So many new followers! :D
Hope the wait wasn't too long, as I fear this will be the standard for the next long while. Seems 3-4 weeks of writing, editing and grammar fixing is about right for my normal chapter size. I was pondering how to do Koraaviik's perspective with all the talking going on, and I think I found a good middle point, let me know what you think.
In any case I'm happy that you enjoy the random amalgamation of ideas that is this story. Every review, favourite and follow gives so much, regardless of how anxiety inducing it sometimes is to publish new chapters. It feels...very personal you know? Like I'm throwing a piece of myself out there, for others to see and judge as they like...
*sigh*
I suppose simplicity would be boring wouldn't it?
Koraaviik awoke to darkness, a warm and comfortable darkness. A warm breath washed over him and he smiled as he tried to turn and get a look. Moving proved a bit difficult though, he was pressed against her chest - her wing holding him in place. Regardless he managed to wriggle a bit, enough to turn his head and squint his eyes in the dark.
Her face was right behind him, eyes closed and breathing steady.
She was still sleeping.
Must've been the first time he'd woken up before her, or not woken her in the process. Another breath hit his face and he had to close his eyes and look away, holding back a chuckle at how bad the smell was. She'd caught a mammoth the day before, he had not seen it of cause, only the bloody stump of a leg she brought back from the hunt. It was hairy and tough, but Koraaviik had gotten better at cooking the meat. Thinner slices and less scorching heat, all the while ignoring Midwahgein's exasperated looks.
He relaxed again, deciding to give her as much time as she needed. Midwahgein had stayed up to keep guard earlier and while dragons to his knowledge could go long without sleep, even they had their limits.
It had been strange to see her try and focus on the passing of time. Dragons where famously... not bad no, that wasn't the right word. Dismissive perhaps, of how mortals kept track of time. Hours, days, months, years, what did it matter when you where immortal? But she had wanted to leave on the second day and no later. Koraaviik was unsure why, she'd been a bit closed off on that point. However it fit with the Archmage's wishes and, he had to admit he was quite looking forward to what they might find at the college. He might be as interested in their world as they where in his, or at least what it had been.
The Archmage had seemed powerful, felt powerful too. looks could be deceiving, but elves had long lifespans and so longer to learn and perfect their art. Be it creation or destruction.
How well the Archmage used that power had yet to be seen, but it warranted some caution.
His biggest worry at the moment was not the Archmage or the college though, those they could handle as they came.
But Alduin.
What were they to do about him?
Was there even anything they could do?
Alduin was the firstborn of Akatosh. Devourer of souls, and the one who would bring the world to an end, should it be time.
There was no fighting him, only a fool would even consider it.
Koraaviik ran a hand over his face before letting out a sigh.
But while Alduin had only made things worse during the rebellion, it was not him who was to blame for its beginning. The other dragon priests, at least the majority of them he corrected - where the catalyst that created the war. The dragons only responded to the challenge of the masses by proving their might as was their nature.
But maybe they did not have to fight him. Aside from Koraaviik it would seen the priests where long gone, and with four thousand years passed since their fall... Perhaps they had a chance to start over. But so much balanced on so few. The Ancient they fought and killed at the tower was already sowing the seeds, pride fear and hatred. It would be the end of them again if they did not act. Seeing the past repeating itself would be -
"How long have you been awake?"
Koraaviik jerked at the sudden sound and looked back to see two eyes of molten gold staring back at him. How had he not noticed? Her eyes even lit up the dark, but then again so did his - and he'd been deep in thought.
"Not for long."
She gave a low hum in response, pushing her head forward a bit so the front of her muzzle was pressing against the side of his head. He could barely move at all, and had it not been her he would've felt a bit claustrophobic. Instead he raised a hand to her face. Holding it against her warm scales for a moment before she pulled back her wing and head. Koraaviik shivered a bit at the as cold air rushed in, but shook it off as he stood and looked around the temple. It was cold and dark as before, without the roaring fires to keep it at bay cold had taken over. The only solace of the temple being freedom from the elements.
