he is," he took the dog's head gently and turned it to face the Nord.

"Oh, thank you."

"Don't mention..."

Danny blinked. Dave did too.

"Eh...has he just said something or am I going nuts?" The half ghost asked.

"No, I heard it too."

"Yes, I can talk," the dog said. What was more uneasy, he did so without moving his mouth, while the sound was definitely coming from it. "I am Barbas. Will kind boy help me? I had an argument with my Master. He sent me away and now the place where he lives is full of vampires."

Danny looked at his companion, wondering if talking dogs were common around that world. Judging from his expression, no they were not. Dovahkiin put a hand on the hilt of his sword, which was in a leather sheath. He narrowed his blue eyes.

"You better stay away from this...thing."

"Why?" Phantom raised an eyebrow.

"I don't know how it is in your world, but this is obviously daedra's doing. Animals don't just come and talk."

Suddenly Barbas sniffed Danny's hand. "You are strange. You smell like draugr."

"Is this coming from a talking dog?" Phantom asked. "We should help him, Dave. Besides, that vampires won't do any good for the locals."

Dovahkiin sighed, putting hand away from the sword after some consideration. "You are right. But if we get into some wicked Merunes Dagon's shit, I'm blaming you."

"I don't have a single clue about what you mean."

Barbas wagged his tail happily and turned around. "I'll show you the path."

Two heroes followed the dog. The path took about forty minutes in completely different direction. They passed a completely destroyed settlement, with broken stone walls, burned off houses. However, in some places hung slightly burned off black banners with red dragons on them. The place was called Helgen. From Dovahkiin's tale Danny learned what had happened. It was all the doing of a dragon named Alduin. He was there when everything happened, when the Imperials were about to execute him for being in the wrong place in the wrong time.

"And how do you treat the Imperials after this?" Danny asked.

Dave shrugged. "It is wrong to judge everyone for the deeds of some stupid bureaucrats. I have some friends who are Imperials. I don't approve of the Stormcloaks ideas that all foreigners should be cast away. Still, I'm not going against my fellow Nords. I'm neutral in this."

"I feel ya. Humans in my world hate my kind. They never actually cared to learn more. I took some time, after all, I'm half of both races. I have friends, ghosts and humans alike."

"Speaking of, how is that even possible? Arkeus would simply faint at your sight. Was your mother or father..."

"Are your parents dragons?"

"No, of course," Dave shivered. "Divines forbid."

"Same here. I simply died in a way no one could imagine. So here I am, half alive, half dead. Mortal and ethereal at the same time."

"Does this mean that you have, I don't know. Eternal life?"

"I'm not sure. No one ever explained this stuff to me. I mean, my heart barely beats even now, when I look like human. Maybe I should ask Clockwork."

"Who is the guy?"

"Master of time himself."

The horse stopped immediately as Dovahkiin pulled the reigns. Barbas, seeing this, stopped as well.

"Of time? You are actually saying that you have seen Akatosh himself?"

"Maybe. If that's how you call him. He can do whatever he wants with the time flow - stop it, travel through it, see all possible outcomes of each event. But he doesn't because of some 'rules' which came from who knows where. Maybe he himself came up with them."

Dave just stared at him, wondering if all of this was a lie. The lad sounded truthful, and, honestly, the last few days proved to be very...enlightening. Many mages would have killed someone to get this arcane knowledge. Still, to see someone who had actually conversed with one of the Divines, the head of the Imperial Pantheon...they were probably thinking about different people, yes, that's it. Another time wielding person...

"And how did you meet him?"

"That's a long story."

Yet again the Nord was surprised. The usually chatty teen now sounded firm in his unwillingness to talk. His look became darker than the deepest corner of Nocturnal's realm. But Dave didn't press. Phantom seemed crestfallen for a short while, but then he cheered up again, as his smile returned.

"Hey, look, Barbas stopped."

Indeed, the dog sat near the entrance to the cave, panting. Two men jumped down from the horse, and as Dovahkiin tied it to the tree, Phantom sat near Barbas.

"Is this it?" He asked.

"Yep. Don't you mind if I stay behind? I'm scared of vampires."

