That night Ka'zhid didn't get much sleep. Tossing and turning as his mind raced filled what was the rest of the night. He got up the next morning, bleary-eyed and barely standing. He staggered out of the house and to the same tree from the night before. His mind was moving at a snail's pace. He fell to his knees and just stared into space for several minutes. Then he collapsed face-first into the ground and started snoring.

-~o

After that day, Ka'zhid always had an eye out for anything suspicious. He didn't go looking for it, he couldn't go asking around as it was. He kept his ears open though.

A week had passed since that strange day and Ka'zhid's ribs had finally healed. He had finally been put to work delivering things for the time being. Until they were sure his ribs were fully healed he would do odd jobs for a few days. Other than watching Horst work there still wasn't much to do though.

With nothing much else to do I had asked the healer, Gertrude, if I remember correctly, to teach about the plants and poultices she used. It was basically the same accord he had reached with Horst. He would help her with her day-to-day work and in return, he would learn.

What both of them noticed right from the start was Ka'zhid's willingness, or rather a need to work and learn. He was smarter than he let on and at times he caught them off guard with his questions and suggestions. His inquisitiveness often led to many experiments. Failure or success, it was always an interesting use of time. The inquiries always left all involved with more questions than answers but hypotheses and guesswork usually solved the questions.

With his ribs healing apace he began to take on more responsibility at the forge. On off days he would spend creating salves and tinctures. When not in either of those pursuits he would wander the woods. Observing the animals as they moved about in the snow or just sitting and listening. Living in the North of Skyrim had given him a greater appreciation of nature in all its beauty and ferocity.

All the snow reminded Ka'zhid of those northern cities that merely shrugged it off as natural. The Nords seemed to thrive and even enjoy the wintery months. As one that came from a desert, it made Ka'zhid yearn for the Spring days when the snow and ice would finally melt away to reveal a bright green undercoat.

The same feeling gripped him here. A watching and waiting for the Spring thaw when things would come to life. Ka'zhid would probably be gone before that but it gave him something to look forward to. He often pondered what he would do once he left this valley. He had nothing other than his satchel. All that he owned and knew was left behind. This presented a significant question to his mind with two choices.

If he left he would discover a whole new world. If he stayed he could build a small, modest life. He could have a home and a fire to come back to. That was something he hadn't had in so very long. But, it wasn't something he was ready for. Adventure was always a call he had answered. The allure was always too great to stay in one place. He called the college home but there were plenty of escapades to follow into danger.

Ka'zhid would not stay. He would go and see these places. Maybe, just maybe he would find a way home in his wanderings. For now, he would rest and gather his bearings.

-~o

His feet strayed from the path. He entered the forested foothills, and there began his tests. The weeks had passed since his injuries and his ribs had recovered in full. He had to wait a few days until his work would allow. Now he was removing the bandages for the last time. Finally, he could take a breath without feeling like he just inhaled fire and ice.

To strengthen his newfound freedom he was planning to sprint and gambol about.

With his chest free of pain, he set down his satchel and carefully marked its position. Like an arrow, he sprang forward into the pine expanse of wilderness. Fleet of foot he ran far and fast as possible. Only when he had reached a small clearing did he stop. His breath came in short bursts as he looked about.

A tall pine caught his attention, swaying in the upper winds that caught its boughs. Taking a few minutes to recover his breath, Ka'zhid sized up the tree. At least one hundred and fifty feet tall it was a monarch among trees. Starting off slowly he climbed. Growing faster and more confident with each new branch conquered. It soon became a race to the very top. He only stopped when the branches would no longer support his weight. Some hundred feet in the air he looked out over an ocean of waving green and white. In the distance, he could barely make out slivers of the Anora River shining under the day's sunlight.

Any birds that had not flown South were flitting about. Far below his sharp eyes could see squirrels bounding from tree to tree and foraging for food. Small brown dots contrasted against the Anora river. He assumed they were deer. No one would let their cattle roam wild in this weather.

The wind had slowed in the time he had climbed the tree. A slight breeze brought a new wave of crisp air and familiar scents. Along with something strange as well. Strange, yet familiar in a way. He'd encountered something like it before but this had a curious twist to it.

Thinking back he tried to dredge the smell from his memory, but every time it slipped away like sand through a sieve. One thing he could be sure of, it was definitely related to the Eye. The jumble of half-remembered spells flying about and rusted weapons swung by dead arms was hard to remember at times. The stress and urgency of those moments had left gaps and whispers of memory.

Another of his highly trained senses was alerted to a familiar presence. The same magical signature from that night about a month ago. This time it was a concentrated presence rather than waves of magic. Regardless of the form it still radiated power if somewhat less than it had been. No mutterings filled his ears like last time, yet he had pondered that part long. He still had no idea what it was but it intrigued him greatly.

