Asena walked through the dense Falkreath forest, her fingers softly brushing against the bushes and ferns swaying in the gentle wind. Light peeked through the branches and leaves, split apart into small pieces like shattered glass and reached out to the forest floor. It spilled on the emerald green of the trees, flashing them golden and other beautiful hues of yellow that Asena could not describe. She sighed peacefully; her body was cool, and the scent of the air was sweet. It was a beautiful evening in Skyrim.
The way the town was surrounded by forests that spread out miles upon miles and the gorgeous view of the mountains like the presence of a campfire, comforting and warming. A crisp breeze blew through the forest, ruffling Asena's hair, gently laying a blanket of peace over the little girl, who took a great inhale to feel the coolness of the wind surrounding her.
A buzzing sound was in her ear, and she whipped her hand around her face angrily. Though it was beautiful, she hated the bugs. She even made a weapon just for them. It was a stick and tied to the top a large piece of wood and some leaves. She used it to kill all the bugs she could find, and it was also a sword in her eyes. After washing it thoroughly she had put it in her belt.
Asena lightly grasped the stick in her hand, reassuring to herself that it was there.
"Hello there!"
Asena jumped. A little girl was looking at her with a grin on her small face. Wrapped neatly on her head was a woven crown made of purple and blue flowers. She cocked her head a little, curious on how the girl got a crown so beautiful. Suddenly she remembered to smile, waiting for a reply, even though she was annoyed at the interruption.
"Hey."
"What's your name?"
"...Asena."
The little girl gasped. "Are you and your parents the one who just moved in? I've been dying for new neighbors!"
"Well, you found the right person."
The girl's bright eyes widened.
"Yay! Thank the gods, there are finally new people in the city! But it means that you've never seen the garden before!"
Asena perked up curiously. "What garden?" she asked.
The little girl looked around her and leaned in closely. "Would you like me to show you?" She whispered, holding out her hand. Asena narrowed her eyes. "Sure, just don't do anything stupid" she said, nodding her head to her "sword," or her "bug stick" as she sometimes liked to call it.
Frea dashed forward, pulling Asena along with her, and the two little girls ran through the forest: their feet pounding on the bright green grass and pushing aside hanging tree branches and vines. Asena's hair flew behind her and the girl's green dress danced wildly around her legs, both of them laughing loudly. Never in her life had Asena ever felt so free. And even though she had no idea who this girl was, she trusted her with her heart.
They stumbled to a halt.
"We're here," the girl breathed.
Asena moved her messy hair out of her face."Wow," she gasped. Surrounded by tall dark green trees was a great opening of grass. Butterflies fluttered and danced with each other, and the forest creatures swerved their heads to the two girls, blinking, and bound away into the safety of the trees.
The sun shone gently on the field, illuminating the grass stalks with golden light. It hummed a magical song that spoke of freedom and beauty. Asena slowly walked to the middle of the field, gaping at her surroundings with wide eyes and her jaw to her knees.
"This place is...gorgeous. It's almost magical," she said.
"I know right! I'm pretty sure this place was enchanted by a mage," said the girl as she skipped to Asena.
"Now, let me show you why I call it 'the garden'." She bent down and pulled out a bowl of something that looked like white ash.
"Here's some bone meal. And look!" She bent down again and pulled out a canis root.
"Someone buried a ton of alchemy ingredients in this field! Like a garden of ingredients!"
Asena's eyes shot open wide. "Are you serious?"
"Yeah!"
"These all real?"
"Yes!"
Asena scratched her head. "That's really strange. But cool!" Frea nodded, her smile growing into a grin."So far I've found boar tusks, chaurus eggs, creep clusters, deathbells, dragon tongues- the flower of course- ectoplasms, falmer ears, fire salts, frost mirriams, glow dust, glowing mushrooms, and-"
The girl threw the ingredients onto the side and grabbed an object intricately wrapped in grass stalks and leaves."You won't believe this..." she whispered excitedly, quickly unwrapping the object. Asena leaned in, heart pounding in excitement. Finally, the last strands of grass were removed, and a bright red beating heart was revealed. Its veins pulsed and writhed in the little girl's hands.
"A daedra heart," the two girls whispered in awe.
They both looked up at each other, eyes bulging from their faces. "This is insane! I wonder how it got here," said Asena.
"I know! You have no idea how hard it was to keep this a secret. I swear I wanted to tell at least somebody about this garden, but I felt like I couldn't trust anyone. Especially the boy who works by the river." Her face wrinkled in disgust. "If the news got to him, I don't know what could happen. But anyways, when I saw you walking through the forest, all by yourself, I just..." the girl's eyes sparkled. "You know when you just have those inescapable voices that hammer into your heart without mercy, and you have to follow it or else you'll regret it for the rest of your life? I had one of those feelings"
Asena felt warmth flourish through her body. She couldn't help but smile.
"T-thanks," she stuttered. "Oh! I've never asked you your name."
"Frea," said the girl. "Also..." she leaped to the other side of the field, digging out a dirty satchel and dusting bits of soil off of it. The satchel was made from leather but torn, like it had been through months of being thrown about. On the front pocket was a large tear that was covered by deer hide stitched onto it with the stitches poking out.
"These aren't as fascinating as the daedra heart, but still interesting." Frea said as she flipped the satchel over and poured ingredients onto the palm of her hand that Asena had never seen before.
"Coda flowers, choke weeds, blister pod caps, bog beacons, and some daedroth teeth."
"Daedroth teeth!" exclaimed Asena. "How in Oblivion could someone have daedroth teeth?"
Frea shrugged, holding up a tooth close to her eyes. "I have no idea. But that person must be the bravest in all of Tamriel," she said.
"Bravest? More like the most idiotic. I would never risk my life for something as silly as some teeth. I just hope that they bought it somewhere. It's the smartest and safest option."
"Well, I heard that you could buy ingredients like this from the Khajiit caravans. I've never seen one before, though I wish I could, I've always wondered what those cat-people look like; like if they actually have tails and whiskers!"
"I'm pretty sure they do," said Asena, realizing that she's never seen any either. "But I can't be too sure."
Frea stared at the ingredients in her hand.
"There was also some sload soap in here, but every time I saw it, I just thought of how those monsters use their children to create it," She shivered. "So I threw it far in the forest."
