Two days later we stood at the crossroads, with Whiterun's guards walking their patrols near us. We had spent the night camped across the river and could see down into the Hold. We talked late into the night, Adien and I, with Ash giving his opinion on matters.
I took the last step and touched Adien, wrapping my arms around him in a hug and kissing his cheek, the customary good-bye of friends and family. Right away I knew it was a mistake. I stepped back and looked up with surprise into his eyes, I saw the red glow get brighter and then fade as he also controlled his inner emotions. He looked as surprised as I felt, his lips a thin tight line. We each took a step back and Ash grabbed his arm in a brotherly fair-well.
"Kul Wundun Zeymah," I said to him, the emotions that we felt must come from the dragon souls that recognized each other. He tipped his head sideways. "Good Travels Brother, it's as close as I know to *stay safe*." He nodded and without another word, turned and walked away, I watched for just a moment more and then headed across the bridge and out past Whiterun onto the Tundra.
Ash let me brood for a while and brood I did, the first fool that decided to attack us didn't live long enough to think it was a bad idea. We were almost at the end of the cobble-stone road when some Draman and Skeletons from a nearby cemetery decided to attack.
I conjured up a Flame Atronach, placed an Ebon-flesh spell on myself, and then went in with fireballs and sword, Ash was keeping his distance using arrows. I had just started re-cooperating my magicka pool when lighting burst all around us.
The Dragon had flown in silently and only when the last of the Draman was again bits of bone, did it attack. He was not speaking at all, just attacking. So I did not talk to him either. This time the Flame atronach's opposite in an Ice Atronach and a blizzard spell worked better, Ash having the Nord's resistance to cold.
This time when the dragon died, I saw and felt the passing of his soul, I learned his name, but did not absorb his soul as Adien would have. The words of his Thu'um, I knew *Strun Bah Qo* I knew what they represented, but the real meaning was not there, I would have to meditate on it. This was the difference between Adien and I, I could learn, the hard way, and he could absorb all.
I shrugged and tried not to envy that ease, it would lead me down a dark path. Akatosh had a reason, I knew he did, just because I could not see it, did not mean it wasn't there.
"Tsuri?" I looked over at Ash, " You're white and shaking, we need to camp, but here isn't a good place. Let's head down to that stream, I know you'll want to bathe the gore off of you."
So that is what we did and he was right, I changed out of my armor as our stew was simmering and cleaned up quickly, I would bathe later. I cleaned my armor and was surprised at the amount of gore and blood on it. I ate more than my fair share of the stew along with some cheese and apples and a sweet roll that Ash had carefully packed for me.
"Ash, I would like to head to the College and see if there are any books about Thu'um's and such, via Dawnstar. The Jarl may have heard more about Cultists by now. It will take a while and I know it would have made more sense to stop by the Priory and get the horses, but I think better on my feet and I need to think."
"That's fine. What happened between you and Adien?" I sighed cause I knew he would ask and all I could give him was the simplistic answer that I had thought of, not a really logical reasoning.
"Simple answer, Our dragon souls responded to each other but like the reverse side of a magnet we repelled each other. Emotionally, It felt like a flash fire of hate/envy and I think had we both not been strong people, we would have tried to kill each other. Other than that, it's hard to describe, I need a bit of time to think it through." He looked at me and nodded, the frown on his lips hard to decipher.
I stood up and walked down towards the stream, telling Ash over my shoulder that I was going to bathe. I grabbed the bag with my bathing things and sleep clothes, then set a ward up so that I would know if anything was getting close to camp. I washed quickly as the water was cold and then got out and put my damp bathing clothes by the fire.
Ash was sitting on his bedroll when I looked over and told him I would take the first watch, I wanted to meditate some. I settled in a comfortable kneeling position, one that I could get up quickly from if needs be.
Blanking my mind proved more difficult than normal and I finally resorted to picturing each of the Divine's Avatars with Akatosh last. I pictured his avatar, as seen in The Imperial City, an alabaster white dragon.
Once I had that picture firmly in mind, I thought of the attributes of our Father and wrapped myself in the warmth of his being. Then I opened myself to him and felt his presence, a hot almost burning flame of light, but his love and regard kept me from being burned to a crisp.
The images passed through my mind so quickly I could not grasp onto any of them and I knew it would be days if not weeks or ever, for me to understand them all. It wasn't words that passed but I understood the meaning of what he said.
When no more images or words came, I just basked in the warm love until he withdrew, I whimpered as I felt the emptiness inside. I knew no more for a long time and then the light of Dawn crept into my eyes and I opened them to see Ash standing outside our tent.
I climbed out of the sleeping furs and did not even wonder at how I got there, just walked over to Ash and asked him if I woke him before I fell into my furs.
"You didn't wake me because I was already awake, but you let me know that you needed to sleep. You did mutter that Our Lord told you that Adien's path was different than yours and that while you might walk together for a time your job was elsewhere."
" Ash, I am not certain I know all the meanings of what he showed me and some make little to no sense, but I need to order them in my mind before I can share them. One thing, Alduin is not my problem, Adien must deal with him."
