Changes, Dragons, Greybeards

When the discussion between Yuri and Balgruuf was done, they had danced around every single topic except for helping Farengar the court wizard find something related to Dragons. They were about to be sent off after a hearty meal three hours in with no signs of the fetch quest.

'Ripples of the fact that the Thalmor are gone, I suppose. Either that, or he finds sending someone like me to dig around in a crypt too much of a risk. That's also probably the case. The Thalmor are gone, meaning Delphine and Esbern may very well have already reunited and will become more active after news of the Dragons return is spread. I'll have to keep them away from Alera, we don't need them for this and there's no way I'm letting them ask her to kill ol' Paarthy for their defunct little boyband.'

"Yuri?" Alera looked at him with a tilted head while Toni was already used to it.

"Ah, yes I was lost in thought. I have one more thing to ask before we can go. Balgruuf, do you have any real estate available?"

For the good ol' 5,000 Septims, he bought Breezehome which was actually in the Wind District this time. Tonilia made her way to the house to make sure all the amenities get inside while Alera and Yuri went to the Jorrvaskr to speak to Eorlund who had already made his way back. Jorrvaskr, the longhouse that looked as if it were a boat that was flipped upside down and raised on beams till they could make walls under it, was at the edge of the Wind District beside a tall statue of Talos. It was nearing sunset, but Eorlund didn't take that as a sign to stop. He was already at a grinding wheel with Skyforge steel on the platform that looked over Jorrvaskr holding the menacing eagle statue and the forge.

"Eorlund Gray-Mane!" Alera approached after climbing the stairs up.

Eorlund turned around and inspected her before returning to his grinding wheel. "If it isn't the Empire hero and his traveling maiden. You may leave." He said gruffly.

"I am no Empire hero, but a Skyrim one." Yuri cut in.

"Those Imperials certainly tried so hard to bootlick you I thought their tongues would turn brown," He looked down again. "Or black."

"I am a Mage who keeps to his own unless an inhuman threat comes that Skyrim can't handle, otherwise Ulfric would already be dead. The lass, Alera, and I have come to seek your tutelage in Blacksmithing if you would take us."

To this, Eorlund had surely put the sword away from the grinding wheel and looked back up. Those Imperials had merely tried to get into the good graces of this man but he came to him instead to learn? His family would surely benefit, though how was still in question. The lass was another story as well.

"I have no time to guide untested smiths, my Companions need me." But Yuri caught his drift. He pulled out a piece made by 'Vulcan' that hadn't sold yet and held it out for him to see, a round and completely steel convex shield covered in runic markings that swirled from the outer edge into a spiral to the center.

'I believe you may also know me by the name of Vulcan.' Yuri projected to him mentally. 'Consider this a business deal. The lass is poised to join your companions and she has talents you have not realized yet either. I'll enchant a few of your pieces in exchange for our tutelage and your Companions will be getting another warrior unlike any other.'

Yuri lied. He had no idea if Alera would go to the Companions after slaying Alduin or stay with him, but he knew she would not be here for long very soon. As for the pieces? Easy as shit. The most important part of a Vulcan piece is the metal and weapons he uses from 'not here'. Eorlund providing his own steel would make them the best one could find around here but would still lose to any of his other works floating around out there.

"Deal."

Alera looked confused, since all he did was show a shield to convince Eorlund, but was happy nonetheless.

Alera went inside to join the Companions and made friends with Aela while Yuri talked shop with Eorlund. Eventually, the recruitment hazing spilled out into the backyard below the Skyforge and Yuri and Eorlund caught a glimpse of Alera thrashing Farkas in no time.

"HAAH!" Alera shouted with the pride of a dragon and cleaved a perfectly cut chunk from the shield he was carrying. The only ones who didn't back up or flinch a bit were Eorlund and Yuri themselves. Kodlak was not present, but he would've been fine too.

"You were right about the girl, she's got a warrior's blood. A perfect fit for around here. Aela needed a friend her own sex as well."

"The Warrior Stone chose her, I knew what she was." Yuri didn't give out too much. Eorlund was impressed.

"You said she was already a blacksmith?"

"She was an apprentice before coming to Skyrim. I don't know much more than that."

───※ ·❆· ※───

Two days passed like this without issue. Alera would bunk with the Companions at night and train with them during a good part of the day before she went topside to join Yuri and Eorlund who usually had been there all day. Yuri never tired, and it showed. Before the end of the second day, the Companions inner circle had become the most well-equipped band of warriors in several holds with Yuri's enchantments that cost more stamina than Magicka and retained the option of soul stone refueling if needed.

Alera proved her talents to Eorlund with her powerful physique and hard-working attitude, while Yuri used magic for everything and skirted most of the harder steps with ease and no loss of quality. They were bitter.

