Chapter 34 -- Secrets
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Skyrim from high above was a beautiful sight, and as I clung onto the back of the dragon for dear life, I could take at least a moment to appreciate the beauty, the different shades of green, blue, brown and yellow. Of course, at the same time, I was absolutely shitting myself and hurling all manner abuse at the dragon, mostly yelling at it to get back on the fucking ground.
Somehow, I managed to drag my way up towards the neck of the dragon, driving in my sword or my dagger, hoping the dragon didn't simply fly vertical. If it did, I was dead. It continued flying horizontal, or near enough to it, though continually turned, no doubt hoping my grip would slacken and I'd fall to my inevitable death. I would have used my Thu'um, but thought that might send both of us crashing to the ground.
Finally, after what felt like hours of flying, the dragon finally started to descend. Arrows were soon being fired at it again, and once I felt it was safe enough to do so, I used my Thu'um, burning the back of its head. That forced it down faster, and once I felt its legs hit the ground, I rolled off onto the ground, using my Thu'um again, as the dragon had eyes and teeth for me.
Scrambling to my feet, I swung my sword wildly, feeling it leave a gash as I took the shield from my back and prepared to end the fight. Lydia and Aela fell in alongside me, both with sword and shield. "Neck," I stated. I'd fought enough by now to know the scales were thinner, and it was the most exposed. They would distract it and I'd make the killing blow.
Like usual, it didn't work exactly as planned, and I nearly lost my sword again when the dragon started to thrash about after I'd buried my sword. Lydia stepped forward and drove her own sword up and under the jaw of the dragon, Aela running to the other side of the neck to bury her own sword. That pretty much did it. With so much blood lost, the dragon eventually collapsed to the ground.
Once I'd absorbed its soul, Esbern strode forward to grasp my hand. "It is an honour, Dragonborn. There is no doubt you are the one spoken of in the prophecy."
"Still don't quite understand it all."
"Alduin's Wall will explain more."
The dragon attack severely delayed us, so we agreed to ride no more than another couple of hours before camping for the night by the river, as those of us who wanted to could at least wash. With few trees around, Esbern used magic to get a fire started, the rest of us putting up tents before setting out for a quick hunt, hoping to catch one or two things for dinner, though we had supplies ready if we didn't.
Around the fire after a meagre dinner, as we hadn't managed to find anything worth eating, Esbern told more of the history of the Dragonborn, the Blades, and also what we might expect at Sky Haven Temple. Delphine did drop a warning, suggesting that the area around Karthspire would likely be an area with Forsworn activity, so we'd have to be careful.
"Dragonborn, I must ask. When you absorb the soul of a dragon, do you feel anything?" Esbern wondered.
"Not really. A slightly warm sensation for a few minutes."
"Do you learn anything from them? Their language perhaps?"
I shook my head. "No. The ruins that dot Skyrim have things called word walls within them where I can learn a word that is part of a Shout. I may sit down with the Greybeards one day..." Delphine scoffed at the mention of them, which I ignored, "And see if they can teach me their language."
"You should know as much as you can about your enemy. While you have no doubt learned Delphine isn't exactly enamoured with them, I believe you can at least learn what is required from the Greybeards to at least understand the dragon language and, perhaps more importantly, you may learn more about Alduin."
"Do you have any idea what this wall might tell us?" Aela asked.
Esbern could only shrug. "Much of the information written about it has been lost. I retrieved what I could, but the Blades had endless amounts of dragonlore before the Thalmor attacked. I took what I thought was most important."
"As long as we find Alduin's Wall and it tell us what we need, we'll win in the end," I stated, trying to sound as confident as possible. The words received nods of appreciation. Whether I was actually the leader or not, who really knew. Delphine and Esbern apparently served the Dragonborn, but to be honest, I was following them at the moment. They had a far better idea of what was going on. All they had to do was point me in the right direction and say 'Kill them' or 'Kill the dragon' and it would be done.
Aela and I shared a tent that evening, though I noticed the longing glance from Lydia, while Delphine was ever more up-front, whispering very naughty things in my ear before she disappeared into her tent, sharing it with Esbern. To my surprise, we didn't do anything that night, knowing we had an early start, so after a little make-out, she cuddled into me as we fell asleep.
Waking with the sun the next morning, the three women and myself did enjoy a wash in the river, and all the female flesh on display did provoke a reaction. Lydia and Aela were very complimentary of Delphine, and she finally admitted her age to them. They looked at me in shock. All I did was shrug, gesture towards Delphine and ask, "And are you surprised with a body like that? And her pussy is like a vice at times. Hot and tight."
Delphine had a laugh at my description while Aela and Lydia could only agree with my assessment about her body. Aela then mentioned the idea of Delphine joining Aela and I, and Lydia didn't want to be left out either. "So we're having a foursome?" I asked.
