This has always been awesome, but now you're weaving it into the larger story and it's AWESOME. Seriously, the fact that I felt personally violated by a dragon attack on their lovely peaceful oasis of a home is a measure of how good this is. IT'S ON NOW, ALDUIN.

Incidentally, of all the descriptions of dragon-soul-absorption out there, the world skewing hot with colors he had no names for may be my favorite. Especially when juxtaposed with the utterly mundane thought of what a pain it's going to be to haul a dragon corpse off the woodpile. :)