Asena nodded. She remembered her mother telling her tales of how emotionless the sload was, though it never bothered her as much as it did to Frea, who looked deeply unsettled. Asena then looked up at the purple and red sky and gasped. She wasn't even keeping track of the time!
"I have to go home! My mom will scold me if I'm back after sundown."
"Oh," Frea's face dropped a little. She then buried the ingredients.
"Would you mind if I walk you home? I have to admit, it's quite scary walking through the forest during dusk all by yourself, but when you're with someone else it's very mystical!"
Asena shrugged. "Sure." Frea and Asena began the journey back to Falkreath, walking among the trees with branches that clung at their clothes and vines that tugged at their feet. Asena pulled out her stick, looking warily around her, while Frea was staring at the sunset with sparkling eyes.
"Oh, Asena, look!" she gasped. She grabbed Asena's arm which made her yell, aiming the stick at Frea's face.
Frea stared at it for a moment until she burst into laughter. "Why in Oblivion do you carry that thing around? There's nothing to be worried abo...Wait are those guts on it?"
"Bug guts, that's what," said Asena, straightening her posture. "I keep it around in case there's trouble- why are you looking at me like that? I'm trying to protect you!"
"Well, there shouldn't be any trouble here." She bit her lip, holding back a laugh. "Oh nevermind, you have to take a look at the sunset. It's magnificent!"
Asena slowly turned to the sky. "Woah," she murmured.
Above her was a sea of colors; red, pink, dark blue, and violet churning and dancing together as if the sky was their stage, and Tamriel it's audience. Clouds with highlights of salmon pink and purples headed towards the setting sun, and birds flew gracefully above them; as if wanting a taste of the sky, as the sun cast its last beams of orange and red on the audience; majestic and welcoming.
"I wish I was as pretty as a sunset," sighed Frea. "Imagine that. Every living thing stops to look at you, their eyes blazing. My dress, as wavy as an ocean, puffy as a cloud, would shower warmth on everyone who gazed upon it. I know I sound quite vain, but I just can't help but imagine it. Actually, nobody has to even acknowledge my beauty, because the knowledge of me being as beautiful as the sunset will let me live happily until the end of my days. Don't you agree?"
"I guess? It's gorgeous for sure, I don't think anything can really come close to it, but in about 30 minutes it'll go away."
"You guess?"
"I don't care for beauty. I want glory! Glory lasts forever; the knowledge that you're a warrior that saves people, that lasts forever," said Asena with her chin high.
"Oh, I understand that! But don't you ever at least dream of being as pretty as a sunset?"
"Hm. I've never thought about it quite much to be honest.
"Hmph," Frea grunted. "I think it's a great dream to have. It's a sunset, for Talos sake! I mean, look at its glorious majesty!"
"Do you have dreams of this often?"
"Quite often, but no one understands me. People say I've got a wild head and I'm going to get myself killed one day because I'll imagine a hagraven as a bird! Or I'll go chasing after some crows and fall into a ditch! I love crows, by the way."
Asena laughed and said, "You're weird, but I like it."
Frea gave her a look.
"But that doesn't need to be a bad thing. I do get dreams a lot, they're just not similar to yours."
Frea then grinned and walked with a skip in her step. "Well, at least someone understands. You don't have to have the same dreams as me, but you dream, and that's all that matters."
"Mhm. Also, why don't you bring the fire salts from the garden home?" asked Asena. "They would save your family tons of money and you can warm up any food you want."
Frea nodded in consideration. "That sounds like a good idea," she said. "I suppose it's cheaper than the Khajiit caravan."
"Cheaper? It's free!"
"Yeah, but," Frea sighed. "Getting fire salts is a great excuse to go see the Khajiit caravans. You don't understand, Asena, ever since I've heard of their existence, I've always wanted to see them so badly. Are their pupils actually slits? Do their fur look like sabercats? I need to know! With these ingredients, I could possibly convince my mother to trade them. If I'm willing, that is."
"Why are you so curious?"
Frea held up her chin. "Well, as a training alchemist, you have to be curious and adventurous to discover new things. Did you know that crow feathers can be used as an alchemy ingredient? Don't tell anyone, it's our secret."
"You're training in alchemy?"
"Mhm. My mom says I'm pretty good at it for my age."
"Well, I already guessed it, the way you were able to name all of those alchemy ingredients was impressive."
"Asena!"
The two girls froze as a middle-aged woman came walking out to them.
"Asena, it's past your curfew and you need to unpack your things," the woman said. She then looked at Frea.
"Who's your new friend?"
"Her name's Frea," said Asena. "We went exploring through the forest together. She showed me this really cool garden with all these-"
"Pathway in the forest!" Frea interrupted suddenly. She shot Asena a look and Asena slowly nodded.
"Yeah, it was a really gorgeous path. There were a ton of trees and we saw a lot of deers and foxes," Asena continued.
Her mother smiled warmly.
"Well, that sounds fun. It was nice to meet you, Frea. You should probably start heading home too. I bet your parents are worried."
Frea held back the desire to roll her eyes.
"Yeah, probably, but I tell them all the time that the forests are safe! They just don't understand."
"Well..." Asena's mother glanced at the forest nervously. "There are plenty of things to be worried about. But it's time for dinner. Would you two like to hang out tomorrow?"
"Yes!" Both of them exclaimed. Asena's mother smiled and turned to walk back to the house. "Your mother is so nice," Frea whispered. "I knew that she was probably your mother because you guys look so similar."
"In what way?" Asena laughed.
"Well, the thick dark brown hair, the large hazel eyes, small face..." she made a hand gesture that meant that she could've gone on.
"Small- are you calling me small?" Gasped Asena. "I'll have you know that I made a weapon, and I'm not afraid to use it!"
"Oh, uh, I didn't mean it that way! Your faces are just rounder, it's cute. Anyways, you should probably go. See you tomorrow!"
Asena waved goodbye and joyfully walked back home.
"Someone called me cute," she said, her eyes lifting in happiness.
I can't believe I made a friend so quickly! She thought. She knew that she would be seeing Frea for a while. She was shy in the beginning, but became best friends with her pretty quickly. Soon they made up a bunch of fantasy stories to play out together and went to each others' houses quite often, with Frea imagining that she was the healer all the time which slightly annoyed Asena, but she was able to shrug it off.