Midwahgein stretched, a massive wing blocking out what little light penetrated the ceiling hatch. Then followed a heavy scraping as her claws dug into the stone floor and wings hit each side of the great hall. Another soft hum echoed through the hall and she twisted her neck left and right. Her black scales reflecting the blueish light as muscles flexed beneath.
Truly a majestic sight.
He ducked as she pulled her wings back in, nearly hitting him in the process. After that she paused, looking at the roof hatch and then to the bloodied remains of the mammoth leg.
"Second day..." She muttered lowly to herself before speaking up again. "You should eat before we leave."
And he should, she only needed to eat every other day, but humans sadly did not share that endurance. He was hungry too, now that she mentioned it.
Going over he absentmindedly cut off slices of meat before burning them, careful not to blacken the already tough meat. The days had gone in rush, sleep eat train repeat had been the cycle. His magic had returned to him much faster than expected, and with his reserves full he'd felt a bit restless at first. Keeper a handful of burning orbs in the hall had taken the edge off, with the bonus of giving them better a better source of light while they where here.
But the training had been rough, however far he had progressed. Learning a new language was a pain, it went quick enough all things considered. Understanding was good, but speaking not so much. The words felt weird in his mouth, and it took him some time to string together sentences. But he could speak and understand, so long as the speech was slow and clear. Koraaviik and Midwahgein had concluded that the bond provided some help, unconscious help but help nonetheless. The knowledge came easy to him as they'd sat and trained, but it would require a lot of use before he was anything remotely fluid in it's use. It was great progress still, worlds apart from earlier where it was nothing but gibberish to him. It would be a relief to finally be able to understand what people where saying.
Still a lot of work to be done, but it was a start.
He finished up his meal as Midwahgein ate the rest of the mammoth leg. Washing his hands in a bucket of water from the spring.
Flicking the worst of the water off he turned to find her still, wing lowered and waiting.
With a few quick movements he climbed her wing and moved onto her neck, trying to prepare himself for the long flight ahead.
Midwahgein reared up and jumped, mighty wingbeats propelling her upwards as he held on for dear life. As she went through the hatch she pushed off again with her legs, ascending quickly into the low hanging clouds. There was a light snowfall from a dark grey sky, clouds so thick they blended together. Koraaviik surrounded himself with a warm shield, keeping the frozen wind at bay. However the trip was much shorter than he had expected. Passing through a few clouds, snowy rooftops came into view in the distance.
"There's a city here?"
"I would not call this a city, it is hardly a settlement."
She was right, there were only a handful of buildings, seven or eight at most. Some where burnt down ruins, blackened wood and stone chimneys.
A skeleton of what might once have been a thriving village.
It was a sad sight.
But behind the wooden buildings, on a lonely pillar of rock, like the very land around it had been swallowed by the ocean - was the college. It was connected to the village by a lonely bridge, a few archways or gatehouses leading up to it. It was made from big cobblestones, stacked on each other with three circular towers. As they drifted over the buildings she started circling the college, looking for a place to land or to get a feel for the place.
A big round courtyard in the centre, surrounded by walls with two small and one massive tower at the back. Roofs where flat, which struck Koraaviik as a very questionable design - especially as it was this far north. The snowfall was significant, a flat roof would not carry that for long. But perhaps it was a point of pride in this college, to go clean up the roofs every other day. Koraaviik dismissed the thought, they were not here to analyse architecture. Returning his attention to the courtyard the group of people had grown, they where gathering near what looked like a well, except with a thin translucent bluish column rising into the sky.
Midwahgein circled once more before slowing down as she made to land on the wall surrounding the courtyard. Koraaviik briefly feared it would collapse under her weight, but as she touched down the stone surprisingly held. He however nearly lost his grip as he lurched forward from the sudden stop. Looking up he heard voices, they where close, but the harsh winds drowned them out. Midwahgein was tense beneath him, he could feel the muscles in her neck as she stared down the humans. The wall surrounding the courtyard was taller than he expected, the full scale hard to grasp at a distance. It was too narrow of cause, but the height easily allowed a dragon to stand at it's full height underneath. Koraaviik could only barely make out the shapes through the snowfall, he did not recognise anyone, only dark robed shapes looking up at them. He swung his leg over her neck and slid onto the wall with a thud, the landing was clumsy on the snow covered stone.
