Chapter revised 31/12/2017; please see chapter 11.
/
Howdy, folks, how's it going?
Yep, I am still alive.
I'm sorry this took so long, guys. I had fully intended to update a Hell of a lot more during the Summer, but them Gaming, Laziness and Writer's Block conspired to turn me into an unproductive Piece of Shit.
But now, the long, looooong, wait is over, and I bring to you, not only the next chapter of Beneath a Broken Moon, but also the first chapter of my new story, Through the Eternities.
As usual, a Bing Shout-out to Chaos Productions for helping put this chapter into words. Heck, it was solely because of his input that I managed to beat that damn Writer's Block.
Now, considering how it's been such a long ass time since the last update, let's leave the review answering for the end and get this show on the road, eh?
Enjoy, guys.
/
Chapter 9
It was rather odd, the Archmage couldn't help but ponder, that it felt like months had passed since the debacle when in fact it had been just the day before.
Soon after he had managed to save Blake, Vale's police force had arrived at the docks. The cynical part of him couldn't help but remember the many times back in Tamriel when city patrols also only showed up after he had dealt with the marauder, vampire, werewolf, necromancer or cannibal daedric worshipper of the week.
After their arrival (and Penny's strange disappearance shortly before that), Weiss and Yang had followed.
And it was with great satisfaction, and no small amount of relief, that he saw his advice being followed and his earlier predictions realized.
Blake, while still rather nervous, had kept her word and faced Weiss to try and explain things to the heiress. And Weiss, having had enough time to calm down, graciously told her there were no explanations to give. Oblivion, when the late comers had learned of the Faunus's near passing into Arkay's domain, and after said Faunus finally managed to break free of her partner's bear hug, the girl in white was beside herself in concern, insisting on bringing Blake to the Hospital for exams to make sure she was fine.
The shocked, tearful yet relieved and genuinely happy look on the raven-haired girl's face in response to the open acceptance had brought a smile to Tristard's own.
And then the moment had been broken by the arrival of 2 Bullheads from Beacon, and with those came Professors Port and Goodwitch.
Apparently, the good people of Vale had been awakened by loud roars and feared a Grimm attack, and thus Beacon was forced to mobilize quickly lest a panicked populace actually draw more Grimm.
The teachers had been, understandably if he was being honest, rather displeased when they learned it had been a false alarm, though he suspected it was for very different reasons. You could feel the portly man's disappointment…
All right, so maybe he had not thought that particular plan through as well as he should have, but, in his defence, his friend and teammate was in danger.
That didn't save him, or any of them for that matter, from a stern scolding from the Deputy Headmistress. Fortunately, he had tuning those out down to a science.
And hey, at least they had gotten a free ride back to the Academy.
Now, a new day had risen, and team RWBYS found themselves in their room. Team JNPR, good friends that they were, had been quick to notice their disappearance the days before and quick to notice their return and were also present. Once again, Blake was pleasantly surprised by how her friends did not care that she was a Faunus and were just glad that she was safe.
That did lead to about half an hour of the unfortunate Cat Faunus trying to get away from a starry-eyed Nora who wanted to "pet the kitty!". Laughs were had, and the situation did not develop to total chaos, so he considered it a win.
Then those who had not been present for the debacle were brought up to speed, as Ruby told them everything that she had witnessed. The younger girl did not retell the events with her usual enthusiasm, though. Nay, as she talked, she sounded subdued, and uncertain of what exactly she had witnessed.
Then she had turned to look at him after she was done with her tale.
Now, as the teens sat around the various beds and chairs, each and every one of them turned to Tristard as well, staring at him questioningly, hoping he could explain.
Blake, who was sitting next to him, seemed particularly eager to understand, eager to solve the puzzle he had presented to her, as she stared with unmasked confusion, but still waiting patiently.
Tristard knew he was at a crucial juncture here.
He could try to pass it all off has just another aspect of his abilities, aye, and to be honest he had briefly considered the possibility.
And just as quickly he had discarded it.
He had gotten to know them, these people, these dwellers in a world he did not belong in. He had witnessed their courage, their skill, their willingness to risk their lives to protect those they were sworn to protect. In a place where Humanity teetered on the brink, he had witnessed how they refused to let the bleakness get to them. And he respected them for it.
He had come to consider them friends.
So, what would they have thought of him, what blow to the trust they had established would it be, if he tried to keep the charade now, only for some later event to inevitably reveal it, as Dragonborn did not doubt would eventually happen?
