A/N: Hi everyone! I hope you all enjoy this story. It is based off an idea that came to me while playing as this OC, Lumi. The dialogue for Paarthurnax and Odahviing is almost entirely lifted from the end of the main questline so that the starting point remains as consistent with the original story as possible. The majority of chapters moving forward will contain primarily my own dialogue but if a chapter contains dialogue from either Skyrim or Oblivion then it will be mentioned here. Thank you for checking this story out and your feedback is always appreciated.

*Disclaimer*

*As always, I own only my OCs. The main plots and recognizable characters are from the brilliant minds of Bethesda's Elder Scrolls franchise writers.*

*Almost all of Odahviing and Paarthurnax's dialogue is taken from the game, following the end of the main questline*

Prologue

"So, it is done. Alduin dilon. The Eldest is no more, he who came before all others, and has always been." Paarthurnax intoned solemnly. Lumi could barely hear him over the howling wind. The dragons flying above were causing the air and snow to whip across the mountain's peak, drowning out everything in their power. She could barely believe that Alduin was gone. The fight with him had drained the young Nord in a way words couldn't really describe. The closest they came would be that she felt…empty. No…hollow, was more accurate. Like killing the World Eater had taken a part of her that she couldn't get back. Alduin was her brother, in the way that all dragons are her siblings. To kill one was wrong, even if it was necessary. And to kill Alduin… Lumi was drawn out of her thoughts by Paarthurnax's familiar rumble.

"You did what was necessary. Alduin had flown far from the path of right action in his pahlok – arrogance of his power. But I cannot celebrate his fall. Zu'u tiiraaz ahst ok mah. He was my brother once. This world will never be the same." She cleared her throat, unsurprised by the lump she had to force her words around.

"I understand Paarthurnax. Defeating Alduin…it is a hollow victory, tainted, and one that I cannot celebrate either." The dragons above roared as if in agreement and she felt Odahviing's watchful gaze on her back.

"Perhaps now you have some insight into the forces that shape the vennesetiid… the currents of Time. Perhaps you begin to see the world as a dovah. But I forget myself. Krosis. So los mid fahdon. Melancholy is an easy trap for a dovah to fall into. Remember, Dovahkiin, and do not do fall into it. I feel that this is not the last of what you will write upon the currents of Time, nor all that Bormahu has in store for you." With that, Paarthurnax leapt into the air, his old wings pushing him high above the rest of the dovah, who followed him with a clear eagerness.

Beside her, Odahviing stood, looking toward the skies. "Paarthurnax is right, Dovahkiin, I sense Bormahu is not through with you yet. Thuri. I gladly acknowledge the power of your Thu'um. Zu'u Odahviing. Call me when you have need, and I will come if I can." And just like Paarthurnax, Odahviing took to the skies, following after the last of the dragons.

With the dragons gone, the Throat of the World should have been completely silent. Which is why Lumi was surprised to sense something behind her, whispering gently. The dovah would not have allowed anyone access to the Throat of the World, not even the Greybeards. No one should be on the mountain peak except for Lumi herself. Nocking an arrow, she flipped around quickly, hellbent on seeing whoever was hiding leave the sacred place. Only snow greeted the rattled Nord, rippling soundlessly around the time wound.

"What the…" she muttered, eyes scanning the peak for any movement. She was alone. The whispering continued, soft words that she couldn't understand coming from seemingly nowhere and everywhere. If she was being honest, the sensation reminded her faintly of the Word Walls. But Paarthurnax's wall was not glowing and the sound seemed to swell the further from it she got. Maybe I'm hallucinating, I could've hit my head during the fight and didn't realize. She put her bow back in its place and felt around her skull, trying to see if there was any unnoticed wound. Nothing. Deciding it would be easier to just walk around the throat and look for anything weird, Lumi pulled her dagger from its sheath. The Nord started at the word wall, making her way around the peak slowly, looking for anything that might explain the whispers that continued to echo around the place. Looking at the peak of the Throat of the World, she remembered asking Paarthurnax about the pickaxe that was up there. He had laughed in the way that only dragons could, a growling huff that had made Lumi think he was about to kill her the first time she heard it. Apparently, he explained, during the Dragon Wars one of his siblings had picked up a miner and as the dovah was flying over High Hrothgar, the man dropped his axe. It had hit the ore with such force that it got stuck halfway. Despite the fate of the man, even Lumi had to laugh at the irony of the tale.

Lumi finished her circuit and walked toward the time wound, fully certain that she was alone. And apparently now hearing voices. Thanks, Alduin. Peering closely, she noticed that the wound rippled with more light than normal. The whispers in her head seemed to grow louder as she inspected the time wound. Distantly, Lumi wondered if the wound would ever close or if there would always be a tear in time on Skyrim's tallest peak. Only Akatosh would know the answer to that. The dragon god of time had blessed her with his blood so that she could kill his firstborn. She had been the first confirmed dragonborn since the Septim dynasty had abruptly ended in the Third Era. What was she supposed to do now that Alduin was no more? There wasn't a need for a dragonborn and she was certainly not going to become Emperor. Titus Mede could keep that job, thank you very much. Brushing away that line of thought, Lumi noticed that the voices were no longer whispering but shouting. Loudly. The time wound pulsed, growing brighter and she was startled to realize that the wind had returned, pushing her closer and closer to the wound. The Nord woman tried to plant her feet into the snow but just slid closer and closer to the glowing seam. Unable to move anywhere but forward, Lumi closed her eyes, trying to ignore the shouting. She still couldn't understand what was being said and as much as she enjoyed a good joke, everything that had happened since the dovah left with Paarthurnax had scared her.

A scream ripped itself from her throat as she was pushed into the time wound. All around Lumi was light. The light was burning her, tearing her apart and remaking her. The shouting grew even louder and she just wanted it to stop. She wanted to be home, safe. I feel that this is not the last of what you will write upon the currents of Time, nor all that Bormahu has in store for you. Paarthurnax's words echoed in her mind, momentarily drowning out the shouting. Peace washed over Lumi like the tide, soothing the pain and quieting the shouting to faint murmurs. An unfamiliar exhaustion fell upon her and the last thing Lumi saw was a great golden dragon.