We were off to Dawnstar the journey their a tangled web in my mind.
I took the last step and touched Adien, wrapping my arms around him in a hug and kissing his cheek, the customary good-bye of friends and family. Right away I knew it was a mistake. I stepped back and looked up with surprise into his eyes, I saw the red glow get brighter and then fade as he also controlled his inner emotions. He looked as surprised as I felt, his lips a thin tight line. We each took a step back and Ash grabbed his arm in a brotherly fair-well.
"Kul Wundun Zeymah," I said to him, the emotions that we felt must come from the dragon souls that recognized each other. He tipped his head sideways. "Good Travels Brother, it's as close as I know to *stay safe*." He nodded and without another word, turned and walked away, I watched for just a moment more and then headed across the bridge and out past Whiterun onto the Tundra.
Ash let me brood for a while and brood I did, the first fool that decided to attack us didn't live long enough to think it was a bad idea. We were almost at the end of the cobble-stone road when some Draman and Skeletons from a nearby cemetery decided to attack.
I conjured up a Flame Atronach, placed an Ebon-flesh spell on myself, and then went in with fireballs and sword, Ash was keeping his distance using arrows. I had just started re-cooperating my magicka pool when lighting burst all around us.
The Dragon had flown in silently and only when the last of the Draman was again bits of bone, did it attack. He was not speaking at all, just attacking. So I did not talk to him either. This time the Flame atronach's opposite in an Ice Atronach and a blizzard spell worked better, Ash having the Nord's resistance to cold.
This time when the dragon died, I saw and felt the passing of his soul, I learned his name, but did not absorb his soul as Adien would have. The words of his Thu'um, I knew *Strun Bah Qo* I knew what they represented, but the real meaning was not there, I would have to meditate on it. This was the difference between Adien and I, I could learn, the hard way, and he could absorb all.
I shrugged and tried not to envy that ease, it would lead me down a dark path. Akatosh had a reason, I knew he did, just because I could not see it, did not mean it wasn't there.
"Tsuri?" I looked over at Ash, " You're white and shaking, we need to camp, but here isn't a good place. Let's head down to that stream, I know you'll want to bathe the gore off of you."
So that is what we did and he was right, I changed out of my armor as our stew was simmering and cleaned up quickly, I would bathe later. I cleaned my armor and was surprised at the amount of gore and blood on it. I ate more than my fair share of the stew along with some cheese and apples and a sweet roll that Ash had carefully packed for me.
"Ash, I would like to head to the College and see if there are any books about Thu'um's and such, via Dawnstar. The Jarl may have heard more about Cultists by now. It will take a while and I know it would have made more sense to stop by the Priory and get the horses, but I think better on my feet and I need to think."
"That's fine. What happened between you and Adien?" I sighed cause I knew he would ask and all I could give him was the simplistic answer that I had thought of, not a really logical reasoning.
"Simple answer, Our dragon souls responded to each other but like the reverse side of a magnet we repelled each other. Emotionally, It felt like a flash fire of hate/envy and I think had we both not been strong people, we would have tried to kill each other. Other than that, it's hard to describe, I need a bit of time to think it through." He looked at me and nodded, the frown on his lips hard to decipher.
I stood up and walked down towards the stream, telling Ash over my shoulder that I was going to bathe. I grabbed the bag with my bathing things and sleep clothes, then set a ward up so that I would know if anything was getting close to camp. I washed quickly as the water was cold and then got out and put my damp bathing clothes by the fire.
Ash was sitting on his bedroll when I looked over and told him I would take the first watch, I wanted to meditate some. I settled in a comfortable kneeling position, one that I could get up quickly from if needs be.
Blanking my mind proved more difficult than normal and I finally resorted to picturing each of the Divine's Avatars with Akatosh last. I pictured his avatar, as seen in The Imperial City, an alabaster white dragon.
Once I had that picture firmly in mind, I thought of the attributes of our Father and wrapped myself in the warmth of his being. Then I opened myself to him and felt his presence, a hot almost burning flame of light, but his love and regard kept me from being burned to a crisp.
The images passed through my mind so quickly I could not grasp onto any of them and I knew it would be days if not weeks or ever, for me to understand them all. It wasn't words that passed but I understood the meaning of what he said.
When no more images or words came, I just basked in the warm love until he withdrew, I whimpered as I felt the emptiness inside. I knew no more for a long time and then the light of Dawn crept into my eyes and I opened them to see Ash standing outside our tent.
I climbed out of the sleeping furs and did not even wonder at how I got there, just walked over to Ash and asked him if I woke him before I fell into my furs.
"You didn't wake me because I was already awake, but you let me know that you needed to sleep. You did mutter that Our Lord told you that Adien's path was different than yours and that while you might walk together for a time your job was elsewhere."
" Ash, I am not certain I know all the meanings of what he showed me and some make little to no sense, but I need to order them in my mind before I can share them. One thing, Alduin is not my problem, Adien must deal with him."
We were off to Dawnstar the journey their a tangled web in my mind.
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