The two groups left the Temple together, then split up once they reached the base of the mountain, one heading north, the other east. It wasn't until they reached Ivarstead that it really hit Emmet what they were about to do, and he had to pause to collect himself.
"Are you alright?" Lucy asked, reaching over and squeezing his hand.
"I don't know," Emmet admitted. "I feel… not good. My stomach's doing flip flops."
"I don't blame you for being scared," she said softly. "I'll be honest, I am too. I haven't forgotten what he did to Helgen. But I think we can take him, now. We've seen him in action, we know what to expect, and we have some of the best warriors in the rebellion with us." She gave him a smile. "And Paarthurnax will be there to help us, right?"
Emmet took a deep breath and nodded. "Right." He glanced at the rest of their friends, who had stopped to let him have his moment. The Knight had tilted his head at Emmet before gesturing for the Dragonborn to come closer. Emmet did so, giving him a curious look as the Knight grasped both of his shoulders and leaned down so their foreheads were almost touching.
"You've got this," he whispered, and Emmet jolted in surprise, staring at him with wide eyes. He gave Emmet's shoulder a squeeze before moving toward the trail leading up to High Hrothgar.
"Did he actually talk?" Kitty asked as she came up to Emmet's side, eyes wide.
"Yeah," Emmet answered, equally awed. "Well he whispered, but still!"
"Best be gettin' a move on, lad," Iron-Tail nudged. Emmet nodded and followed the Knight up the Seven Thousand Steps.
High Hrothgar appeared empty when they arrived, none of the Greybeards coming to greet them. Emmet stared in surprise as the Knight simply strode across the hall to the doors leading out to the courtyard. "You've been here before?" he asked as they stepped outside once again.
The Knight nodded. 'I trained here for ten years. Not very long, by Greybeard standards, but I learned a few Shouts in that short time.'
"Did you meet Paarthurnax?"
'Once, shortly before I left. Our conversation was brief, but profound. He basically gave me his blessing to use my Voice for the rebellion.'
"Oh, wow…"
They took turns clearing the way to the peak of the mountain, something Emmet was immensely grateful for after he'd worn himself out so badly during his previous visit. Still, there was something about the Knight's voice that was oddly familiar… He put the thought out of his mind. He could question it another time, right now they had more important things to focus on.
The peak was empty when they arrived, but not for long. At the sound of beating wings Lucy drew her blades, preparing for a fight, but Emmet waved her down upon seeing the approaching dragon. "It's Paarthurnax," he assured her, and didn't miss the way Kitty and Iron-Tail also relaxed. The old dragon landed on a nearby boulder, looking quite pleased.
"You have it! The Kel- the Elder Scroll. Tood kreh… qalos. Time shudders at its touch. There is no question. You are doom driven. Kogaan Akatosh. The very bones of the earth are at your disposal. Go then; fulfill your destiny. Take the Scroll to the Time Wound- do not delay. Alduin will be coming. He cannot miss the signs." Emmet nodded, stepping toward where Paarthurnax gestured. He could see the air shimmering like there was a wave of heat, and shrugged the Scroll off his back. Lucy bit her lip almost hard enough to bleed as she watched him open the Scroll to read it, barely relaxing even as the Knight placed a hand on her shoulder.
The world around him seemed to vanish in a flash of bright light, which faded quickly and left him in almost complete darkness but for the fires raging in the sky. He could hear the roars of many dragons, and as his eyes adjusted, he could see them circling around the peak of the mountain. Before him were three humans, facing down the dragons with no other help.
"Gormlaith, we're running out of time! The battle-" The man who was speaking was cut off as a dragon landed before him.
"Daar sul thur se Alduin vakrii. Today Alduin's lordship will be restored. But I honor your courage. Krif voth ahkrin. Die now, in vain."
"For Skyrim!" the man shouted back, drawing his sword. He was soon joined by a woman, who used a maneuver much like the one Lucy used against the first dragon they had ever fought, leaping onto the beast's head to deliver a killing blow.
"Know that Gormlaith sent you down to death!" the woman gloated, then leapt off her kill. "Hakon! A glorious day, is it not?"
"Have you no thought beyond the blooding of your blade?"
"What else is there?"
"The battle below goes ill. If Alduin does not rise to our challenge, I fear all may be lost."
"You worry too much, brother. Victory will be ours."
'Hakon' turned to the third member of their party. "Why does Alduin hang back? We've staked everything on this plan of yours, old man."
"He will come," the old man spoke with confidence. "He cannot ignore our defiance. And why should he fear us, even now?"
"We've bloodied him well. Four of his kin have fallen to my blade alone this day," Gormlaith boasted.
"But none had yet stood against Alduin himself," the old man reminded. "Galthor, Sorri, Birkir…"
"They did not have Dragonrend. Once we bring him down, I promise I will have his head," Gormlaith vowed.
"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." Emmet watched with curiosity as the old man pulled out the Scroll, identical to the one he now held himself.
"Felldir! We agreed not to use it!" Hakon protested.
"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!"
"So be it."
Emmet's breath caught in his throat when Alduin finally approached, landing atop the Word Wall and staring down at the trio of humans with a vicious glower. "Meyye! Tahrodiis aanne! Him hinde pah liiv! Zu'u hin daan!" The massive dragon lifted his head to the sky and opened his mouth, summoning the same meteor shower that had destroyed Helgen.
"Let those that watch from Sovngarde envy us this day!" Gormlaith crowed, and with her two companions, Shouted. "Joor Zah Frul!"
"Nivahriin joorre!" Alduin snarled as he found himself dragged to the ground. "What have you done? What twisted Words have you created?! Tahrodiis Paarthurnax! My teeth to his neck! But first…" He bared his teeth at the humans. "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!" Gormlaith spat back. "You feel fear for the first time, worm! I see it in your eyes!"
"Fo Krah Diin!" Felldir Shouted, unleashing a torrent of frigid air upon the dragon.
Gormlaith raised her sword in defiance. "Skyrim will be free!" she declared before rushing forward to attack, soon joined by her companions. Emmet and clenched his eyes shut as Alduin grabbed her with his teeth, clapping his hands over his ears at the crunch of bones as the dragon's powerful jaws crushed down on her before tossing her body away.
"No, damn you!" Hakon cried. "It's no use! Use the Scroll, Felldir! Now!"
Felldir retreated to a safe distance as Hakon kept Alduin distracted. "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!"
Alduin finally took notice of the old man's chanting. "Faal Kel…?! Nikrinne…!" He let out a piercing roar and tried to roast Felldir alive, but the power of the Scroll already had him.
"You are banished!" Felldir shouted, and Alduin vanished. Hakon hobbled over to stand at Felldir's side, panting heavily as he stared in awe at the empty space formerly occupied by the World-Eater.
"It worked… You did it…"
"Yes," Felldir murmured. "The World-Eater is gone. May the spirits have mercy on our souls…"
The world was swallowed up by daylight again, and Emmet blinked against the blinding sunlight reflecting off the snow. He dropped the Scroll as he reached to rub at his watering eyes. "Did you learn it?" Lucy asked. "Did you learn the words for Dragonrend?"
Emmet swallowed hard as the sound of another dragon approaching reached their ears, and nodded. "I did."
"Prepare yourselves," Paarthurnax rumbled. "Alduin comes."