The two girls were playing in Frea's room when suddenly a breeze of wind made the curtains flail about: casting all sorts of shadows in the dimly lit room. The two girls looked at each other with widened eyes.
"The wind is calling," said Asena.
"You know what that means," whispered Frea ominously.
"It's time for battle!"
They tore out of the room and rushed downstairs where their parents were having an afternoon mothers were already preparing themselves when they heard their thundering footsteps and saw Frea's bright hair bouncing.
"Where are you two going?" asked Frea's mother sternly, who seemed disrupted by their noise.
"We're going inside the forest! The spirit of the woods has called to us through the wind," said Frea.
"Where in the forest?" asked Asena's mother warily. "Near the entrance, right? Not anywhere too far?"
"Yes, of course."
"We'll be back soon!" yelled Asena. The two girls both took their bags of sticks and 'potions' and dashed out of the door. Asena and Frea's mother looked at each other, smiling and shaking their heads. "All of Falkreath will hear the sound of those two 9-year-olds being rascals," Frea's mother sighed.
Asena and Frea were coming up near a large river that cut through the forest, and there, impatiently fidgeting was a young boy. Today he was wearing what he thought was good fishing clothing, and he showed it by reeling in fish with his head held high and a smile on his face. Really all it was was a brown cap, dark green trousers rolled up to his knees, and a plain old shirt, but it helped him feel more like his father who was a well-known fisher and wore the same fit.
The girls were running closer, and he noticed them with a scowl."Off to play in your weird fantasies again?" He sneered.
Frea ignored him, as she always did, and Asena made a face at him, holding up her bug stick and waving it at him threateningly, as she always did. Asena was starting to get used to Falkreath after staying for 2 months. She never expected it to happen so fast, it's never like that when you were a new kid, but here came a young girl bubbling with adventure and curiosity. Frea had already shown Asena all of her favorite spots for reading and imagining, and her secret places where she writes her deepest feelings inside of her journal. She also showed Asena around Falkreath, and now she knew where the Jarl was, where the graveyard was, where to go for food and of course; alchemy ingredients because every other day Frea insists on checking what new ingredients are on sale.
The wind whispered through the tall oak trees as the two girls ran under them. Leaves crunched under their feet and the forest animals scurried away from their path.
"I'll be the warrior that fights all of the dragons!" Asena yelled.
Frea groaned. "You always choose to be a warrior. How about someone else? Like an alchemist!"
"Do you want to be a warrior this time, then?"
Frea shook her head quickly.
"Never. The thought of killing dragons makes me sad. What if they're nice dragons?"
"A dragon won't be nice," said Asena.
"Well, how do we know? They've been dead for centuries."
"That doesn't mean they would change."
They finally made it to the garden and threw their bags onto the soft grass.
"Well, I'm going to be the healer of the story," said Frea as she began to take out her potions and ingredients.
"I'm going to be the greatest healer ever! Every person that comes to me will rise again; healthy to the fullest!"
Frea always chose to be the healer. Her heart was always filled with empathy, which was something Asena realized pretty quickly about her.
"My biggest dream," she told Asena. "Is to just heal one person. If I can help just one person, I will die happy!"
Asena nodded.
"That sounds like a great dream. My dream is to...well, I haven't quite figured it all out yet, but I know that I'm going to be a great warrior that saves families from monsters and bandits!"
With that she whipped out her bug stick and flailed it in the leaped over to Asena and put her hands on her shoulders."So that's why you always want to be the warrior of our stories. Well, I can't judge you, then I would have to give up my alchemist part. Whatever your dream is, you can't lose hope, or else you're going to make yourself believe that you can't do it, and then you'll live a sad life knowing that you had the chance to do what you've always wanted but didn't, just remember that. I once read a book where that happened to a poor guy; he had doubted himself so much that he perished in his own sadness. It was so sad. But I hope you will never be like that. Oh! And the boy by the river, he has no great dreams besides being a fisherman. That's so boring!"
Asena's eyes gleamed. She was also beginning to realize how poetic Frea was. Perhaps it's all the books she was reading, but it seemed to just come naturally from the girl's heart. Asena smiled.
"Thanks," she said. Frea grinned.
"Of course! You're my best friend, why wouldn't I give you my amazing life advice?" She pulled Asena to the middle of the field where they ran around each other and rolled in the grass with joyful laughs. "Just imagine it," gasped Frea dramatically, as she waved her arm through the sky. "Asena, the warrior of Falkreath- no wait...there! The Warrior of Skyrim! That's much better, don't you think?"
"Much better," agreed Asena. She hopped near Frea and held up her stick. "Asena...the warrior of Skyrim, slaying evil fearlessly and effortlessly. I could be one of the greatest warriors out there!" Asena sighed as she plopped onto the ground, the warm sun beaming down on her. Frea sat right beside her and twirled her fingers around a blade of grass. "So, when are we actually going to play the story?" she asked.
Frea shrugged. "I honestly don't know."
"Hmm, wanna play now?"
"Sure!"
"Frea, do not be afraid! I shall save you from the dragon!" Asena put on her armor which was a piece of leather wrapped with thread around her knees and shoulders. She took out her bug stick and whipped it in the air, hitting the imaginary dragon with all of her might.
Asena then took the last blow and dramatically fell onto her knees, grasping her shoulder.
"I've been hit!" She cried out. Frea rushed to her aid, holding Asena's head in her arms.
"I'll save you, Asena, don't worry!" The girl quickly dug out some of the ingredients from the ground; smashing them together in a bowl and quickly mixing them together with a large stick.
Asena's eyes widened. "Are you using them? The ingredients?" She spoke.
"You're not supposed to break character," Frea hissed.
Asena sat up and peered inside the bowl. "Frea, if you're comfortable with using them, then you should sell them!"
"What? No!"
"You should. It'll save your family money."
"My family already has enough money."
Asena scowled. She remembered overhearing Frea's mother talking about how their money was beginning to run low and they had to take from their savings. They probably didn't tell Frea so she wouldn't be fearful. She could understand why. Frea was dramatic; her reaction would surely cause trouble in the house.
"That's a lie. I overheard your mother talking about something like that. Something about having to keep taking from savings."
Frea's eyes slowly widened, and she stopped mixing the ingredients.