Danny snorted as Dave approached them. "My uncle is a wannabe vampire, nothing I cannot handle."

"Careful around them," the Nord warned. "If they affect you with their magic for too long, you will become one of them."

"I'm already a goner, Dave, I'm immune to diseases. I wonder if Sam would like it though...nah."

They then went inside the cave. A deathly chill ran down Dave's spine, while Phantom seemed calm and nonplused. It was his element. They walked quietly, so as not to call attention. Soon they got to the more or less open space, seeing a group of people down the slide.

"So, what's the plan?" Danny whispered.

Dave already took out the bow. "Keep them on a distance. The bow is enchanted, it should work just fine."

Phantom noticed strange orange glowing runes on it. "Just don't hit me, I'm not going to kill them, so do the job yourself," he said, before changing into his ghost form.

The flash went unnoticed, as the undead's backs were turned to them. Danny jumped down and softly landed on the ground, covered in a thin layer of snow. Phantom grinned and raised his palm. The vase standing near the wall floated in the air, surrounded by green glow. The three people noticed that.

"What's this?" One of them asked.

"A projectile!" Danny called, getting their attention.

The vampires attacked, but Phantom wasn't joking about the vase's purpose. It flew forward as Danny swung his palm. One of the creatures was hit in the back of his head and fell. Immediately he screamed in pain as the arrow pierced his side. He set on fire and Danny understood what the runes were for. The screams of agony were stopped with another arrow in the head. Phantom saw a huge axe coming his way. Danny raised his hand and the iron weapon was blocked by the white material of his bracer. It was harder, despite its plastic appearance.

Phantom pushed his hand and fired a blast from another, sending the attacker backwards. He then turned intangible and let the sword, along with the owner, pass him. The elf had no time to even be surprised when an arrow pierced its head. Danny blinked, looking behind and seeing the last one fallen and bleeding.

"You are precise," he commented, seeing his friend jump down as well and grunting.

"I had a lot of practice," Dave shrugged, putting away the bow. "Had to take dragons down to the ground."

Phantom whistled, before they continued going. He noted that the vampires there could be distinguished by wide and ugly noses. Dovahkiin said that it was an occasional feature. Danny was wary of the sight of the corpses, although not being unfamiliar. He commented his attitude to his companion.

"For a being of unknown power you are way too peaceful," Dave snorted.

They encountered several more vampires and their thralls - charmed poor fellows who obeyed each command of theirs. Phantom was no mage. He couldn't undo the spell. Danny did a good job being a distraction. Dave never had such an easy trip to the underground. Finally, they reached a dead end - a large room with a huge statue in the center. It looked odd, the man with messed up hair was holding a horned mask, but his center of weight was too off for it to stand properly.

"So, Barbas..." Danny started. "Where is your Master?" He asked.

"He is here," Barbas tilted his head.

"I don't like this," Dave muttered, taking the arrow from the vampire's body.

"Ah, so the mutt returns."

The voice was loud and echoing. It never was a good sing. Everyone looked around, but its source was unknown.

"Poor fellows. They begged me for so long to heal them from their little disease. Now you come here and do the job, they are healed. And lying dead. Well, basically I have done my part of the bargain."

A laughter followed. The voice was obviously coming from the statue.

"Oh, where are my manners, Clavicus Vile, pleasure to make an acquaintance, little draugr."

"That's insulting," Danny deadpanned.

"Watch me care. Now, you seem like a fellow who may use some...assistance."

"As if we are going to listen, Daedra!" Dovahkiin called and unsheathed his sword.

"They all say the same thing. We are different from these puny mortals, huh, Phantom?"

Danny blinked. "You know my name?"

"Pfft, of course we do know, boy. Pariah's Bane surely would have caught our interest. You don't look all that menacing, seems like Dagon owes me a few pretty souls now. What brings you here?"

"Uhm...I brought Barbas here. He asked so."

"That's it?" Clavicus deadpanned. "I expected something more. I can grant you a lot, boy."

"I don't need much," Phantom put a hand on his belt.

"Everyone wants something. Maybe you want to return home?"

Danny blinked, but Dragonborn was the first.

