The Dragonborn

Part 145

Jack gawked at the dragons surrounding them from all sides. He had never seen so many in one location. Hot breath puffed over his back, making Jack jump in surprise. Behind him a large red dragon sniffed them, then snorted before saying aloud. "I expected... Someone else. He's so... small." Jack crossed his arms and Nate chuckled to himself. Paarthurnax let out a throaty chuckle with a few others. Turning to face Paarthurnax, Jack changed the subject. "Mark?! Where is he?!" Paarthurnax pointed with his wing. Laying across the snow a few feet away was a young female dragon with her wing over something. Jack rushed over, calling Mark's name. He should have been back! He pulled him through the portal! The female raised his wing, quickly shuffling away. Beside Mark's body, Jack dropped to his knees to look him over. He didn't appear to be alive. Jack touched Mark's warm cheeks, whispering desperately. "Mark...? Are you with me...?" Jack started to heal him, but nothing was happening.

Jack shook his head, mumbling out to himself. "No... Not again... Mark!" Nate moved closer, dropping down on the other side of Mark. Jack looked up at him, tears rolling down his face as he said. "I don't understand... We brought him back! Why isn't he awake?!" Nate shushed Jack calmly, placing a hand on Mark's forehead. Jack saw Nate's hand start to glow with a strange blue light and after a minute Nate told him. "I can't hear a heartbeat... His body is dead, but his soul is here... We'll have to restart the heart." Jack tensed up, asking Nate seriously. "You can feel him? What do I have to do?! Name it!" Nate drifted his hand over Mark's eyes, telling him seriously. "This won't be easy... To restart the body, we'll be awakening the wolf in his blood. Give me your hand and touch him. We're going to have to combine our efforts for this to hold the wolf. The wolf in him is quite strong though..." Jack took Nate's cold hand, placing his free hand on Mark's chest. Nate softly muttered a necromantic spell that caused some of Nate's vampiric features to show. Nate's nails grew out, his ears grew out like a bat, and his eyes turned red.

After a minute, Jack gasped to see a ghostly wolf rise from Mark's body. The wolf thrashed and snapped its jaws, trying to fight against Nate's spell. Nate's grip on his hand tightened and Nate nodded with strained effort. Jack took the hint and used a necromantic spell of his own to restart Mark's heart with a strong pulse. The ghostly wolf snarled as Mark's body jerked. Nate shook his head, still chanting to himself. Jack gritted his teeth, trying again. Sending the pulse through again, Mark's body surged, causing claws to grow from his fingers to claw into the snow aggressively. Jack felt that was a good sign, but Nate was draining a lot of his magic now to keep the ghostly wolf under control. Jack quickly checked Mark's neck for a heartbeat and his heart leapt as he blurted out. "He's alive!" Nate suddenly stopped chanting to breathlessly utter out in fear. "Oh shit..." Jack looked to Nate, briefly seeing the ghostly wolf fall back into Mark. Mark's eyes shot open to reveal his wolf eyes as a loud growl burst from him. Jack barely processed Mark's body changing rapidly. All he saw was Mark's hand rising for him, only to have Nate shoved him away with enough force to knock him a few feet away.

The dragons around the mountain grunted with both fascination and worry. While Mark completely turned and attacked Nate! Jack rose to his feet, listening to Nate scream as Mark sank his canine's into Nate's shoulder! Mark pinned Nate back into the snow, his aggressive snarls echoing over the mountain. Jack didn't want to hurt them, so he scooped up snow and threw it at Mark's wolf form. The snowball nailed Mark in the face, causing him to release Nate's shoulder. Nate stayed down, whining in agony as his shoulder bled out. Mark bared his teeth, turning slowly to face him. Jack swallowed, watching Mark's eyes dart to look at all the dragons. Jack raised his hands, coolly telling him. "Mark? It's ok. Your safe now... You're home." Mark stopped baring his teeth, letting out soft whines. Did he remember being in Sovngarde? Or did he only remember the fight with the Blades? Mark looked so confused and scared. Jack inched closer, lovingly cooing out him. "It's ok. It's over... We can go home. Mark?"