Chapter 37.

"I don't understand. Are you saying these ancient temples and tombs have some sort of, of… Thing that detects the material the claws are made of?"

We'd moved away from dragon languages for quite a bit now. Arngeir mentioned something about alters and tombs containing treasures guarded dragon priests and apparently, all the dragon claws things are keys of sorts meant to open the tombs. Which didn't really make sense to me since all the claws were identical apart from what they were made from, so how can they be keys?
When I explained that reasoning to Arngeir, he asked me to fetch him one of them.

"Really? I can touch them?" Best museum ever, I thought as I went to find the lightest one I could bring back.

Arngeir turned the claw over to show small emblems on the bottom.

"The tombs have three stone wheels you see. In theory, any one of the claws could open all the tombs as you say, but each door has a different combination. A wrong answer summons the dead to kill intruders"

"Well, I'd just write down all the combinations, which tomb they correspond to, maybe bring a carpenter up here to make a scale copy of one of the claws so it's a few pounds lighter, and take that wooden claw around all the tombs, slay the baddies and claim the shinies" It did make me wonder why they'd even bother with so many keys when the combination lock was probably difficult enough to make by itself and far more secure.

"Dovahkiin Havod raided many of the tombs already I'm afraid"

"Son of a… all the good stuff happened before I got here" I sighed.

"Do not despair, I think he left most of the treasure behind"

"Wha-WHY?" I'm not sure why I'm complaining. If Niik cleared out the monsters then that just means there's an unguarded pile of goodies that's been sitting there for, years… "someone's probably taken it all by now"

Against Arngeir's advice, my head thudded against the table in despair. Vampires, ghosts, dragons. This was the first time treasure was mentioned, and I don't get to see it. It's just like being sidelined again while the hero does all the good stuff.

"Are you motivated by riches, Robin?" He asked softly.

"No… but it's an adventure. A goal"

"You cannot eat gold, my dear. Money in itself is not a good goal to strive for"

I sighed under my breath. I didn't mean that kind of goal, I just meant it was the pot at the end of the rainbow. The classic prize for the journey.

"I already said I don't care about money. I grew up with most of my needs taken care of… uh" That probably sounded really snooty of me. "What I mean is, I got everything I needed through working with people. They fed and housed me so long as I delivered the goods. I guess that's still true with Niik, but I don't know if I'm going to be staying with him forever. I mean he's nice and everything, but after our adventures are over he'll be a full-time mage again and I don't even know what that job is like day in and day out. I don't even know how often I'll see him around the college if I'm not picking his brain every five minutes for journal entries…" I had to take a breath. That was a hell of a mouth full and my eyes were even starting to water near the end.
Arngeir just looked bewildered at my long discussion with myself.
"Sorry, I get chatty when no one stops me"

"You certainly do. And I can only imagine how powerful such a pair of lungs could be if blessed by the power of the voice"

"oh? Fus Ro Dah!" I yelled jokingly. Of course, there was no power in my words, but Arngeir commended me in the correct pronunciation and breath control. "What was your first word?"

"Fus is a common one. It's strong enough to notice when it works, but not so powerful to shatter one's being if it goes wrong"

"Are there any… sorry, this might be disrespectful…"

"Do you plan on insulting?" He asked.

"no?"

"Then ask"

With my tongue held firmly between my teeth, I decided just to go for it.

"Are there any, useless shouts?" I asked nervously. "In school, I had topics that were useless then and remain unused to this day. I wonder if that's true for these lessons?"

"It's a matter of perspective. Unlike the school of magic Niik is in charge of, we're specifically about the dragon language. So yes, like all languages some words are more redundant than others. Some you'll go your whole life not saying or may even not know of it at all"

I guess that makes sense. I've always thought of Niik's dragon shouts as special powers but I guess at the end of the day, they are just words. Not even magic words like abracadabra, but words dragons converse with. Which in a way kinda implies that their word is made reality.

"Alduin" I mumbled. "If he said in Dovah, 'kill all men' would all humans die?"

"No, it's not that simple. But 'Al du in' itself means Destroyer Devour Master. It's in the beast's very name to devour this world"

"Can he be stopped?"

Arngeir stiffened, sitting back in his chair while his frail hands tapped the tabletop.

