Hey guys! Sorry I haven't written anything in so long, my hard drive crashed and I didn't have the cash to get it fixed! But I'm back! As a special treat, here's a Skyrim x Inheritance Cycle fic!

Disclaimer: The Elder Scrolls series is owned by Bethesda Game Studios. The Inheritance Cycle is owned by Christopher Paolini.

Notes: Physically strong/smart Dovahkiin, good Alduin. Spoilers for Thieves' Guild/Nightingale questlines. Begins just before the Battle of the Burning Plains (End of Eldest/start of Brisingr).

Dovahkiin

[Somewhere in Alagaesia]

Malik groaned as he came to his senses. 'Where am I?' he wondered, dragging a calloused hand across his face. He opened his eyes to find himself in a large field, with no recognizable landmark in sight.

'Ugh. That's the last time I challenge Sanguine and Sheogorath to a drinking contest,' he thought bitterly as he forced himself to a sitting position. Suddenly, the air in front of him shimmered slightly, and a well-dressed man with a neatly trimmed beard appeared in front of him, startling Malik to a standing position.

"Peace, Malik, I mean you no harm," said the man, holding his hands up in a placating gesture. Malik frowned. "Who are you?" he demanded, reaching for his sword, only to grab empty air.

"Looking for this?" The man held up Malik's Skyforge steel sword, the one that had been with him throughout his adventures in Skyrim. "I had a feeling you would be somewhat startled, so I took precautions to keep you from doing something you might regret," the man reasoned.

"What do you want?" asked Malik, eyeing the sword warily, in case the man decided to test its edge. The man gestured to their surroundings. "As you can no doubt see, you are no longer in Skyrim. Or Nirn at all, as a matter of fact," he said

"Wait a moment," said Malik, holding up his hands. "You dragged me away from my home to another realm? What makes you think I'll believe you? I don't even know who you are!" The man chuckled at Malik's outburst. "Of course you don't, I haven't introduced myself! But I won't tell you outright, you have to guess," he said with a cheeky smile. Malik growled in annoyance. "Tell me now!" he roared.

The man chuckled, enraging Malik further. "I'll give you a hint: you greatly humbled my eldest daughter not too long ago when you went gallivanting off to Sovngarde," he said. Malik stared at him uncomprehendingly, then something clicked.

"Y-You're Akatosh!" he cried. The now-identified Akatosh grinned. "Right in one! Now, I'll have to explain myself, since you will actually listen to me now. This world is different than the one you're used to. For one thing, dragons are not evil creatures here. Rather, they are bonded to those whom they call 'Dragon Riders,' who are, from my understanding, a peacekeeping force. Many years ago, a young man named Galbatorix was accepted into their order when a dragon hatched for him. Are you understanding me so far?" Malik nodded, and Akatosh continued.

"Everything was going well until Galbatorix's dragon was killed in combat. The loss drove him insane. He stole a dragon hatchling, destroyed the Riders' base of operations, and killed the rest of the order. He then rose to power and became a ruthless dictator, who was not above forcing people to his will using magic. This went on for roughly a hundred years, until a new Dragon Rider emerged. This new Rider is now openly opposing Galbatorix's rule, along with a group of rebels known as the Varden. Unfortunately, it appears that Galbatorix has a Rider loyal to him as well. This is where you come in," he explained, making Malik raise an eyebrow in confusion.

Suddenly, the flapping of wings was heard, and a massive black dragon landed behind Akatosh and walked over to them. "Hello, Malik. It has been a while," said a voice in his head. Something clicked in Malik's memory: he had heard this voice before.

"Alduin?" he asked, looking up at the dragon, who nodded. "You look…different." The dragon in front of him had four clearly defined legs, rather than the wing/foreleg combination he was used to seeing.

Alduin huffed. "This is what the dragons here look like. I had to blend in," she retorted. "Now listen to my father." Malik returned his attention to Akatosh.

"After the events in Sovngarde, when you spared my daughter's life*, she returned to my realm humbled. When I explained my plan to her, she readily agreed in order to apologize for her actions as well as redeem herself. What I ask of you is twofold. First, will you assist the Varden in overthrowing Galbatorix and ending his cruelty?" Akatosh asked. Malik raised an eyebrow. "How bad is this Galbatorix?" he asked.

"He makes the Thalmor seem tame," said Alduin. Malik's eyes widened; he didn't know that anyone could be worse than the Thalmor. "I'll do it," he said with conviction. Akatosh smiled. "Good. Now for the second part: will you become bonded to Alduin as a Dragon Rider? It is the best way to gain the Varden's trust, as well as a way for Alduin to potentially redeem herself." Alduin had the decency to look away, ashamed.

