Fakhriya and Jenassa returned to Whiterun after reuniting Esbern and Delphine in Riverwood. As a result of his study of dragon lore, Esbern believed that an ancient carving in Sky Haven Temple would offer clues as to how a Dragonborn might defeat Alduin. Delphine's research led her to believe that the temple Esbern sought might be located in Karthspire in the Reach.
Fakhriya and Jenassa's journey to the Reach from Whiterun was uneventful except for a dragon attack along the banks of the Karth River near the base of Karthspire. With the assistance of Delphine and Esbern, the women were able to dispatch the dragon quickly, but at the entrance to the canyon that housed the Sky Haven Temple a tribe of Forsworn had established a large encampment.
The Forsworn were the survivors of the suppressed ethnic Breton rebellion of 4E 174. Breton tribes had occupied the Reach for thousands of years before they were conquered by the Nords in the days of Tiber Septim. In the chaos of the Great War, the Bretons overthrew their Nord rulers and declared the Reach an independent province. In 4E 176 the Reachmen initiated conversations with Emperor Titus Mede II to be formally recognized as independent from the Empire. The deposed Jarl asked Solitude to intervene to prevent the recognition of the Reachmen state. Solitude sent Ulfric Stormcloak to lead the Nord militia charged with restoring the hold to Skyrimic control.
Imperial reports and Reachmen eye witness accounts described Ulfric's forces as ruthlessly brutal. Ulfric's troops reportedly butchered the Forsworn who offered resistance and summarily executed those who surrendered. The most horrific reports claimed that Ulfric's forces were equally violent against civilian populations. According to the accounts, the soldiers under Ulfric's command were instructed to assume that all Bretons in the Reach were resistance fighters and any Reachman who could not prove that he or she had actively supported Ulfric's campaign would be punished with the destruction of his or her farm and property. In some cases it was reported that legionnaires under Ulfric's command executed the families of those who were believed to be active in the Forsworn resistance but managed to avoid capture.
Although the Reach's capital, Markarth, had been securely under Nord control since 4E 176, bands of Forsworn still roamed the wilds of the Reach and were known to attack both Imperial and Thalmor soldiers and to hijack commercial shipments.
The Forsworn camped at Karthspire were brave and formidable fighters, but the team of Fakhriya, Jenassa, Delphine and Esbern were able to subdue them long enough to get into the cave that opened into the canyon where the long forgotten Sky Haven Temple stood.
In her days as an adventurer, Fakhriya had become accustomed to the totem animal symbols that offered clues to avoid traps in ancient Nord ruins, but the Akavari symbols on the way to Sky Haven Temple were completely unfamiliar to her. Luckily, Esbern recognized the symbols and with his help Fakhriya was able to guide the group safely to the massive stone visage that marked the entrance to Sky Haven. Esbern said the face was the likeness of Reman Cyrodiil, the god-hero of the Second Era who defeated the Akavari, united Cyrodiil and then, with Akavari help, conquered all of Tamriel except Morrowind. Reman Cyrodiil was the first Emperor of the Reman Dynasty and according to legend, he was the son of St. Alessia, who delivered the Amulet of Kings to humankind.
"Look at how wonderfully preserved it is," Esbern exclaimed as he admired the sculpture. "The Akavari found their purpose in Reman Cyrodiil, the first of the Dragonborn kings. And a blood seal!"
Fakhriya stepped closer to see the blood seal on the floor several feet in front of the face of Reman Cyrodiil.
"It'll be your blood, Dragonborn, that opens the seal," Esbern said as he smiled at her.
"Of course," Fakhriya said as she rolled her eyes in mock surprise. She reached for her sword and cut her finger with the tip. "How much blood will it take to open the seal?"
"I'm certain you won't bleed out," Esbern said, "but I doubt the pinprick you've provided will be enough."
Fakhriya wasn't keen on the idea of cutting herself again. She knelt over the seal and squeezed her finger to drip as much blood as possible onto the seal. With the first drop landing on the stone, the blood seal unraveled like a ribbon to reveal a force that swirled in glowing yellow hues and dissipated as it escaped from the confines of the seal.
The four adventurers were startled when the ground shook beneath them. The sand and loose pebbles that had collected around the sculpture of Reman Cyrodiil over the centuries fell in clumps and created dust clouds. The stony face of the ancient Dragonborn ruler receded into the façade of the temple.
Once inside the temple, a winding staircases circled to the left and opened into a large common room that boasted a stone long table and several chairs. Delphine and Esbern immediately got to the task of lighting braziers for warmth and light in the musty, dismal temple.
At the far end of the common room was the carving that lured the party to Sky Haven: Alduin's Wall.
