Chapter 28:

Chapter 28:

Thorum POV

People were too busy tending to the dead and wounded to care that the dragon is dead. I think everyone is more concerned with how much damage it caused before we were finally able to put it down and even then, well, I don't know what would have happened if we didn't.

I was up and about after some healing, I was still hurting something fierce, and my arm couldn't be moved, but there were others in much worse condition than I.

How many didn't make it back?

I only know the barest of details with what the Harbinger had talked with the Jarl about. He had reinforced the surrounding towns as much as possible without compromising Whiterun's defenses, but even if the full army was here, something tells me that it would have just been like trying to snuff out a fire with tinder.

Divines...a dragon.

I was man enough to admit that I was scared, I was scared that all my shield-brethren would die. Many would claim it a glorious death and await their calls to Sovngarde, but there was nothing glorious about that fight.

There was no glory that came from slaying that beast, only the relief that it hadn't set its eyes on the city and the people.

How many of Skyrim's children would have met their ends under that tyrant's flames?

Even now, the companions had been reduced by a good third, and maybe up to half would never see true battle again.

Dragonborn, they called me. I somehow took in that fallen dragon's soul....I now had memories of its powers, its Thu'um. A feeling in my gut told me that I could make use of their shouts, but I found no will to draw upon to perform such a feat. Had it been a few days ago, how excited and proud I would have been to have been chosen as one of the legends, but now, all I can feel is ashamed.

I could only clench my fists in anger. Why couldn't I have been more help before?

Do I even deserve this? Didn't Will fight that beast and defeat it in combat? All I did was run in and finish off the wounded foe.

My friend, he saved me from certain death when I foolishly tried to attack the thing from its back. I was not in the best state of mind at the time, maybe I had already resigned myself to death at that moment.

I just shook my head, pushing away such dreary thoughts. A true Nord does not admit defeat so easily, I would have fought to the death, but even then, I had held no true hope for victory.

Aye, that was until my friend came flying in and caught me at the cost of his....wings. It was a strange sight, but I didn't care to question it. I knew not his circumstances; every man had a story and he was still the same person I've know this time.

Then he did something I don't understand, that armor that enveloped him and allowed him to overpower a creature of legends and treat it.....like it had treated us. I felt no small amount of pride in my friend in that moment.

Da always said that you can always tell a lot about a man by his friends, but this is the first time I questioned his words. How am I supposed to measure up to something like that? He was an accomplished Mage, he fought bravely and overcame the beast that almost brought ruin to Whiterun, and he even defended all the wounded while doing it.

Talos willing, I just want to drown myself in some mead for the night and maybe think things through clearly in the morning. He must have been watching over me, because I managed to reach the Jorrvaskr without anyone throwing more questions at me.

'Dragonborn! Did you really kill the dragon!?'

'Dragonborn is it true, can you 'shout' for us?'

'Dragonborn.'

'Dragonborn.'

'Dragonborn.'

"Then, I should be stronger now?" He looked down at his non-broken hand for a moment. "I don't feel any different?"

I rubbed my chin, truly taking a look at his body. "If I had to make an educated guess, I think a lot of the power is going to healing you right now before your physical attributes receive the 'upgrade' so to speak. The body is a reflection of the soul, since your soul essentially got 'bigger' there will be a qualitive increase in your abilities. Hell, I think you may be better at magic in a few days as well."

"Does that mean....I should be able to fight the next dragon without almost dying?" I don't think he was saying that at me but more so to himself. I just closed my eyes and signed for a moment, I knew how he felt.

I myself felt rather....weak in this particular moment. I had many forms of 'strength' I could rely on, but it all felt so disjointed and widespread. I needed to head home soon and find a teacher, maybe get my 'grandfather' to train me a bit if he's still around.

"You need to learn the Thu'um like the dragons, it should even the playing field if you do." I gave my honest opinion. I saw the look in his eyes, he wouldn't back down from the next dragon attack. The best thing I could do was point him in the right direction.

I also wanted to check out this 'dragon language' before I left.

If he was willing to push himself like this, how could I even think about stagnating? I resolved myself to head home in the next few days and get better. I don't want to lose the only friend I had.....

A small bit of realizaiton dawned on me.

Hey, Ddraig, I wasn't really acting like myself earlier....I felt like, increasingly angry. I mean, I was absolutely livid, but in hindsight I was noticeably less in control of my emotions than I normally am.

[Oh, you finally noticed, that's good.]

Okay, I think I'm missing something here....

[You've had me inside your soul for how long now? Things like that have an effect on you.]

Realization dawned on me. I guess it wasn't wrong to call me part dragon before I turned my heart to a dragon one. That came with all the downsides as well, I guess I was particularly possessive of what was 'mine'. Even my devil nature might have been an influence as well. While not really the 'caricature' depicted in media or the like, devils are creatures of sin, we're more in tune with the 'evil' emotions, like greed, lust, wrath, etc.

[A dragon being the cause also didn't help, either.]

Yeah, my 'dragon aspect' probably took particular exception to that little tidbit. Well, I don't expect it to be like it was before, perhaps I should some time to meditate or even relax a bit when I get back home?

"""DO-VA-KIIN!"""

A shout shook the city, literally, as bottles rumbled and the tables vibrated.

"The hell was that?" I sounded like the dragon language, but it felt sort of...human?

"That was the Greybeards, I think they were calling Thorum." Aela said, a rather surprising amount of reverence in her voice.

Didn't Tolfdir tell me about them, masters of the voice that lived like monks on the throat of the world? Well....I suppose the timing was impeccable.

"Thorum." Skjor burst through the door, he was missing a couple fingers on his left hand and his right eye bandaged. He took a cursory glance at Thorum, then stared at me. "You're here as well, the Jarl calls for both of you."

***

Author's note: Sorry for not posting yesterday, work was absolutely crazy. It was my second week on this job and I came right as the 'busy' day of the month arrived. Didn't get home until almost eleven and I got about 500 words into the latest chapter and just crashed.

Something something, hey I'm 5 chapters ahead on Pat /Astoryforone. This is my hobby that I usually do to relax afterwork and to release my muse, but if you want to pay for my morning coffee and bagel, then I won't stop you.