"What? if you want to learn from I, your father, I'll teach you but it would take a while." Yuri flashed a wolfish grin.

""No!""

Tonilia would visit every day for lunch with Yuri and Alera, she was growing bored. Farkas and Vilkas individually sought out Yuri for a spar, only for Tonilia to cut in and taunt them for one herself.

They used training weapons when they fought her, but she went barehanded. Kodlak wasn't a very wordy man, but this was even too much for him.

"Are you louts showing arms at an unarmed woman?! Have you no shame?!"

"Kodlak, don't underestimate my woman. They'll need all they can get." Yuri interrupted.

Farkas took a stance across from Tonilia and eventually manned up and charged, only for her to get within his guard before he could blink and put the backs of her hands up and on either side of his descending blade. Like this, she snapped it. Farkas had no time to be shocked before she sent a palm into his chest and he crashed into the city wall with a boom.

Vilkas declined to continue his challenge, while the rest wanted to learn from Tonilia in swarms.

They would never get their chance.

"Rooaaaaaaar" A distant cry of reptilian savagery alerted the entire populace of Whiterun.

Alera had looked up with eyes aflame and went down to Yuri and Tonilia.

"That was another one, wasn't it?"

"So it was. A weaker one. Tonilia, Alera, this one is all you. I'm not in the best of shape since last time." Yuri excused himself with a lie.

"A dragon?! The Companions shall join them. Aye! Arm yourselves!" Kodlak erupted and the lot of them were brought to prepare.

Yuri noticed that the dragon wasn't going towards the tower. In fact, it was heading for the city as they spoke and glided over the plains to their west.

"Hurry! It comes to the gate! Defend your home!" Yuri joined in riling them up. Tonilia was already there, Alera was on her way and the Companions were suiting up. Yuri teleported to the gate to find Tonilia atop in and Alera right behind him. The dragon roared once more and sent the citizens into a frenzy with how close it was. The guards were doing all they could to direct them to flee to Dragonsreach in bulk. These houses would go up in flames with a moment's notice. Dragonsreach opened its doors for the people while the gate was opened for guards and Companions to exit.

Irileth had led the guards outside the gate to confront the approaching dragon, and the dragon saw no other prey to attack. It did not land, preferring to circle and blast them with fire before eating anything left.

Tonilia, Alera, and the companions were behind the guards who had clogged the gates when fire descended in a river-thick stream.

Yuri held out his hand and the fire was blocked before it reached the cowering guards.

"Archers!" Irileth guided and they all took out their bows whether they could shoot or not. Aela and a few other Companions were given the leeway to join them before Mirmulnir made another pass.

Mirmulnir came back once more before the archers gave it one more volley and the dragon's fire was once again blocked by some force the dragon didn't recognize. One of the mages must've been doing it, he thought. Before it completed its pass, Yuri shouted.

"Lyr Qalsyn Vyl Toor!"

In anger and consternation, the dragon's wings suddenly failed it and it flapped uselessly before it passed the gate and plunged into the main road head first, dragging its body with a loud crash. Alera charged forward and had to block a frantically whipping around tail before she made her way to the head.

The Companions caught up and started chipping away at its wings and legs while the dragon lashed out with its tail, Alera was aiming at its neck.

Mirmulnir tried to bite Alera, but Tonilia came with a switch strike to deflect it which Alera once again took advantage of to chop at it. The dragon tried to walk forward further into the town to gain ground, then turned around and breathed fire into the humans who nipped at him.

Another stream approached the guards while Toni whisked Alera to the side, but the fire was blocked again!

"ROOAAAARRRR!!!"

It was infuriated. Most importantly, it couldn't find the person who blocked it and brought it to the ground! Since when did humans advance so much!

An arrow from Aela found itself in his right eye, which drew its attention. But from its left, came another woman.

"AAAAHHHHH!!!" Alera's primal shout made the spines of all present tremble as she leaped into the fray. Mirmulnir knew something was wrong when he thought it sounded like a challenge from a fellow dragon, but he barely had time to turn to her before Alera stabbed it in the neck and used her sword to jump onto the back of its head. The dragon struggled and screamed while it gurgled blood and whipped its head around, but Alera pulled out her blade and held onto the dragon with her thighs. She once more plunged her sword into its eye to the hilt before she dragged the blade up and cleaved its skull and brain.

"Dovahkiin?! NOOOOO!!!" Only Alera and Yuri understood it.

Mirmulnir paused it mid-air with his held suspended in horror looking up, before his head dropped and the floor closed its mouth with a thud. Alera was panting, but smiling more brightly than Yuri had ever seen.

Like a junior looking up to her senior, Alera looked at Yuri who was dangling his legs on the wall above the gate and smiled victoriously while looking for approval.

'That's adorable' Yuri beamed a smile back and gave her a thumbs up.

