Nathan crossed his arms over his torso. He was trying to look casual. He wasn't fazed by Odahviing's words. He could fly. He hadn't tested his wings for long distances... or carrying people, but he didn't need to be a dragon to go there. Smirking to himself, he thought about asking how far the distance was, but Odahviing cooed out in a voice that was a bit smooth and self-assured. "Of course... I could fly you there. But not while imprisoned like this." Nate rolled his eyes, if he could, he wanted to know that trick. Nate's eyes moved to the Jarl who stepped closer to Jack. The Jarl reeked of fear and his face reflected concerns. The Jarl didn't get a chance to voice them though, because Jack raised a hand to stop him. Jack's voice was calm and so full of hope when he asked Odahviing. "That's why I need your help. I have wings that I can summon... but they won't last long enough to get me there. And I'm going to need my strength. Odahviing, on my honor as Dovahkiin, I promise to let you go... but I need you help. Paarthurnax said that I could trust you, but I'm asking for myself. Can I trust you?" Nathan stood a bit stunned. Jack could fly? This was the first he was hearing of it.

He'd heard Jack mention his 'father-figure' but doubted any human would sway a dragon. To his shock though, Odahviing tilted his head in surprise, his eyes widening when he said blatantly. "Paarthurnax? He's alive? He... He trusts me after...?" Odahviing's eyes became watery as his bowed his head with guilt. After a moment, he lifted himself up as much as he could with renewed pride and in a thundering voice of confidence said aloud. "Onikaan korvaav gein miraad. It is wise to recognize when you only have one choice. You can trust me. Zu'u ni tahrodiis. Alduin has proven himself unworthy to rule. I go my own way now. Free me and I will carry you to Skuldafn." Feeling like this conversation was starting to leave him out, Nate carefully crept forward and cleared his throat. Giving Jack a little nudge to his ribs with his arm. Jack glanced at him, his eyes growing wide before he snapped his fingers and quickly informed Odahviing. "I forgot to mention something too... You'll be taking me and my friend there." Odahviing turned his attention on Nate, his expression fading to a dark narrowed look of surprise, when he grumbled out under his breath with distaste. "Krosis... What am I? A horse? Besides, that one insulted me!"

Feeling like he had to fix this fast before Jack let a fire-breathing lizard with a grudge against him go. He raised a finger with a neutral expression and interjected in a voice of pure charm. "Ya, about that... I was only trying to get your attention. Which led to this little chat... Sooo... would a heartfelt apology keep you from eating me when you're released? No hard feelings?" Odahviing's eyes narrowed more on Nathan, thin traces of smoke escaping his large nostrils as his only response. The look gave Nate goosebumps. It was clear that he'd offended him, and he was mad. Trying to lighten the mood, Nate inched closer and lightly fist bumped Odahviing's nose, uttering out as innocently and as nonthreateningly as he could. "Boop. I've got nothing but mad respect for ya man." Nate froze in place for a few seconds. He'd never touched a dragon before, and it was a bit intimidating. His nose felt soft and warm, but the small scales were thick and hardy. It had to be the thickest scaly skin that he'd ever felt. The dragon didn't even seem fazed by his cold hand. Was his body heat so high that everyone felt cold to him? Removing his hand as things got a bit awkward, he whispered very softly to him. "I'm sorry. Backing up now..."

While backing up, Jack grabbed his sleeve and pulled him behind him, drawing Odahviing's attention back to himself as he said openly to break up the tension. "Just give me a second and I'll get you out of that." Jack then looked to the Jarl, who crossed his arms with an almost defiant look of worry. Nate could tell by how he stood that he wasn't as keen about letting him go. Neither of them got to speak though, because at that moment the doors behind them opened and a robed Mage slipped out. With one look, Nathan could tell he was the Court Mage. His robes were too nice looking, and he held himself with a smugness that made Nate's skin crawl. The Mage panted heavily and started to stroll up to Jack and Nathan. Only to practically shove his way between them to approach the dragon. Nathan clenched his fists and curled his lips over his teeth to keep his fangs from extending. He had been right. The guy was rude. The Court Mage looked over Odahviing's face as if he was a hungry parasite, stating out in awe. "I came as fast as I could! Incredible! Uh... Sir? You have no idea how long I have waited for such an opportunity!" Odahviing snorted smoke, shifting suddenly uncomfortably within his restraint.