"Don't trust him. His name speaks for itself. Vile will twist his part and you will end up in the deepest corner of Oblivion."

"You are one big meanie, Dragonborn. Alright, moving on, he is right, you can make portals from Oblivion to here, but to actually make it to the place you are from...I have another proposal. There is an axe. An incredibly powerful axe. An axe powerful enough for me to have quite a bit of fun, indeed. Bring it to me and I'll consider taking Barbas back."

"Consider?"

"Either that or nothing. This is a rare offer, no catches, no secrets. Just a fair deal."

"Are we really going to help Daedra bring back an axe just to help some mutt?" Dovahkiin asked.

"Don't be so cruel, Dave," Danny scolded him. "We've got to help people. And animals alike."

"I highly doubt this is an animal," Dovahkiin pointed at Barbas.

"Still, I'm not going to abandon the poor creature," said Phantom firmly, scratching under the dog's chin, making him whine happily.

Dave sighed, rubbing his temples under the helmet. The kid was so unbearably righteous, but Dovahkiin himself volunteered to follow the lad and keep an eye on him. More for others' safety. He didn't think that the boy would harm anyone intentionally, but there was no telling how the others would react. Probably think he was a daedra. Now Dragonborn felt bad, realizing why Phantom seemed so sympathetic towards the dog.

"Fine, let's go."

"Splendid!" Exclaimed the statue joyously. "Barbas, lead them to the place."

Barbas nodded and trotted out of the room, gesturing for two heroes to follow. They did, Danny on their way outside changed his form again. The group set off once they were outside. Danny decided to walk by as the speed wasn't that big. He could casually go on his own. The weather was getting warmer, but it was only temporary. The pearly snow glistened under the sun and crunched softly beneath Danny's boots.

"Hm, what's this about the axe, anyway? What is it exactly?"

"One of Clavicus's little jests. A wizard named Sebastian Lort had a daughter who worshiped Hircine. When the daughter became a werewolf it drove Sebastian over the edge. He couldn't stand to see his little girl take on such a bestial form. The wizard wished for the ability to end his daughter's curse. Clavicus gave him an axe."

A silence settled between them, until Dovahkiin spoke.

"THAT is why you don't trust daedra. They will turn everything in a cruel joke," he grumbled.

The group stopped on the cliff road. There was a bridge leading towards a cave. They went inside of it, quietly, knowing that there could be a danger there. It looked livable, with torches, a campfire, several tables and chairs. There was only one mage, who was doing something on the enchanting table.

"It's him. Sebastian," Barbas said quietly. "What are you going to do?"

"Maybe talk everything over and take back the axe?" Danny suggested weakly.

"Who is there?!"

"The guy has a good hearing," Dave grumbled, before standing up. "We don't want any problems. Just give the axe in your disposal and we will go."

"What?! No, I won't. It's mine, you hear me?! Vile won't take it back!"

Danny glanced at Dave and whistled, circling the finger around the temple.

"You think it's funny?! I'll kill you!"

"Hey, let's not rash the things..."

The mage swiped his arms and the magical atronach appeared. Constructed entirely of fire, Flame Atronachs resembled humanoid females wearing black metal armor. They possessed horns, pointed ears, three fingers, and two toes. This one was not an exception. The atronach launched a fire projectile, but Phantom summoned a shield in front of him. He hated fire, although his human form was more resistant to heat. But his powers were also smaller.

"You take the thing," Dovahkiin said. "Sebastian is mine."

Danny nodded and his friend jumped from behind the green obstacle. Dave ran forward, protecting himself from fire shots with his shield, seeing scorch marks on it. Phantom's hands glowed ice blue, before he put his hands together and launched a torrent of cold. He supposed it could work, and he was right, the atronach, and Danny was yet to learn what these things were, tried to defend itself. Phantom's hands started to feel the frostbite. He was in human form. But the thing died and exploded in a small fire storm.

Dave meanwhile got to Sebastian and raised the shield, deflecting lightings and fire blasts. He swung the blade, but the mage jumped aside, scooping the axe from the table in his arms. Sebastian lunged forward, but it was obviously too heavy for him. Dave easily sidestepped and stabbed the man in the chest. Bleeding and coughing, Sebastian fell on his own puddle of red liquid. Danny approached them and sighed.

