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dalishthunder · 10 months

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Destiny Waits for No One

Chapter 3 - Survivor

Pairing: Nebarra/LDB (Gender Neutral Reader) Characters: GN!LDB, Nebarra, Khash, Lucifer, Xelzaz, Kaidan, Inigo, (Eventual Lucien) Rating: Mature Words: 5078 Additional Info: Xelzaz is the coolest friend you could ever have, Very Slow burn, frenemies to lovers, violence, so much trauma and ptsd Read on AO3

Some are born into greatness.

Some pursue greatness on their own.

Some have greatness thrust upon them.

And others... others still must rise to the challenge of an unjust world to wrest greatness for themselves.

The dead didn't need their worldly possessions. You were pretty sure of that... even if they were still shambling around. Which was how you found yourself offloading a lot of it at The Riverwood Trader. Lucan and Camilla were ecstatic that you had followed through, and you were rewarded handsomely. And as you all left the shop, pockets much heavier with the weight of gold, you vowed to feast for the evening. To a job well done.

Fus.

Force.

Was that what the draugr had shouted at you to force you back?

Some sort of spell?

"I wonder how Hadvar's doing...." A voice immediately jolted you from your thoughts, and you whipped around to see a woman speaking with the blacksmith. His wife. Sigrid, you were pretty sure. "Haven't heard from him in a long while."

"You know the empire keeps him busy."

"Still, it's been months."

Your blood froze.

Months.

Had he not made it back?

"Aye... I suppose it has."

And against your better judgment, you stopped to look over at them and steeled yourself. "I saw him- Hadvar a few weeks ago. He said he was going to head to Riverwood. Did he not pass through?"

The couple exchanged a concerned glance. "No, we haven't seen him since the New Life Festival."

"Oh.…" You said as though you knew when or what that was.

"Are you a friend of his?"

"Y-yeah. The legion might have called him back." You said with a bright, and hopefully convincing smile. "But I'll keep my eye out for him."

And you wondered if perhaps... perhaps you were the sole survivor of Helgen.

These people deserved to know the truth.

They would never survive a dragon attack.

You waved as you parted.... You didn't deserve to sleep on a bed tonight.

"Guys, I don't want to make you panic, but we need to hold an emergency team meeting." You whispered as you walked. Just loud enough for them to hear. Smile never faltering as you nodded to a guard leaning against the walls of the Sleeping Giant Inn. "Away from prying ears."

The smoke hurt as it filled your lungs.

Legs burning from running though you couldn't stop to catch your breath.

You'd tumbled down, Hadvar backtracking to pull you to your feet.

"To Riverwood. I have family there."

You should have gone with him.

The fear in that woman's eyes.

Once you were far out of the town's limits, you stopped, looking up at the sky for a moment; rain clouds gathering on the horizon, before turning to look at your companions. "I'm afraid I haven't been fully forthcoming with you."

Xelzaz just raised a brow, arms crossed as he regarded you. Inigo sat on a stump, head in his hands as he gave you his full attention. Your eyes briefly connected with Kaidan's before you stuffed your hands into your pockets.

Khash just looked at your curiously. "I do not know what you mean."

You let out an uncomfortable breath. "Helgen was burned to the ground by a dragon."

"A dragon? Here?" Khash's eyes went wide.

"I thought dragons went extinct several millennia ago." Xelzaz replied.

Kaidan's expression was neutral, "I want to believe you. But haven't you been having memory problems?"

"I know. I was there when it happened. I saw the carnage with my own eyes!" You snapped, flinching as you heard your tone. You sighed and licked your lips. "I think I might be the only one who survived. Hadvar was supposed to go to Riverwood, but it seems as though he may not have made it back."

"Didn't mean to disturb wounds. Do you think the Jarl knows?" Kaidan asked.

"If he does, then he must not care much for Riverwood seeing as they had about four guards total." Xelzaz went quiet for a moment, and you looked between your friends imploringly.

"I think there are really only two clear answers here, my friends." Inigo interjected. "We either have to let the Jarl know, or we run to somewhere where there are no dragons. Or, do one then the other."

Khash frown, lips curling over her sharp little teeth. "We cannot just leave these people to die. That would be wrong."

You chewed on the inside of your cheek, "The only thing we can do is go to the Jarl."

