Seeing Red

Last breath

A/N Not a long chapter but I think it one of the better early ones. Enjoy :3

He lay there motionless. Pain combated only by various herbs and potions. He kept his eyes closed as it hurt to open them.

"Will he make it?" He heard Irileth say.

"Yes, it was just a small fever. I'm surprised it wasn't worse, to be honest. With what you said he should have died from the amount of power he was using." A priest said

"We owe him a great deal. If what you and the guards say is true. The tower and most likely the city would have been lost." The Jarl?

"Well, I think he needs some space." The priest insisted, "I will send him your way when he is ab-"

A booming voice rang through the air.

"DOVAHKIIN!" It shouted.

Danius felt some strength fill his veins, he managed to push himself up and open his eyes.

"What... was that?" He huffed out.

"Good you're awake and we are wondering the same thin-"

"It was the Greybeards." The Jarl interrupted. "They are summoning you to High Hrothgar. If what the guards said is true then... You are Dragonborn. You took the dragon's soul and you can shout, it is the only explanation."

"What does that mean though? I am no nord."

"It means you yourself have the soul of a dragon. You were born with it. It means you can master the Thu'um, the way of the voice and the Greybeards can teach you."

Danius hung his head in thought. How and why was he tied up in this mess? All he had wanted to do was return to the vigil. But dragons? He was lucky they had managed to kill one but if there were more how could they survive if multiple attacked?

"You should go to the Greybeards there's no point in waiting. But first." He pulled out a war axe, "Take this, I pronounce you Thane of Whiterun. It is an honor to stand in your presence Dragonborn."

"Thank you my Jarl but this is not necessary."

"I insist. You braved the dragon instead of running so you have my thanks."

Danius grabbed the hilt of the axe and took it.

"Thank you. But I cannot stay long. Once I am healed I must go to the Hall of the Vigil. It is my first priority."

"Very well but you should go to the Greybeards as soon as possible."
"But first he needs to heal so shoo." The priest took them out of the building while Danius laid back down closing his eyes once more letting his weariness overtake him.

He woke a few hours later and the priest gave him some potions and herbs and a sack of coins from the jarl as an additional reward. He found his pack and left the temple thanking them for their help leaving three hundred coins of the reward he got for their trouble. He strode through the market area and he felt unnerved by everyone staring in awe at him. He had never liked the attention.

He got the carriage and paid the man to take him to Dawnstar. There were two others in the carriage with him that would be dropped off first, one at Windhelm the other at the Nightingale Inn, and then they could go to Dawnstar.

They encountered little trouble aside from one incident where Danius had to scare away a highwayman trying to con them into paying a ridiculous fee. They dropped off the first man and turned towards the Nightingale Inn. The carriage driver took a short break to get some water and salted meat and to talk to the innkeeper. Apparently, there was just an incident there just a few hours ago leaving a guard dead and two others injured. He would have to look into it. Once done they were done they headed to Dawnstar, he would head there first to pick up peace offering then head towards the hall.

"So, what are you doing up in Dawnstar?"

"I'm heading to the Hall of the Vigil," Danius answered.

"That place? I heard so bad news about that place not long before we left the inn."

"What?" Danius began to shake.

"Ya vampires attacked the place burned it to the grou-"

Danius heard nothing else. Dread filled his mind. They rounded a corner and he could see the smoke. He leapt from the carriage and began to sprint.

"Hey! What's the problem! Wait!" The carriage driver called but Danius ignored his words.

He picked up the pace.

'No! No no no no' He thought, 'Please, please still be alive'

He rounded the hill and fell to his knees.

The hall was burned, still billowing smoke.

"Damn you!", he cursed, "DAMN YOU STENDAR!"

He got up and ran into the hall looking for any sign of life.

Everything was burnt, the shrines, the benches, the books, everything.

There were bodies everywhere, but only of the vigil.

There was a groan.

He turned and saw Keeper Carcette being crushed by part of the roof.

He pulled her free and dragged her outside, kneeling with her in the snow. There was a long piece of wood stuck in her gut.

"D-dani?" She stared.

"Yes, i-it's me. Wha-What happened here?" Danius choked. He already knew but didn't know what else to ask.

"Vampires. Bu-but you came back." she choked a smile, blood running from her mouth, "I'm sorry Dani, I should have listened to you, to Isran."

"Where is Isran?" Danius insisted.

"I don't kno-" She choked, coughing up blood.

"No. Please stay with me!"

"I hope you can forgive us Da-dan-daniu-" She coughed one last breath and went limp.

"No. No! NO! COME BACK! DON'T DIE ON ME!" He insisted, pleaded, but she was already gone. He laid her in the snow and folded her arms, taking her amulet. He wanted to throw it, to smash it, to curse at it, but he couldn't, he simply put it in his robe pocket. Walking away he made a vow.

"I swear to you. I will find every vampire and kill them!"

And he walked away, never looking back.