Chapter 99 Am I Talented?
Astrid and Alex moved methodically through the interior of Skuldafn Temple, leaving nothing behind but shattered draugr and fading echoes of battle. The heavy air was thick with the scent of ancient dust and cold stone. At the end of the corridor, Alex crouched briefly, brushing aside debris before lifting a small, ornate object from a pedestal.
"The Diamond Claw," he said with a satisfied grin, turning it so the faint blue light reflected across the walls. "Looks like this place won't keep us locked out anymore."
Astrid nodded, tightening her grip on her weapon before relaxing once she was sure the area was clear. With the claw secured, the two of them pressed on, their footsteps echoing softly as they ventured deeper into the ruin.
After rounding a crumbling archway, a structure in a distance.
He slowed to a stop and lifted a hand, signaling Astrid to wait. His eyes widened slightly as he stared ahead.
"Astrid look," he said, pointing toward the far wall. "There's a Word Wall."
The massive stone surface loomed before them, ancient runes glowing with a deep, otherworldly light. The air around it seemed to vibrate faintly, as if the wall itself were breathing.
"You should learn the new Thu'um engraved there," Alex added, his voice lowered with a hint of awe.
Astrid's expression sharpened. She stepped forward instinctively, her boots crunching softly against the stone floor. As she drew closer, the runes pulsed brighter, reacting to her presence.
The moment her eyes locked onto the carvings, her body stiffened slightly.
A rush of power surged through her mind.
It was as if invisible hands had torn open her thoughts, flooding them with ancient knowledge raw, violent, and absolute. The meaning of the words carved into the stone didn't need explanation; they imprinted themselves directly into her soul.
Astrid inhaled sharply, her breath catching in her chest. Her fingers curled unconsciously, sparks of latent power trembling beneath her skin. The echo of thunder seemed to rumble faintly in her ears, even though the temple itself remained silent.
The Thu'um was no longer just a word.
It was hers.
"Alex," Astrid called, turning back toward him."I just learned one of Alduin's powers," she said slowly. "The same Thu'um he used when we fought him at the Throat of the World." Her fingers clenched slightly. "Its name is Storm Call."
She lifted her gaze to the ceiling of the ruin, as if imagining dark clouds gathering overhead.
"This Thu'um can summon a violent storm and call down lightning upon enemies…" She hesitated, lowering her voice. "But I don't know whether allies might be struck as well."
Alex blinked, then raised one eyebrow, a crooked smile spreading across his face as he let out a short laugh.
"Well," he said lightly, waving a hand dismissively, "if there's friendly fire, then make sure you only use it when you're alone. I don't feel like getting struck by lightning, haha."
Despite the joke, his eyes drifted back to the Word Wall, curiosity clearly gnawing at him. He took a few steps forward, stopping just short of the glowing runes.
"Astrid," he asked, leaning in slightly, "which part did you learn? Which word?"
Astrid lifted her arm and pointed to one of the radiant inscriptions etched deep into the ancient stone.
"This one."
Alex squared his shoulders and stared at the word with intense focus. His brows furrowed as he poured all his concentration into it, as if willing the knowledge to seep into his mind.
…Nothing happened.
He frowned, exhaled, and tried again this time clenching his fists, his jaw tightening as he focused even harder.
Still nothing.
Behind him, Astrid tilted her head, watching him with growing curiosity.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
Alex didn't look away from the wall.
"I'm just trying," he replied quietly. "Maybe… I can learn it too."
There was a brief pause.
Then Astrid suddenly burst out laughing, bending forward slightly as she covered her mouth, her shoulders shaking.
"Haha! Alex," she said between laughs, "you're not a Dragonborn. You can't just look at a Word Wall and instantly learn a Thu'um like that."
Alex finally stepped back from the wall. His shoulders drooped as he let out a long, quiet sigh.
"Yeah…" he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "You're right."
After a moment, he forced a small smile and turned away.