"Do we have any proof?"

"I think Helgen is proof enough..." You murmured. Perhaps they had even seen the smoke from that foul day.

"It's settled then." Xelzaz spoke up. "We go to Whiterun and inform the Jarl that a dragon has returned, and that Riverwood needs more guards."

You nodded, smile returning. "Yeah."

And so you marched to Whiterun, stopping for the night on the bank of the river. Khash turned out to be quite the fisherman as she caught you dinner, helping Xelzaz clean and prepare it for dinner. And despite the growling of your stomach, eyes drawn to the flames, you found yourself only picking at your food. You cleaned up after everyone, volunteering to take watch while the rest of your companions turned in for the night.

The embers crackled and popped, wisps of smoke taking to the wind.

The smell of burning flesh as everything ignited around you.

You didn't wake anyone for second watch.

"Can't sleep?" Xelzaz emerged from his tent sometime after midnight.

You shook your head, not taking your eyes off of the stars above.

He yawned, sitting down next to you and poking at the fire. "I'm sorry you went through that."

You swallowed, "If I tell you something, will you keep it a secret?"

"I can do my best."

You supposed that was fair enough....

"I..." The words caught in your throat like stale bread. "You know what, never mind. I don't really know what I was thinking there."

"Well now you have me curious." His cadence was light, lilting, teasing.

"Maybe another time."

It was still too raw....

The glint of sun on the axe, raised over the executioner's head.

Streaks of fire raining down from the sky... the only thing that saved your life.

You owed that dragon your life.

You owed that dragon a death for every life in Helgen.

"Tell me about yourself." You asked after a while.

"What would you like to know?"

"Do you have any family out there?" You chanced a glance in his direction to see him staring up at the stars as well.

"Yes. My parents and a little sister, back in Thorn. We're very close. My sister, Deekawo, is really quite talented...."

It wasn't long until your breath steadied as you listened to your friend speak about the Hist, and how his family still spoke regularly, and how no matter the distance, they could feel one another. You talked well into the night, and he was more than willing to humor most of your questions; Even teaching you a few words of Jel when you asked what certain things meant.

Was your family out there wondering where you were?

Did you even have any?

And as the first light of dawn crept over the horizon, you reached for your pack, puling out a taproot and handing it to him. "It's not much, but I know you'd mentioned you were interested in studying the properties of taproot firsthand and comparing it to dwarven oil. I, uh... don't have any dwarven oil, but I figure you could probably put it to better use than me."

"Oh, Thank you," He smiled, accepting it graciously. "I appreciate the thoughtful gift."

It was the least you could do.

He'd drowned out most of the screams.

"Think nothing of it." You stood, cracking your joints. "We should probably get breakfast ready though."

In a cruel twist of fate, you realized belatedly that your provisions were running low... probably something to do with feeding five mouths. You'd probably have to skip lunch and restock when you got to Whiterun.

The trek was simple enough, not as long as you thought it might be. The guards didn't shake you down as you entered, and what immediately hit you was that it didn't reek as soon as you set foot inside the walls. It was a clean city with bustling streets. The sound of idle chatter drifted through the air, pleasant and comforting. It felt... safe.

"Do we want to stop for lunch?" You called back, "I know we need to speak with the Jarl, but maybe not on an empty stomach?"

"I think that is a great idea, my friend." Inigo piped up, Khash giving a quick affirmative.

Kaidan shook his head, pushing past you. "You've already wasted weeks. Weeks people could have been preparing for a dragon attack."

You winced, smile faltering only for a second. "Yeah, you're right. We can wait until after. Maybe they'll even give us some something for a reward."

So you continued up to Dragonsreach, pausing for a moment to look at your companions and steeling yourself. You could do this. You survived a dragon.

Your skin blistered under the heat-

You could do this.

The doors groaned under their own weight as they swung open, and you strode in, doing your best to ooze the same sort of confidence a fool had… only to see an argonian sitting on the steps, head in his hands. You were pretty sure he wasn't the Jarl, but you felt compelled to stop anyway.

"Hey, are you on your way to talk to the Jarl?" He asked, "I came to tell him about an attack on Helgen. It's burned to the ground, and I thought I saw a dragon flying over the mountains! But he won't believe me. You believe me though, right?"His eyes were imploring; Her eyes filled with fear-

"That's why I'm here as well."