Moving closer to Jack's side, he put a hand on his shoulder, asking with defensive perplexion. "Who's this, Kiss ass?" Seeing the way Jack clenched his jaw and the way his voice came out in a muttering growl was hint enough that Jack didn't like him, when he said under his breath. "Long story..." Nathan's keen ears picked up a few guards groaning out the Mage's name with disapproval that the Mage had arrived. Farengar. Rubbing his hands together excitedly, Farengar creeped around and out of Odahviing's eyesight as he said without waiting for any answer. "I would be most appreciative if you would permit me to preform some, ah, tests on you. Purely in the interests of the advancement of knowledge." Odahviing thrashed within his restraint again, snapping out in a fierce warning. "Be gone, Mage! Do not test my promise to the Dovahkiin!" Farengar crept around to the Dragon's side, regaling to him in a sickly-sweet voice. "I assure you; most of them are hardly painful at all to a large dragon such as yourself." Nathan's low growl was hidden under the loud growls of Odahviing. A few of the guards began to inch away toward the nearest cover they could find, their fear filling Nate's nose, which started driving his instincts crazy.

Odahviing's tail started to sway anxiously across the floor as his unease grew. The Jarl then raised a hand to state out in light warning. "I think that is a bad idea, Farengar." Jack started to move in the direction of Farengar, but Nate's put a hand to his chest to stop him, telling him seriously with his eyes locked on Farengar. "Release the dragon. I've got dibs on the mage." Jack was a bit stiff with reluctance but backed up to let Nathan engage Farengar. Stalking around Odahviing with soft growls that were hidden under Odahviing's deep thundering growls, he heard Farengar say sarcastically. "Surely you wouldn't miss a few scales... or a small amount of blood..." Getting Farengar in sight, Nathan tensed as he saw Farengar wedge a knife under a scale along Odahviing's side. Odahviing jerked in his restraint, his head trying to look over the pillory as he growled out in pain. "Joor mey! What are you doing back there?!" Ducking under the pillory, Nathan dashed over, just as Farengar ripped a single scale from Odahviing's side. Odahviing's head tilted up as he shouted painfully into the air. "Yol... Toor... Shul!" A burst of flames rushed out of Odahviing's throat and into the rafters, causing guards to scream as they ran out across the now burning beams.

Odahviing began to thrash wildly again. His hind feet stomping and clawing across the grey stone floor. Smelling the blood on the scale had done Nathan in. Slamming into Farengar like an animal, he tackled him to the ground. Farengar hadn't expected to be attacked, causing his fall to knock the scale out of his hands. Leaning over Farengar, Nathan went for his throat while he still had a chance. In all his flailing, Farengar grabbed Nathan's neck in a weak attempt to stop him. It wouldn't be enough. However, as his hand touched Nate's flesh, Nathan hissed sharply and jerked back. His neck was burning so badly that he thought he had swallowed acid. Rubbing his neck, Nathan felt it heal slowly and locked eyes with Farengar. Farengar seemed just as shocked, staring at his hand blankly. He hadn't casted a spell... He was wearing a silver signet ring. Beside them, the latch popped off Odahviing's neck, allowing him to shake it free. The bronze pillory slowly rose into the air enough that Odahviing could back up without the horns on his head getting caught. Everyone's attention was drawn to the dragon. Guards were scrambling to run clear of Odahviing, yelling out in horror. "Gods save us! GET BACK!"

Odahviing stomped his feet as he shifted his weigh better, letting out a deep menacing snarl at the guards that rushed around him to head for the doors of the castle. Nathan jumped back to avoid Odahviing's wing as it moved closer to him in the small space for a dragon of his size. In that split moment, Nathan saw Farengar turn his attention on him thinking his attention was completely on the dragon. Raising his hands, Farengar unleashed sparks of lightning from his hands toward Nathan. Trying to get a cheap shot on him while he could. If he had been human, it would have worked. However, Nathan's inhuman speed was so fast that in the blink of an eye, he dodged the attack and slammed into Farengar. This time his predatory instincts kicked in. It was his life or Farengar's. Before Farengar could process what he was, Nathan's fangs dropped inches from his face. Farengar let out a short scream of terror, that was silenced by Nate squeezing his neck. Struggling between biting him and letting him go. Nathan hissed out to him aggressively. "Surely you won't miss a small amount of blood?" Farengar's fear filled his noise. Everything told him to kill him, but instead he threw him aside with great effort.