"She really said that?"
Asena nodded.
Frea put the bowl on her lap and stared at them somberly.
"Why didn't she tell me? She promised- promised me, Asena, a deep promise, that she wouldn't keep secrets." Asena became somber as well. Frea wasn't very sad, and generally looked on the brighter side of things. But when it's something dealing with family, it's a different story.
"I really like these ingredients. I kind of consider them my own. Does that make sense?"
"But that's not realistic," Asena sighed. "These aren't your own. They didn't actually grow here. The best thing is to help your family, and think about it, now you have an excuse to see the khajiit caravan if you sell them there."
She gave her a comforting smile.
Frea furrowed her brow. Asena knew that it meant she was deep in thought, so she leaned back into the soft grass and entertained herself by gazing at the butterflies fluttering above her head. Frea always had to think hard about things, especially stuff that was sentimental to her. Asena knew that anything sentimental was hard to get rid of only because of her mother and father, but Asena didn't tend to look at physical things that way. For her they were more thoughts or memories.
Frea was silent as she fidgeted with the bowl in her hands. She then heaved a deep sigh and turned to Asena with a bright face.
"I thought about it and you're right. I can't hold on to this forever, and of course I want to help my family! I mean, I don't want my reasoning to only be the khajiit caravans."
The little girl hopped onto her feet and whipped her bright blonde hair from her rosy face. She smiled happily.
"Thank you for giving me your thoughts, Asena. It's always so nice to have other people's input, it really makes you think harder about certain things. They're just some objects, anyways, it's not like they're going to last forever, and what is the point of them rotting here with no purpose? I realize how wrong I was. Gather as many ingredients as you can!"
The Way of The Voice
4th Era, 201, Morning Star, Sun's Dawn
The giant walls of High Hrothgar loomed over Asena. Large and dark gray; threatening against the perfectly dark sky whilst framed by the howling wisps of wind and ice.
The cold wind creeped under the folds of Asena's armor and bit into her skin. She shivered and clenched her jaw as she dragged her feet through the thick snow that clawed at her ankles. For most of her life, she lived in the calm, rarely snowy forests of Falkreath; this was something she had never experienced before. The great Nord ancestors must've been the toughest people on Tamriel, Asena thought.
The Dragonborn trudged through the blizzard and up the stairs, until she finally reached the stone black doors of High Hrothgar. Their dark interior was like a gaping abyss, luring her in. Come in, it whispered. Discover our secrets. Feast on our power. Even the name, High Hrothgar, gave her an impending feeling of mystery.
She sighed, her breath a puff of smoke. She then rubbed her hands together, not knowing whether to be excited or fearful. The sheer anticipation of everything spread warmth from her stomach to all throughout her body, like the presence of a flame atronach.
Asena had only heard tales of the Greybeards from her mother when she couldn't sleep well at night, but now she was standing right in front of their sanctuary. How many stories had she heard in her life where people had this opportunity? Imagine all the people's reactions when she comes down, eyes wide in amazement and their hands thrown into the air in celebration for her. How did she even get to this point? She knew that it was only the freezing cold slashing at her body that kept her from believing this was all a dream.
Frozen blood from the creatures she encountered while climbing up the 7,000 steps still stained her armor. They were mostly from ice wraiths, a few wolves and some skeevers, and the frost troll she took a sliver of flesh off of but decided to just outrun at the last minute.
Asena closed her eyes, with a deep breath, pushed open the heavy door. A groan rang loudly in the cold air. The Dragonborn walked inside as quiet as she could, and yet her footsteps still echoed. The dark walls folded over her like a pair of wings. Inside there was a wide opening with a few statuesand, and lit up torches right across from each other. The room was fairly dim except for the opening, but there were stairs that led to ominously lit corridors, with flickering candlelight.
Even despite the lighting and the walls that surrounded her, it was peaceful. There was a blissful silence. She couldn't even hear the howling wind outside as the door closed shut behind her with a low rumble. She tensed as a shadow crawled along the walls, and a man in long gray robes turned around the corner. His face was pale and wrinkled, his beard was long and gray, and his eyes told many stories.
His robes were long and elegant, with mysterious patterns and designs etched on them, and had a hood similar to other mage attire she had seen in apprentices. His eyes gleamed under the flickering candlelight.
"So, a Dragonborn appears at this moment, in the turning of an age," he said softly. His voice echoed all around her as if many versions of him were speaking all at once, and with the lowly growl that sounded like he was a thousand years old. Perhaps he was a thousand years old. From what she has seen, it was certainly plausible.
"You call me Dragonborn," said Asena slowly. "What does that mean?" The dragon fight still burned in her mind. She felt stronger than ever before, but at a cost. Asena bit her tongue as the greybeard walked closer to her. This was a being only spoken in legends standing only several feet in front of her. What should she say? What can she do? Asena remembered being a young child and looking at the throat of the world. She's always wondered what was up there, or if anyone lived among those dangerous peeks. Her mother had told her stories of voices that could wipe out entire armies and destroy city walls in just a few words. But that's what she thought they were: stories. Stories that she and Frea would pretend to be the heroes in.
The greybeard narrowed his eyes.
"First, let us see if you truly are Dragonborn. Let us taste your voice."
Asena turned paler than she already was. She was about to say "what?" but the greybeard spoke before her.
"Do not be afraid. Your shout will not harm us." He said.
Asena nodded slowly. He wasn't stupid. Him and the others' voices shook the entire ground, he's not oblivious to this type of power. Asena inhaled, and with only some of her strength, shouted: "Fus!"
The greybeard stumbled back, and the wind pushed layers of dust into the air. After he caught himself, his face lit up in a welcoming grin.
"Dragonborn!" he declared, opening his arms wide. "It is you! Welcome," he then bowed. "To High Hrothgar."
Asena stared at the man in shock. "Did you just bow to me?"
"You must get used to it now because soon there will be much more than that. You are now bound to a great honor; even Skyrim's greatest heroes will shake in envy at the sight of you."
Those words struck a chord in Asena that sent a spark rushing through her body. People bowing to me. Impossible, she thought. She forgot to breathe again and took a quick breath. No one ever did that so simply. No one. You bow to Jarls, Emperors, praised warriors, or officers in higher power. Not to your average sword-wielder.