"I cannot say. I have to believe it's possible that Alduin will succeed. When that happens, be it now or in the next hundred millennia, I cannot be certain. If it is our faith to be consumed by his wrath, so be it"

"You'll not help Niik in the battle?"

"We can train the Dovahkiin if he lets us, but when it comes to his destiny, we must only observe"

"yeah… that used to be my policy too" It's actually annoying to learn I lost my career trying to make a positive impact on this word and the people that actually live here won't help themselves.

After some chat, I tried to steer the talk towards another aspect of the greybeard guild.
"So about your master, he's obviously an immortal if he's the same one from Niik's training days"

Arngeir looked uncomfortable at this line of questioning.
"Not necessarily. It was only a century or so ago. Mer races can live some three hundred years on average"

"Mer?" This is usually when a vampire would lean over my shoulder and whisper a translation. "Sorry, I'm not familiar with that term"

"An elf" He looked very confused. Why wouldn't he? Even Serana knows this basic stuff so its been common knowledge for at least a thousand years and with the number of elves walking around Skyrim, I may as well be asking him what a tree is.

"So he's not a vampire then?" That narrows it down. An elven dragon master. I'm imagining snow-white hair and that goldish yellow skin they have, though it could be grey. Probably communicates in riddles half dubbed in dovah so that'll be fun. Saying that Niik's been waiting so long I'll probably be in the ground before he meets him.

"Instead of thinking about our master, perhaps you should occupy yourself with some of these" Arngeir pulled out some tubes from a shelf and brought them over. Turns out they were all maps of Skyrim, very old ones at that. "Crypts, burial mounds, alters. Whether it's wisdom or adventure you seek. These will help Dovahkiin Havod. When not studying within these walls, some of us travel to these sights in search of guidance from the divines"

"Oh joy. More walking around" I sighed. "After that climb getting here, I just want to relax for a spell" I felt a breeze against the back of my head. I turn in my seat to see Niik marching in full of business. "Hi Niik, you Fus Ro Done with training?" I heard him tut, but I found it funny, and in the end that's all that matters.

"I'm going to Red Water, you need to stay here until I get back, Robin"

"What? What's going on?" And why are you climbing out the window when the doors are just downstairs? I think to myself.

"It's my daughter Betty. She wants to kill Valerica, the only thing stopping her before was the fact that Valerica couldn't be killed in the Soul Cairn, but she's not there anymore, I lead her out"

Oops, oversight. I blame Niik. My mind was scrambled from my time in that hell dimension.

"So you're gonna go right now? Let me come" Inside I was screaming because we only just arrived. My legs will snap off if I walk down that path again.
After some more debating and arguing over me staying or going, Niik saw things my way and agreed that I should follow behind.

"Okay, Robin. Make your way to Red Water, keep that bow safe"

"Roger! or is it, Talos?"

"Keep yourself safe too" He says that like my descend plan was to head dive off the cliff.

"Duh… Off you go Batman" I watch him hop out of the window with a smirk on my face. "aw shit…" I just realised that had just argued myself into hiking down that darn mountain again. "I'm gonna miss feeling having legs" I sigh sadly before turning to Arngeir. His stiff expression was a bit of a surprise at first, but it didn't take me long to figure out the reason. "oh sorry, I didn't mean to swear again"

He shook his head at me.
"Off with you" He said dismissing me with a wave.

Being told off for my unladylike language. Not the way I wanted to end my time here, but too late to change it now.
I grab my books and dashed towards the bedroom where my gear was. I had to change quickly if I was going to catch up with Niik.
The fur-lined pelts were still damp from the trek up, going back down was going to suck.

As I walk towards the exit of the hall, I find two of the old men standing by the door. One of them, the one who first brought me to the study, put out his hand to stop me leaving.
I stopped myself before I asked the pair of mutes why they were stopping me.

"Is this going to take long?" I ask, knowing head motions won't break the self-imposed silence rule.

No, they replied.
I tut, pacing about wondering myself why I can't leave, especially after being told to go for swearing.
I glance at them again.

"If I decided I'm not waiting, would you stop me going by force?" In other words, am I being held captive? A prisoner, for Swearing?

The two men narrowed their eyes at me before staring at each other. If they're masters of the voice, I've seen what force Niik possessed when just three little words passed his lips. I might need more than a sword to get passed them.
But what would Niik say if I injured them, or worse, killed them?