He wasn't going to let himself be driven by his instincts. Retracting his fangs, he took a shaky breath and watched Farengar stumble toward the keep doors empty handed. Walking to the scale, Nathan picked it up to stuff it into his bag. While beside him, Odahviing backed up, bellowing out loudly. "Faas nu, zini dein ruthi ahst vaal." Glancing up at Odahviing, he suddenly locked eyes with Jack up on the upper floor. His eyes questioned him and there was no doubt that Jack had seen what he was. Jack's eyes moved to the sunlight shining in from outside, his expression lost and confused. Hefting a sigh, Nathan knew he'd have to lie about what he was. He didn't want people to know that some vampires could resist the sunlight. There was too much on the line to blow his secret now. Beckoning Jack down, he called out in a rush. "Come on! We gotta go!" Odahviing raised his head up to the rafters to let Jack climb onto him. Then Nate quickly ran over to climb up onto his neck when he lowered his head for him. Barely getting settled on Odahviing's neck in front of Jack, Jack blurted out. "You're a vampire?!" Nathan adjusted himself to sit better, before answering over his shoulder in a way that sounded genuine enough. "Not yet. I'm infected with something called 'Sanguinare Vampiris.' The symptoms come and go. But I've only got a few days before I turn. Didn't I tell you that? I'm pretty sure I told you that..."

Nate was internally proud of himself for coming up with such a lie off the cuff like that. Behind him, Jack scoffed out dryly. "No! You didn't tell me that!" Nathan shrugged casually, flashing him a warm grin over his shoulder as he innocently uttered out. "Well, now you know why Sanguine sent me to you." Jack's hands wrapped around his waist and Nathan was thankful that the dragon was giving off a lot of heat that warmed his clothes. Lightly holding on, Nathan grinned as Odahviing made his way to the edge of the broken balcony. The wind rustled Nathan's hair and fearlessly Nathan looked over the side as the dragon glanced back at them and asked calmly. "Are you ready to see the world as only a dovah can?" Nate gave him a thumbs up, while behind him, Jack's voice was a shaky mess when he replied. "I'm ready." Odahviing chuckled, spreading his large wings with pride as he proudly proclaimed. "Zokbrit uth! I warn you, once you've flown the skies of keizaal, your envy of the dov will only increase. Amativ! Mu bo kotin stinselok." Nathan leaned with the dragon as Odahviing leaned forward off the edge. This was giving Nathan such an adrenaline rush, until his stomach felt like it was being synched.

If he needed to breathe, there was no way he could with Jack clinging to him so hard. Touching Jack's hand, he chuckled out. "Easy on the grip. I can't breathe. Don't you like flying?" Jack buried his face between his shoulder blades, rushing out a bit strained. "It's not the flying part... It's the take off." Right on cue, Odahviing went into a freefall from the tower and Nathan winced as Jack screamed. Holding on with just his legs, Nathan threw his hands up into the air, unleashing an excited cry of pleasure that overpowered Jack's screaming. The differences between them, making Odahviing chuckle deeply. Arching his back at the last second, Odahviing spread out his large reddish-brown wings to catch the wind. Odahviing then flapped his wings to rise quickly back into the air where he could glide across the morning wind currents up through the fluffy clouds. The clouds puffed over Nathan's body, dampening his clothes in light water. Nathan was a little relieved when Jack finally loosened up his grip on him to look around. It was incredibly peaceful up here. All worries and problems too far below them now. The sky was bathed in the softest pinks and blues.

Taking in all the soft colors and fluffy clouds, Nathan mumbled out to himself softly. "Wow... One could get inspired up here. So beautiful." Behind him, Jack looked out across the land of clouds, stating out in a low pained voice. "I wish Mark could see this..." Nathan felt a pain in his gut at the thought of Escher seeing something like this with him. Collecting himself though, he reached back to pat Jack's thigh, giving him some warm encouragement when he told him. "I'll help you bring him home. You have my word." Jack locked eyes with him over his shoulder, asking a little doubtfully. "How? I still don't understand why a Daedric Lord that I've never met would help me with this. And no offense... but the ones I have dealt with... they ask for heavy prices." Nate felt the burden of his words. He was already paying them. He'd continue to pay them. He was a dead man walking. Keeping his eyes on him though, Nathan answered coolly and confidently. "The price isn't yours to pay. It's mine. You're not the only one on a quest to save the world. Helping you will help me get the hang of myself and if not... Then I'm not coming back." To Be Continued...