And how many times in his travels had the he thought that his job would have been much easier if people had stopped being cryptic and vague and had just told him the truth?
Nay, he was not going to be that man.
Besides, he had made a promise, and he was a man of his word.
Blake had kept her word, after all.
But that presented him with another challenge.
Coming clean to his new comrades was all well and good… but would they believe what he had to say?
Granted, he had managed to convince Ozpin and Goodwitch, but that was mostly because of Ozpin's open-mindedness than anything else. Tristard had little doubt there was more to the man than first met the eye.
How to go about this…?
…
…
Well, he had asked…
Having made his decision, Tristard addressed those present in an understanding tone of voice.
"I am certain that you all have plenty of questions."
"That's an understatement." Yang replied, in an attempt at levity. The blonde brawler was surprised when that actually drew a small chuckle from her teammate, it wasn't even one of her clever puns.
"You don't know the half of it…" He said amusedly, before sighing as his face once again grew serious. "Well then… I have not been entirely truthful with you all."
The confusion spread until it was reflected in the faces on all present. It reminded him of the looks of the new students back in Winterhold, once the laid eyes on the College, expecting a "distinguished" place of learning and seeing J'zargo get chased by a wrathful Urag and his hungry Atronachs instead.
By the Nine, He missed it.
"Uuuuh, what do you mean?" Jaune asked, putting what they were all thinking into words.
"… As far as you are all aware, I am from outside the Kingdoms, from a place called Winterhold. And that is true. But what if I told you there was more to it than that?"
A few blinks were had.
"How so?" Blake ventured.
At this, Tristard rose.
"Well, I suppose it is time for another tale then. But not here."
"Uh? Why not?" Weiss inquired.
"Because there is someone else that I feel should join the conversation, and the room is too small for that."
The Huntsmen and Huntresses in training briefly looked at each other, not quite sure what to make of that. Then, however, the resident Faunus's eyes widened in realization as she rose to follow.
"You mean…?"
"Aye."
/
A little while later, the group found themselves in a wide clearing in the forest that circled the academy. The Dragonborn looked around, and nodded in satisfaction.
"This'll do."
"Good. Now, will you finally tell us just what is going on? And who are we even waiting for?" Weiss asked with some exasperation. Her curiosity was getting the better of her, it seemed.
Tristard briefly stared at her, then his gaze swept over the rest of his team and his friends.
"An old friend… Someone who can help me explain."
Then he turned to face the glade, and with a voice like a crash of thunder, bellowed:
"DUR NEH VIIR!"
Silence followed, as his call rattled and echoed out into Oblivion.
From out of nowhere, a purple mist seemed to seep into existence.
The present Huntsmen and Huntresses watched with wary fascination as it gathered at the center of the glade, right in front of the Archmage.
And they recoiled in shock and surprise as the mist violently ignited, tendrils of eldritch flame bursting in every direction in strangely fluid movements, coiling and weaving and growing.
"What the hell…?!" Yang exclaimed even as she took a step back.
Weiss fully agreed with the sentiment, if not the language. The heiress stared in undisguised shock and disbelief, as she recognized the event before her for what it was.
Pyrrha stiffened in alarm, her training as a fighter briefly causing her hand to twitch towards a weapon that wasn't there before it was supressed by the trust she had in her friend.
Ruby and Nora both sported awed looks as they Woooooow'ed at the rapidly growing figure.
Ren made no move, but his stoic demeanour was broken by just how wide his eyes were.
Jaune was openly gawking at the scene, not really understanding what was going on.
Blake, with a better understanding of what was to come than the others, did not leave Tristard's side, watching the proceedings with undisguised fascination, but to her own surprise, no trepidation.
In a span of seconds, a massive reptilian shape stood before the group, the purple fire beginning to give way to patches of greenish gray scales and rotten flesh.
And soon, the undead dragon Durnehviir was fully manifested on Remnant, shaking his head in a slow, ponderous movement.
"Ah, I am surprised, Qahanaarin. I did not expect to be called upon so soon." The Wyrm stated, looking around the clearing and noticing those present, causing a few of them to flinch back in surprise. "I recognize Belladonna and the Mal Sahqo Gein, so I assume these are more allies of yours? Where are the tailed one and the one that smells of Dwiin?"
Ruby, who was the one with the most contact with the creature besides Blake, managed to overcome her surprise at the sudden appearance faster than the others, and couldn't help but ask:
"Uuuh, Mal sa-what?"
