Just a Skyrim fanfic: Extended cut

Curing the beast's blood

(Leonidas, Aela, Farkas, Vilkas, and the other companions are at Kodlak's funeral)

Eorlund: Who will start?

Aela: I'll do it

(Aela steps forward)

Aela: Before the ancient flame, we grieve

Farkas: At this loss, we weep

Leonidas: For the fallen, we shout

Vilkas: And for ourselves, we take leave

(Aela lights the logs under Kodlak's body on fire, cremating him)

Aela: His spirit is departed. Members of the circle, let us withdraw to the underforge. So that we may grieve our loss together

Eorlund: Leonidas. Do you still have he fragments of wuuthrad? I'll need to prepare them for mounting again

Leonidas: Here they are

(Leonidas gives Eorlund the fragments of wuuthrad)

Eorlund: I do have a small favor to ask of you. There's one final fragment Kodlak always kept safe. It's in his chambers. Can you bring it to me? I'm not sure I'm the one who should be going through Kodlak's things

Leonidas: I'll be right back

(Leonidas looks through Kodlak's chambers and finds the final fragment inside of Kodlak's journal)

Eorlund: Thank you. Your shield siblings have withdrawn to the underforge. I think they're waiting for you. I'll forge these fragments together

(Leonidas walks into the underforge to find the members of the circle inside)

Vilkas: The old man had one wish before he died and he didn't get it. It's as simple as that

Aela: Being moon born is not so much of a curse as you think, Vilkas

Vilkas: That's fine for you, maybe. But Kodlak wanted to be clean. He wanted to meet Ysgramor and know the glories of Sovngarde. But all of that was taken from him

Aela: And you avenged him

Farkas: Kodlak didn't care for vengeance. Remember when you and Leonidas got vengeance for Skjor?

Vilkas: He didn't. But that's not what this is about. We should be honoring Kodlak, no matter our own thoughts on the blood

Aela: You're right. It's what he wanted. And he deserved to have it

Vilkas: Kodlak used to speak of a way to cleanse his soul, even after his death

Leonidas: Vilkas is right. In his journal he mentioned something about the legends of the tomb of Ysgramor

Aela: There, the souls of the harbingers will heed the call of the northern steel. We can't even enter the tomb without wuuthrad. And it's in pieces, like it's been for thousands of years

Leonidas: Eorlund's forging them together as we speak

Farkas: The dragon were once legends. And the elves once ruled Skyrim. Just because something is, doesn't mean it must be

Leonidas: Wuuthrad is a weapon. A tool. Tools are meant to be broken and repaired

(Some time later, Eorlund bring in the axe)

Vilkas: Is that...? Did you repair the blade?

Eorlund: I had all the pieces thanks to Vilkas and Leonidas. The flames of a her ocan be forged and shattered. The flames of Kodlak shall fuel the rebirth of wuuthrad. And now it will take you all to meet him once more. As the one who bore the fragments, Leonidas should be the one to carry it into battle. The rest of you, prepare for your journey to the tomb of Ysgramor. For Kodlak

Leonidas: Today, we march on Ysgramor's tomb

(Leonidas, Vilkas, Eorlund, Farkas, and Aela go to Ysgramor's tomb)

Vilkas: This is the resting place of Ysgramor. And his most trusted generals. You should be cautious. Return wuuthrad to Ysgramor. It should open the way

(Leonidas puts wuuthrad in the hand of the statue of Ysgramor, opening up a passageway in the tomb, but the group finds a bunch of frostbite spiders)

Leonidas: YOL TOOR SHUL!

(Leonidas uses his fire shout to burn the webs and the spiders, much to Farkas's relief)

(He uses his sword to kill any remaining spiders, and presses on)

(After killing all of the frostbite spiders, the group of companions encounters the spirit of Kodlak)

Kodlak: Greetings, shield brother

Leonidas: Kodlak? Is that you?

Kodlak: Of course it's me. My fellow harbingers and I have been warming ourselves here. Trying to evade Hircine. You only will be able to see me because your heart knows only me as the leader of the companions. I'd wager old Vignar could see about half a dozen of my predecessors. And I see them all. The one here. The ones in Sovngarde. The ones trapped in Hircine's realm. And they all see you. You've brought honor to the name of the companions. We won't soon forget it

Leonidas: I may know a way for you to still be cured, Kodlak

Kodlak: I can only hope. Excellent. You still have the witches' heads. Throw one of them into the fire. It will release their magic. For me, at least

(Leonidas takes a witch head out of his bag and throws it into a fire, and then a wolf spirit emerges from Kodlak's spirit)

Leonidas: FEIM ZII GRON!

(Leonidas changes to his ethereal form and vanquishes the wolf spirit with his sword)

Kodlak: Well done, shield brother. You have slain the beast inside of me. I thank you for this gift. Though, the other harbingers still remain trapped by Hircine. Perhaps from Sovngarde, the heroes of old can join me in their rescue. The harrowing of the hunting grounds. It would be a battle of such triumph

Leonidas: Look for the heroes Hakon, Gormlaith, and Felldir. Tell them I sent you. They still owe me a favor

Kodlak: Very well. Perhaps someday, you'll join us in the battle. But for today, return to jorrvaskr. Triumph in your victory. And lead the companions to further glory

Leonidas: You want me to lead?

Kodlak: Yes. I don't know anyone more fit to lead the companions than you

(Kodlak's spirit fades away)

Aela: Did I hear right? Did he say you were fit to lead the companions?

Leonidas: He did

Aela: I would say you've earned the right. Your strength and honor are apparent to it all. And it's my honor to be the first to address you as harbinger

Farkas/Vilkas: Hail to the harbinger!

Leonidas: I still have more witch heads. Does anyone else wish to be cured?

(Farkas and Vilkas agree to be cured, and they fee like their curse has finally been lifted)

(Aela refuses, because she truly embraces her beast blood)

(When everyone heads back to jorrvaskr, Maximus brings the companions the totems of Hircine, giving them more power, and a new ally)