But you aren't just an average warrior to the world, Asena, said a voice. Now you're the savior of it. "Thank you," was all that she could say. She could barely hide the shock in her voice.
The greybeard smiled softly. "I am Master Arngeir. I speak for the greybeards. Now tell me, Dragonborn, why have you come here?"
"I answer your summonings," Asena answered with a dip of her chin. She had seen the guards do that before to each other. It wasn't a bow nor a simple nod, but an acknowledgement to return the bow.
"So who are you? And what is this place?"
"As you should already know, we are the Greybeards. We are followers of the Way of the Voice. Right now, you stand in High Hrothgar, on the slopes of Kynareth's sacred mountain. Here we commune with the voice of the sky and strive to achieve balance between our inner and outer selves."
"Sounds like something that takes a while," murmured Asena.
The corner of Arngeir's lips twitched. "Yes, it does."
"I..." Asena paused, figuring out if she was going to ask an appropriate question. "I want to find out what it means to be dragonborn. I'm sure it's not just shouting at dragons, right?"
"We are here to guide you in that pursuit, just as the Greybeards have sought to guide those of the Dragon Blood that came before you."
Asena's eyes widened. "You mean I'm not the only dragonborn?" For some reason, this was a relief.
"You are not the first. There have been many of the dragonblood since Akatosh first bestowed that gift upon mortalkind. Whether you are the only Dragonborn of this age...that is not ours to know. You are the only one to be revealed thus far. That's all I can say."
Now here came the question that she was most worried about. This question determined the fate of millions of lives and generations before and after. This time, it was different than just a game. During a play of pretend there's a veil that's invisible but everyone knows it's there, the separation between reality and fantasy. But right now, there was no veil. This will determine the very foundation of Tamriel.
"What is my destiny?"
The second after those words were spoken, silence hung in the air. Thick and choking. The greybeard's face softened, and he finally spoke, "That is for you to discover, Dragonborn. We can show you the Way, but not the destination." Asena tried to look at him for more, but his face was hidden and revealed nothing.
That thought sent a shiver down Asena's spine. No. They had to know. She couldn't figure it out for herself, she was just getting used to everything.
When he turned to walk away, she grabbed his robes. "Please, tell me!" She begged.
"Are you willing to learn?" The greybeard asked.
Asena swallowed. "Yes? No, I don't know," she said quickly. "Please, you're the only people who know a lot about this whole Dragonborn thing. I can absorb a dragon's power but not much else, I mean, I don't know half of what's happening to me. I don't even know how to use the thu'um properly! What happens if I accidentally kill someone? And then what if I die? Who's going to kill the dragons? What if I fail? What if I fail to save everyone?"
All of this information was given to her; but how well was she going to use it? I don't trust myself with this, I need his advice now before I make a mistake, she thought.
The greybeard sighed and the softness in his face faded. "As I said earlier, it is you to discover. I know who I am, but I can't discover who you are."
Asena shook her head. "I'm going to do something wrong; I just know it. If you can give me a hint- even a glimpse- or something about my destiny, I'll make no mistakes. I promise."
The greybeard just stared at her in silence. Asena grits her teeth, finally taking the hint, and let go of his robes. The greybeard silently walked away.
"By the gods, this is going to be a long journey," she muttered under her breath. Of course, the answer was vague and mysterious. Now that Asena thought about it, what was she expecting?
"You have shown that you are dragonborn," said Arngeir. "You have the inborn gift. But do you have the discipline and temperament to follow the path laid out for you? That remains to be seen."
Suddenly, all of the greybeards came out of the shadows and gathered around Asena in pure silence. Still as statues.
She tensed and grasped her sword. Their heads were all titled low, eyes covered by their hoods, and arms crossed. It was an ominous sight. Almost like a daedric ritual.
"Why don't they speak?" she asked.
"Their Voices are too powerful for anyone not trained in the Way to withstand."
"So when they talk..."
Arngeir nodded. "Even a whisper could kill you. That is how powerful the Voice is. Which is why you are the most important person, maybe even the most powerful on this mountain, and even in Tamriel in its current condition."
Asena turned pale and crossed her arms tightly to her chest.
"The dragons returning haven't made the Civil War any better," she agreed. With all of these dragons reappearing it was hard to keep track with the war. People are being slaughtered all around in Skyrim by dragons and by each other. Even just earlier, to her disgust, Asena smelled the stench of smoke and hurried to the side of the road where she saw a burning carriage. Imperial and stormcloak soldiers, lifeless, surrounded the area, with a few citizens sprawled upon burnt and red grass. 10 feet away was a soldier that had his skin burnt off, it seemed like he was crawling away, leaving a trail of blood and melted flesh behind him. Near her were burnt corpses huddled over each other, one was larger than the other; a mother and her child.
Asena had held her breath and shut her eyes as she walked by the horrid sight. It was a grim reminder of the state Skyrim was in.
Nobody was safe.
"So what are we going to do now?" Asena asked, shaking the memory away. "Will I be taught about the thu'um?"
Arngeir sighed.
"Patience, Dragonborn. Without training, you have already taken the first steps towards projecting your Voice into a Thu'um, a Shout. Now let us see if you are willing and able to learn. When you Shout, you speak in the language of dragons. Thus, your Dragon Blood gives you an inborn ability to learn Words of Power. All Shouts are made up of three Words of Power. As you master each Word, your Shout will become progressively stronger. Master Einarth will now teach you "Ro," the second Word in the Unrelenting Force. Ro means "Balance" in the dragon tongue. Combine it with Fus - "Force" - to focus your Thu'um more sharply."
One of the greybeards inhaled deeply, lifting his chin up. Asena tensed and took a step back. "Ro..." Einarth whispered.
The shout sent a spark through the air. She could feel the power of the words bounce off of her chest and swirl around her. A loud sizzling noise met her ears, similar to the sound of fire being doused by water, and she looked down with a gasp. The words were carving themselves into the stone, glowing with a fiery orange.
Asena leaned in curiously. The words were written in a different language than english. It was...
"Dragon language," she breathed.
Like the impact of a tidal wave, the meaning and understanding of the word flew into her mind. "Ro'' means balance. The equal amount of power spread. It wasn't a mess of force and wind, but a "balanced" and controlled amount of force shot to a destined area. Like an arrow to it's target, the right amount of balance from the arrow gliding through the wind to the balance of the archer, along with the force in which the string is pulled and the arrow is released.