"Mal Sahqo Gein. He means you, Ruby." The Dragonborn explain in an amused tone. "In the Dovahzul, the language of dragons, it means "small red one"."
"Oh" The Red-cloaked girl uttered in understanding.
Then she blinked as the words sank in.
"Hey! I am not small!" She exclaimed with a pout. "I drink milk!"
Durnehviir stared at girl. His facial structure and state of decay made his mood hard to determine, but still it seemed to reflect bewilderment.
"She's Gooran, Spirited, this one…" He commented.
"Indeed, Old Friend, indeed. This is Ruby Rose, leader of a team of which I am now part of."
The Ancient Wyrm did a double take at this.
"The great Dovahkiin, the Bane of Alduin, Gurah Yol Dovah, the Storm Queller… Answering to a Kiir? There has to be an interesting story behind this."
"Aye, there is." Tristard confirmed, then addressed the other members of RWBYS and JNPR.
"Well, Blake already knows him from yesterday, but everyone, this is Durnehviir, a good old friend of mine. As you can see, he's a dragon, and that brings us to what I want to tell you."
Taking a deep breath, Tristard braced himself.
"Durnehviir is not of this world… And neither am I."
/
And so he told them. Told them of who he truly was, and where he had truly come from. Told them of Nirn and the Planes of Oblivion, with Durnehviir's intervention and input. Told them of his story, with no embellishments, no deceit. Of when his parents had been murdered by Daedric worshippers in High Rock, of his friendship with the Bosmer Sylara, of his time as a bandit under the thrall of that son of a whore Staubin, of their rebellion and flight towards the College of Winterhold, of their capture by the Stormcloaks and Sylara's death, the encounter with Alduin, the return of the dragons and of all the events that led to his becoming Tristard Soverick, Archmage of Winterhold and Hero of Skyrim. And finally, he told them of the Prophecy he had heard, and of how he had ended up in their World.
"…And when I came to, I found myself on the Emerald Forest and the Grimm found me. My fending them off was caught on camera. Professor Goodwitch came to my aid. You know the rest."
Silence followed, as his words were processed by the denizens of Remnant, a silence that lasted long enough for Tristard to feel some trepidation, as each of his friends stood lost in their own thoughts.
/
Some logical part of Weiss simply couldn't believe it. A man from another world? A thief and a scoundrel seeking who sought to leave such a life behind? Magic and alternate worlds? A prophecy that seemed to involve her and her teammates?
It sounded preposterous, no two ways about it.
But while she might be somewhat of a cynic, Weiss was not blind. As the Heiress of the Schnee Company, she had been very quickly forced to learn to detect lies and deceit. And as she observed Tristard making his explanations, she saw neither. He told his tale truthfully, and with a weariness in his tone that only further confirmed he had lived through these events.
And his summoning, something that was considered a specialty of her family, of a sentient creature to back him up also made a rather convincing argument.
Her teammate, her friend, was telling the truth.
And it explained so many things.
The cheer versatility of his powers…
The way he tried to help her and Blake to reach an understanding…
It made sense, from someone who had experienced life in both sides of the fence.
/
Having spent most of his life running damage control for a hyperactive incarnation of Chaos, Ren had come to believe that nothing could surprise him anymore.
Tristard had just proved him wrong.
To be honest, the quietest member of JNPR and the only male of RWBYS did not usually interact all that much, but in the few times they had, they had found common ground in their appreciation for peace, quiet and literature. Plenty of times he had joined the other man and Blake in the Library seeking all three.
Between that and their mutual respect of each other's skills, they could safely be considered friends.
Thus he found no reason to doubt Tristard's tale.
As a fellow orphan, Ren easily understood the now revealed otherworlder (Oh God, Nora was going to have a fit if she associated this whole thing with Aliens…)'s plight in his early days, and he could honestly sympathize.
Himself and Nora had gone through as few rough patches as well, after all. Who knows, if circumstances had been different, they might have just suffered the same fate.
He found that there was much to respect in how Tristard managed to rise above it.
/
Nora's thoughts in some ways followed a similar vein to those of her bestest friend.
That said, hers also mostly concentrated on the whole "Dragon" thing.
Did this mean he could be considered a Dragon Faunus? Was he related to the dragon he had just called? Did he have scales beneath his clothes? It did explain him spiting fire… Does this mean could fly?!
…
Naaaah, if he could he'd have flown during initiation.
