Although Cry had told Vilkas that she needed to go to Markarth, she partially expected he'd insist they head to Whiterun, first, to figure out what to do with the Companions while they were both gone. She was surprised, then, when he did not suggest that whatsoever. Instead, he simply followed her out of Solitude, and onto the road that would take them in the direction of Karthspire, which was close to where Sky Haven Temple was, according to Delphine's letters.

They traveled swiftly, neither of them needing to rest because of the beast blood that they both still carried. Cry knew that she needed to bring it up with him, ask if he wanted to use one of the witch heads to cleanse himself, but there was time for that, she supposed. He wanted to help her, currently, and she supposed it was about time she got back on track about the dragon situation.

Unfortunately, the journey was pushed off course by the arrival of a dragon, who swooped down on them shortly after they had passed through Rorikstead on their way south. It announced itself through a blast of frost, and Cry, who'd sensed the dragon, pushed Vilkas out of the way of the ice, pulling out her greatsword at the same time. She spun around to face the dragon, who was flying overhead. It came to a halt, and hovered over her, gazing down at her.

"Nahagliiv, Dovahkiin," it growled.

"Dovahkiin Silonbal," Cry replied, and the dragon twisted its head and flew off. It rounded, and flew towards her again, Shouting more frost in her direction. Cry attempted to swing her sword at it, but missed, of course.

"Arrows, love," Vilkas advised, holding a bow already.

"Good idea," Cry agreed. "You shoot it down, and then I'll attack it with my sword."

Vilkas sighed, but did not argue with her. He pulled an arrow back in the bow string, and shot it at the dragon as it circled back yet again. The arrow landed beneath its wing, and Nahagliiv jerked.

"Good shot!" Cry said, grinning at Vilkas, who was preparing another arrow.

He fired this one as well, and it was enough to convince the dragon to land. It did so, lumbering around so that it could Shout more frost at them. Cry ran towards it, holding up her sword, and she slashed at Nahagliiv's wings with it as soon as she was close enough. She did not want the dragon to take to the air again.

The dragon roared, and she slashed at it once more, leaving another cut in the tough leather of its wing.

Vilkas had joined her, holding his own greatsword. He went to work on the dragon's other wing, clearly understanding her intention. Cry could see Nahagliiv was struggling, and she was tempted to feel bad; it really wasn't fair, how badly they were beating it.

Still, just as before, she could not let it live. It might decide to attack Rorikstead, and she could not have that. She clambered up onto the dragon's back, like she had with Sahlokniir, and raised her sword. "Vilkas, look!" she called, and he glanced up from where he was stabbing at the tough, leathery wing. His eyes went wide.

"What are you doing? Are you insane?" he exclaimed.

"No! This is the most efficient way of dealing with dragons!" Cry shouted back, and then she stabbed her sword down. Nahagliiv went limp beneath where she stood on its back. She slid down off of it, taking her sword with her, and joined Vilkas on solid ground. She spoke to him as the dragon soul rushed into her: "See? Easy. It only works if there's someone to help distract it, though," she said.

Vilkas was gaping, and she frowned at him as the warmth from the soul and the knowledge it carried faded. "What?" she asked.

"You were glowing!" he said, and she glanced over her shoulder at the bones of the dragon, and then back at him.

"Is that what happens? I never asked anyone." She shrugged. "Good to know, I guess. Let's keep going."

They did so, but only after Cry had grabbed Vilkas to encourage him to get moving.

The rest of the trip into the Reach was uneventful, aside from the usual array of wolves, which were easy to deal with after the dragon.

Karthspire, however, was a completely different situation. As soon as they were within sight of it, a ball of fire flew towards them. Cry almost didn't get out of the way of it, but Vilkas pulled her behind a rock just before it could strike her.

"What was that?" she asked, blinking in shock.

"Forsworn, I think," he said, peering around the rock. He had placed her between it and himself, and Cry felt her cheeks grow hot when she noticed this. "I don't know how many; I think I can see a settlement."

He looked at her, then, and she grinned sheepishly at him. "What should we do?" she asked, and he cleared his throat, backing up a few steps.

"I don't know," he said. "There might be too many for just two of us to handle, especially if they all attack at the same time."