Asena gazed down at the glowing words. She now understood.
"Fus...Ro!"
Force and balance. The shout wasn't a gust of harsh wind or a push anymore, but a controlled amount of magic blasting in front of her, a burst of energy at a specific destination. All Asena could see was a blur as the power protruded from her mouth and straight at the greybeards.
With grunts, they stumbled on their feet and fell lightly on the walls.
"I'm so sorry!" she gasped, covering her mouth. "I didn't mean to do that, that was my fau-"
"You learn a new word like a master," said Arngeir, his face wide in awe as he regained his posture.
"You truly do have the gift. But learning a Word of Power is only the first step... you must unlock its meaning through constant practice in order to use it in a Shout. Well, that is how the rest of us learn Shouts. As Dragonborn, you can absorb a slain dragon's life force and knowledge directly."
"So I'm doing this right?" she asked nervously. She heaved a sigh of relief as the greybeards nodded.
"As part of your initiation," Arngeir continued. "Master Einarth will allow you to tap into his understanding of "Ro." Now let us see how quickly you can master your new Thu'um. Use your Unrelenting Force shout to strike the targets as they appear."
"Fik...Lo...Sah!" shouted the greybeard in the middle. With a low roar, a ghostly replicant of him appeared. Asena shot a nervous glance at Arngeir, who gave her a reassuring nod. Asena lifted her shoulders and inhaled deeply. Naturally, the meaning of the words came to her and was the power that burst through her mouth.
"Fus...Ro!"
The ghostly figure stumbled and faded away upon the might of her shout. Narrowing her eyes, she focused her gaze on the greybeards. One by one, she shouted the figures away and quicker at each time. Asena's amazed and perplexed gaze spoke many words.
"Impressive," said Arngeir. "Your Thu'um is precise. You show great promise, Dragonborn. We will perform your next trial in the courtyard. Follow Master Borri."
"Now we will see how quickly you can master a new Shout. Master Wulfgar will demonstrate the Whirlwind Sprint. Then it will be your turn. Master Borri."
"Bex!"
Asena jumped as the gate suddenly opened.
"Wuld...Nah...Kest!" shouted Wulfgar. In a blink of an eye, Wulfgar became a blur, and suddenly he was at the end of the gate. Asena just stared at him, blinking in shock.
"What in Oblivion...?"
"Now it is your turn," said Arngeir, walking to Asena. "Stand next to me. Borri will open the gate. Use your Whirlwind Spirit to pass before it closes."
"Bex!"
The gate opened before her. Asena took a deep breath, closing her eyes, pressing her feet into the snow.
"Wuld..." she could see the image of wind and how it tore through the sky with unimaginable speeds. How the howling winds of storms slithered through mountains and with their force shoving aside trees and buildings.
"Nah..."
She steadied herself.
"Kest!"
A blast of wind slammed into her chest as she was thrown forward, yet her body felt in place. She could feel the wind push back her hair and sting her face, but it felt like she was only levitating. Suddenly, the wind died and everything became still. Asena squinted her eyes open and looked down. She was near the edge of the cliff.
She gasped and turned around as the gate groaned to a shut behind her.
"I did it!" She exclaimed. "By the gods I did it!"
She walked back to Arngeir with a small triumphant smile. "Did I shout well enough?"
"Your quick master of the new thu'um is...astonishing," he said. "I've heard stories of the abilities of the Dragonborn, but to see it myself...It is truly an honor to train you. I would never change my decision to take part in The Way of The Voice, just so I could witness this in person."
Asena didn't know how to respond. "T…thank you, master. I really thought this was easy for everyone. I mean, I don't even know how I do it. It just happens."
"It is indeed not easy for anyone to do. We have been practicing for decades, and here you are, shouting in the span of seconds. But beware that your skill does not outstrip your wisdom. You were given this gift by the gods for a reason. It is up to you to figure out how to best use it."
"I still wonder, master, why me?" Asena asked. Her life was boring and all about wandering aimlessly and cowering away from every situation, and then Frea. Asena bit her tongue. She would not return to that.
"I cannot answer that for you, Dragonborn," said Arngeir softly. "But I know that it was for a reason. Don't let them down."
"Just don't tell me that…The dragons returning aren't because of me, right?"
"No, but there is no doubt that you are linked to the dragons returning. The appearance of a Dragonborn at this time is no accident." Arngeir walked near the edge of the cliff, waringly looking down at the lands of Skyrim. His face, stricken with worry, was hidden beneath the shadows of his cloak.
"Your destiny is surely bound up with their return. Focus on honing your Voice, and soon your path will be made clear."
Asena sighed nervously. "Surely there is more you can tell me."
"There is indeed much that we know that you do not. That does not mean that you are ready to understand it," Arngeir said. "Do not let your easy mastery of the Voice tempt you into arrogance of power that has been the downfall of many Dragonborn before you."
The Dragonborn grinded her teeth and turned away, holding back the desire to ask more questions. He would be annoyed and then might not even help her at all. She would just be another burden.
"Thank you, master," she said slowly, gazing into the distance. She could almost see a few buildings down there, and they reminded her it was Skryim's people that she was fighting for.
"Now, what's next?"
The howling winds screamed in Asena's ears as she ran up the stairs to High Hrothgar. Her eyes, squinted against the cold, were tinted red and so were her knuckles, her lips were paler than the frost. Asena threw herself at the doors and pushed them open with a groan. The warm shelter of the building sent a peaceful wave on her like a cozy cabin or a mother's presence. Hrothgar wasn't the most comforting place, but it was where she didn't feel totally alone. The greybeards understood her, they knew who she was, and they knew her power. They knew what to teach her, though it didn't mean the same worries had disappeared.
Asena entered Hrothgar and heaved an exhausted sigh. The room was empty. The greybeards were probably out in the courtyard. She rubbed her hands together and spun around the room, the numbness of the cold slowly disappearing from her body.
"Arngeir? I got the horn!" She called. No one answered besides her own voice echoing off the stone walls.
Asena huffed and took off her iron helmet. She looked at it, grimacing at the stained blood, and wiped it down with a cloth she saw on a table. She then set it down and pulled out the horn from her pocket. Asena stared at it curiously. I wonder who this Jurgen Windcaller is and why he's so important, she thought.