Unless he had wanted to handicap himself…
/
Pyrrha was surprised.
And surprisingly, it wasn't due to Tristard being from another world, at least not entirely. Sure, that was a shock, but his story was far too detailed to be lies or mad ravings. The dragon backing him up also helped.
No, what surprised her was how similar they could be considered to be in some ways.
Where she had become renowned as an invincible Champion on Remnant, He had become recognized as an unstoppable Hero.
Where she grew increasingly weary of and struggled to withstand the pressure and lack of any real social interactions that came with such a status, he chafed and raged against the responsibilities heaped upon him.
And in the end, they both had found friends, genuine friends who they could trust unconditionally, by walking away and dedicating themselves to a craft, hers of the Huntress, his of the Mage.
The rigors of their paths had forged them both into the powerful yet honourable warriors that they were.
Little wonder then, perhaps, that they had so quickly become friends themselves.
/
To be perfectly honest with himself, Jaune knew he wasn't really the sharpest tool in the shed. But that was not to say he was stupid.
He had quickly realized that he had heard this story before.
And that realization had been a rather sobering one.
After all, more than anything else, Jaune wanted to be a hero. Someone who could save lives and help those in need.
He had tried so hard to do things alone, to reach his goals by himself, and then along came Tristard and quickly disabused him of that notion.
Who would have guessed that, on that moment, he was actually listening to wisdom that came from experience, that he had heeded the advice of a true hero?
Holy crap.
And he thought he himself had had a bad start…
Hey, at least this was a great sign that there was hope for him yet.
Tristard had started out as a Bandit, and in the end, became a hero through and through.
His own odds of achieving his dream suddenly did not seem so bad.
/
Well… Wow.
That was the first thing that came to Yang's mind.
Tristard had been a curiosity to her ever since she had first seen him on that cliff during his initiation.
Yang would never admit it to Weiss, but while she herself was mostly cool with it, the blonde had had a few reservations with the idea of having a guy on the team.
But then Tristard had assuaged those minor worries and proved himself to be swell guy.
He was pretty easy-going, yet polite and respectful, and got along well with the rest of the team.
He could appease Weiss whenever the ice princess became a bit too strict and bossy, and at the same time would agree with her when she was trying to get them to apply themselves in their assignments.
He respected Blake's quiet nature and preference for solitude, yet did not hesitate to get her involved in their conversations.
He didn't mind a little back-and-forth snarking, and yet he paid her teasing no mind and had no qualms with calling her out on her bullshit.
He was patient with Ruby and always ready to help, but never once being patronizing or belittling her efforts.
So yeah, Tristard was alright in her books.
She had believed him to be an interesting person.
But this?
Eh, guess she didn't know the half of it.
An interesting person indeed…
/
Blake had believed in heroes once.
In her younger and more naïve days, unaware of how the World worked, the Cat Faunus had been enthralled by the stories. Cliché as it may have sounded, the knight in white armor that vanquished evil and saved the innocent was a concept that simply fascinated her.
In some ways, she supposed she hadn't been all that different than Ruby and Jaune.
As a young girl, with the rough life she had lived, with the hatred and discrimination the Faunus have suffered, she had often wondered when would a hero come along a rescue them.
As the years passed, she eventually concluded he wouldn't.
That had been a wake-up call.
And she had decided that if that was the case, she would save herself, and all the others that were like her.
She joined in the protests, she took part in the rallies, and overall, she did all she could to make sure her voice could be heard.
And that was when he learned yet another lesson.
She was being heard, but the problem was that a vast majority of the listeners simply did not care.
The lack of results had been disheartening.
Then came Adam.
He'd been so bright then… with a vision of a future where the Faunus could live in peace, and had been driven and passionate in is goals to make that vision a reality.
She had believed him. Even entertained the thought he might have been the hero, arrived at long last.
Then the years passed, and things changed.
The White Fang grew more aggressive, but still she followed.
Instead of hatred, there was fear. It wasn't ideal, but still she followed.
Their struggle began costing lives, and still she followed.
But eventually she could follow no more.
When Adam showed her just how twisted he had become in the pursuit of his Dream, it was the last straw for Blake.
And thus she left, seeking to start anew. She still wished for a better future, she wanted to atone for the mistakes of her past, but by then she was certain there was no such thing as heroes.
Then came Tristard.
And without even realizing it, he began tearing down her world view, simply by being who he was.
