Chapter 27 (Patreon)

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.

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 honor that came from slaying that beast, only the relief that it hadn’t set its eyes on the city and the populace.

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. My instinct 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, perhaps 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 I held no hope of 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.

I had more than enough of that while I was getting tended to. A good drink will also make the pain go away, for a bit atleast.

“Will?” I was surprised to see my friend here, sitting quietly in the corner. One would have been a fool to also not see the black wings that sprang out of his back.

“Thorum.” He smiled brightly at me.

Even now he treats me like a friend. “How are you doing….?” I knew my eyes were drawn to his wings and he looked a bit……uneasy as I stared for a moment.

“Not dying at least.” He chuckled lightly, holding his sides, clearly still in pain. “Though….my wings need to be out to heal properly…..I hope you don’t mind?”

Maybe that’s why he never revealed them before? The look on his face said it all, he didn’t seem to like them very much.

Every man has a story, I reminded myself. “Is that magic?” I never understood the mystical arts very well, even the basics were a bit hard for me.

“No…I was born with them.” He took a drink. “I just don’t like showing them off in public.”

“If I hear anyone start some shit, I’ll ram my foot down their throat.” I heard Aela shout from the table she was drinking from.

Aye, she would do just that, she was one to follow up on her threats. I have no doubts that a good portion of the Companions would do the same, not to mention the guards would not look favorably upon anyone harassing Will. “Has anyone…?”

Aela answered again. “Some idiots yelling about some Daedra shite, saying things like sending the ‘monster’ back to oblivion.”

I saw Will wince out of the corner of my eye. It seemed obvious, to even someone like me, that he didn’t feel comfortable about his wings yet…. “You revealed them to save me.?” I felt a pit in my stomach, how much more was I going to bring him down?

Will usually had a confidant look on his face, even staring at death in the face he only showed rage or focus, never cowardice, never fear. But the way he looked right now, well, I was only now reminded that I had several years on him. He wasn’t much older than a boy.

“You’re my friend.” He mumbled, seemingly a bit embarrassed. “I don’t really…..have any other friends.”

Oh….. I hadn’t realized. He seemed so….. like there was nothing in the world he wasn’t capable of. Hearing him say that though, it makes him seem so…human.

I’m his only friend, to think he thought so highly of me and here I was wallowing in my own pity while my friend had risked his life and his reputation to save me, even having thoughts of not approaching him anymore due to my own cowardice and envy.

I will not allow you to shoulder your burdens alone, my friend. I will get stronger, I am a Dragonborn, I will get strong enough to stand by your side.

***

Wilhelm POV

Jeese, I can’t believe I said that out loud. I think I may be a bit more into my drinks than I thought. Can devils get drunk on alcohol like this? I’m going to say yes and argue with anyone who says otherwise.

Now Thorum is looking at me like I had two heads……fuck me, gods I really hope I’m not blushing.

“So, I heard you’re a dragonborn?” I flipped my hand, letting a book flop on the table.

“The Book of the Dragonborn.” Thorum looked over the title, nodded to himself. “Aye, it seems you’re always prepared, I haven’t thought about this book since my Da read it to me when I was a child.”

I rubbed my eyes, feeling the fatigue from the fight still bearing down on me. “From what I read, it seems you can empower yourself by absorbing the souls of defeated dragons. It also means you can naturally use the ‘Thu’um’ or the dragon language at will.”

“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 do, 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.

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…..

“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 you.” 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. Staring at my friend, then looking at me. “You are here as well, the Jarl calls for both of you.”