Although Delphine was able to stay focused on the mundane tasks at hand, Esbern was immediately distracted by the carving. He brought a torch with him to inspect the carving in greater detail. He muttered to himself about the beauty and craftsmanship of the ancient art, but took a more scholarly tone when he noticed Fakhriya had come closer to inspect the wall as well.
"Do you see this here?" Esbern asked as Fakhriya took a closer look at the carving where Esbern was holding a torch. "Here is Alduin surrounded by the Dragon Priests. Long before your people came from Yokuda to settle in Hammerfell, the humans who came from Atmora were ruled by Dragon Priests. The Dragon Priests were humans who dedicated themselves to the service of dragons in exchange for power and immortality. Alduin is said to have given up his role as the World Eater to conquer Mundus for himself and enslave the races of humankind."
Esbern stopped to see if Fakhriya was still paying attention. She smiled politely at Esbern. He took Fakhriya by the arm and led her to the next panel.
"And here you see the races of humankind rebelling against the Dragon Priests," Esbern said to his pupil. "In exchange for absolute loyalty, the dragons allowed the Dragon Priests to rule the population. The Dragon Priests so oppressed the peoples of Tamriel that the people rebelled against them. A dragon respects only power and loathes few things more than weakness. When it became apparent that the Dragon Priests could no longer control the people, the dragons sought to destroy the races of humankind."
This time Esbern took Fakhriya by arm to lead her to the next panel without checking to see if her interest had waned.
"We don't have time for lectures, Esbern," Delphine said. "Does the Wall tell us how to defeat Alduin or not?"
"Yes, yes. It'll be here," Esbern said to Delphine. "The Akavari recorded all they knew about the dragons on this wall in allegorical images. The only way to make sense of the deeper ideas suggested by images is in the organizing of the thoughts to tell the stories."
"Besides," Esbern continued as he gave Fakhriya a squeeze on the shoulder, "the Dragonborn should understand her place in the prophecy."
"Now, come with me," Esbern said as he lead Fakhriya to the next panel.
"Here we see the Nord Heroes battling Alduin," Esbern said as he raised the torch to illuminate the panel.
"Does it say how they defeated Alduin?" Delphine interjected.
"You must be patient - " Esbern started to say. "Wait, what's this?" Esbern moved the torch closer to the panel.
"This symbol here?" Esbern turned to look at Fakhriya. "That is the Akavari symbol for shout. All the Nord Heroes were extraordinary tongues, were they not? But a shout that can pull a dragon out of the air? Remarkable. I've never heard of such a thing."
"A shout?" Delphine responded as Esbern continued to mutter to himself. "You, Dragonborn. Do you know this shout?"
"This would be a very distinct shout," Esbern interjected. "Something specific to dragons or even to Alduin himself."
"No, I'm sure I don't," Fakhriya replied, "but I think I know who would be familiar with it: the Greybeards."
"Oh, yeah," Delphine said with a look of disdain, "They did accept you into their little cult, didn't they? Well, it appears we have no other choice. We'll have to ask the Greybeards for help."
"You don't think the Greybeards would be willing to help us?" Fakhriya asked. She seemed to recall a conversation she once had with Jenassa in which Jenassa suggested that the Greybeards might have raised Alduin for their own purposes.
"If anyone knows about the shout the Nord Heroes used, it'll be the Greybeards," Delphine conceded, "but they are too busy lying around talking to the sky – or whatever they do up there – to involve themselves in the problems of the real world. Alduin is wrecking havoc, a civil war is tearing the land apart, and what do they do with all the power they have up there in their isolated club house? Nothing. The Greybeards would have you sit on the mountaintop thinking about the destruction of the world rather than having you act to correct what has gone wrong."
"The Greybeards may be the best option we have," Esbern said. "If the panel offers any clues as to which shout the Nord Heroes used, that information will not be revealed easily."
"Now, look here, Dragonborn," Esbern said as he turned his attention back to the carving. "This panel will be of particular interest to you. In this last panel we see Alduin strengthened by consuming the souls of the dead. Despite his strength, Alduin is engaged in a fierce battle where his victory is by no means certain. And here – this symbol – this is the last Dragonborn."
Esbern turned to face Fakhriya.
"You are the last hope for humankind against the dragons," Esbern said gravely.
Fakhriya looked away from Esbern and considered the images in the final panel. Even in the Akavari prophecy the Dragonborn image seemed so insignificant compared to the size and ferocity of the dragon image. Yet, somehow, the image emboldened Fakhriya.
Fakhriya looked down at the long table where Jenassa had been sitting. Jenassa nodded and smiled when her gaze met Fakhriya's.
"Then I will go to see the Greybeards," Fakhriya announced. "We'll leave for High Hrothgar tomorrow morning."
"Excellent," Delphine said. "Come with me. There are sleeping quarters back here. You should be quite comfortable tonight."