Taking a few steps closer and looked over the edge at the people gathered below.
"Should we go to them or wait for them to come up here?" Midwahgein would have the first word either way, but they where too far away for him to comfortably be able to speak. Assuming he managed to form an understandable sentence in the first place.
"We wait for them." Was her reply, quick and simple.
Koraaviik noticed a few shapes disappear into the tower. Seemed they caught on to her idea quickly.
His hair was getting a bit wet from the snow and he brushed some off his mask. His magic kept him warm, but he'd prefer to get inside sooner rather than later. A door swung open on the far side of the wall, from the centre tower - they must've sprinted up the stairs.
Koraaviik held his ground standing between her and the three people running towards them. He was ready to incinerate them should they try anything, but for once Midwahgein was more calm than him. Giving him a low, reassuring hum as the trio approached. He only recognised the Archmage, the two other where unknown to him, but Midwahgein was unfaced which made him relax a bit.
"We meet again."
The Arch mage seemed slightly out of breath, taking a moment to compose himself before be spoke. "Welcome. tothe college ofwinterhold. Itisanhonourtohaveyouhere."
Koraaviik understood some of it, even if it was only a few words it was enough to understand the message. He took a deep breath, relieved that he was no longer as limited, as bared from understanding as before.
"An interesting place."
Koraaviik eyed the trio for a moment before Midwahgeins voice rang through his mind.
"I might not be able to sense magic as you do, but even I know that they stand little chance in a fight." She lowered her head so they where face to face. "Go, see what they have to offer. I will wait here in the courtyard, maybe the other mortals have something useful to say."
With that she gave him a light bump with her head before turning her attention to the group bellow. He watched as she set off, a single jump and a short glide and she were facing the others.
Koraaviik smiled, Midwahgein always had a flair for the dramatics.
He turned his head, facing the Archmage and the two strangers with him. One was an old man, a Nord by the looks of it, pale white beard and shoulder length braided hair. Narrow and wrinkled face, with kind but watchful eyes. The other was a woman, she was short, barely reaching Koraaviik shoulders with short brown hair and a pair of narrow brown eyes.
He gave the trio a last glance before blinking satisfied.
He gave a quick greeting, hand over heart with a lowered head. More than nod, less than a bow.
They seemed unsure of how to respond, or if to respond at all. Especially the Archmage seemed conflicted. Koraaviik could not blame them, it must be a strange experience. To stand before someone who died four thousand years ago, someone who came flying in on a dragon. Well carried more like, but the Archmage had managed to keep his composure speaking with Midwahgein, why this was different Koraaviik couldn't even begin to guess.
After another moment of silence the Archmage nodded a few times, trying to replicate the greeting Koraaviik had made - to moderate success. He spoke the word welcome again, before gesturing for him to follow as they turned back towards the tower.
The Archmage kept throwing glances at him, while the woman and old man beside him walked ahead to the open door.
Koraaviik found himself... inquisitive for the first time since- well since before the rebellion. Back when he still had time to afford such things.
The tour for lack of a better word went mostly in silence. Koraaviik was fine with that, but the constant glances from the trio told him that they were still very much on edge.
They walked down a set of stairs, passing a few doors on the way before reaching the bottom. The room opened up there, with a big gate - presumably leading to the courtyard. On the left was a much bigger room. Midwahgein was never going to fit in there with her wings, assuming she broke a big enough hole in the wall to get into the room in the first place.
"This isthemainhallwheremostofourstudentscometolearn-"
Koraaviik cut him off with a raised hand. There was no way he would understand half of what he said unless he slowed down.
The Archmage tensed as he paid him little mind as he searched his head for a moment, trying to find the right words before he spoke up, as clear as he could. "Speak slow... still learning."