"How about four of us?"

Cry glanced past Vilkas, and smiled. "Delphine, Esbern!" she said, moving around Vilkas and towards the two of them. "What are you doing out here?"

"The same thing you two are, most like," Delphine said. "We couldn't get past the Forsworn, either." She looked pointedly at Vilkas. "Wasn't it a woman, the last time we saw you?" she asked.

"Oh, sorry!" Cry said, and she gestured to Vilkas. "Delphine, Esbern, this is Vilkas. He's my… my… uh…" She exhaled. "He's my Master at Arms."

Vilkas smiled, and held out his hand to shake. "Nice to meet you," he said.

Delphine looked apprehensive, while Esbern merely smirked at Cry as he shook Vilkas's hand for the both of them. Cry scowled at him in response. Delphine looked towards the Forsworn settlement.

"Well, perhaps with four of us, we stand a chance," she said at last. "We just need to get past them enough to reach Karthspire, which is up there." She pointed towards an overhang, which was directly next to the settlement.

"Oh, sure," Cry said. "That should be easy enough." Delphine looked at her, and Cry smiled. "Didn't you miss me?"

"More than you know, Dragonborn," Esbern said before Delphine could respond.

She nodded, and pulled out her sword. Twirling it, she gestured with her head. "Let's go deal with these Forsworn, eh?"

Twenty short minutes later, all of the Forsworn were dead, and the four of them had reconvened outside of Karthspire. Cry grinned widely, and she nudged Vilkas with her shoulder.

"That went well, right?"

"As well as it could've," Delphine said before Vilkas could respond. "Let's head in; we've already wasted plenty of time."

She ducked into the cave first. Cry exchanged a look with Esbern, who smiled and headed into the cave after Delphine. After nudging Vilkas again, Cry did the same, and he followed behind her.

They passed through a cavern that looked like it had been populated at one point, but was now empty. Crossing a rope bridge, they came to a stop in a spot where they could go no further, faced with three pillars, all featuring different symbols. Looking around, it seemed the way forward was blocked by a stone bridge.

"We need to get that bridge down," Delphine said, frowning at it.

Esbern examined the pillars. "These are Akaviri symbols," he said, gesturing to them. "You have the symbol for king, and for warrior, and, of course, the symbol for Dragonborn." He nodded to the pillar on the right. "That's the one with a sort of arrow shape pointing downward at the bottom."

Cry tilted her head. She looked at the pillars, and then at the bridge, and then at the pillars again. She stepped forward, and turned the middle pillar until the Dragonborn symbol faced out.

"Yes, that's it," Esbern said.

Cry turned the last pillar as well. As soon as the Dragonborn symbol faced out, the bridge lowered.

"Whatever you did, it worked," Delphine said, stepping onto the bridge. "Let's keep moving."

"How'd you figure that out?" Vilkas asked as they followed Esbern across the bridge.

Cry shrugged. "Dunno. It makes sense, though. Maybe this place knows I'm Dragonborn, and turning the pillars was like… proof?"

Vilkas did not look convinced. "That would take some serious magic," he said, and Cry smiled.

"A lot of things in Skyrim do," she said.

They met up with the two Blades in a different room, in which the entire floor was covered in pressure plates. Cry blinked upon seeing them, and looked at Esbern.

"Why are all you Blades so paranoid?"

"Funny," Delphine said. She pointed to the plates. "Look, it's the same symbol as before." She looked at Cry. "I bet you could make it across the room, if you stuck to those plates."

"Hah, now you're the one making jokes," Cry said, and Delphine sighed.

"Afraid not."

Cry groaned, and looked at Vilkas, who appeared just as wary as she felt. "Don't follow me," she said to him.

"You're actually going to do it?" he asked, his eyes going wide. "You must be kidding."

"I have to," Cry said. "No one else will be able to make it across unless I try." She paused. "It'll be fine. Probably."

Before she could second guess it, she placed one foot on the first plate with the Dragonborn symbol carved into it. When she wasn't immediately blasted with flames, she let out a relieved breath, and moved onto the next panel.

Slowly, to make sure she didn't misstep, she moved across the floor, only stepping on the tiles with the Dragonborn symbol. She reached the other side, and yanked on the chain there. Immediately, the panels sank into the floor.