"Ah! You've retrieved the Horn of Jurgen Windcaller."
Asena yelped and leaped back onto the table, wincing as a cup fell to the floor with a loud clunk. Arngeir stared at her with a questioning look.
"What is with you guys being so silent?" She spoke.
Arngeir shrugged.
"I thought the Dragonborn wouldn't be so scared of such things like a quiet old man."
Asena shot him a venomous gaze and gently set the horn on the table.
"I'd argue that's far scarier than a dragon."
"I suppose."
The greybeard narrowed his eyes as he picked up the horn and turned it on all sides.
Asena watched him. It should've been the real horn. It had to be. She trusted Delphine, but you couldn't trust too much in anybody.
"Fascinating. Well done, Dragonborn. You have passed all of the trials." He put the horn in his robes.
"What are you going to do with it?" Asena asked, taking off her steel armor which she had found in the draugr ruin. Though it was slightly rusty and had a few stains of dried blood, turning brown from age, she was content with it.
"Well, I say it's good to have a piece of the past. A reminder of when everything began. The true reason for the trial was to see if you could handle the journey of getting it." The greybeards surrounded her again, all of their heads bowed low while Arngeir stood tall in the middle, his gaze determined and sternly focused on the Dragonborn, who had to contain her excitement by crossing her arms to her chest.
"You are ready to learn the final word of Unrelenting Force, 'Dah,' which means' 'Push'''.
Wulfgar heaved in a deep breath. "Dah..."
Asena tensed as the ground rumbled slightly beneath her feet. She still couldn't believe how powerful the greybeards were. They had a mystical presence, and were their own royalty, deserving all of praise. It's almost unbelievable that they decided to live lonesome lives up on the Throat of The World, away from the strife and battles on Tamriel below. The destruction they could cause...
She was grateful that she was being trained by them and not the greedy and corrupt hearts of those in power. Nor someone as fearful as she was.
The greybeards shifted into a circle until they all surrounded Asena. She looked around, bewildered.
"What are we doing?"
"You have completed your training, Dragonborn. We will speak to you. Stand between us and prepare yourself. Few can withstand the unbridled voice of the Greybeards. But you are ready."
Asena nodded nervously, licking her lips. She shifted, taking breaths, mentally preparing herself from anything to come. Was there going to be a shout? Was she going to be able to withstand it? What if the shout breaks all my bones and I fail everyone? She held herself back from telling them that she wasn't sure if she was ready. You've faced quite a few challenges already, she told herself. Remember, you are the Dragonborn.
She closed her eyes. There was only darkness.
The sound, which was sudden, erupted like a dragon's roar and trumpets blaring, crying and echoing throughout her mind; she could feel her bones trembling within her flesh and her body being compressed by the powerful force of the voice surrounding her.
Asena stumbled around on her feet, desperately trying to keep still. She let out a strained cry. The force was powerful, pulling at her soul and her body like a hungry animal clawing at its prey. It was the force of being compressed tightly under an avalanche of boulders, then being stretched apart until not even a shred of your body was left, but you never died.
Asena clenched her teeth together, clutching her head with her hands.
You're the dragonborn, you're the dragonborn, she chanted. Look what you've already done. Frea would be proud of you. She inhaled deeply and took in the words, the force becoming welcoming, and even a part of her, like she was one with the power. She was the power.
The words didn't even sound human, it was like a deep roar of an erupting volcano, or like the gods were speaking, songs of fire and thunder, death and life.
This was the power of the Voice.
The more Asena focused on the sound; the wild and mighty sound; she could hear words, and then full sentences.
"Lingrah krosis saraan Strundu'ul, voth nid balaan klov praan nau. Naal Thu'umu, mu ofan nii nu, Dovahkiin, naal suleyk do Kaan, naal suleyk do Shor, ahrk naal suleyk do Atmorasewuth. Meyz nu Ysmir, Dovahsebrom. Dahmaan daar rok.''
The ground shook madly and Asena fell to her knees.
"I can hear it," she gasped, her voice like a squeak amongst the chanting.
"Long has the Storm Crown languished with no worthy brow to sit upon. By our breath we bestow it now to you in the name of Kyne, in the name of Shor, and in the name of Atmora of old. You are Ysmir now, the Dragon of the North. Hearken to it."
The Dragon of the North.
Asena's heart began to beat, nearly jumping out of her chest.
The rumbling slowly came to a stop. The sounds died down to distant echoes. Asena clutched her chest, gasping in relief and shock, and slowly stood up, still trembling slightly. The greybeards closed their eyes, and all bowed before the Dragonborn. A breath of pride began to fill her chest, but it was a wavering flame against the cold wind, she had to hold onto it.
Asena stared at them in pure silence, comprehending everything, and then dipped her head.
"Thank you," she sighed. "It is a great honor to have trained with you. I wish for Skyrim to not have to worry about the threat of the dragons anymore."
Of course, she was grateful for having the honor, but still didn't want to face it, especially because she froze. Everyone could die by one mistake.
"...Hopefully."
"Hopefully?" said Arngeir. "Most definitely. Don't let the mind tell you lies. It will only bring you down."
Asena sighed shakily and clenched her hands together. Now I have this burden, she thought. I can't let anyone down.
"I'll try my best, master. Thank you."
"So, we are going to Kynesgrove. There's an ancient dragon burial near there. If we can get there before the dragon rises, maybe we'll learn how to stop it," said Delphine as she was strapping on her leather armor.
Asena stared at her with a face as pale as snow.
"So we're killing another dragon," she sighed. "Great."
Delphine narrowed her eyes. "If you're really the dragonborn, you shouldn't be too worried."
She gave her a glare. "Yes, but..." She admitted that she was being stupid, fearing a dragon despite having the same power and soul as one, and a random warrior being braver than her. But she could do it. She had the power, the potential, the Voice. Asena looked around the underground base. The table in front of her had scattered dragon burial maps, books of dragons and Skyrim, and rows of weapons and armor hanging on the walls. Delphine and whoever helped her worked hard on this base.
As she looked around, Asena felt a pang of guilt on her chest.
