(A/N : Alright let's speed run the last four holds and get to Natsu meeting a dragon that I say knew Igneel. Okay after this some Solsthiem, talk of daedric realms, heaven and farewells in the next two chapters. Yes let's do this!)
Markarth was carved into a mountain on the westernmost part of Skyrim and was home to the temple of Dibella and a cannibalistic coven that Endoura knew. But she didn't want to draw any attention to that. Instead, she spoke of a great heist that took place deep in the Understone Keep.
A thief of a high caliber waltzed into the Dwemer Museum, killing all the guards with ancient traps. Valve wheels that made poisoned darts shoot out of a wall, exploding spears, spinning blades that ripped the unsuspecting guards to shreds, and her favorite was what she called when all hell broke loose. Exploding spears, fire, and blades.
All of it leads up to the final moments where the thief stole a rubbing of the Falmer language and just as they were about to escape, the museum curators nephew comes in with two guards looking to find and kill the thief. But the thief is so clever, hopped up onto the ledge just above their heads to drop right next to the door and fall down a waterfall to escape with what they stole.
"But how could you have known exactly what happened?"
The story intrigued the fairies but the Bosmer simply just put her finger to her lips in a shushing motion and whispered.
"It's a trade secret. Because if I told you I would have to kill you. And if I have to kill you, I have to eat you. And I don't think that sounds too pleasant for you."
Lucy cringed at the mention of Endoura's culture and what she felt obligated to do to keep up the pact her god made so she just started to change the subject.
"This city is so cool."
"You think this is cool wait till I take you to Blackreach. It's beautiful but can be quite terrifying when you aren't prepared. All the falmer, chorus', dwemer constructs, once I found a wisp mother down there. But all the glowing rocks down there make such an amazing sight. It's like nothing you've ever seen."
So they explored the city for two days seeing all it had to offer. The poor working the smelter next to the mine that was used as a prison. The smith was harping on her assistant and people regarded the ruling family called the Silver Bloods.
They left the city after going into the keep to look at the constructs made of a dark rusted bronze gold metal. There were two in the keep and stood frozen. One was slightly taller than a man. The bottom part of its body was shaped like a ball and its arms were equipped with a crossbow and the other was a sharp short sword.
The second was twice as large as two men and had two large axes for arms. When Endoura looked at them she had a stone cold face that showed nothing but disdain for the hunks of metal.
They left Markarth and headed to where Endoura settled down with her husband Vilkas and her two adopted children Sophie and Aventious. An armored husky followed Aventious and a white fox followed Sophie as they greeted their mother as she gave them candy and all her love.
Her husband Vilkas walked out in steel armor of an dirty cream color and gave her a loving embrace. It was cute seeing a large Nord hugging an elf that barely reached his lower pecs. But he spoke to her with love and happiness. Glad she made it back to him alive and well.
"My lovely Harbinger. It is so wonderful to see you again."
"You as well my strong hunter."
The couple separated and Vilkas looked at the group that came with his wife.
"Are these your friends Endoura? Will they be staying long?"
"Yes, and just for a day or two. Then I will be showing them around the rest of the province and to Solstheim. After that, I will be heading back to Dawnstar with them to bid them farewell and return home to you and the children."
Vilkas sighed but smiled at the mention of Endoura coming home after all of this. He nodded and motioned for everyone to come into the house. It had the same basic structure as her houses in Morthal and Dawnstar but this one had a storage room in the back and kitchen and a large bedroom on the sides.
Whereas Morthal had towers and Dawnstar was more of a place ready to engage in battle. This house felt more like a home. It was warm and cozy and the smell of baking came from the kitchen.
Then they all sat down around the large dining table to eat. Most of the food was meat and fish. But there were vegetables as well.
The dinner was very good and filling. And everyone went to bed full and went to sleep. They left the next day. Endoura's children teared up at seeing her go but she promised to take them out hunting when she came back. They didn't seem to thrilled with that but were happy none the less to spend time with her when she came back.
Their bags were packed and they headed off to Whiterun. As they walked the road dragons soared off in the distance their roars shaking the ground. Natsu just smiled at the dragons in the distance. Their scales shimmered in the sunlight as they flew.
They walked the road till all around them was plains and a large city in the distance. As the horses walked Lucy spoke to break the silence around them.
"So how'd you meet your husband Vilkas?"
"After escaping Helgen I made it to Riverwood and was tasked to go tell the Jarl of Whiterun about a dragon that destroyed the town. Along the road, I helped a group of warriors fighting a Giant.
Once we felled the giant I was approached by Aela the Huntress who told me of the Companions. They are a guild of warriors. I met him. He was in the basement talking to the previous Harbinger Kodlak Whitemane. He was the member that was asked to test my metal.
