The black dragon Alduin, the World-Eater, roared towards the air as my hands shook, holding Dragonbane firm in it's place in his heart. My face was tightened in a scowl, though I allowed my self a smirk. The great foul beast is finally slain. He slowly lowered his scaled face towards mine, his crimson-bloodied glare met with my own fire-colored stare. All he could manage was a defiant growl before collapsing, narrowly missing me falling to my left. All just as well, I doubt I would have had the energy to step to the side, let alone roll out of the way. Then his body burned as his soul was ripped from his bones and absorbed into my own.
It was over.
I won.
Now what?
As I contemplated that, Dragonbane fell through to the snowy ground. Sparing a look, the arena we claimed on the Throat of the World had been stamped down, patches of snow melted by spell and dragon breath, even scorched in the center due to the intensity. I took one of my hands off of my blade and brushed my dark hair from my face, matted from blood, sweat, and snow. However, the simple action forced me to stagger back a step. When I couldn't recover, I kept stepping back five paces until I fell, Dragonbane still by Alduin's corpse. Everything was starting to grow heavy, though I couldn't recall why. My ashen hands moved towards my stomach, trying to catch my breath as it mysteriously eluded me. Then I noticed my hand was damp, yet warm. Withdrawing, I noticed it glisten a dark red. A deeper crimson than normal.
Shit. That can't be good.
I've only seen this dark of blood whenever I had struck a vital point on another creature or being, such as inside the thigh, the side of the throat, near the armpits or is a particular spot in the-.
The stomach.
By the Nine. That wound was about a minute old and I had no more potions to heal myself with to staunch the flow. How had I not noticed? My vision swam and clouded over, my head growing lighter. The snow, normally bitterly cold, slowly grew warm and inviting. Unable to sit up any longer, I felt gravity take me, hardly registering when I hit the ground. It almost felt like I was still falling. My breath was slowing, but I couldn't find the strength to keep it up, keep awake.
As I faded from Mundus, a small light made itself known. Did- did I know it? It was inviting, wanting me to follow. Another- another chance?
Yes.
Another chance to live. Like a civilian, truly. No more prophecy where I was going to have to risk my life. No prophecy that pointed obviously to myself. One where I could jump in if needed, or be the right one to find the hero and point them in the right direction. Don't know if I'll keep living for all eternity.
Maybe this time around, there's a chance to pass on to the Twilight to Azura through old age.
Just a thought.
And then, darkness overtook my mind and weightlessness my soul.