"Would you like that?" Aela retorted.
I stepped back so my erection appeared out of the water. "I think that answers the question." Glancing back, Esbern was sitting by the fire, thankful that he couldn't see my front, so I added, "But I think we should behave ourselves for now. Could give the old man a heart attack."
After dressing and breakfast, we packed up camp and resumed our ride towards Karthspire. The cave we were looking for was nestled at the junction of a pair of rivers. And it was there that the Forsworn had decided to build a camp of their own. From our vantage point above them, we could count most of them. The only one that concerned me was a hargraven. Thankfully only the one, but they could be a pain in the arse if not taken by surprise.
"How do you want to do this?" Aela asked.
"Esbern will use magic. You three use bows. I'll use my Thu'um."
Like all hastily made plans, it wasn't perfect. Attracting the attention of the hargraven, we killed that first as the Forsworn swarmed towards us. After using Unrelenting Force, sending all of them rolling back down towards the river, Esbern and the three woman used magic and arrows before I strolled towards those who remained alive. Most were injured, one or two trying to get to their feet. One of them, wielding two weapons, gave me a brief moment of concern, as he was bloody quick, and I needed to respond in kind. But he was also injured, and couldn't keep up the performance. I like to think that I at least gave him an honourable death. The rest could get fucked though.
Entering Karthspire cave itself, we came across more Forsworn lurking within. All of us, except Esbern, was now armed with swords and shield and dealt with them relatively comfortably. The camp inside the cave wasn't an extensive as that outside, and I let Esbern take the lead, as he had the best idea of where we should go.
We did fumble and stumble in darkness for a few minutes before walking out into what looked like old ruins. It was at least the outside of the temple though it was now a case of finding a way in. First, we had to get across a large gap. There was a rather simple puzzle to solve that lowered a stone bridge, the five of us remaining wary as we crossed, figuring there would be traps waiting to catch the unwary.
I was thinking it would be infested with all sorts of creatures, but it was surprisingly clear, entering a large room which had pressure plates on the ground. Esbern consulted his book and told me the symbol for Dragonborn, and that I should follow that. Once across, I pulled a chain, ensuring it was safe to cross. Following a natural corridor, we eventually exited out into what looked like a courtyard, with a gate in front of us, which looked like the face of someone. Esbern was more interested in what was on the ground below us.
"Wonderful! Remarkably well-preserved, too. Ah... Here's the "blood seal." Another of the lost Akiviri arts. No doubt triggered by...well, blood. Your blood, Dragonborn."
"Should have guessed."
Esbern then gestured at the gate before making a sweeping gesture at all the artwork on the walls around us. "You can see how the ancient Blades revered Reman Cyrodiil. This whole place appears to be a shrine to Reman. He ended the Akiviri invasion under mysterious circumstances, you recall. After the so-called 'battle' of Pale Pass, the Akiviri went into his service. This was the foundation stone of the Second Empire."
I glanced at all my colleagues. "I'm afraid you have us all at a loss, Esbern." Under instruction from the old man, he told me where I should cut my hand and drop my blood. Taking the dagger I always kept sheathed, I cut across my palm and watched a few droplets hit the seal below my feet.
It worked and rather quickly, figuring it must have been magic. "That's done it! Look, it's coming to life! You did it!" Delphine exclaimed rather excitedly, "There's the entrance. After you, Dragonborn. You should have the honour of being the first to set foot in Sky Haven Temple."
Aela handed me the torch she had been carrying and I led the way inside. Esbern could now barely contain his excitement, but he certainly seemed to know his stuff about Akiviri history, left thinking that, once it was all over, I could sit down and learn quite a few things from him. I just thought the temple was enormous, wondering how it had possibly laid abandoned for so long. As it was so large, we all spent time lighting braziers to provide some light. Though I reckon we all wanted to spend time exploring the temple, Delphine led Esbern in the direction of what looked like the wall we had come to find.
Esbern used a little magic to illuminate the entire wall, and he came to a stop as we lined up to look at it. "Shor's bones! Here it is! Alduin's Wall... So well preserved... I've never seen a finer example of early second era Akiviri sculptural relief..."
"You seem to know your art, Esbern," I stated.
"Much of it is in relation to yourself, or people like you anyway, Dragonborn."
The wall was extensive and appeared to tell the story of the Dragon War. I'd heard it mentioned once or twice, and while I'm sure Esbern could have held a series of lecture about it, Delphine kept hurrying him along so we could learn how to defeat Alduin. Eventually Esbern stated the wall mentioned that a Shout was used to defeat Alduin, but there was no mention of what Shout it was.
"Have you ever heard of such a thing? A Shout that can knock a dragon out of the sky?" Delphine asked of me. I gave her a look that she couldn't misinterpret. She nodded and sighed at the same time. "I was hoping to avoid having to involve them in all this, but it seems we have no choice."