"Good job, Dragonborn," Esbern said, and he and Delphine made their way across the room as well, Vilkas behind them. He took Cry's hand, once he'd reached her.

"You're incredibly lucky you didn't get incinerated," he said to her, and Cry grinned.

"Can't yet. Gotta kill a dragon, first."

She pushed on, leading Vilkas by the hand. Eventually the four of them reached a side cavern lit mostly by natural lighting. In the center of the room was a chest, and against one wall, a very large, very scary looking statue of a face.

Esbern did not seem to be frightened by it. "Wonderful! Remarkably well preserved, too." He paused, and gestured to the floor. "Ah... here's the "blood seal." Another of the lost Akaviri arts. No doubt triggered by... well, blood." He glanced at Cry. "Your blood, Dragonborn."

"Nice," she said under her breath, and joined him next to the circle on the floor. After examining it for a moment, she stepped towards the center of it, and crouched down. Esbern handed her a dagger, and she swallowed before slicing open her palm, and allowing some of her blood to drip onto the center plate.

Immediately, the rest of the blood deal glowed with white light, and the head statue started to lift, to reveal a staircase that was behind it. Cry straightened up, and reached into her pack to search for a health potion to heal her cut.

Vilkas had approached, however, a potion in hand. She smiled at him, and took the bottle from him, swallowing part of the potion down. Her cut healed, and she handed the bottle back.

"Thank you."

"Of course."

Delphine had approached the opening. "Dragonborn," she said, and Cry glanced at her. "You should be the first one to enter."

Cry inhaled, slowly, and examined the steps leading upwards. This was it, she knew. On the inside of this temple lay the answer to stopping the dragons, stopping Alduin. And once she knew what that answer was, there would be no reason for her not to chase after it.

"Let's go," she said, and walked towards the stairs.

The temple on the other side of the door at the top of them was dark. A spiral set of stairs led upwards, blocked in by narrow walls. Cry examined the carvings on the wall as Delphine moved up the steps ahead of her, lighting sconces along the way with a torch.

"Fascinating!" Esbern exclaimed, leaning close to get a better look at the wall. "Original Akaviri bas reliefs... almost entirely intact! Amazing... you can see how the Akaviri craftsmen were beginning to embrace the more flowing Nordic style…"

Cry looked over at Delphine, who had an amused expression on her face. "We're here for Alduin's Wall, right, Esbern?" she prompted, and Esbern straightened up again.

"Yes, of course," he said, moving up the stairs towards her. "We'll have more time later to look around, I suppose."

They continued on up the stairs, and Cry smiled at Vilkas, who raised his eyebrow in response. "Interesting friends you found in these two," he said to her. "Who are they, exactly?"

"The last members of the Blades, who were, I guess, a group of warriors that helped protect the Dragonborn, a long time ago." Cry shrugged. "I don't know. They want to stop the dragons, so I'm working with them."

"Fair enough," Vilkas said, and he gestured up the stairs.

Cry walked up the rest of them to the top. They led up into a large hall, that stretched upwards and outwards. Cry thought it was similar to the size of a throne hall in a keep, perhaps even bigger. And, remarkably, it had all been created using the natural shape of the stone walls around them.

"This place is… huge," she finally said, after struggling to find a proper word to use.

"Yes," Vilkas said, looking around. "Hard to believe that it's been empty for so long, until you think about all those traps that kept people out." He looked at her. "This place was meant to house the Dragonborn and their followers."

Cry turned to find the Blades, and saw them both standing in front of a large, intricately carved wall that was made of black stone. She blinked at it, approaching, and Esbern gestured to it.

"Alduin's Wall," he said. "It's hard to believe it is so well preserved." He reached a hand out, touched one of the carvings. "I've never seen a finer example of second era Akaviri sculptural relief."

Delphine let out a patient-sounding noise. "Esbern. We need information, not a lecture on art history."

Cry had to agree. Although she appreciated Esbern's vast knowledge, she did not necessarily want to hear any of it when the answer to how to stop Alduin was located on the wall somewhere. Esbern could interpret it for her, and she needed him to, now.