"Niik is expecting me, if you serve the Dovahkiin, then let me pass!" I demanded, taking another step forward, but as I did, the again moved in to stop me, one of them pointing behind. When I looked, I only saw a seat waiting for me. "I'm not sitting around waiting for… whatever this is"

I could see it on their lips. They were wanting to speak, to tell me something. But apparently, anything could be channelled into a thu'um at their level so they mustn't.
After a minute of standoff, I roll my eyes before asking one last question. A pretty pointless question though, considering they'd probably lie before answering truthfully in the affirmative.

"Am I going to have to fight you to get out of here?" I asked, letting my hand reach for the hilts waiting at my hips.

Their eyes widened as I made that move, clearly, they don't want to fight me, or maybe they just rather it didn't come to that.

"Ah! Glad I caught you" Arngeir called as he made is way towards us from the halls I just came from. I see him coming over with a small long satchel on a cord over his shoulder. When he arrived he handed me the satchel and from the weight and feel of the contents, I could guess they were papery. "I marked down several of the locations where the dragon's voice is most felt in Skyrim. The alters may be treacherous to get to, but by arriving here you've proven quite the capable climber"

I blinked at him with the bag still in my hands. The two guarding the door were only meant to stop me leaving before Arngeir could give me a bag of helpful information meant to assist Niik?
Just as I realise that fact, the two 'guards' walk past, both giving me a questioning stare before dropping to their knees in meditation.
oops. I totally misread that situation, and thinking back Arngeir did say 'off with you' in a way that might be construed as playful, and it's not like I was going to be here for hours more before he kicked me out. I was having to leave anyway.

"Uh… thank you, Arngeir- Master Arngeir sorry. That wasn't impolite of me was it?"

"Don't threat. I sense you just forgot your manners a lot"

"um… could say that" I say coyly. I don't know how he managed to say that so nicely, but all I can do is feel shy and guilty around these people. It's the academy all over again, but the people running it isn't giant assholes when you make mistakes. "Anyway, I really gotta go. Niik could be teeth deep in a dragon right now, and I can't afford to miss it" I say as I back my way through the door.

"Of course. Would you like one of us to guide you down the harshest parts of the mountain?"
It's nice of him to offer, but I can't have someone who looks to be a hundred years old walk me down the mountain. I like to think if anything I'd be helping the elderly and not the other way round.

"No thanks, I- woah…" Out of nowhere, I am met with a sudden burst of warmth in the wind blowing in. "what the hell is this?" I ask seeing a bright yellow glow outside. I found myself standing before a fiery creature floating just off the ground. I was about to attack it out of instinct, but then I noticed a ghost wolf sitting idle as if it were waiting for me.

"oh right… Niik's summons" I mutter releasing my weapons as Master Arngeir followed me out.

"Dovahkiin Havod much enjoys his wizardry doesn't he"

"It's very much his forte yes" At least I won't be fighting alone if another troll shows up. "oh that reminds me, have begun eating that troll yet?"

"No, do you want to stay for supp-"

"No thank you bye!" I legged it. Not such a polite way to leave, but troll meat is never to be on my menu. I just wanted to know if they had started out of curiosity, not because I actually wanted to eat any.

As I ran down the steepening slope, I started to hear the patting of wolf paws on the snow as Fang passed on my left, and the flaming guy glided along the snow leaving behind a steaming trail on my right. Its bright warm glow acted as a beacon leading the way.
After around five hours of careful walking down the slops I came around a corner and I started hearing voices in the oncoming wind.
Panicked voices.
When I came over the ridge, I saw a trio of climbers. They were tired from the climb, covered head to toe in pelts like me, but they had their weapons drawn. A long battle axe and a pair of bows.
I gripped my sword ready for combat, but when Fang started growling, the fighters took notice of me.
The flaming summon Niik made. That was what the trio were looking at, not me.
Fang started barking and charged forward to attack as did the fire boy, raising his hands to charge a fire blast.

"Fang stop!" I ordered. I wasn't sure if it would work, but I hoped so.

Fang did go on the back heel for a moment, his ears fell as he looked back at me. I've only ever seen the fire thing partake in a fight before, so between it and Fang, I don't know if Niik is constantly feeding them instructions or if they're autonomous.
It made me wonder if they are sentient. Fang certainly seems to be, despite receiving commands from its master. When Niik is absent it just takes on the persona of a domestic dog or wolf in his case. So I don't know how summons work.