The trio looked at each other, then him again before the two looked to the Archmage.
"Apologies." The Archmage responded with a nod, seeming a bit calmer, more at ease than before. He gestured once again to the room and spoke slower, still unclear at places for Koraaviik to understand, but certainly an improvement.
"This is themain hall, we teach here. Studentscometo learn, listenand practice."
Koraaviik nodded, believing he'd understood the overall message. He had wondered how the 'college' part played into this place, but it seemed to be in a very literal sense. A place for students and masters to teach and share information on magic.
A smile crossed his face, hidden beneath the mask as he looked upon the main hall. A sizable circular room, the walls split by snow covered windows and simple yet fitting archways of stone between each. Another row of smaller half circle windows on the walls above near the ceiling. The centre of the room was lowered by a few steps, with a similar well in the middle, a soft blue beam of magic rising up and fading into the air. A curious but at the same time beautiful way of illuminating the room. Circular metallic plates lined the floor with the same eye symbol engraved as the gate.
The tour continued through a long curved hallway, opening up to a circular tower with the usual blue beam of light going through a hole in each floor. There where rooms, six of them along the edge on each of the two floors.
The Archmage stood by the centre, where the blue pillar rose behind him as he spoke.
"Wherethe experts and masters live, eachroom has a bed and spacefor tools and worktables."
"There are alsospare rooms for study and workbutwe prefer to conduct themore... dangerous magic outside of college grounds."
Koraaviik merely gave another nod in response, the rooms seemed on the small size, but if the more... exciting magic was performed elsewhere it made sense. Study here, test outside and then return to evaluate and improve.
"We have prepareda room for you too should you want it."
They prepared a room for him, without Koraaviik having to mention a single thing. How sweet of them... maybe Midwahgein told them to do it. Not that it mattered, Koraaviik was grateful to have a place that didn't require constant stream of magic or a dragon to stay warm. The college was all but saturated with magic of cause, at first glance it was clear that it was all that held it in place. He might question them later, what calamity swallowed the land outside their little walls.
They guided him to a door on the first floor, a simple oak door opened to reveal a quant little room. He walked in, slow and precise as he studied the place. A bed on one side, simple but comfortable looking. A large table lined the far wall, along with a chest and a few shelves for storage and whatever else one might need. Koraaviik briefly wondered how safe it would be, if anyone would sneak in and attempt to steal what was his... they would no doubt try. But he would know, and what would they do with it anyway? They could not read his books, they might sense the power in the book, but sensing it and understanding it was two vastly different things. Would they know how to decipher the symbols?
Unlikely.
Koraaviik could always incarnate them if they tried. With that silent promise he decided to leave it behind.
He reached for his belt and undid the straps for his tome, he briefly felt but dismissed the pleasant hum of magic from it as he placed it on the table. He knew their eyes where on him, but this was as much a challenge as a test.
I carry an ancient tome, radiating magic - and I'll leave it right here on the table.
Koraaviik smiled as he turned his back on the book, ready to see the rest of the college, should there be more that was. The Archmage gave him a suspicious look, glancing between him and the book behind him.
Koraaviik blinked searching his mind for the words.
"Any more?"
Another hesitating glance and the Archmage spoke up.
"We alsohavealibraryfirst door ontheleftwhenyouenterthroughthe main gate."
Koraaviik tilted his head in confusion. Something about a door and the main gate?
He blinked a few times trying and failing to piece together any meaning from the gibberish the mage had spoken.
But the Archmage thankfully picked up on his confusion and made another attempt.
"Library, books readandburrow for research." He made some vague hand gestures, but Koraaviik ignored them in favour of focussing on the words. This time he did understand, they had a library as well, something he expected but had not dared hope for.
Koraaviik gave another small nod.
"Show me."
The dark, stone hallways of the college reminded Koraaviik of their temple. Except smaller, more narrow and cramped. But it gave him a degree of familiarity and comfort either way. A short walk later they entered a solid oak door, opening up into another circular room. Lined with bookshelves, tables and chairs.