Esbern sighed. "Yes, yes," he said, and he stepped back, to look at the wall as a whole. "Let's see what we have… ah, look, here is Alduin." He gestured to a large dragon that was carved near the start of the wall. "This panel goes back to the beginning of time, when Alduin and the Dragon Cult ruled over Skyrim. Here, the humans rebel against their dragon overlords - the legendary Dragon War."

Cry tilted her head as she took in the imagery. She could sort of tell what he was talking about, could make out vague figures, but the most prominent figure in all of them was Alduin himself.

"Alduin's defeat is the centerpiece of the Wall," Esbern continued, spreading his hands to indicate the middle-most panel. "You see, here he is falling from the sky. The Nord Tongues - masters of the Voice - are arrayed against him."

"Does it show how they defeated him?" Delphine asked, moving forward. "Isn't that why we're here?"

"Patience, my dear," Esbern said, calmly. "The Akaviri were not a straightforward people. Everything is crouched in allegory and mythic symbolism." He paused for a moment, examining the wall with narrowed eyes. "Yes, yes," he said at last. "This here, coming from the mouths of the Nord heroes." He indicated a carving that might have been a word. "This is the Akaviri symbol for 'Shout'."

Cry blinked, and looked over at Delphine, who frowned. "You mean they used a Shout to defeat Alduin?" she asked. "You're sure."

"Hm?" Esbern had, once again, been lost in the artwork. "Oh, yes. Presumably something rather specific to dragons, or even Alduin himself. Remember, this is where they recorded all they knew of Alduin and his return."

Delphine sighed. "So, we're looking for a Shout, then. Damn it."

Cry had to agree with her sentiment. Who knew how many Shouts there were available to human knowledge, and who knew which one was the correct one? She definitely didn't, and she didn't know if there was anyone who would know. The Greybeards, she supposed, might, but… she doubted it, considering the violence involved during the Dragon War.

"Shit," she sighed, and she looked at Delphine. "I think I might have to talk to the Greybeards about this."

Delphine crossed her arms. "I had hoped we wouldn't need to involve them, but I suppose it may be our only choice. They could be the only people who might have any idea what Shout was used."

"Look, here, in the third panel!" Esbern said, and Cry turned back towards him. "The prophecy which brought the Akaviri to Tamriel in the first place, in search of the Dragonborn." He gestured. "Here are the Akaviri - the Blades - you see their distinctive longswords."

Cry glanced at Delphine, at the sword she carried on her hip. So that was why it was so odd looking; it was a weapon designed specifically for Blades.

"Now, they kneel," Esbern continued, gesturing to a different part of the panel, "their ancient mission fulfilled, as the Last Dragonborn contends with Alduin at the end of time."

Cry stepped towards the Wall, peering at the figure that was meant to indicate herself. The figure was burly, probably fashioned after a male countenance rather than female. No doubt the ancient Akaviri hadn't assumed the Dragonborn to save the world would be female.

Something Esbern had said had caught her interest, however, and she looked at him. "The Last Dragonborn?"

"Oh, yes," Esbern said with a nod. "Since it was foretold that you would be the one to end the dragon menace for good, it makes sense that there would be no Dragonborn to come after you."

"Right," Cry said, quietly, and she stepped away from the Wall again, studying the floor. Someone placed a hand on her arm, and she turned to glance at Vilkas, who's brow was furrowed in concern.

"Are you all right?" he asked her, and she inhaled.

"I'm just… wondering what it means for everyone, if I fail," she explained. "If I'm the last Dragonborn, and I don't manage to kill Alduin… what will happen to Tamriel?"

Vilkas rubbed his hand up and down her arm, comfortingly. "You will not fail," he assured. "I doubt you'd allow yourself to."

Cry managed a smile for him, and nodded in agreement, before glancing around once more. "We need to go to High Hrothgar, now, I suppose," she said. She looked at him. "You up for that?"

"Anything you need," Vilkas replied.

"All right, then," Cry said. He turned towards Delphine. "I'll come back and let you know if I learn anything."

Delphine nodded. "And we'll search around here, see if there's anything that might be helpful in whatever's left." She looked at Esbern. "We may get distracted quite a lot, however."

Cry grinned. She dipped her head to Delphine, and then turned to Vilkas. "Let's go."