Location: Throat of the World
1st of Sun's Dawn
"You have it. The Kel - the Elder Scroll. Tood kreh... qalos. Time shudders at its touch."
"You consider this a bad idea. I understand."
Miravelle hugged the Elder Scroll closed to her chest as she made her way to the top of the mountain, only to stop and look up when the elder dragon's disheartened voice boomed.
Paarthurnax sat upon his World Wall, eyes cloudy and with despair. "There is no question. You are doom-driven. Kogaan Akatosh. The very bones of the earth are at your disposal."
She removed her satchel and placed it against the ancient wall. "I will do what I must, Paarthurnax. Assist me further if you wish, but I will not stop."
"Go then. Fulfill your destiny. Take the Scroll to the Time-Wound. Do not delay. Alduin will be coming. He cannot miss the signs."
Signs?
Gods! I… can't move! Wha… This is… This is the Throat of the World. The skies are crimson red. Meteors? Alduin brought those in Helgan, where father and I witnessed his terror for the first time when we visited the little village.
What the… There… there are three humans, standing in front of me. They must be the Nord heroes - Hakon One-Eye, Gormlaith Golden-Hilt, and Felldir the Old.
"They did not have Dragonrend. Once we bring him down, I promise I will have his head."
Dragonrend!
"You do not understand. Alduin cannot be slain like a lesser dragon. He is beyond our strength. Which is why I brought the Elder Scroll."
"Felldir! We agreed not to use it!" Hakon protests.
"I never agreed. And if you are right, I will not need it."
"No. We will deal with Alduin ourselves, here and now."
"We shall see soon enough. Alduin approaches!"
And there he is.
"Joor… ZAH FRUL!"
Joor… Zah… Frul… I… Those words are forcing themselves into my head…!
"Nivahriin joorre! What have you done? What twisted Words have you created?! Tahrodiis Paarthurnax! My teeth to his neck! But first... dir ko maar. You will die in terror, knowing your final fate... To feed my power when I come for you in Sovngarde!"
"If I die today, it will not be in terror. You feel fear for the first time, worm. I see it in your eyes. Skyrim will be free!"
Oh, Gods! No! Gormlaith!
"No, damn you! It's no use! Use the Scroll, Felldir! Now!"
"Hold, Alduin on the Wing! Sister Hawk, grant us your sacred breath to make this contract heard! Begone, World-Eater! By words with older bones than your own we break your perch on this age and send you out! You are banished! Alduin, we shout you out from all our endings unto the last!"
"Faal Kel...?! Nikriinne..."
"You are banished!"
Alduin's gone… Disappeared into time…
"It worked... you did it..."
"Yes, the World-Eater is gone... may the spirits have mercy on our souls."
Felldir… You knew otherwise, did you not?
The Elder Scrolls slipped out of Miravelle's hand and landed in the snow, followed by the Dragonborn herself. Exiting the vision knocked every energy out of her being. She managed to fall just to her knees, eyes flattering vigorously to shake off the lingering effects of the vision.
"Bahloki nahkip sillesejoor!" A new, yet familiar voice thundered from above her. "My belly is full of the souls of your fellow mortals, Dovahkiin! Die now and await your fate in Sovngarde!"
Gods damn it, he's here. Argh, and my head is still spinning! That shout… it forced itself into my head…
"Lost funt! You are too late, Alduin!"
Paarthurnax…
"Dovahkiin! Use Dragonrend, if you know it!"
She felt a second pair of giant wings flap, and she could only conclude that it was Paarthurnax, joining his brother in the skies in battle.
"Dovahkiin, you call yourself? Arrogant mortal!"
She looked up to black dragon, a wave of rage coursing through her. She had had enough. Enough of everything.
Paarthurnax attempted a fire breath Shout while his brother had his attention on the Dragonborn, but the firstborn glided away with swift speed. With what felt like an incredible amount of strength, Miravelle rose to her feet, not without her sword and a wince.
"I will feast on your soul in Sovngarde!" Alduin glided towards her.
She took in a deep breath, steadied herself, and shouted, "Joor… ZAH FRUL!"
The Shout hit him like a punch and Miravelle had to jumped to her right to avoid his crash-landing. Blue swirls of light encased the World-Eater in a bind, giving Miravelle some time to return to her feet, that Shout having taken everything out of her. Oh Gods, that Shout! My poor head!
"You DARE use that Thu'um on me?!" Alduin questioned in horror, his sentence getting cut short at the end when Paarthurnax connected with the fire breath Shout this time.
Miravelle drove her Daedric sword into his right wing and dragged it across with all her might, inciting a loud pained roar from the black dragon. She missed his attempt at swatting her away with his injured wing by running to his front and driving her sword into his jaw.
"You will pay for your defiance!"
"IISS!" A thin coat of ice shut him right up. She grabbed whatever energy she had to put it into one final Shout, which she prayed to the heavens would be enough to stop him. "Fus… RO DAH!"
The unrelenting force Shout rang in the black dragon's ears and he halted his struggling, as if he was stripped of all power.
"Meyz mul, Dovahkiin…" Alduin said in a low tone, his voice rumbling through Miravelle.
She saw the blue swirls of the Dragonrend Shout dissipate like smoke and it made her heart fall. She was standing right there, in front of him…
"You have become strong,"
"Are you surrendering?" She asked as she backed a little, catching her breath.
"Foolish Joor! I am Al-du-in, Firstborn of Akatosh! Mulaagi zok lot! I cannot be slain here, by you or anyone else! You cannot prevail against me. I will outlast you... mortal!"
Speedily, Alduin spread his wings and took to the skies, knocking Miravelle off her feet once more. She remained on the snowy ground, desperate to breathe and regain energy.
"Dovahkiin?" Paarthurnax settled upon his Word Wall and extended his head towards the fallen Miravelle. "Dovahkiin, alok. Arise. Take it slow."
"Perhaps I am not as young as I thought I was…" She reached out to grab on of his horns and hosted herself up. "That Shout… When I used it, I felt it resonating from within my own soul. More so than all the other Shouts."
"As it should, Dovahkiin," He said. "Lot krongrah! You truly have the Voice of a dovah. Alduin's allies will think twice after this victory."
"He fly away, like the cowardly lizard that he is!" She halted to breathe once more. "It is not much of a victory…"
"Ni liivrah hin mere. True, this is not the final krongah - victory. But not even the heroes of old were able to defeat Alduin in open battle. Alduin always was pahlok - arrogant in his power. Uznahgar paar. He took dominaton as his birthright. This should shake the loyalty of the dov who serve him."
Perhaps it is a small victory after all… "Where would that terror have gone to this time?"
"Yes... one of his allies could tell us. Motmahus... But it will not be easy to... convince one of them to betray him. Perhaps the hofkahsejun - the palace in Whiterun... Dragonsreach. It was originally built to house a captive dovah. A fine place to trap one of Alduin's allies, hmm?"
"Indeed. Although the Jarl of Whiterun may not share the same thought."
"Hmm, yes. But you su'um is strong. I do not doubt you can convince him of the need."
"How kind of you," Miravelle managed a smile. "But I must see to my father before anything else. I thank you for your council, Paarthurnax."
"Lok, Thu'um."
