Chapter Text
When Alduin fell, so did Mera.
Collapsed to her knees, she watched as the World Eater gave one last bellowing roar as the very heavens opened above them. He deteriorated, much like she’d seen dozens of dragons do before, but it didn't end at the bones. Light, beautiful and terrible, lifted him up, up and into the void above.
Akatosh .
Tears ran down the sides of her face as she looked up and into the very cosmos as the terror of Tamriel vanished into a star speckled night.
Sovngarde surrounded her in all its glory, and the sky closed.
That's when she felt the pain again.
Mera moved the hand that had been clutching at her side, looking down and seeing it soaked in dark blood. Even with help, Alduin was nearly impossible to take down. He’d gotten in more hits than she’d taken before, and had long since run out of potions to take the edge off. Her arm ached, and her entire right side felt like it was on fire. What happens to morals who die in Sovngarde?
“You have honored yourself, Dragonborn,” the voice of Tsun sounded above her. She raised her head, blinking to see him standing beside the Nords of old. Kodlak was with them.
“You've honored your predecessors,” Gormlaith said. She reminded Mera of Aela.
“And you've honored the Companions as well, Harbinger,” Kodlak spoke kindly, and she was painfully reminded of how much she missed the old man.
“Thank you,” she managed, though her voice was hardly a whisper when compared to the booming of her thu’um from.before. She was tired. So very tired.
“You can rest later, Dragonborn,” Tsun started, moving closer. “Many winter's will pass before it is your turn to join us here. It's time for you to go home.”
In Sovngarde, the very earth shook. Mera felt the force of Tsun’s shout hit her like a warhammer to the chest. She blinked and the world was dark.
And then she was cold.
Everything was cold.
Snow dusted over her hair as she opened her eyes. The world spun beneath her, and she ripped off her helmet, gasping for breath. The cold air turned her lungs to ice.
Above her, the sky roared.
No.
Above her, a dragon roared.
Her head snapped up and her vision spun. Dragons covered the mountain. Mountain? She turned her head, head swimming, and she sighted the word wall. The Throat of the World.
Paarthurnax.
The Old One landed, causing the mountain to shake with his weight. Had she not already been on her knees, she would have fallen flat.
He spoke to her directly, despite the chorus of voices in the skies above them. Happy he was at her victory but also saddened by Alduin’s defeat. She could hardly blame him for that. Finally, Paarthurnax took to the sky on pale wings, voice booming over those of the dragons that surrounded the mountain.
“But willing or no, they will hear it! Fare thee well, Dovahkiin !"
Perhaps Alduin’s original second in command could bring the rest of the dov to his heel. Tame them with the way of the voice. If anyone could, it was him.
As Paarthurnax took off, Mera was left alone on the mountain, and her eyes traveled back downwards. Blood. Blood in the snow, crimson against the stark white. She was still bleeding, wasn’t she. Funny how she didn’t feel it anymore.
The earth shook once more.
Crimson in the snow. Odahviing staring down at her in her weakness. He spoke, and she struggled to hear it. “ Thuri, Dovahkiin . I gladly acknowledge the power of your Thu'um. Zu'u Odahviing . Call me when you have need, and I will come if I can."
“ Odahviing ,” Mera whispered his name, feeling it on her tongue. It came out slurred. Was this the first she had spoke since coming to the mountain. No. She had spoken to Paarthurnax, hadn’t she? She couldn’t remember. Thinking was difficult.
At the sound of his name, the red dragon lowered his head down to her level. “You are ahraan, Dovahkiin. I did not think Wuth Gein would leave you in such a state.”
Mera desperately wracked her brain for anything to say. She had earned the respect of Odahviing, a dragon who was willing to fight by her side and acknowledge her strength. Showing weakness was not ideal, and neither was asking for help so early.
“ Fa...fahdon ,” she struggled with the pronunciation, pulling the dragon’s word for friend out from where she mentally stored whatever the Greybeards had taught her. She had shown interest in learning the language, once, but hadn’t the patience for more than a few short lessons. “I… I hate to ask your assistance so soon but,” she hissed, attempting to raise herself up, off of her knees and onto her feet, she wobbled, but was surprised to find the large head of a dragon there to stop her fall, “I am afraid I won’t make it down the mountain in this state.” Her voice sounded strange in her ears. Slurred and struggling. She continued, “Your ass...assist-ance would be much ap, ap, appreciated.”
“Hm,” Odahviing, terror of the skies, general to the World Eater and tormentor of mankind seemed to debate his options for a moment. “I will take you down to where those humans study the thu’um. Daar nis meyz ireik. We cannot make a habit of you riding me, Dovahkiin , no matter the mul do hin thu'um .”
Odahviing nudged her with his head, and in one quick movement, lifted her with it. She struggled to take hold, grasping feebly onto the spikes on him as he attempted to adjust her. “Hold on,” he growled, before shaking his body and taking to the sky.
She nearly fell off his back the instance they were in the air, but Odahviing flew steadily, more carefully than he had on their way to Skuldafn.
She blinked, and then she felt him land. How long had they been in the air?
Shouting, she heard shouting, and she felt her body hit the cold ground, cushioned by a layer of fresh snow. The rush of wind hit her with the sound of wings lifting a dragon up, up and into the sky.
A warm hand touched her forehead.
And then she was cold.