When her past had caught up to her, and in her panic, she had tried to run yet again, he had given her the chance to explain herself, had encouraged her to face the others, had agreed to help her with no hesitation.
And in the end, he had saved her life. Saved her from her own recklessness.
It was only fair then, she had decided, to give him the time to gather his thoughts and explain his situation in his own terms.
And now she knew the truth, and cynic as she might be, she did not doubt it was the truth, a truth that oh so closely resembled the stories of her childhood.
He had suffered, like her.
He had taken a wrong path, like her.
But where she tried to walk away, he had never stopped moving forward.
That was why he had understood her so well, she realized.
Blake had believed in heroes once.
Perhaps she could believe again…?
/
A silence that was broken as Ruby stepped forward, and gave him a hug.
He had been expecting many reactions, but that had not been one of them.
When she pulled away, the younger girl was giving him a sad smile.
"You've been through a lot, haven't you?" Her tone far more understanding than it should be possible for someone her age.
Tristard was surprised, and it showed on his face.
"I suppose that is one way to look at it."
"Why did you wait so long to tell us?" She asked.
"Would you have believed me, without having witnessed what you did?"
"Yes." She answered, an answer so honest and simple that it caught the Archmage completely off guard. But then he considered who he was talking to, and a soft chuckle escaped his lips.
"Well, I suppose I have been a fool, then." He replied good-naturedly.
"Yep." She replied with a grin.
They both broke down into laughter, and pretty soon the others followed. When it died down, Ruby continued:
"We're friends, Tristard. If you are here to help us, then you can bet we're her to return the favour."
Tristard looked around. One by one, each of his companions showed their agreement with the young girl, either through vocal support, or a just a supporting nod.
The Archmage found himself genuinely touched by their confidence. A weight was gone from his shoulders that he hadn't even noticed had been there.
Then suddenly his field of vision was filled with Nora, making the surprised Breton stagger backwards.
"By the Nine, don't do-"
"So Wait, waitwaitwaitwait. Wait." The redhead interrupted as she gazed at him. The Archmage honestly couldn't tell whether she was looking him over or staring into his Soul…
"… So, you're actually a Dragon?"
…
Durnehviir snorted.
And Tristard chuckled again. Of course that would be the main thing she'd pick up.
"Yes and no." He replied. "I am Dovahkiin, Dragonborn. I am a mortal man, but I have the blood and Soul of a Dragon."
"But how does a Dragon's Soul fit on a human body?"
…
…
"Eh, I like this one." Durnehviir stated in amusement.
"Nora, I am afraid that even on Nirn, we don't know nearly enough about the properties of the soul to answer that." The Dragonborn deadpanned.
"Awwwww…" The ditzy girl grumbled in disappointment.
"Interesting friends you've made." The dragon suddenly interjected dryly. "I have said it before, and I will say it again, you find yourself in the most outlandish of situations far too often, Qahnaarin. Out of any Joor I've known, only you would have reached an unknown Realm without intending to."
That drew the Dragonborn's attention. It was a matter he had wanted to address.
"So you knew nothing of the existence of Remnant?"
"Nid." The dragon denied. "The existence of the Planes of Oblivion, I knew of. Nirn, our home, I know of. The Dur Soul Cairn, I have extensive knowledge of. But never before had I heard of such a place as this."
The Wyrm craned his head upwards, looking as if he was staring to the skies and sniffing the air. Only Tristard could tell that he was actually tapping into the attunement all dragons had to the unseen forces of Time, the legacy left to them by Akatosh.
"I cannot even identify whether this is yet another Plane of Oblivion, or something else entirely." The ancient being concluded.
"So it's back to square one, then." The Archmage sighed.
"Nust tovit fah hi, you know…"
Hearing these words, Tristard felt as if time had slowed to a crawl, even as he turned to stare at his old ally in undisguised shock.
"What…?"
"Tristard, what's wrong?" Blake asked in concern.
"The Qahnaarin's absence has been noted in Tamriel." Durnehviir explained, before turning back to the Archmage. "Shortly before the last time you called me, Serana ventured into the Soul Cairn to speak to me. She asked if I knew of your whereabouts."
"Serana?" Yang asked. "Wait, that Lady with the psychotic dad?"
"Aye…" Tristard muttered, still not quite recovered from the surprise.
The Dragonborn processed this shocking piece of information. He knew full well that, when he had been flung away from Nirn, he had left behind friends, family even, people who would notice his disappearance. And while he had taken steps to search for a way back, he had more or less resigned himself to the fact.