"Maybe he'll listen to you then!"

You nodded.

"My names Lucifer by the way." He stood, "You look like the adventuring type, so am I."

"Nice to meet you, Lucifer." You smiled at him, extending your hand.

He stared at it for a moment before clasping it in his own. "Could I travel with you? It’s a dangerous world out there, and I think we could be great allies.”

And so Lucifer the argnoian became your sixth member, introducing himself to your companions while you ascended the stairs to meet the Jarl. Eyes were drawn to you as you passed the well-stoked fires of their mead hall.

“What is the meaning of this?” A dunmeri warrior asked, drawing her weapon.

“I agree,” Said the Jarl, looking blandly around at his guards. “I thought I gave explicit instructions not to be disturbed.”

You dropped to one knee, “My Jarl, I bring news from Helgen.”

“If you’re going to tell me it was destroyed, I am already aware of what can happen when we get caught in the crossfires of this gods forsaken war.”

You lifted your face to look at him fully in the warm, flickering light. Blond hair beard impressively braided, circlet adorning his brow, tired eyes watching you with something akin to boredome and disdain. “It was a dragon.”

“There are no dragons in Skyrim.” One of the guards replied.

“I can take it from here,” The Jarl waved him off. “There are no dragons in Skyrim. You’ve put too much stock in the ravings of drunks and fairytales.”

You set your jaw, finally meeting his gaze.

“I was there.”

A hushed silence fell over the hall.

“I was there when it happened. It slaughtered everyone.”

It was a few moments before the Jarl spoke again, “Why did it take you so long to come to us?”

“I was afraid,” You murmured, breath steady somehow. “I was afraid, and I had hoped someone else would have escapted to tell you. But after visiting Riverwood and seeing its defenselessness, I realized that I had hoped in vain. I am sorry.”

He contemplated your words, “Irileth. Send a battalion to Riverwood at once.”

“My Jarl-”

“I’ll not stand idly by while a dragon burns my hold and slaughters my people.”

“Very well. I will do so at once.”

“Good. As for you,” He affixed his gaze upon you once more. “Thank you for coming forward even if it was late. Take this as a token of good faith.”

One of his servants brought forth a set of leather armor. Nicer than the set you had managed to hodgepodge together.

“Let Proventus know if we need to adjust the fit for you.”

“Thank you, sir.” Hastily you stood, marveling at just now nice it was. “You are too kind.”

“I have another task that you may yet be able to help with. Follow me, my court wizard has been doing some research after your argonian friend tried to tell us he thought he saw a dragon.” He led you through the hall to a wide room with an alchemy table and many such articles befitting a mage, a man in robes hunched over his desk. “Farengar, I hope you have news about your project.”

“Give me a few more hours, I may be onto something but I need a little more time.” The wizard replied tersely.

“Very well then. Update me when you have some progress.”

You were dismissed for a recess, and released once more upon Whiterun. Coin purses remaining heavy by buying quick lunches as food stalls and eating it in the town square.

“Well, we did what we came here to do.” Inigo said between bites of a sweet roll. “We can always travel to find warmer sands… and avoid big smelly dragons.”

“Y-yeah.”

The conversations were light as you picked at your food. Lucifer trying to get to know everyone, he seemed personable enough, if a bit… odd. Not that that was necessarily a bad thing. You were all a bit odd.

A few kids raced past you, playing some sort of game, laughing and shrieking as they went their way.

Screams echoing all around you.

A devestating roar that rained fire from the sky.

A hand on your shoulder jolted you from your thoughts, and you turned to look at Xelzaz. “How are you doing?”

“Great, just enjoying the sun.” You responded, relaxing into his touch and giving him what you hoped was a charming smile.

“You just seem a bit distant.” “Sorry, I’ve just got a lot on my mind, there’s no need to worry.” You patted his hand. “I do however need to check out this armor though. I saw a blacksmith back towards the city gates. I figure I’ll go do that until the court wizard is ready to see us.”

“Let me come with you.”

Your smile was genuine that time. “Kai, I’m going to the smithy to take a look at this armor, let me know if the Jarl asks for me.”

“Aye.”