"Poor guy," he mumbled. "Insanity does that to people."

Phantom then saw the long weapon. He picked it up easily with one hand and examined, spinning it. It was extremely sharp, Danny had a feeling that he would get a cut by simply looking at it. There were two wolf heads with opened jaws on each half of two sided battle axe. It gave off a weak green runic glow, like that of Dave's bow.

"So that's what Clavicus wanted. Well, let's deliver it."

Dave had no objections. They went back to the cave where Vile's statue was. On the way Danny kept exploring the weapon. He had to be careful not to cut his companion by accident. Dave was curious as well, but for another reason.

"What are you so interested in?"

"Oh," Danny looked up at his companion. "It's emitting ecto-energy. It's rather unusual, but I'm trying to look into it from...scientific point of view."

"How exactly are you doing this?"

"I don't know myself, that's the point. Ghosts' existence has a scientific ground, so does everything connected to them...us...whatever. This is why I want to understand the principles behind the effects of the axe. Whatever they are. We are yet to test it."

Dovahkiin rolled his eyes. "Just don't get too accustomed to it."

Clavicus was still at the place they left him. Because the statue couldn't move.

"Ah, here come the heroes of the day," Vile chuckled gleefully. "Tell me, how do you like the axe? Pretty isn't it? No one can make weapons like Daedra Princes do."

"It's...remarkable," Danny commented, swinging it in his arm. "How do you enchant them?"

"Tsk-tsk, wizards don't tell their secrets. I have a suggestion, do you want to keep it?"

"Free cheese is only in a mouse trap. What's the catch."

"Oh, simple. One simple condition - you should first use it to kill Barbas."

Silence followed.

"That was not our deal, Vile."

"Not everyone is granted such opportunity. I offer you something more. What do you gain from helping the mutt? If you do this, I'll give you a pretty weapon of Daedric work."

Danny narrowed his eyes and tossed the weapon to the statue's feet.

"Barbas trusted me. And I'm not going to betray it."

Dave couldn't help but smile. The lad had a very kind heart.

"Ugh, spare me these sugary words. Fine! Barbas, to me!"

"Thank you, young draugr," Barbas said joyously.

In a purple sphere he disappeared, and Vile's statue was accompanied by a statue of a dog. Now the balance of the monument was normal. The axe was gone as well.

"You are not funny, boy. I expected something more. Can't imagine how boring it's going to be if you decide to rule Oblivion. As long as you don't bother me, like Pariah did, I don't care. Now. Shoo!"

Danny looked at Dave and shrugged. They were on the road again, going to the path they had been following at first. Dovahkiin looked back at the teen, who seemed thoughtful, looking at the setting sun behind the mountains.

"So...ruling Oblivion?"

Danny perked up and looked at him. "Well, that elf was summoning the King. And he got me. I rarely think about the thing, I want to be an astronaut, not the ruler."

"Astronaut?"

"Travel between planets, into the unknown space," Danny smiled briefly, but then his look turned sad. "But my grades are so bad that this dream seems to be too unreachable. At least I'll have a safety measure."

"Personally, I think you should go for it," the Nord smiled. "You are a nice lad. At least I'll know someone nice on the other side. Maybe you'll keep the daedra at least in check."

The group stopped. Danny finally noticed where they were. There was a huge wooden manor, with stables in front of it.

"Where are we?"

"Lakeview Manor. Built by myself, for myself," Dave smirked proudly.

Then he noticed a black steed at the stables.

"Huh, she is here before me."

Before Danny could ask who he meant, Dave got down and put his horse in the stables as well. Phantom followed him inside. It was really cozy looking. Once they went out of the vestibule in the front, they were greeted by a tall room, with two staircases on each side, a fireplace on the opposite side from the door, which happily flickered while devouring a piece of wood. The second floor was visible. And both males' attention was caught by a female voice.

"Looks like you've lost our bet."

Dave looked to the second floor, rolling his eyes.

"Hello to you too, Serana."