The two bowmen shared a look before raising their bows.

"Don't Shoot!" I called to them, but it was too late. Predicting the attack, flames intensified as a burst of fire was unleashed from the fire demon's hands attacking the men ahead.
They managed to evade however, as fire spread through the cold damp air much slower than normal. But Fang was also on the move, set on kill mode now that the men had attacked, so this time I was unable to call him off.
Fang pounced at one of them, knocking a bowman to the ground and gnashing at his face. He'd surely be killed already if he wasn't strong enough to hold the wolf back.
The axeman sliced at Fang, landing a hit clean on the wolf's left shoulder. A hit so hard that he actually disintegrated on contact. With Fang down the trio only had to worry about the flame monster.

From what I can tell, the creature needs to recharge fire within itself before it's able to launch another attack. After the last attack some of the flames were gone, but in killing Fang, enough time was allotted for the next blast.
I don't know who to help. The obvious answer is the three men as they're just climbing. They saw fire-boy before me, and since demons are confirmed entities in this world if I saw creatures like the ones Niik left me without context I'd assume hostility too.
Would Niik be upset at me if I kill his own summon? Does hurting his creatures also hurt him?

"he'll Have to get over it" I say with my teeth gritting as I draw my swords.

The men dropped their supply bags in retreat to find cover, knowing another fire blast was coming. As the creature pursued them, I ran up behind.
It reached out its hands in preparation for the next attack. Before it was able, I approached from the left and sliced off its arms. They broke off like charred kindling, sizzling on the snow causing a plume of steam to arise.
But it was useless. Its 'arms' stayed in place as flames sans physicality, but it seems no less capable of using fire attacks.
A pair of arrows enter the front of the fire demon and golden sparks instantly spray from the back having just been reduced to hot ash. But I noticed as the arrow entered, part of the the creature's arm grew back, be it very slightly.

"Stop shooting! You're making it stronger!" I called out to them. Another few arrows hit, and the creature had gathered enough wood grow up to his elbow. "Fine then…" I growled before slicing away at it again.
Its body didn't break as easily as the arms. In fact, my swords got stuck and within seconds the blades warmed to a point where I couldn't even hold the grips. Its head turned, mouth open. A glow erupted and a breath of flames spewed towards me.

I backed off, clearly fulfilling its intention. It turned away before attacking the others again, with my swords still stuck inside its body. With two-thirds of my weapons gone, I instinctively reached for my bow.

"no…" I'll only make it repair itself more.

A fire blast removed a good portion of the snow reducing it to just a wet patch on the stone.
As a last ditch effort, I grabbed a handful of the fluffy ice and tossed a snowball at the creature. It hissed on contact, making his charcoal skeleton turn grey and dousing some of the fire, but it was short lived as it reignited itself again. My hands were numb but I tried again and again, but the snow was too little too slow against it.

"Aaarhg!" The axeman took a blast to the arm. His coat caught fire and he tried to remove it, but the back strap for his weapon caused complications and the fire burned his face.

With help of one of the archers, he was able to free himself but with some damage done, he was probably out of the fight. I rushed over to help. I'm not a doctor, but if the creature is programmed to aid me then maybe he'll stop attacking if I'm in the way of fire. Literally.
Instead, I was struck from behind.
One of the men. He shoved me away demanding with a knife in his hand that I back off.

"fine…" I growled, turning back to the creature. I was correct, he was steering himself to avoid me being a casualty by making his way around the path for a clear shot.
I picked up the battle axe.
what is this made of, lead? I thought to myself, thinking it weighted the same as a small person when I tried picking it up.
Both hands in grip, I tried to pursue Niik's demon.
It was hard. My hands were cold from the snow and the weapon itself had been dropped already.
I got behind the demon as it charged an attack. I lifted the blade up high with my back arched and ready to bring it down on the demon. As an almost perfect swing, it crashed down hard in fast.
Almost perfect.
If only it went forwards as I planned. Instead, it went backwards, taking me with it.

"wow shit!" I yelled as my foot suddenly came away from me. I tumbled backwards and started sliding down a steeper drop off the path.