The two of you made your way through the streets of Whiterun before stopping outside of a decently large blacksmith’s shop called “Warmaiden’s”. And after making a deal with the blacksmith, she allowed you to use her workbench for a modest fee of twenty gold. It only took a few hours, work interspersed with sparkling conversation. Xelzaz truly was a remarkable person, multi-talented, sharp, a Lawman of House Telvanni.... You had no idea how you were supposed to be the one escorting him.

Because compared to that... what had you done? Survived a dragon attack by running away. Ignoring the pleas and screams of terror as you just... ran.

And just as you were putting the finishing touches on your new armor, you were called back to Dragonsreach. You tested the fit as you climbed the stairs, enjoying the sheer amount of mobility the armor allowed without pinching or tightness. Maybe you should become a blacksmith once you were done adventuring around. And an alchemist. And maybe you could learn enchanting! Then you would definitely be interesting enough to qualify as Xelzaz's friend. Maybe he'd even keep in correspondence once you finished escorting him around Skyrim and to the border.

"Ah, you made it." Jarl Balgruuf beckoned you to Farengar's wizardly chamber. "Anything we can use to fight this dragon, or dragons? We need it, quickly; Before it's too late."

Farengar nodded, "I think I may have found something, yes. I assume this is to be my assistant?" He nodded to you.

"Aye." The Jarl turned to you. "Succeed at this, and you'll be rewarded. Whiterun will be in your debt."

You swallowed down the fear. "I won't let you down."

You owed that dragon a death for every life in Helgen.

"Good." He turned, leaving you with Farengar.

"Yes, I could use someone to fetch something for me. Well, when I say fetch, I really mean delve into a dangerous ruin in search of an ancient stone tablet that may or may not actually be there." Farengar didn't look at you as he spoke, leafing through a book instead.

"Of course," If it meant bringing it to justice.... "What does this have to do with Dragons though?"

"Ah, no mere brute mercenary, but a thinker... perhaps even a scholar?" He turned to face you for the first time, hood casting his face in shadow except for the glimmer of candlelight in his eye. "You see, when the stories of dragons began to circulate, many dismissed them as mere fantasies, rumors. Impossibilities. One sure mark of a fool is to dismiss anything that falls outside his experience as being impossible. But I began to search for information about dragons; Where had they gone all those years ago? And where were they coming from?"

You nodded, "And this is where I come in.... What do you need me to do?"

"I learned of a certain stone tablet said to be housed in Bleak Falls Barrow; A 'Dragonstone' said to contain a map of dragon burial sites. Go to Bleak Falls Barrow, find this tablet, no doubt interred in the main chamber. and bring it to me."

Your eyes widened, and you placed your pack on his table, not listening to his protests as you dug around for the odd stone that you had picked up in the ancient ruins. "I think I may have it already." After a moment you pulled it out, "Is this it?"

Farengar let out an incredulous laugh and you smiled, "The Dragonstone of Bleak Falls Barros! Phenomenal work! Truly, you are cut from a different cloth than the usual brutes the Jarl foists upon me."

Your grin widened, "I-"

"Farengar! Farengar, you need to come at once. A dragon's been sighted nearby." Irileth burst into the room, breath ragged. She looked at you, "You should come too."

Ice filled your veins as fire licked at your skin.

Smoke filling your lungs.

The court mage looked far too excited, asking question after question only for Irileth to snap, "I'd take this a bit more seriously if I were you!"

That seemed to shut him up.

"If a Dragon decides to attack Whiterun, I don't know that we'd be able to stop it."

Even the stones had groaned, bending to the whims of the dragon's breath as they warped and melted.

The fear in that woman's eyes.

How many children-

A hand on your shoulder jolted you from your thoughts, and you turned to look at Xelzaz. Competent Xelzaz... he probably could have saved her.

"C'mon, lets see what we can do."

You nodded, gesturing for your team to follow you up the stairs to the Jarl's war room.

"-We saw it coming from the south. It was fast... faster than anything I've ever seen." A guard panted, hunched over, hands on his knees as he struggled to catch his breath. "It was just circling overhead when I left. I never ran so fast in my life... I thought it would come after me for sure."

The Jarl turned to Irileth, saying words you couldn't quite hear over the blood in your ears. Slowly, you approached the man, placing a hand on his shoulder, just as Xelzaz had done for you a moment ago.

"What's your name?" You asked, giving him a gentle smile as he looked at you.

