Chapter 45 -- Showdown in Sovngarde
*****
We must have flown for quite a while before landing in Skuldafn. Odahviing wasn't going to take us any further, and after thanking him, he took off, leaving Lydia and I on our own. The first thing that greeted our eyes, apart from the enormous ancient temple, though now an enormous ancient ruin, were two dragons that looked at us but did... nothing.
Though we unsheathed our swords and moved forward, the two simply watched our progress. I wasn't going to do anything to rile them as, quite bizarrely, they seemed watchful but intent on letting us progress. Perhaps they were aware of my mission to end Alduin and... actually agreed with it?
The dragons may have let us past but Skuldafn was infested with draugr. And these were not your usual run of the mill draugr that I could take out on my own. Nearly all of them were the Deathlord variant, if not even stronger, or so it seemed. I must have used my Thu'um constantly simply to give Lydia and I a chance, as more than once, we found ourselves backed into a corner as the bastards swarmed us. We both took wounds, thankful she knew a little magic to first heal herself, then heal me. It was at moments like that I definitely wished we had Aela and Mirabelle with us.
In addition to the endless draugr, we must have had to solve more than three or four puzzles, and these were not your ordinary, simple puzzles either. No, Skuldafn was a maze, a death trap, and a head scratcher. I think it was blind luck that allowed us to progress half the time. At least I found a word wall, though, so it wasn't all bad.
Getting through took hours so that, by the time we seemed to reach the end, it was dark outside. We agreed to head back into the temple and find somewhere to sleep. We hadn't brought any camping supplies but managed to find some old blankets as I figured, as high and as isolated as we were, it was bound to be freezing. We managed to get a fire going to provide some warmth.
"Thanks for bringing me along, Ragnar."
"I needed your help, Lydia. Plus, I guess you've missed out on some of my adventures."
"And I'm guessing there'll be many more once this is done."
"Definitely. I think we both know that my life isn't particularly boring."
Though she cuddled into me later that night, there were no other shenanigans as we wanted to rise as early as possible. The sun had risen though the temperature hadn't when we walked outside the next morning, both of us well rested despite lying on a still rather cold stone floor. In the distance we could see a shaft of light ascending into the heavens, realising that was the way to Sovngarde. Any thoughts of it being an easy walk from there ended when we met the Dragon Priest guarding it.
The good news for us is that we caught him unawares, and as I managed to Shout him out of the way, Lydia made a desperate dive for the staff, knowing that was where he drew most of his power. Without his staff, he was rather pathetic, and Lydia took delight in using the staff on him in return. She gave me space and time to end the Dragon Priest, taking his mask as reward, before we approached the portal. Taking her hand in mine, we stepped forward and immediately ascended to Sovngarde.
I knew within five seconds of arriving that I would want to return when I died. Whether I did would depend on the gods, and perhaps my actions going forward, but I was a Nord, and this was definitely the heaven I wanted. As for Lydia, I think she may have needed a moment to compose herself, noticing that she needed to wipe her cheeks. I didn't say anything as I completely understood the reaction.
We immediately started to wander through the dense fog, and I'll admit to some surprise that we found people within it. Running into a couple of soldiers first, we offered to escort them and we soon had three or four with us before we ran into Kodlak.
I shook his hand before we embraced, and that was my turn to perhaps wipe my cheeks once we'd released each other. As lost as everyone else, I offered to help escort him too. Through the mist we also found High King Torygg, who explained in great detail what happened the day he died before he asked after his wife. I let him know she was well, and that seemed to please him, eventually joining out merry band. By the time we made to the bridge leading over towards the Hall of Valour, we must have numbered at least a dozen.
It was there that we were greeted by Tsun, all of us taking a knee before the God of Trials. And I knew that, since he was guarding the bridge, one of us would need to fight him to cross.
"What brings you here, wayfarer grim, to wonder here, in Sovngarde, souls-end, Shor's gift to the honoured dead?"
"I am here to end Alduin's threat to our world."
"A fateful errand. No few have chafed to face the Worm since first he set his soul-snare here at Sovngarde's threshold. But Shor's restrained our wrathful onslaught -- perhaps, deep-counselled, your doom he foresaw."
"I seek entrance to the Hall of Valour."
"No shade are you, as usually here passes, but living, you dare the land of the dead. By what right do you request entry?"
"I am the Dragonborn."
He smiled at that reply. "Ah! It's been too long since last I faced a doom-driven hero of the dragon blood."
"May I enter?"
"Living or dead, by decree of Shor, none may pass this perilous bridge 'til I judge them worthy by the warrior's test."
It was not a fight to the death, though I'm not sure I could have killed him anyway. It was merely a test of strength, skill, but I think most importantly, heart. I could feel every strike of his sword on my shield through every fibre of my being. I did not use my Thu'um against a god, trusting in my sword arm to prevail. And, somehow, after a long battle that left me dripping with sweat, he took a knee of his own, stating I had proven my worth as a warrior.
Grasping my forearm as I did the same, he smiled at me again. "You fought well. I find you worthy. It is long since one of the living has entered here. May Shor's favour follow you and your errand."
"Thank you, Tsun, God of Trials."
"Perhaps when you return in many years' time, we can battle again."