The snow was freshly fallen and fluffy enough to not be as hard as it could be. It was cushioning me against the rocks below. When the slop steadied enough for me to slow down and eventually stop, I couldn't even see where my descent began.
Even the glow from Niik's fire creature was gone from sight.
The wind was picking up, blowing more sleet and snow in my face while the ground below began to turn my legs bitterly cold even though the pelted armour. I felt winded. I coughed tasting blood after stupidly wiping my mouth with a cut hand from the fall.
But regardless, I picked myself up and began climbing.
It stung when snow met blood. Freezer burns, and although there was nothing to grip, being on all fours made me more steady against the wind as I scaled the sharp incline.
All the while I could hear the yells up top. The occasional 'whoosh' and 'hiss' of fire launching and hitting snow. If I didn't hear a hiss, I'd hear a scream, which chilled me more than the snow ever could.
This shouldn't be happening.
They're not our enemies.
They just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

"This shouldn't be happening" I grunted as I pushed myself higher. In my haste, my foot came loose and I slipped back down.
I lay flat on the snow, spreading my weight trying to stop myself. It worked, but I was still a good fifteen feet lower than I was.
I was face to face with my own blood stains as I climbed up again.
As I reached the top, I noticed that things had gotten quieter. The crashes of fire, the yells, even the talking had stopped.

"n- No!" I climbed to my feet and rushed over. Two men lay dead next to a pile of golden ash, while the lights in the eyes of the only one remaining slowly faded as his blood was drained into Niik's mouth.

"There you are…" Niik calmly said as the body dropped. "Did these men attack you?"

"did they attack me?" I was horrified that he'd even ask at this time.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"They were just climbers, Your Summons attacked Them!"

He only just arrived. Killed three people, only then does he ask me what happened.

"Impossible" He told me. "I instructed them to protect you. They'd have acted defensively until provoked"

"But Niik, one of them Looked like the devil himself, horns'n all. Do you really think anyone would feel safe letting it walk by? Of course they're going to draw their weapons"

Niik looked unphased by what I was saying. He simply retrieved one of the dropped bags and looked inside. He pulled out dried meats from one, fresh fruit form the other, and jars of herbs in the other bag.

"I see" He muttered shutting them over before casting a spell on the three dead men, raising them as zombies. With a snap and point of his fingers, the three of them grabbed a bag each before marching up the hill on their own. "I suspect they were on their way to pay tributes to the masters. Best not let them die in vain"

I turned to watch the dead men walk.
Is that it?
That's all he's going to say?

"Come on. We can't keep the others waiting in us too long" He told me before walking on ahead, leaving me to think.

Those men did not need to die. It was a misunderstanding, partly born from Niik's lack of faith in me.
If I was stronger, strong enough to handle this myself he wouldn't have felt the need to babysit me with a ghost and a demon and no one would have died.
The three of them seemed fit to make the walk with two bows and an axe between them. They may be stronger than me both as a whole and individually, but surely my archery skills make up for it.
If another troll appeared, I wouldn't be limited with restrictions. I'd use my bow and headshot it twenty times before it hobbles is hairy ass within arm ripping distance.

"Robin!" Niik called.

Against the blinding wall of light behind him made by the falling snow, Niik's body looked shadowy in contrast. His eyes a bright orange as his dark cape flutters off in the wind.

"vampire…" I muttered with my head low.
I walked up to the glowing ash pile. The embers were still warm when I picked up my burnt black swords and waved the embers off before sliding them back into my sheaths.
Catching up with Niik was easy enough but there were no talks or lectures for me this time.
He killed them. He's probably already over it and is just waiting for me to get that way too.

"I, think I've, made up my mind… Niik" I mumble, knowing he'll be able to hear me anyway. I've killed people before, but usually, they need to have wronged me somehow first before I so off handily murder them without another thought. And if I learned it didn't have to end that way, I'd be more shaken up than just getting over it.
I don't think I want to reach a point where ending a random human's life is like swatting a fly.
I can't think that way, not ever.
With a deep breath, I looked up to him while he was still staring ahead.
"When it happens… please just… let me die"

Robin: Oh yeah, I'm totally gonna die. Real suspenseful there pal. I'm one of the three main heroes and my alias makes one third of the story's title, so the only one with more plot armour than me is Niik frigging Havod.

Author: I swear to god Robin...