Chapter 20: Sky Heaven Temple and Paarthrunax

Talis and Tymvir walked into the Sleeping Giant Inn. She looked around: nothing has changed, except for one thing. Ralof and Hadvar were sitting down and drinking. Though on opposite sides, they were glad the war was over. They walked into the secret room. Delphene was there, as was another elderly man. He walked up to Talis. "Esbern. I'm another member of the Blades. I study the prophecies of Tamriel."

"Talis Winter-Blood." She shook his hand.

Tymvir took his hand. "Tymvir Stormcloak. According to Talis, you were with the Thieves Guild. How did you get out?"

"A Bosmer named Dirgorn helped me out." Esbern said. He looked at Talis. "He said you know him."

Talis sighed. "So that's another favor I owe him." She looked at Delphene. "What's our next move?"

"Esbern may have found a way to defeat Alduin." Delphene said. "Myself, I'm skeptical."

"Sky Haven Temple does exist." Esbern said. "We need to get the Reach. I'll show you where it is."

Inside Sky Haven Temple…

They stood before Alduin's wall. Esbern was inspecting the wall. "It seems we need some Shout to defeat Alduin." He deduced.

"We need a Shout? Dammit." She turned to Talis. "Please tell me that you already know this shout."

"I've gone exploring in almost every Nordic tomb, and been to every Dragon lair in Skyrim. But I don't know this Shout." Talis said. She looked back at her war partner. "Any ideas Tymvir?"

Tymvir began to examine the wall. "Perhaps the Greybeards know something about this?"

Delphene sighed. "I was hoping to avoid involving them in this, but it seems we have no choice. A good thing you've already been accepted into their cult."

As a student of theirs, Tymvir took that one personally. "Excuse me, but do you have something against them?"

Delphene pointed at Talis. "If they had their way, the Dragonborn wouldn't do anything but sit up on their mountain with them and talk to the sky or whatever they do." She said. "They're so afraid of power that they won't use it."

"Hey, considering the fact most of them will kill you just by opening their mouths, I can see why they chose salutation." Talis said. She turned to Tymvir. "C'mon Tymvir. We're going to High Hrothgar."

As they walked out, Tymvir began to speak to her. "Delphene is beginning to annoy you." He noticed the angry look in Talis' face.

"Oh yeah." She said. "But right now, we need to learn that Shout."

At High Hrothgar…

"What do you mean you don't know the Shout?" Talis yelled. The only thing she learned about this new Shout was its name: Dragonrend. She also learned that Arngeir shared Delphene's distaste for each other.

"Dragonrend has no place in the Way of the Voice." The Greybeard said.

"So how can Talis learn it?" Tymvir asked. "Can no one teach her?"

"Only Paarthrunax, the master of our order, can answer that question, if he so chooses." Arngeir said.

"Where is he?" Talis asked. "How come I haven't met him yet?"

"My father met him once." Tymvir said. "He said he lives in seclusion on the top of the mountain."

"And I was about to ask how you get more secluded than this." Talis said. "Did ever say anything about him?"

"Only that were I ever to meet him, I'm to remain calm. He said Paarthurnax is not what you would expect him to be." Tymvir said.

"But in order to reach him, you must learn a new Shout. Come." Arngeir said. He stood from his chair and escorted them outside into the courtyard. The passage up the mountain was blocked by a gusting wind. "Our last gift, Dragonborn Talis: The Shout, Clear Skies." Arngeir breathed the words 'Sky, Spring, and Summer.'

Talis absorbed the Words of Power. She understood the words. Talis walked up to the gateway. "LOK VAH KOOR!" Talis shouted. The wind stopped blowing and allowed her and Tymvir to pass. The two of them slew Ice Wraiths as they walked up the rocky passage, using Clear Skies when necessary. When they reached the summit, one thing caught Talis' attention. "Tymvir look, a Word Wall!"

"Wait a moment." Tymvir said as they approached it. "If there's a Word Wall here, doesn't that mean there's a …"

The Nords heard a roar from the top of the mountain. The two looked up and saw a dragon. This dragon seemed different. Some of his horns were broken, his wings were tattered on the end, and his scales seem old and faded. Before the two of them drew their weapons, the dragon landed in front of them.

"Drem Yol Lok (Peace, Fire, Sky). Greetings, wunduniks (Young ones). I am Paarthurnax." The dragon said.

Talis and Tymvir looked at each other in disbelief. "Father was right. You're not what I expected at all." Tymvir said.

"Yes. Your Bromah (Father), Ulfric, met with me once before he left." Paarthurnax said. The elderly dragon turned his head to Talis. "Now, who are you? What brings you to my strumah…my mountain?"

"My name is Talis Winter-Blood Master Paarthrunax." She said, with respect. "Since you're the leader of the Greybeards, I believe you know what I am. Though like my friend, I didn't expect you to be a dragon."

"I'm am as my father Akatosh made me. As are you Talis Winter-Blood, Dovahkiin." Paarthrunax said. "Tell me, why do you come here, volaan (intrude)? Why do you intrude on my meditation?"

"Oh, sorry about that." Talis apologized. "But I need to learn Dragonrend. Can you please teach me?"

"Drem, patience. There are formalities which must be observed at the first meeting between two of the Dov." Paarthrnax told her.

"Wish someone told Mirmulnir and Sahloknir." Talis said.

The elderly dragon crawled toward his Word Wall. Talis saw that for once, the Word Wall was blank. "By tradition, the elder speaks first. Hear my Thu'um! Feel it in your bones. Match it if you are Dovahkiin." He turned back to the Wall. "YOL TOOR SHUL!" He breathed fire onto the wall. The final word for Fire Breath, Shul, appeared on the wall. "A gift to you."

Talis absorbed the final word of her personal favorite Shout. "It's complete now." She felt Paarthurnax's knowledge of the word flow into her. She turned to her Master.

"Now, show me what you can do. Great me not as Bron (Nord), but as a Dovah!" The dragon said.

Talis glanced at Tymvir, giving her a do it look, and looked back towards Paarthrunax. She took in a deep breath. "YOL TOOR SHUL!" She shouted. She felt that she could truly count herself among the dragons. The flames his Paarthrunax, but as a Dragon, he didn't seem that concerned.

The dragon laughed. "Yes! The dragonblood is strong in you. It's been a long time since I've had the pleasure of speech with one of my own kind." Paarthurnax said. "Now, you've come to seek your weapon against Alduin. But first, a question: Why do you want to learn this Shout?"

"Alduin plans on killing us. I rather like living. I'm not going to die yet." Talis said.

"As good a reason as any. Now, what about the next world?" Paarthrunax asked.

"It'll have to take care of itself." Talis said.

"A fair answer." He said. "However, I hate to disappoint you, but like my students, I don't know Dragonrend."

Talis and Tymvir stood there is silence. "WHAT!?"

Paarthrunax explained on why he stayed on the Throat of the World. He spoke of his friends, ancient heroes, how Alduin was sent forward in time, and he was waiting for Alduin's return.

"That was why Alduin attacked Helgen!" Tymvir realized. "He sensed you, the Dragonborn, and wanted kill you!" Tymvir looked at Talis.

Paarthurnax than explained that they needed the Elder Scroll used to send Alduin forward. Then, using the Time Wound, where the scroll was used, to learn Dragonrend. "If I were you, I'd try the College at Winterhold. They should be able to point you in the right direction." Paarthrunax perched upon his Word Wall. "Lok, Thu'um."

"Thank you Master Paarthrunax!" Talis yelled as she and Tymvir left.