"The Arcanaeum."
A tall dark-green skinned humanoid with brutish features. Grey hair and messy beard adorned with the same robes as most others in the college. He stood over a desk, with a number of papers and books scattered and stacked around him. The man looked up as they entered, eyes immediately jumping to Koraaviik, dropping a bundle of books in shock.
"By the nine..."
The Archmage stood dead still, staring at the person behind the desk in equal shock. The two who followed along seemed equally startled, and Koraaviik couldn't help but feel that he was missing something.
"...Urag?"
"Did you just...drop the books?"
"Are you...ok?"
The three spoke up at once but Koraaviik settled for merely observing the spectacle. Desk man took a few steps around the desk as he spoke. " Is that...thatthe priest?"
Urag they called him. A name just as unusual as the person who carried it.
"DoyouunderstandthemagnificationsofthisSavos?"
"AhistorylosttotimeAwholeerathoughtforgotten"
Koraaviik gave up trying to understand the string of sounds comming from the desk ma- Urag. Instead he turned and strode towards the nearest book shelf causing the group to go silent for a brief moment. He took their silence as acceptance and gently ran his hand over the long line of books. Looking for nothing specific he took out a thin small tome with a faded brown cover. He flipped it open only to find it more of a small notebook than an actual book. There was only a handful of pages, each with a few blocks of text a page.
The segments seemed to be handwritten, and each started with "emblem", a corresponding number followed by some text.
The mages spoke up behind him, but he ignored them as he started deciphering the words on the paper. A quick challenge and a chance to test his newly acquired reading skills.
Emblem I: Before the... Before the birth of men, the dra...the dragons...
He squinted a bit at the page, what's that word?
The dragons ruled all Mun...Mundu- Mundus?
Dragons and all of existence. An ambitious subject for such a small tome to cover. However it was still the first mention of dragons they'd encountered which alone made it an interesting book in his eyes. However reading through even a sentence was a struggle. The handwriting was strangely curved and looked to flow together at places. No matter the messy words he decided that Midwahgein was likely to have more success than him.
He turned around to find the Archmage and Urag in a low heated exchange, stopping the moment Koraaviik turned.
They both stared at him as he searched for the words. If this was anything like a library back in the day it took time and work to write books. Each of them representing a significant investment in time and carried knowledge. Taking one without returning them was highly illegal, understandably so.
"Can I..." He struggled a bit to get the strange words out, but had to stop as he forgot what it was called. What was the term? Take? No too final, Perhaps keep? No no that is the opposite of what he was looking for.
He stared at the book a bit lost, trying and failing to recall what the word was in their strange tongue.
After a few more seconds the strange looking one named Urag spoke up, confused, surprised and...excited? He was a bit hard to read with the unfamiliar features.
But the word he spoke was clear, and was exactly what Koraaviik had been searching for.
"Borrow?"
Koraaviik nodded in confirmation. "Borrow."
"Uh...yeah."
Another nod, and the others stood in silence still. Koraaviik glanced between them, wondering what had happened- if anything that made them stop like that. After waiting a few more seconds he settled for just letting them figure out their things, and left them behind to find Midwahgein. Not a word followed as he left the library and the door swung closed behind him. A quick trip down the stairs and a short glance to remember if it was left or right from there - but the great gate on his left made it easy.
He pushed one door open, letting a cold wind blow in. The snow had seized and the sun had set, leaving the outside in darkness aside from what little light shone from the windows and the fountain. Midwahgein was alone once again, a fine layer of snow covering her back and wings as she lay against the pillars. She raised her head as he walked out, greeting him with a soft nod before gesturing for him to approach. He walked over, the snow crunching lightly beneath his feet. She lifted her wing slightly, giving him space and shelter which he gladly accepted.
As he sat against her chest and her wing closed in slightly as she spoke up.
"What did you find?"
"Think I found a useful book, if you can believe it." His luck with those had been questionable lately, but he dared to hope this was different, even it mentioned dragons.
"Let me see." She responded, softly to him, but it was an order none the less.
