Jun's POV

In our small invasion of Skyrim's Blackreach, I began to notice small changes going on with the smaller drones. Wondering outside of the underground Dwemer hall, I came upon some phyllamorphs eating away at a familiar blue rocky substance. It was the Aetherium Ore that I had consumed not so long ago.

The first small change I had noticed was with the drone's head. Or more specifically, the veins on its head just like the vascular tissue in leaves.

Of course, such a minor change didn't immediately catch my attention, but it was after the hours of monitoring the underground cavern, Blackreach, that I noticed the difference between the slowly changing drones and the normal ones.

Coming across a calmer side of the river, I saw my reflection to have the same neon blue veins albeit less in number to the drones.

『Are they also evolving?』 I asked, not to anyone particular, but just a thought that crossed my mind and happened to be answered by Eva.

[Not quite. The Phyllamorphs are born from the natives here in Skyrim. So you can say they already have the ability to use magic as inherited by their hosts. What the Aetherium ore is doing is just enhancing that ability and awakening a much stronger method to using the Magika around us.]

『I guess that makes sense.』

Ripples spread outward from my hand which submerged into the clear water, breaking the once calm surface as I tread forward to the other side on all fours. My senses filled with the glowing passing of mushroom spores highlighted a bright blue, which I assumed to cause the unique color in the atmosphere.

Large mushroom stalks that towered into the sky above held the jellyfish-like cap. Brush and shrubs with fantasy elements littered the cavern in all directions, mushrooms of different varieties also grew everywhere, and the Aetherium ores not so far away from the mentioned flora. The same description could be found throughout all of Blackreach.

A beautiful scenery, yes, but not enough to be on my mind for long.

The Hive increased in numbers rapidly which wasn't that big of a surprise to me. Back to my earlier question was though. The blue veins on the little ones started changing some of the Phyllamorphs from their original Green color to a now Neon Blue, complimenting and fitting into the color scheme of Blackreach.

It was a little strange though to see a mushroom with leaves. They, who were hibernating on the mushroom stalk I was staring at, seemed to have heard my thoughts as they shook their wings, fluttering away into the distance in search of something.

I followed them, having nothing better to do, and witnessed them latching onto these blue 'roots' hanging from the ceiling.

Amazingly, it fitted in perfectly. The blue leaves that hung onto the finger-like roots created what looked like an inverted blue pine tree hanging on the ceiling.

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I turned my attention away from the idling drones and continued on my 'patrol' around the area.

5 minutes later I stumbled upon an old Dwarven Centurion, stationed on the side of the pathway.

Small though it was, I could feel a strange force lying dormant inside of it, mixed with dense magical energy.

I left it alone since it wasn't a threat right now, and it wasn't like I would go around destroying everything I didn't like...

That last part was questionable. Anyways, moving on...

Interrupting my thoughts was the abrupt disconnection I felt from Hela's side. Her side's situation was unknown to me, and whether she was alive or not was currently unknown. And now that her situation was unknown, it's safe to say that we no longer have the means to survey Skyrim carefully/undercover.

There wasn't much planning besides gathering numbers, establishing a Hive, and then sending them out on a full-on assault against Skyrim's native inhabitants. A rather straightforward plan that doesn't involve too many complications like war tactics and so on.

I tried to call out to her intermittently during my patrol but to no avail. I sighed because she was most likely dead. How she died was unknown since it happened almost instantly with no time for either of us to react.

ROOAAAR

Echoing throughout all of Blackreach was the thunderous roar of an awakened beast which shook the cavern as debris of rock fell from the ceiling, splashing into the riverside and hitting the cold earth below.

『What the hell was that?!』 (Juno)

Asked my sister as she was just alarmed as I was.

『Juno, are you okay?』 (Jun)

I had to ask because the direction that shattering sound came from was where Juno was underground.

『Yes, I'm fine. What's going on?』 (Juno) she asked worriedly, concerned about the possible danger outside of the underground hall, and possibly near Jun.

『I don't know either. But stay in the underground hall, for now, I'll check out who or what that sound came from』 (Jun)

She agreed to my request, pacing back and forth underground while the smaller Phyllamorphs shuttered their wings, making a faint vibrating sound. Even Juno could feel it, the raw power emitting from above pierced into the ground and enveloped them. Such an ancient and primeval entity left her in awe.

As I made my way trekking through the various fauna and flora, the giant artificial sun entered my view.

Faintly, I could make out a large shadow circling behind the sun, but the image was too blurry for me to clearly make out what it was.

Though I could guess what it was just based on its shadow.

『How did a Dragon get down here?』

Was it sleeping somewhere in Blackreach? Did the Phyllamorphs wake it somehow?

I didn't know, but one thing was for sure, it wasn't the least bit friendly towards us as seen by its aggressive introduction.

Flames engulfed the silent city it flew above, brightening the dimly lit cavern in an orange hue. Its occasional roars would shake the city and the walls around, showcasing its majesty to all below it.

The overwhelming pressure that fell upon me as I neared the city was enough to cause me to hesitate and stop in my tracks.

Outside of the silent city, I stood there tall and without backing down and a name entered my mind.

【Vulthuryol, the Dark Overlord of Fire.】

In front of me was the Dragons slowly descending figure who landed atop a tower tens of meters away. Sparks of flames scattered across the city looked like a background cover for the Dragon as it stared down at me.

Compared to myself who stood just below the steps seemed like I came here to specifically slay this Dragon. My crown tilted backward as I looked up at its profile, waving my tail side to side.

The tension rose sharply until the Dragons reptilian pupil contracted as it let out another deafening roar and jumped from the tower, diving towards the ground before swiftly pulling up, approaching my figure rapidly.

I of course responded with a hiss of my own as I fell on all fours and rushed towards it head-on, our figures just moments away from clashing.