Malik thought for a while on it. "…I suppose. If she is willing to go this far to atone for her actions, I feel I can give it a shot," he finally said. The happiness in Alduin's eyes was so strong, Malik thought they might burst. "Thank you, Malik. I know I probably do not deserve such kindness, but I swear by the Nine I will not give you cause to doubt me!" she exclaimed happily. Akatosh's smile widened. "Good. Now, the bond must be completed. Malik, hold up your left hand," he said. Malik did so, and Alduin leaned forward and pressed her snout to his palm.

Malik jerked back with a curse as what felt like freezing lightning snapped through his hand. Looking down at the limb, he saw a silvery mark that looked like a dragon. "That is the Gedwëy ignasia, the mark of a Dragon Rider," Akatosh explained, before placing his hand on Malik's head. "Now, hold still."

Malik gasped as knowledge flowed into his head. A language he never knew existed, proper ettiquite when dealing with elves, dwarves (which he was shocked to discover still existed), and humans. Malik gripped his head as the newfound knowledge swirled in his mind. "Ouch…" he groaned. Akatosh chuckled at his reaction. "That knowledge will be useful, I can guarantee that. Now then, I believe this is yours," he said, tossing Malik's sword back to him. "You will find the Varden's army several leagues to the north. They are about to take part in a battle near the Burning Plains against a faction of Galbatorix's army and his Rider. The Varden's Rider, Eragon, will not be able to defeat him at his current level. You are to assist him in battle, then join the Varden's cause. Understand?"

Malik nodded. "Good. Now then, I believe you will be needing this," said Akatosh, and a leather saddle appeared on Alduin, who shifted slightly, testing out the new attachment. "This," she said, "will take some getting used to."

Akatosh smiled. "It looks like it's time for me to go," he said. "Do not forget what I've told you, Malik. I will contact you every so often. Do not fail me." Malik nodded sharply, and Akatosh smiled before the air shimmered and he disappeared.

"Well then, shall we be off?" said Malik as he climbed into the saddle on Alduin's back. "Yes, let's," she replied, spreading her massive wings and leaping into the air, driving her wings down with incredible force. Before long, the two were soaring high above the ground. Suddenly, Malik remembered something important.

"Oi, can you still Shout in this world?" he asked. He felt Alduin thinking through their bond. "Possibly. Let me test it out."

Looking down, Alduin found a wide expanse of land that would work perfectly.

"Fus…Ro Dah!"

The Unrelenting Force Shout slammed into the ground with…well, unrelenting force. "Looks like I can," Alduin said. "But what about you?" Malik took a moment to gather his energy. "Yol…Toor Shul!" he cried, aiming off to the side. There was a whoosh of displaced air followed by intense heat as the flames shot from his mouth and dissipated a good thirty paces away. "Well, that answers that question," Malik said. Alduin hummed in agreement, and they continued their flight in silence.

[Linebreak]

Several hours passed as the pair flew. The sun was halfway below the horizon when Alduin suddenly stiffened. "I smell blood, and a lot of it," she said with a tiny shiver, as her enhanced senses were bothered by the smell. Malik sat up straighter in the saddle and drew his sword. "Let's get ready," he said. "We don't know what we might find." Alduin grunted in response and stilled her wings, gliding silently on updrafts. Eventually, the sound of ringing steel and mens' yells reached his ears, a feat in itself considering their altitude.

Looking down, Malik was amazed at the sheer size of the two armies. They were still up reasonably high and partially hidden by clouds, so there was no chance of them being discovered before they chose to reveal themselves.

Suddenly, a roar was heard as a magnificent blue dragon rose up from one army. The men below cheered and rapped their swords against their shields, before charging back into the fray with renewed vigor. Malik and Alduin watched as the blue dragon strafed the opposing forces with brilliant bursts of dragon-fire, while a figure on its back shot bursts of energy from his hand. Then, everything went south.

A second roar pierced the air, louder than the one before it. All combat immediately ceased as the soldiers stared up at the blood-red dragon that now flew overhead.

"I'd bet my right eye that the blue dragon's Rider is the one we are looking for," said Malik as Alduin hovered to watch the two dragons battle it out, twisting and turning through the air in a bloody dance. "I agree. And the red one's Rider is the king's," Alduin replied.

They continued to watch the battle, until the blue dragon faltered in midair, plummetting towards the ground. The red dragon roared in triumph before diving, eager to land a finishing blow. One that Malik would make sure did not land. "Alduin, now!" he cried. Alduin responded with no words, settling into a steep dive aimed directly at the red dragon's midsection. Just before bursting out of the clouds, she let loose an earth-shattering roar.