"Well then let's continue our journey."
Astrid watched Alex from the corner of her eye and immediately noticed the subtle change in his expression. His shoulders were slightly slumped, his gaze lingering on the stone floor rather than the glowing wall behind them. It wasn't obvious but she could tell.
She stepped closer and gently nudged him with her elbow.
"Hey," she said softly, her voice losing its teasing edge. "It is possible, you know." She tilted her head and gave him a small, encouraging smile. "Remember what Arngeir said? Learning the Thu'um takes training."
Alex didn't respond right away. He stared ahead, jaw tight, clearly unconvinced.
Seeing that, Astrid's smile widened, turning playful. She grabbed his wrist lightly and tugged him forward a step.
"Alright then," she said. "Come here. Let's start with the basics Fus."
She planted her feet firmly on the stone floor, straightened her posture, and drew in a slow, steady breath. Her chest rose and fell once, her focus sharpening as the air around her subtly shifted.
"Fus."
The word left her mouth with control rather than force. A small burst of wind pushed forward, rustling loose dust and sending a few pebbles skittering across the floor not violent, but undeniably powerful.
She turned back to Alex and gestured with her hand.
"That was Fus," Astrid explained. "It means force. You don't just say it you imagine force."
Alex swallowed and copied her stance, spreading his feet slightly and squaring his shoulders. He inhaled, awkward but earnest.
"Fus."
Nothing happened.
Not even a breeze.
Astrid covered her mouth and laughed softly.
"Not quite."
She stepped closer, tapping her fingers lightly against his chest.
"When you release a Thu'um," she said, still smiling, "you have to imagine it. Feel it. Understand what force truly is."
Alex nodded and closed his eyes.
The world around him faded.
Unbeknownst to him, Sovereign Mind activated in silence, without a ripple, without a notification.
Inside his thoughts, Alex focused intensely.
(Force is power.
Strength.
Pressure.
To release power.)
His breathing slowed.
(Force is power.)
His voice echoed in his mind.
(My voice is power.)
Alex opened his eyes.
Something had changed.
There was a quiet confidence in his gaze, a steadiness that hadn't been there before. He drew in a breath not rushed, not forced and spoke with certainty.
"Fus."
This time, a faint breeze stirred the air in front of him. It was barely visible, barely perceptible but it was there. Dust shifted. A thin ripple passed through the cold air, subtle yet undeniable.
Astrid felt nothing at all.
No shift in the air. No pressure. No reaction from the temple itself.
She gave Alex a casual pat on the shoulder, the kind that was half encouragement and half dismissal.
"Well," she said lightly, already turning away, "you'll need a lot more practice."
Alex's brow creased immediately. He turned toward her, eyes wide with disbelief.
"You didn't feel that?" he asked. "I I succeeded!"
Astrid paused mid-step and blinked, genuinely confused. She looked at him, then glanced around the room as if checking for something she might have missed.
"Hm?" she said. "I didn't see you succeed."
"But the wind moved!" Alex insisted, lifting his hands and gesturing forward, replaying the motion in the air. "Just a little but it definitely moved!"
Astrid stifled a yawn, stretching one arm lazily above her head as her shoulders relaxed.
"Wind?" she said, her voice drowsy. "Maybe that was just a draft from outside." She rubbed her arms slightly. "Didn't you notice how cold it is in here?"
Alex clenched his fists at his sides.
"No," he said firmly, meeting her gaze. "I really did it, Astrid."
She stared at him for a second, then rolled her eyes with exaggerated patience.
"Alright, alright," she replied. "If that makes you happy."
But Alex barely heard her.
His heart was still pounding.
He had done it.
He had just released a Thu'um something ordinary people would need ten years of meditation, discipline, and study just to begin understanding.
(Hahaha… I did it.)
(And I'm not even a Dragonborn.)
His lips twitched as excitement bubbled up inside him.
(Am I talented?)