Then it was mostly doing jobs and getting some gold. But after I became a werewolf and went to attack a group called the Silver-Hand. But they killed someone close to Aela. I wanted to help with her grieving but after Kodlak sent me to go kill a coven of hagravens.
When I came back I found that the Silver-Hand came to Whiterun and killed Kodlak. With that Vilkas took me to a Silver-Hand camp and we took back the pieces of an ancient ax. We came back and attended the funeral pyre for Kodlak.
Then the members of the Circle went to go and cure Kodlak of lycanthropy in the tomb of Ysgramor. It was a wonderful battle. With the cure, Kodlak named me Harbinger.
Months of working jobs and traveling Vilkas and I grew closer and after returning the Companions to their former glory Vilkas ask to be with me for the rest of our lives. After our marriage and trying we found out that I could not have children.
So to help fill the quiet of our house we adopted children that I found in my travels. That is how we met and how we became more than just Shield-Siblings."
Endoura smiled at the memories she shared. After the story, they stopped at a stable and walked into the city. There were people bustling around the street and the air smelled of working forge fire and grassland flowers. The city was built with three districts.
The lowest district was the Plains district, then the Wind, and finally the Cloud district. Endoura went into the Jarl's palace called Dragonsreach. She showed them around the places they were allowed and showed them the magical tables that were used for alchemy and for enchanting.
They then went to see the mead to the Companions as Endoura was checking in on everyone and giving advice and tips on fighting in what she could. Everyone was mostly a Nord and it was just so funny seeing all the people tower over the small elf.
With everything being taken care of in Whiterun they departed for the last hold.
The way to Riften was full of bandits but they never approached the group as it was lead by Endoura on her black skeletal horse. They seemed to almost cower in fear when she turned to look their way. But with no incident but a few unruly animals and spiders. Lucy screamed at the sheer size of the spiders and how they spit globs of web at the group.
They were quickly dealt with and they made it to Riften. The city had an aqueduct on the lower level. The city was quite small and the people seemed to be shifting their eyes every so often and clutching their coin purses.
A quick walk around the city wasn't very eventful but the they stayed the night to rest up to get ready for walking up a mountain tomorrow.
They left Riften and were now heading towards a village at the foot of the mountain that had been looming above them the minute they saw Skyrim. Endoura explained how the mountain was the tallest mountain in the world and was aptly named to be the Throat of the World.
Once in the village they got off the horses and started climbing the seven thousand steps. And along the way, Endoura read the story etched in the emblems. But as she looked to the peak of the mountain her expression grew solemn.
"Endoura are you alright? You seem to be nervous about something."
Erza was the one who spoke to her. She just shook her head and sighed.
"No, just thinking about something that has always bothered me. You don't need to hear the ramblings of an elf."
Endoura shook off the questions but Gray persisted. He didn't want his friend to be suffering about something on her mind. So he touched her shoulder making her flinch for a second. But when she turned she said that she'd tell them later. Maybe when they were on the road to Windhelm to start heading to Solsthiem.
They walked through the doors of a big monastery with men cloaked in gray robes greeted Endoura by the name of Ysmir. She just smiled then took the group out to the courtyard and started towards a gate covered by speeding winds making a wall.
The group walked up to it and Endoura turned to Gray and Natsu.
"If your voice is strong enough make your way up to Paarthurnax. From what I sense from you Natsu he will be able to give you a few answers. And Gray I'm sure he'd love to see you again."
Endoura then turned to Lucy and Erza.
"Once those two are finished talking with Paarthurnax I'll take you up to meet him to ask your questions if you have any. For now, I'll answer to the best of my abilities."
She turned back to Gray and hugged him. When they parted Gray and Natsu walked up to the gate and shouted their Clear Skies.
Gray leads Natsu to the peak of the mountain and sat in the soft powdery snow. Natsu just started to look around at everything that the mountain allowed anyone to see. The word wall near the edge at one side seemed to be eroded by something. And the strange shimmer.
Gray just watched him with a smile and waited for the older dov to make his grand entrance. And with a rumble coming through the ground and the beat of wings in the air a pale greenish gold dragon roared and landed on the snow.
"Ahh, zu'u mindol zu'u felt two dovah nearby. Greetings goraan gein. Ahh, Sadoniizstrun, nii lost been aan few eruvos fah mu laat tinvaak. Wo los daar goraan male daar lost bo wah hi?(Ahh, I thought I felt two dragons nearby. Greetings young ones. Ahh, Gray Ice Storm, it has been a few years since we've last talked. Who is this young male that has come with you?)"