The rest of the Companions broke the pen dropping silence with a shout.

"WWAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH" They shouted in triumph before pulling Alera up and group hugging her. The guards too joined in the merriment shortly and shouted and gave their Nordic flavored cries of victory.

But all that was broken by a shudder from the dead dragon.

'And so it begins'

All of the guards and Companions including Tonilia and Alera backed up and drew their weapons once more, but the dragon didn't move. No, it burst into flames across every inch.

A wave of orange, white, and blue light erupted from the corpse with the sound of numerous winds and gales and fled like a tide into the form of Alera herself.

Alera looked at her body in a panic as she watched the light seep into her skin, then she looked at Yuri who merely widened his eyes and then closed them as if he had realized some greater truth.

"Yuri?! What is this?!" Alera shouted as the dragon's soul continued draining and its flesh melted and vanished into dust from his bones. The Nords around already knew what she was and stared with stars in their eyes, but Yuri took their lines and teleported there first.

"You heard what the dragon called you, correct? It called you 'Dovahkiin'. You are Dragonborn."

"Dragonborn?! I can't possibly... Tiber Septim and Reman Cyrodiil were Dragonborn! That title is for Emperors!"

"The Empire is no longer ruled by Dragonborn these days, though your claim to the throne would be legitimate. All it means is you have the blood and soul of Dragons in you. Didn't you find it odd when no one but yourself could understand the conversation I was having with the dragon at Helgen? Didn't you find it odd when you were almost compelled to try to kill it despite knowing you couldn't win?"

"I... I-"

"It's in your blood to kill dragons, this age may need someone like you, Alera. Not even I can kill a Dragon permanently, only a Dragonborn can take their souls and prevent a resurrection."

"Dragonborn..."

Tonilia smirked from the side as she knew Yuri had waited for this moment, and wondered where it would take them. The guards were already muttering about how a Dragonborn like old Tiber Septim himself had come back to Skyrim. Irileth told them to trust more in their sword arm while sending them off to clean this up and alert the Jarl.

"Do you remember the shout we exchanged first, Alera? At Helgen?"

"Arn Volei?"

Yuri was delighted she remembered his instead of Alduin's. "Haha, yes that one."

"What about it?"

"Say it."

"Huh?" "If you want to prove to yourself you are Dragonborn, say it with all conviction and it will be done. Shout it, breathe it into the world." "I can't..." "You just swallowed a dragon's soul, you can. Look up and push the sky aside"

Alera looked up and let a sigh escape. What would happen if it turns out he is right? What happens to her life? It seemed ridiculous now, but it was all starting to make sense. Her life with the strange voice, her strength, and now the dragon's soul.

'Arn Volei. It means To Project Force, correct?'

Before she had even spoken the air became electrified and everyone around knew it. Pindrop silence once more covered the area, and Alera breathed in.

"ARRRN" The space wrapped around her in a close and dense embrace, waiting for a command. "VOLEEEEIII" With an explosive crack, the space around her went from an orb to a ring that warped ahead and pushed everything away. Winds above and around turned torrential in the Plains district and most had to fight a little bit to stay standing. Her hair became disheveled and she stared blankly at the sky until Yuri put his hand on her shoulder.

"Welcome to the hero club, Dragonborn."

Alera laughed lightly before getting her bearings back. The area was cleared as Yuri claimed the Dragon bones in the name of the Companions and the Dragonborn so they could finally start working on dragon bones and he could surreptitiously bring out his own.

The sky abruptly cracked as a loud boom echoed throughout the plains.

"DOV...AAHHH...KIIIN" Old voices projected from the sky and the thunder rolled away before the area calmed once more.

"What the hell was that?!" Tonilia asked.

'Tsh, the Dragonborn is mine, you old fogies!!!' He wanted to shout.

"Greybeards. They call for Alera." He looked at her once more.

"What do they want with me?" She asked warily.

"To train you." "Can't you do that better?" "Well yes, but it's best to show them some face. They have a few things there we want to do anyway." "Couldn't they have sent a letter?! They just announced my existence to the whole world!" "Haha, that's true, but they're a bit stuck in their old ways. They haven't left that mountain of theirs in quite some time." "So do we have to go?" "I assure you it won't hurt to go."

'I want to meet Paarthy anyway.'

Alera was a bit hesitant. It was all moving so quickly just when she thought her life was getting back together. Yuri noticed, and grabbed her shoulder and Tonilia's hand before bringing them in a group hug.

"Alera, we'll help you get through your destiny. It'll be up to you to decide where you want to go afterward. Let's see what the world wants of us and take it in stride. We can do this!"

That's when she shook herself off and got into gear. Since when did a few setbacks bother her? She still had a life to come back to and she couldn't have had better companions! Even if they had each other and she was single!

"Alright, let's prepare and do this then!"