"I've only learned three shouts," she said. "Unrelenting Force, Whirlwind Sprint, and a few words of Ethereal. It's not that much. I don't think...is there possibly another way we could do this? I mean, what if the dragon just stays dead the entire time? It would be a waste of effort."
"Three shouts should be enough to hold off a dragon," said Delphine, her suspicious gaze still lingering on her.
"And no, there is no 'other way' to figure this out. We need to find out where the dragons are coming from and being there to witness a dragon rising from the grave is our only way of truly finding out who's behind their return. If we know what's causing it, then we can end it once and for all. Besides the Thalmor, do you really have any better ideas on what could cause dragons returning? Oh, and what if the dragon does rise from the dead? Are you saying that you would let an entire village die?"
Asena was taken aback, quickly opening her mouth to reply, but she choked on air from shock. She coughed while hammering her fist on her chest, until finally clearing her throat.
"No, of course not," she croaked. She felt a sting of pain in her chest, one of bitter truth and fear.
"I just don't want to let people die. I'm sorry I can't be the dragonborn that the legends say, the one that everybody says charges into battle, and murders dragons in the blink of an eye. I don't know why I'm chosen, because I shouldn't be," she snapped.
Delphine just stared at her. Her dull eyes were unreadable.
Asena gave her a pleading expression longing for something; something to show that she understood, but how could anyone understand?
"But I try, and you're right, I should try now. I'm afraid, but you probably don't care." Asena grabbed a sword and sheathed it."Let's go kill a dragon," she said, quietly. "But don't say I warned you if I let us down. My first dragon fight was different, the dragon had used only a couple shouts, and I had a horde of guards, but this...I don't know."
Delphine nodded and walked to the stairs, pushing Asena aside with her shoulder. She clenched her sword and sighed shakily. Asena and Delphine ran from Riverwood to Kynesgrove in piercing silence. Asena was sweating and trying to swallow down a panic attack building up inside her. She couldn't even admire the vast landscapes of Skyrim which were gently being kissed by the warm sunlight of dawn, along with the butterflies or looming trees, casting magnificent shadows on the ground. Her gaze was set on the horse she was riding on.
Asena started to chew her nails, silently, not even realizing what she was doing until she saw Delphine staring at her. She blushed red and threw her hands to her waist, but when Delphine wasn't looking, her fingers were drawn to her teeth once again, her eyes murky and distant.
They were like lambs sent to the slaughter, but everyone thought that because she knew how to communicate with their slaughterers that she would be brave enough to fight and kill them. Yes, she is a known legend, and she did kill the dragon last time, but the power of the voice is never something you're guaranteed to withstand, matter how powerful you are. She was still a human, a fearful one, and how could she even fight? She was just a coward that would never change, wasn't she? Delphine didn't understand. She never fought a dragon before, how does she know that it isn't too much to be worried about? The dragons have shouts too. They will obliterate them. All of them. The last dragon was prideful, thinking it could take on humans without any shouts, probably wanting to prove something to his brothers, but this one might not be so stupid.
She thought of all the screams of dying men and the agonizing heat of the fire, while the dragon gazed over the horror it caused with its head held high. They truly were evil.
I'm not the right person for this, but I don't want to have a village die under my name. I'll go, and if I die, good. I don't want to deal with this terror anymore. I'd rather die honorably than in bed, hiding away like a frightened cat, she thought firmly.
"Asena, are you alright?"
Asena turned to Delphine, who had a surprisingly calm form to her.
"You look like you're thinking about a lot of things."
"I am! A dragon fight is nothing to treat casually! I've seen the power that they have from their body alone, and now we have to fight one that could shout? Why are you so relaxed? You should know the power of the dragons! You've been, what- studying them and the dragonborn for years? I'm stressed and you should be too! I don't want to see people die in front of me like how it happened in my first fight, no one! Now you listen to me because I don't want you blaming me for freezing or stalling because 'I shouldn't be worried', we have everything to be worried about, especially me, because all eyes are on me, and if a single drop of innocent blood is shed, I'm to blame. And now...now it's always in my head and it will never get out. So, save your comments or else I'll make sure I shout you off a cliff and I'll be standing there laughing at you!"
Delphine just stared at her, blinking and eyes wide.
"I... I'm sorry," she said quietly.
Asena swallowed hard and looked away, shaking her head. "No, I'm sorry. I'm just..."
"I get it. You don't say more."
The rest of the journey was silent again, and the only sound that was uttered was their worried breaths. After traveling to Kynesgrove and hopping off of their horses, Asena stumbled back as a screaming woman ran into her.
"What's wrong? Is a dragon here?" Asena said, grabbing her shoulders. The woman's wide eyes glanced at the sky and she tore from her grasp, running away.
Asena turned to Delphine, their faces both stricken with fear.
"Alright, Dragonborn, it's time to prove yourself," she said, but there was a waver in her voice. Asena could see in her eyes that underneath her fierce tone, those words were more from desperation and fear, and her stomach twisted.
The rumble of horses and footsteps sounded in the distance, and a stampede of villagers and even a few guards with horses were running down the hill screaming. Asena shoved people out of the way as she climbed uphill, stretching her neck to look above the crowd to see what was there.
"I don't see anything," Asena said.
"You cowards!" Delphine spat as the village's guards rode by.
Asena remained as silent as a stone. She couldn't blame them.
One guard halted his horse and turned around, dirt flying in the air, his scrunched and bloody face filled with anger and fear.
"I'd like to see you fight a dragon!" he cried.
"Where is it?" Asena asked.
The guard pointed up the hill.
"Over there, hidden behind the trees. I don't know why it's hovering around, but it's got large horns and it's as black as midnight."
Asena nodded. "Thank you."
The two ran away, trudging up the hill as fast they could. The guard stared at them in shock, tightening his grip on the horse, trying to figure out if he should fight or not.
"Talos guide you!" he called before riding away.
Delphine and Asena trudged up the hill as fast as they could. The sky, which was once blue and sunny, became covered with dark clouds and it began to drizzle.
I have to do this, I have to do this, Asena thought, pulling out her sword and taking deep breaths. This is for your people. Remember what you promised them! There is still hope, you have 3 shouts, you can defeat this dragon.
Delphine turned pale as she saw thick clouds of smoke rising from the houses.
"By Talos..." she said. "I hope you're the true dragonborn. If not; gods help us."