"Greetings Paarthurnax arhk geh nii lost been aan ol fah mu lost tinvaak. Ol fah rok, rok los dii mate Natsu, fin kul do Igneel fin yol dov jun. Rok lost neh fun ok dovah name, arhk rok lost laan do rok bormah. Would hi kos fen wah answer niin arhk teach rok more do fin Thu'um? Zu'u can nunon teach rok fuh pogaas.(Greetings Paarthurnax and yes it has been a while since we have talked. As for him, he is my mate Natsu, the son of Igneel the fire dragon king. He was never told his dragon name, and he has questions about his father. Would you be willing to answer them and teach him more of the Voice? I can only teach him so much.)"
The dragon, Paarthurnax, hummed and nodded. He looked to Natsu and lowered his head so he could get a sense for him. Hmm, strong, loyal, but brash and foolhardy. Yes, he appears to carry himself that same way that the old dragon king of fire held himself.
And from what Gray said, could this be the bridge that will lead to the world shedding its darkness? No matter. The boy was young and from what Gray just told him he wasn't taught how to reach his full potential. Curious. Well, first things first. Names.
"I feel you do not know our tongue. So I shall use it as little as possible. Sadoniizstrun or Gray spoke of Igneel. Correct?"
"Yes, he was the dragon who raised me. Did you know him!?"
"Ah, yes I knew him. We had tinnvak many times over the centuries. But he was not always called Igneel. He probably took that name after he left Tamriel. He was first known as Yoljunkoor or Fire King Summer in the mortal tongue."
Natsu looked in awe at the old dragon. He voice rumbled and had a sense of remembrance. Like he was simply talking about an old friend or trusted ally. And with the knowledge of what Igneel called himself before it shook something in Natsu. Like something, he was told once but completely forgot.
He looked to Parthurnax and asked something that's been nagging at him since the dragons first spoke to Gray.
"Why do you call Gray Sadoniizstrun? It seems like it's important. Is it some kind of long nickname or something?"
Gray giggled at Natsu's words while Parthurnax chuckled. The dragon shook his head and started to explain.
"No, young one I call him that because that is his name. Sadoniizstrun is Gray Ice Strom for mortals. A dragon's name is made up of three words of power like normal Shouts. It usually has meaning to who we are. Young Gray happens to be able to make the strongest and longest ice storm without a storm call shout. He is quite talented."
Gray blushed at the praise on his abilities. Natsu stared slack-jawed at Gray. Gray just looked at Natsu and flashed him a sharp-toothed smile. Natsu then turned back to Parthurnax.
"Could you tell me more names?! Maybe it will tell me what mine is!"
Paarthurnax gave as much of a smile as he could and started saying them in dragon then mortal.
"Well first let us start with Gray's mother. She was Iizstrunkun; Ice Storm Light, her mate Yollokviing; Fire Sky Wing, her sister Vuliizkun; Dark Ice Light, and her mate Odahviing; Snow Hunter Wing. And my name Paarthurnax; Ambition Overlord Cruelty. Do these names help you young one?"
Once Paarthurnax put his name in mortal Natsu froze. A dragon with that kind of name surprised Natsu. As a dark shadow came over his face Gray spoke up.
"Centuries ago Paarthurnax with most dragons fought in a war against man and mer. He was the right wing to Alduin the World Eater. But later he defected and helped man against Alduin. To summarize."
That calmed Natsu down a bit but he gave the dragon a wary look. But he just sighed and focused on the dragon words he knew. For some reason, two kept nagging at him.
Summer and fire. He believed that they were part of his dragon name. But he was still missing one word. It was on the tip of his tongue. Then as he thought something Gray said when they just met came to mind.
'I may be a male but my dragon soul is female and I do in fact have female organs.'
Soul. All the other words were slightly muffled. Except for that word. Soul.
Summer, fire, soul. Always in that order never deviating. Was that his names words? He turned to Gray.
"Hey, Gray could you say summer, fire, and soul together?"
"I guess. Koor, yol, sil. Why did you want me to say those words?"
"No could you say them together? I have a feeling about this."
"Alright. As one word or dragon name?"
"Name."
"Kooryolsil. Summer Fire Soul."
The feeling that ran down Natsu's spine at the sound of that name felt right and made tears start to pool in Natsu's forest-like eyes. That was his name he knew it. He felt like a small piece of himself he never knew was just filled.
"Say it again, Sadoniizstrun. Please."
Gray smiled softly and nodded. He crawled over to sit in Natsu's lap and spoke his name.
"Kooryolsil."
That was who he was as a dragon. He was Summer Fire Soul.
Kooryolsil.
And his mate was Sadoniizstrun. Gray Ice Strom.
He felt close to complete.
(A/N : Man this is really late. Which is mostly my fault. But I made it really long to make up for it. Hope you all like it. We learn more about Endoura and Natsu learns his dragon name. I already have Natsu and Gray's children names as dragons and Wendy's as well. Well you know the drill, Enjoy the Hunt.)