"Alarik."

"Alarik of swift feet, your speed has given us a chance. Thank you for doing something I could not."

His breath began to steady, and he nodded.

"Jarl Balgruuf," You turned to face him, "Is there a place where we can shelter the children?"

He straightened up, looking at you with a mixture of disbelief and understanding, "Yes."

"Then get them there."

The Jarl blinked, clearly not used to being spoken to like that, before waving to his guards, "Get moving! There's no telling how much time we have left." He pointed to you, "And you, I want you to go with Irileth and help her fight this Dragon. You survived Helgen, so you have more experience with dragons then anyone else here. But I haven't forgotten the service you did for me in retrieving the Dragonstone for Farengar." With heavy strides, Balgruuf made his way over to a display on the wall. Taking down an axe and presenting it to you. "Take this, a gift befitting a true friend of my people, the Axe of Whiterun. May her blade remain ever sharp."

You nodded, taking it graciously... though you'd never used an axe in battle before. "Thank you."

You could hear whispers among your followers, and you turned to Khash. "A dragon. A real dragon? Oh tusk... I cannot. A real dragon! We are so tusking dead."

"I need you to stay here."

"What?! While you go fight a dragon?"

You gave her your most reassuring smile. "I'll be back sooner than you can say 'Whiterun'."

She gave you a blank stare. "Whiterun."

"I walked right into that one...." You sighed.

"That does not make any sense."

"Look, Khash, please just stay here where it's safe okay?"

Her eyes were accusatory, but she nodded. "Okay, but you better come back with a tusking dragon skull for me."

You laughed. "Deal."

As you left, you cast one last glance back at her, giving her a thumbs up.

"I'm coming with you," Xelzaz said, walking alongside you.

"Thank you."

"How are you holding up?"

"Ready to die a most glorious death," Your tone was light, joking, but one way or another, you were going to end that dragon's life or die trying.

Xelzaz laughed, a comforting sound, "Well, good to see one of us is optimistic."

You looked back to the rest of your companions, seeing them striding with you... filled you with a determination you hadn't realized you'd had.

You could do this.

Together you all made your way out, following Irileth and her battalion to the remains of a watch tower. You didn't see any dragons around, but the carnage was unmistakable.

"No! Get back!"

It was already too late.

Like thunder rolling over the mountains, a roar echoed through the plains, heavy wing-beats on the wind, and fast as a flash of lightning the dragon streaked towards you, raining fire down on the poor guards in front of you. Charred corpses left in its wake fueling you.

Immediately you nocked an arrow, letting it loose at the wyrm soaring through the sky.

But... it wasn't the same one.

It wasn't the same one.

"BRING IT DOWN!" Irileth cried, and arrows soared through the air.

It seemed to shrug them off, circling around... laughing?

Your blood ignited, and you ducked behind a hunk of stone just in time to evade its breath once more. You loosed another arrow at it, this time catching it in the leather of its wing.

It stuck.

"Aim for the wings!" You called out.

Inigo shouted an affirmative behind you, and Xelzaz shot it with a bolt of ice.

But it was agile, powerful, buffeting the arrows on the wind of its wings, dropping low to the ground and spraying ash and smoke, covering everything in a hazy darkness. "YOL SU GRAM!"

Fire. Air. Cloud.

You closed your eyes for a moment, straining your ears. It was rising.... You needed to get to higher ground. Carefully you made your way to the tower, stumbling a few times but never falling as you made it inside of the remains.

Good, the air was clear here.

Taking them two at a time, you peeled up the stairs. You held your breath as you aimed, ignoring the strain in your lungs, but it was moving too quickly for you to get a clear shot as it sped over the cloud of smoke, raining fire indiscriminately.

"No you don't...."

You stepped onto the remains of the ledge, doing a few quick calculations in your head as it circled around for more. Breath deep and far steadier than it should have been, as you shot another arrow at it.

If the gods were real, they showed you a small mercy, arrow flying true until it struck the joint in the wing. Its trajectory faltered, wing smashing into the tower, and it lurched... stone beginning to topple out from under you.

Shit shit shit shit shit shit shi-

You braced yourself, riding the tower down as it fell, rolling as you hit the ground, some of the blow cushioned by soft moss. Panting, you got to your knees, smoke and dust clearing just enough for you to see the rubble begin to move, the dragon shaking off the stone and mortar.

