A Nascent Kaleidoscope.

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.'

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 at least.

"Will?" I was surprised to see my friend here, blurting it out while opening the large doors. H was sitting there quietly in the corner, nursing his own drink. 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 looks happy to see me when I nearly cost him his life. "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. Was he maybe some kind of Daedra.... or Divines forbid, I hope one his parents hadn't been forced...

It would explain why he dislikes them, but I did not like to make assumptions about people. My da taught me better than that, a few of the lessons involved the belt when I was a little Shite about it as a lad.

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. I hadn't even noticed her at first, she's walking around, covered in bandages, but at least she's alive. I just wish I could say the same about many other bothers....and how many of them were truly close to Aela....she must be suffering much worse than I.

I smiled lightly at her words, 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 soldiers 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, It was only at this moment that I was reminded I had several years on him. He wasn't much older than a boy, not that I could speak much myself.

"You're my friend." He mumbled, looking 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 my own thoughts of not approaching him anymore due to my own cowardice and envy.

I will not become a burden to you, my friend. I will get stronger, I am a Dragonborn, I will get strong enough to stand at 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. It could also have to due with the massive headache I was sporting as well.

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. Stole it from some asshole snarking to me about 'never being to the cloud district'. Bitch do I look like I'm some kind of peasant?

"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, 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 reon.com/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.