Ka'zhid would have to meditate later, using the serenity of that peace to recall his past experiences. Perhaps he would find an inkling of the mysterious smell. For now, he had an errand. Horst had allowed him some leisure time but on his way out of town, he had run into Gertrude. She had requested some herbs from the surrounding land and Ka'zhid had promised to find them.

Just as he moved off into the trees he looked off in the direction of his worry. A nagging thought in the back of his brain said this was not the last time he would feel that presence.

-~o

The memories came in a stream. Each one trying to drown out the others and lead the charge of recollection. A moment later Ka'hid mastered his thoughts. In the rush to defeat Ancano, there had been no time to review the journey to the goal. This was a time to process as much as finding the connection.

He started at Saarthal. The trip had really been for lowerclassmen who were being introduced to magic in the field, but he had been brought along to serve as guide and guard if necessary. All he really did was help Arniel examine the ruins. Then he found the amulet, a magical focus of sorts that helped one cast easier. Taking it from the wall had gotten him trapped. His tail had looked like a bottlebrush for a good fifteen minutes afterward. Then there was the long trek through the draugr filled halls. His meeting with the Psijic had been an eye-opener.

Very few books talked about the Psijic Order and even fewer scrolls. Whatever scraps that survived the test of ages were too weathered to read or lost. So even after weeks of searching Ka'zhid had barely found enough fragments of information to form an educated opinion. Then he had to go rescue the books that fool Orthorn lost. Ka'zhid didn't wish the man ill but the run around he caused with his theft pissed off Ka'zhid.

Strange meetings in the midden had expanded the horizons of his thoughts. Augur had given him answers but also questions. The Eye, for all the warnings, still enamored him. The knowledge of unknown origin, possessed by the Nords in a bygone age, created by a being that was beyond mortal comprehension, and filled with knowledge even Hermaeus Mora would covet. The chance to study the artifact was never presented as he had to go to Mzulft.

Ancano's betrayal wasn't exactly unexpected from his terse exchanges with everybody. Between containing the anomalies and storming Labyrinthian, Ka'zhid had no sleep. Ka'zhid's anger had never flared higher than in his final showdown with Ancano. The arrogance of the man to try and harness the power of Magnus himself was insanity.

Ka'zhid breathed deeply. Anger still blazed forth if he thought about it too much.

So began the long process of sifting memories.

-~o

It was taking a long time. Long periods of time were taken up trying to remember every little detail. On the other hand, it gave Ka'zhid a chance to hone his magic. And that wasn't the only thing. With iron purchased from the traders, Ka'zhid had constructed a weapon.

A pattern favored by his people was the template. Single-edged with a slight curve on the upper half of the blade. With the current tools and supplies, Ka'zhid reckoned it was masterful work. It was not decorated with jewels or inscriptions, it was a tool and nothing more.

Taking a few practice swings with the sword upon completion turned into a necessary part of the process. It felt right, balanced. Some negotiation supplied him with a sheath as well. With that taken care of Ka'zhid could turn his full attention toward his magic.

With the lapse in training, Ka'zhid worried that he might be slipping off. So, following the sword's completion, he would walk into the woods and practice all the different spells he knew. When he became bored with that some changes were made in the application or power put forth. It generated some interesting results but also scared the living daylights out of the surrounding wildlife.

-~o

Labyrinthian. Everything was connected to it.

The smell and magic. . .ancient, powerful. No living thing existed there, only the walking dead. Long dead mages lead the packs of old warriors, whose rotted arms still struck with a force envied by living men. There were two greater threats in those winding halls.

One was Morokei. The ancient dragon priest still held massive power and magical skill. Despite being dead for centuries he still possessed great prowess. The staff only accentuated his power, making it tenfold with eldritch power. No wonder it had taken two mages to contain him.

Then there was the other one. The dark magic that resurrected that demon was terrifying. The very power required to do so was mind-boggling. Yet in a wide space beneath the dirt a dragon lay in deathly slumber, waiting to ravage any who dared trespass on its grave. Weathered bones that had known lordship and defeat. Its hide, long rotted, protected the beating heart no more.

The smell remained, faint after decades but still detectable. Worn strings and pools of magic lingered as well. Covered by the power of its resurrection. Not as strong as they had been when dragons ruled the world, but still defined by its creation in Alkosh's mind so long ago.

The similarities between the old bones and the mysterious egg were many. The nuances were there, as all things are different. Yet alike enough that they might be kin.

Ka'zhid sat, eyes wide at the realization. The one who stalked the valley as he did was a living relative of a long-dead race. The future of possibilities was not a pleasant caravan of thought. Whatever this dragon might do, it was directly involved with Eragon.

"Oh ziss'vo."

Ta'agra

Alkosh- Akatosh

Ziss'vo- Used in place of 'shit' as a curse

The sword Ka'zhid created is a Khajiit Saber from Legacy of the Dragonborn armory. I thought it was kinda cool and fit his fighting style. Good luck my friends and have a good day.