A single eye affixed to you, foreign and familiar, pupil dilating as the dragon craned its neck, only a few feet from where you were.

A single word uttered in its guttural language, "Dovahkiin."

It reared back and you barely managed to dodge out of the way in time before its jaws snapped at the air where you'd been.

"Kril mal lun... Zu'u naak hin sil."

You backed up.

"FUS!"

You were knocked back, landing on a charred corpse as the dragon advanced on you, a laugh in its throat.

It was toying with you.

Wildly you scrambled back, hand landing on a searing hot sword. You could see arrows whizzing above you, bouncing feebly off of the dragon's thick hide. Shouts all around you.

The fear in that woman's eyes.

Adrenaline in your veins, you could feel the air around you sizzle as the dragon opened its mouth again, lunging at you. You pitched forward, rolling under its chin.

There.

With every ounce of strength in your body you drove the blade into the junction where its jaw met its throat, flesh giving way under the steel. The dragon lurched back, driving it further in, a roar dying in its throat as it thrashed, blade breaking off, throwing you a few feet back.

Blood rained down on you as it choked and sputtered, and you grabbed the dagger that you kept in your shoe. But you didn't have time to move as it collapsed, trapping you under its thick neck.

It took you a moment, breath heavy still stinging with the ash, dust, and smoke, before you were able to wriggle your way out from under it, getting to your feet as the air began to clear.

So many dead....

But you could see Xelzaz tending to Kaidan's wounds. Lucifer downing a health potion. Inigo crawling out from where some debris had fallen.

Oh thank the gods....

And you turned back to the dragon, nudging it with your boot as you saw the last light leave its eyes.

It wasn't the same one that was in Helgen....

You wiped at your skin, hands slick with dragon blood as you began to return to your friends.

Something caught in your throat, and you paused skin tingling, vibrating. Each breath in felt... more powerful than the last, a loud wind in your ears as an eerie light surrounded you, ephemeral, soaking into your pores, your lungs, your tongue.

It felt as though you were full to bursting, like you were going to be ripped apart by the cosmos, something powerful settling in your soul.

Something... Right.

Every bit of you thrummed, and you stared at your bloodstained hands.

"Fus." The word rippled from your mouth, rumbling, clearing through the smoke.

You breathed deep, throwing your head back and roaring out to the heavens, "FUS!"

The air shimmered and shook, flowing like a crashing wave.

You'd never felt so alive.

All eyes were on you. Murmuring among the guards, something fearful and almost reverent on Kaidan's face.

"Dragonborn."

It felt... right.

Talos of Atmora, Tiber Septim himself, had been dragonborn. You didn't quite know what that meant, but you knew it was certainly not 'Nord nonsense', as Proventus so eloquently put it. On your way back to Whiterun you'd heard thunder on the wind, "DOVAHKIIN". Apparently most of Whiterun had heard it too.

Apparently you'd been... summoned.

You didn't like that one bit....

So... you'd decided you would make a stop in Riverwood beforehand. Clear the air about Hadvar; His family deserved that much, and if you were supposed to be... something important... you couldn't be a coward any longer.

No way could you face The Greybeards with that on your chest.

Fortunately, Lucifer knew a shortcut.

When he declined to use the map... that should have been your first red flag. The fact that you'd been wandering around in the woods for a solid day and a half should have been your second.

"Lucifer... uh..." You started as it began to get overcast on the second day, "I don't want to question your survival skills, but do you know where we're going?"

"... No. I think I may be lost now."

"..."

Xelzaz sighed, grabbing your map, muttering something in Jel that sounded rude. "Follow me."

So you walked. And walked.

And walked.

"Are we there yet?" Khash groaned. "My feet hurt."

A whiff of smoke met your nose.

Charred flesh.

Wing beats on the wind.

You dropped low, bringing your hand up to signal everyone to stop. The light mist was hard to see through, but you could see the wreckage of something ahead of you.

Slowly, you crept forward. A pained cough meeting your ears as something gold moved.

A survivor.

#nebarra skyrim #nebarra #xelzaz #lucifer the argonian #khash the argonian #inigo skyrim #kaidan tes #thunderous applesauce #destiny waits for no one #hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh #long-ish chapter

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