He immediately shook his head, forcing the thought down.
(No. No, Alex. Don't get arrogant.)
(What matters is training.)
Suddenly, another thought struck him.
Learned abilities usually appeared in his System Status.
His excitement flared again as he instinctively checked.
…Nothing.
No notification.
No new icon.
No Thu'um menu at all.
Alex froze.
His excitement faltered.
The brief thrill in Alex's chest drained away, replaced by a slow, creeping confusion. His gaze lingered on the empty space where the system interface should have appeared, his fingers twitching as if trying to summon it by force alone.
(…Nothing?)
The system remained utterly silent no notification, no flicker, no acknowledgment of what he had just done.
Alex exhaled through his nose and forced a crooked smile.
(It's fine… maybe the system bugged out.)
(Yeah. It probably needs an upgrade. That's it haha.)
(Don't be sad.)
(I can still master the Thu'um through training.)
He straightened his posture, clapping his hands together once as if physically shaking off the disappointment, then followed Astrid onward.
As they climbed higher toward the upper levels of Skuldafn, Alex kept falling a few steps behind. Every time Astrid's back was turned, he would pause, plant his feet, and try again.
"Fus."
Nothing.
He frowned, adjusted his stance, inhaled more carefully.
"Fus."
Still nothing.
He repeated it again and again throughout the ascent sometimes whispering, sometimes mouthing the word silently, sometimes closing his eyes and concentrating until his temples ached.
But unlike before, there was no sudden clarity.
No spark.
No shift in perception.
Sovereign Mind did not activate again, and Alex never realized that it had been active in the first place. The system remained unresponsive, offering no notification, no hint, no explanation.
By the time they reached the massive stone door leading to the summit of Skuldafn, Alex's shoulders had slumped noticeably. His steps slowed, and the earlier determination in his eyes had dulled into quiet frustration.
Astrid stopped and turned around, finally taking a good look at him.
She raised an eyebrow.
"Hey," she said, crossing her arms loosely. "Cheer up. What's so special about not being able to learn the Thu'um anyway?"
Alex blinked, then shook his head, brushing it off with a small wave of his hand.
"It's nothing," he said. "I just think it's cool, that's all." He glanced briefly at the towering door ahead. "Some Thu'um are incredibly powerful… and really useful in battle."
(I need the Thu'um Become Ethereal for my mage class.)
(It would be extremely effective.)
He took a breath and forced a faint smile.
"I'm fine," he said quietly. "Really."
Astrid felt a sharp pang of pity tighten in her chest as she looked at him. Without thinking, she stepped closer and reached out, her fingers sinking gently into his hair. She rubbed his head in slow, comforting motions, not teasing just sincere.
"There, there," she said softly, her voice warm and steady. "It's alright."
Alex stiffened for a moment, then relaxed under her touch.
"You don't need to be this sad," Astrid continued, tilting her head so he had no choice but to meet her eyes. "Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. What matters is learning to appreciate them." She smiled faintly. "Besides, you already have power that goes beyond common sense so why look so down?"
Alex let out a quiet breath he hadn't realized he was holding. The tension in his shoulders eased, and a faint smile finally curved his lips.
"Yeah…" he said, nodding slowly. "You're right, Astrid. I don't need to feel sad about my lack of power."
He straightened, the gloom in his expression fading as his usual clarity returned. Then, as if remembering something important, he turned his gaze toward the towering stone door before them.
"Oh by the way," he added, his tone shifting to business. "Behind this door, a strong enemy will appear. You should prepare yourself."
Astrid withdrew her hand and rolled her shoulders, confidence settling naturally into her stance. A sharp, fearless smile spread across her face.
"Of course," she said. "I'm always ready."
Together, they placed their hands against the massive stone door. With a low, grinding rumble, it slowly began to open cold air spilling out from beyond, carrying the promise of danger.
Side by side, they stepped forward, prepared to face whatever awaited them on the other side.
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