Never once had he considered that they might search for ways to reach him, or the possible link to home that the Soul Cairn might provide.
He did have a tendency to focus on only one problem at the time…
"Dur zu'u fah aan mey…" He muttered with a sigh, then turned his attention back to his old friend and ally.
"Should she return to you, would…"
"Geh." Durnehviir interrupted, predicting what was being asked. "Should she come to me again, I shall inform her of your situation and tell her you are Pruzah. Ro laan."
Tristard gave him a relieved smile.
"You have my gratitude, Old friend".
"Think nothing of it." The Wyrm replied with a nod. "Now, I still have some time left on this plane. You have mentioned these… Creatures of Grimm, Geh?"
"Aye, I did. Why?"
"I would see these Sunvaar for myself before I return."
"Ah, I see." The Archmage nodded in understanding, and then gestured in the general direction of the Emerald Forest. "In that direction, just past the cliff, you'll find an area that's filled with the bloody things. You can't miss it. I'd ask only that you take a long way around and don't approach the Academy. They are… touchy, with aerial intrusions."
The dragon turned its serpentine neck to look at the mentioned place, then stared back at Tristard with what in life might have been a raised eyebrow.
"Academy? And you have joined it? Ruth, you do not waste time, Qahnaarin. Little wonder that Mora favors you so."
Blake couldn't help but blink in confusion when Tristard grimaced and shuddered at the words.
"Please do not bring him into this…"
The dragon chuckled at the Dragonborn's expression, then turned to regard the others.
"Paa shul grind, young warriors. Any ally of the Qahnaarin is an ally of mine. So, erei mu grind, until we meet again."
And with those parting words, Durnehviir took flight and vanished over the treeline.
"Well… that was a thing." Jaune commented.
"What is that that he kept calling you?" Blake asked, unable to contain her curiosity."
"Qahnaarin. It means "Vanquisher". Durnehviir uses it as a term of respect, since I've been the only one who has ever bested him in combat."
"You fought him and defeated him?!" Ruby asked in wonder. "How'd you do that?"
Tristard couldn't help but chuckle.
"Well, it all started when…"
And has he and his friends made their way back to the Academy, Tristard regaled them with that particular escapade.
/
Elsewhere, in the freezing cold of the night, a cloaked figure stood on a snow-covered mountainside, staring at the twin moons as they slowly made their way across the sky.
The figure glanced at the ruins that stood behind her, seemingly carved into the mountain, and with a disappointed sigh made to move away.
He hadn't been there.
The figure was starting to run out of places to look.
'Where are you…?" The figure wondered, not for the last time, her hood covering all but a pair of orange glowing eyes.
/
And thus we have the aftermath of the Dock's fight.
Sorry for the lack of any action after months of waiting, but hey, at least we got some character development and Tristard revealing the truth, right?
Oh, and Serana's searching for her "Brother"? Whatever could this mean…?
Now, then, time to answer some reviews. Been a while:
Dr Nafario: The Atronach Stone boosts you Magicka by 50, your spell absorption by 50%, while reducing Magicka regeneration by 50%, though the later can be negated by perks in the Restoration tree. Useful for and against Spellcasters.
Steel Lycan: Glad you're liking the story, m8, and it's always nice to know your work is inspiring others. As for more folks from Nirn, showing up, who knows….?
Indecisive Bob: The mask is the Konahrik. Quoting from the wiki: "When the wearer is low on health, there is a chance that the mask will knock back enemies, heal the wearer and any nearby allies, and grant a fire cloak for a brief time."
MysticMerlin: Perhaps, but Durny needs to use the Words of Power to call his summons from the Soul Cairn, while the Grimm Dragon's popping out lesser Grimm like they're just its evil, evil sweat of Doom. Durnehviir's gonna be none too pleased with the damn thing, I can tell you that much.
Z.R. Stein: Yes, I am, yes, I am. That said, I'm also trying make it half way believable and not to rush things.
Thunder dragon: for the first question I do believe you should read on. For the second, well, there will be some suspicions. As for Paarthunax, let me put it like this. The blades have been made aware, in no uncertain terms, that should they try something with the Old Dragon, their order would be extinguished for good. The rest, you'll just have to wait to find out.
Now, the next update, which should come much sooner than this one, will be to Of Red Petals and Black Feathers, and hopefully, with the second chapter of Through the Eternities shortly after.
For anyone who likes Magic the Gathering, feel free to give my newest Crossover a go.