[Eragon POV]

'Blast!' Eragon thought bitterly as Saphira hovered slightly above the other Rider. 'This isn't good.' He steeled himself nonetheless and prepared to clash with this new, unknown Rider. As soon as the other Rider got close, Eragon thrust his hand out. "Letta!" Just as quickly, the other Rider raised his hand and performed the counterspell. 'Damn,' thought Eragon. 'Magic's no good if he can counter it. Maybe I can get lucky with the sword.' As he thought this, he withdrew Zar'roc from its scabbard, four-and-a-half feet of menacing red metal, honed to a deadly edge and point. The blade had served him well the past few months, and he hoped it would do so again.

With a wild war cry, he slashed at the opposing Rider as soon as their dragons crashed into each other, snarling and snapping at exposed flesh. Quicker than blinking, the other Rider brought his sword around, knocking the red blade away easily. The two Riders traded blows for a few more seconds before the red dragon managed to slip past Saphira's guard and clamp down on her wing arm with razor-sharp teeth, easily tearing muscle as a hot knife would cut butter. With a mental cry of pain, followed by a twinge of pain on Eragon's shoulder, Saphira began to fall from the sky, her balance lost.

"Eragon! I can't stay aloft with my wing in this condition!" Saphira urged her Rider through the pain. Eragon immediately set to work healing the wound. He heard the red dragon's roar of victory as it dove to deliver the killing blow. 'Blast, I'm not going to make it in time!' he thought angrily as he poured more energy into the spell.

Suddenly, the very atmosphere shook as a third roar pierced the air. 'What?!' Looking up, he saw a black dragon that dwarfed Saphira dive from the clouds and slam claws-first into the red dragon, knocking it for a loop and upsetting its equilibrium, before drawing its head back and bathing the fallen dragon in a pillar of white-hot flame. Through the fire's blinding light, Eragon could just make out a man seated on the dragon's back, before the flames disappeared.

The red dragon now fell to the ground, its balance lost, as the black dragon made its way towards Eragon. When the two Riders were within shouting distance, the newcomer called out to him. "Is your dragon all right?" he shouted as the black dragon hovered in midair. Luckily, while the red dragon was distracted, Eragon had managed to heal Saphira enough so she could glide to the top of a nearby hill, away from the fighting.

"Yes, thank you for the assist!" Eragon called back. The new Rider nodded and the dragon soon landed with a mighty thud at the base of the hill, giving Saphira the advantage of height. The new Rider dismounted and made his way up the hill, stopping a reasonable distance from the two. "Would you happen to be Eragon Shadeslayer?" he asked.

"Who wants to know?" asked Eragon. The other Rider smiled and gave a small bow. "Malik Silver-Eye, at your service. And this beauty behind me is Alduin," he said. The dragon, now identified as Alduin, hummed in contentment at Malik's remark.

"Eragon Shadeslayer, and this is Saphira," Eragon replied. Malik nodded as a roar shook the air. Looking up, the two Riders saw the red dragon retreating along with what remained of the king's army. Eragon turned to Malik with an amused glint in his eye. "We had best return to the Varden's camp. No doubt there will be questions about where you came from," he said with a wry smile. A smile that was soon mirrored by Malik as his inner prankster surfaced.

"Then what are we waiting for?"

[Linebreak, Arya POV]

Arya had seen many things in her century-and-a-half in this world. She was but a youngling when the Riders fell, and heard the stories about the cruelty of Galbatorix's rule, as well as his stolen dragon, Shruikan.

So when she saw the monumental black dragon plummet from the clouds, her heart nearly stopped.

She saw Saphira land safely on a nearby hill and breathed a slight sigh of relief as she separated an enemy soldier's head from his body. She just had to get to Eragon, then they could deal with the newcomer. After all, very few humans could hope to match an elf, whether in physical, mental, or magical combat.

There was a light shnick as Arya thrust her blade through another soldier's chestplate, the elven sword cutting through the thick steel like butter. Suddenly, a resounding cheer rose from the Varden's forces as the enemy turned tail and ran, followed shortly by the red dragon and its Rider.

With the enemy routed, Arya turned her attention to Saphira, who had just taken off with the black dragon in tow. Gritting her teeth and muttering a few choice swearwords that questioned Eragon's intelligence, she sprinted as fast as she could back to the command tent, eager to arrive first not only to inform Nasuada, but to give Eragon the tongue-lashing he deserved for doing something so unbelievably reckless.