He pulled out the small notebook for lack of a better word, opened it and held it out for her to read.
A single glowing eye of molten gold studied the pages with a focused gaze. Slowly going over the words and lines before gesturing for him to flip the page - continuing again until they reached the end. At least that is what Koraaviik had imagined. But after flipping the pages once her claws dug into the ground, the frozen stone cracked and she released a quick hiss in anger. "That treacherous worm!"
"What is it?"
"Paarthurnax." She spat the name like it left a bad taste in her mouth, but considering what he had done it might as well have.
Koraaviik grimaced at the mention of Alduin's lieutenant. Both Koraaviik and Midwahgein could agree that the priests had been the ones who sparked the rebellion. But it was just a spark, what turned it to an inferno was when the people started rising up. When they challenged the priests they challenged the dragons... and questioning a dragons right to rule was a path to a quick and painful end. Paarthurnax had made sure of that.
He made the already horrifying acts wither like shadows in the sun. Koraaviik shuddered at the memory, he'd seen little of it thankfully - but word spread quickly. Paarthurnax had not been subtle in his actions, one bloodbath after another, civilians and soldiers alike, mutilated and burnt beyond recognition. Looking up from the pale snow he asked, without knowing what answer he would really prefer. "He lives?"
She responded quickly without taking her eyes off the pages. "I do not know, but this text mentions him by name." There was a small pause before she continued. "It seems to be a recording of events. A poor one at that, but a recording none the less."
She let out another hiss as she quoted the text "Kyne called on Paarthurnax, who pitied Man."
"Calling his atrocities pity is an interesting interpretation of history. Where did you find this?"
"They have a library here, a random pick from the shelves."
She held his eyes for a moment before returning to the pages.
"It speaks of the war...what came before and followed after. At least in a limited sense. It says Man prevailed, that they shouted Alduin out of the world."
His train of thought crashed at the words, that sounded... made up. But he was no expert in the voice, so questioning seemed the right things to do.
"Shouting him out of the world, is that possible?"
Her response was immediate. "It is not." But her expression shifted, a thoughtful twitch of her lib he'd seen so many times before. When she finally spoke it was slow and careful.
"Alduin was- is the strongest of us. A master of all that the voice can do. Shouting him out of the world is a poorly worded lie. Something clear to all should they have even the slightest knowledge of the subject... But it does make me wonder... if this is a recording of Mans great victory against us, then why lie of the manner Alduin was defeated?"
It was good question. You would think the manner in witch you defeated your greatest enemy would be a point of pride. But maybe they where reading too much into it. "Could just be a way of saying they used the voice to defeat him. Perhaps it simply got lost to time and they made a new story up?"
Midwahgein closed in on the book.
"Tiber Septim...The Septim Dynasti. This text says he was named Dragonborn by someone called Greybeards." A change of subject, but one that was equally interesting. He'd never heard of Tiber Septim or the...Greybeards? Dismissing the choice of name be focus on the one word he'd only heard spoken a handful of times, and never in a positive light.
"Dragonborn, like the fool Miraak?"
"I believe so, but that mortal was as much a dragon as the worms writhing in the mud. His little game was crushed long before it began."
He nodded in agreement before a thought came to him. "But that would mean there's been more of these mortals named dragonborn. Even after the dragons where gone."
"It would seem so. I am curious to learn what makes these so called Greybeards think they can bestow such titles onto mortals at all."
And there was a threat there, one he was all too eager to reciprocate. But for that they would need to find these people, if they where even still alive.
"It says they summoned them to a place called Hrothgar, on the throat of the world."
"Monahven?"
"Correct."
A short silence followed before she spoke again.
"A good find. If the rest of the library proves as useful I suspect we won't be in the dark for much longer."
"And the place it spoke of? Hrothgar was it?"
"We will visit it tomorrow. I want to rest tonight, enjoy the lights." She spoke softly, turning her gaze to the heavens. Koraaviik followed her example and looked up, the snow had seized and the grey clouds vanished, leaving behind a beautiful flow of colours.
Blue, greens and the faintest hint of purple danced across the clear starry sky.
He breathed out, savouring the sight. It had been too long, they had been underground, hiding in temples for too long. It was cold, freezing even, but Midwahgein was a furnace wrapped around him. She pulled him a bit closer, pushing him against her side. He let out a light chuckle at move but welcomed the gesture. He sat with his back against her chest, staring at the flowing lights above until he drifted to off to sleep.
Savos walked briskly to his desk, a pair of footsteps trailing him with equal intensity.
"This is madness, you can't honestly expect us to just sit around with a dragon outside? how can any of us be safe?" Drevis spoke quick and hard.
Savos didn't pay him much mind, he did a quick eye roll before turning his attention from the scattered notes to Drevis.
"Because Drevis, said dragon has agreed not to eat you."
Drevis was about to protest but Savos continued "If the rumours are true, and this really is Alduin who has returned. Then what better way to gain information on how to stop him than from a dragon and a dragon priest who were there four thousand years ago? Who better to provide us with invaluable insight into our lost history and origins? They are from a lost era Drevis. Their information is invaluable and choosing between you feeling comfortable and rediscovering our past and potentially saving the future...well the question isn't exactly riddle of the sphinx material. So I suggest you sit back, get comfortable. And who knows? Maybe you will learn something."
It was rude he knew. He should have coated it better, but it had been a long day, and Savos was beginning to feel the pressure.
Drevis gave a slight sneer but seemed to accept that he couldn't do anything for now.
Shaking his head in disbelief, before pinning him in a steely gaze.
"I hope you know what you are doing. Those things can't be trusted Savos, Even with our limited information - you should know that better than anyone." And with that he turned and left, leaving him to his thoughts doubts and fears.
And there where already too many of them for him to deal with as it was.
Savos let out a long sigh, rubbing a hand tiredly across his face. Slumping back in his seat he found his mind wandering to their unlikely guests. A dragon that was, by any metric measurable a calculating beast. Silky sweet words when it fit its mood and goals. He did not know where it stood in the grand scheme of things. The one thing he was confident about was the beasts willingness to burn them all should it see a reason to do so. But it could be reasoned with, as he had experienced first hand in their temple.
The priest however... that one was a whole other kind of strange. Savos had fought a dragon priest before, what felt like a lifetime ago, but this one managed to be completely new and yet all the same. The priest had not been aggressive thankfully, unlike the one he'd had the displeasure of meeting before, this one was willing to learn, willing to talk.
Speak slow...still learning.
The words still echoed in his mind. The light but slightly hoarse voice, uttered like it had not just torn asunder every expectation and history book by being there at all. Savos did not know what he had expected from the priest. Around two meters tall if he had to guess, black hair that reached slightly past the shoulders, with pale skin showing the few places the body was not covered with scaly armour and faded robes. Their eyes identical to that of the dragon - another point he had noted with great curiosity. Eyes that could not be mistaken for anything other that the dragon by their side. The mask was also different, but Savos had only ever met one other priest. It could just be they each carried different ones with different designs.
There were no information on either the priest or the dragon... well any their kind in general. Savos did not even know their names. He new they had names, both dragons and dragon priests. That much he had learned in his long years of research. The priest he had fought was named Morokei, what the name meant - if anything was beyond his knowledge. He had also found mentions of a few other dragons in legends and folk tales, but they where so far away from their time. Little more than children's stories at this point.
Another sigh as he rubbed his beard in thought. Maybe he should just ask them. He knew the alliance they had, if it could even be called that, stood on thin ice. Pushing for information would risk what little he had achieved. But names seemed a small, but meaningful start.
But a... certain finesse was required here.
He should ask Mirabelle and Tolfdir for their first impressions, see if she'd noticed anything he had not, then work from there.
Could it be? Are we truly going to visit The Old One in the next chapter?
Yes. Yes we are.
Hope you are looking forward to that as much as I am :D
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Riddle: Consume me and you will choke, but within me is the key to life and growth. What am I?