She made it to the command tent just as Saphira touched down with the black dragon. She stormed over to Eragon and the new Rider, who wisely stepped out of her way so she could express her displeasure.

"Eragon, you IDIOT!" she screamed, slapping Eragon upside the head so hard he faceplanted into the ground. "Do you have any idea how reckless that was?! You could have been injured! You could have DIED! And who in blazes is he?!" She pointed accusingly at Malik, who decided discretion was the better part of valor and kept his mouth shut, so he would not incur the woman's wrath.

"Calm down, Arya!" cried Eragon, clutching his bruised head. "I can explain!"

"Then do so," spat Arya, crossing her arms across her chest and tapping her foot impatiently. Eragon slowly stood up, massaging his head. 'That's going to hurt tomorrow,' he thought idly as he tried to think of a way to convey his point.

[Malik POV]

Finally, Malik decided to rescue the young man. "Sorry to interrupt," he said, flinching as the woman's razor-sharp gaze snapped to him, "but I think I should do the talking from here on. I might be able to explain it better." Eragon sent him a "thank you" look from behind Arya.

"Now then," said Malik, "I suppose I should start by introducing myself. Malik Silver-Eye, at your service." He bowed slightly, then continued. "Next, I should reveal that I am not actually from Alagaesia." At this, many jaws dropped and eyebrows rose. "What do you mean?" asked Eragon, who was just as clueless as everyone else.

"I mean I am not from Alagaesia. Must I spell it?" retorted Malik, earning himself a glare that could melt diamond from Arya. "Anyway, I come from the province of Skyrim, in the land of Nirn," he explained.

This caught everyone's attention. "And where is this…Nirn?" asked Arya. "Far away. Very far away. My home, Skyrim, is at the northernmost edge of Nirn. It is a harsh and unforgiving land. The climate can be brutal, and you are considered lucky if you manage to survive past your fifth winter."

"So, in a way, it's like Carvahall and the other villages in the Spine," guessed Eragon. After quickly sorting through the knowledge gifted to him by Akatosh, Malik nodded. "Now imagine that most of the land is like that," he said, and Eragon looked shocked.

"Now, that's not to say that frozen tundra is the only landscape in Skyrim," Malik added. "There are mountains so tall, it takes months to scale them. And forests with trees that touch the sky." This intrigued Arya immensely, her mother would want to know of this.

"And what of the people?" asked Eragon, now thoroughly entranced by the story. Malik smiled. "As diverse as you can get. There are quite a few races. Nords, like myself, are sturdily built, and have fair hair and skin. Bretons tend to have darker features and hair, and prominent facial features. Redguards have very dark skin and hair. Then there are the five species of elves," he explained, and Arya perked up. She didn't know there were more of her kin elsewhere.

Malik continued. "The first are the Dark Elves, or the Dunmer in our tongue. They have grey skin and red eyes, with dark hair they usually tie back. Then, there are the High Elves, known as Altmer. They have a greenish-yellow skin tone, with yellow eyes and sharp features. Then there are the Wood Elves, known as Bosmer. They have tan skin, semi-dark hair, and prefer hunting and living in the wilds rather than cities. You, Arya, bear a striking resemblance to a Bosmer," he said.

"We then have the Orsimer, or Orcs as we call them. They have dark green skin, black hair, and a pronounced underbite with sharp teeth. They are incredibly strong and make great warriors," he continued. "These Orcs sound similar to the Urgals," remarked Eragon. Malik raised an eyebrow and made a mental note to inquire of these "Urgals" at a later time.

"And finally," he said, "the Snow Elves, known as Falmer." His face twisted into a grimace at the name. "They used to be a prosperous race, but they were forced underground and they eventually became hideous, blind monsters who would attack anything."

"Sounds horrible," said Eragon. Malik nodded.

"What about dwarves?" asked Arya. "No, there are no dwarves in Skyrim. They all died out centuries ago, but we do have Giants," said Malik. Everyone's eyes widened. "Giants?!"

Malik sighed. It seemed that this would take a while, and he hadn't even introduced Alduin.

And cut! Thanks for reading! Feel free to leave a review, you guys know the drill.

Update Progress:

Ghosts and Gods Rewrite: In Progress

Fast and Furious Phantom: Not Started

THMW: In Progress

A Different Journey: In Progress, almost finished

Son of Time: Not Started (yet)

The Halfa Family: Not Started

Divine Intervention: In Progress

Phantom of the Leaf: Updated as of Feb 23!

*Malik sparing Alduin's life will be explained in greater detail in a later chapter!