In Sky Haven Temple Fakhriya learned that the ancient Nord Heroes had defeated Alduin with a Shout. Along with Jenassa, she has traveled to High Hrothgar to see if the Greybeards were familiar with the Shout that would pull a dragon out of the sky.
The Greybeards lived in isolation high atop the Throat of the World, the highest peak in Skyrim. Since the eruption of the Red Mountain in Morrowind early in the Fourth Era, the Throat of the World was the highest peak in Tamriel. The disciples of the Way of the Voice chose an outcropping halfway up the Snow Tower, as the Throat of the World was poetically called, as the site of their settlement not only for the remoteness of the location, but also to be closer to the Divine Kyne, the Sky Goddess and Warrior-Wife of Akatosh, who created humankind when she breathed life into the Throat of the World.
Kyne, who is referred to as Kynareth in the Imperial tradition and plays a lesser role as the handmaiden of Mara in that pantheon, also gave humankind the gift of the Voice. In the Nordic tradition, the throat is the seat of the soul and a person's ordinary breath and voice are manifestations of the sacred life essence. Through the Voice, humankind was given access to the magic of dragons.
Breath and speech among the dragons are pathways to an intensely powerful magic source. The words of the dragon language are not only a means of communication but also a means of manipulating the environment. Individual dragon words contain magical constructs and certain words used together intensify the magical effects. Dragon Thu'ums, or Shouts, typically consist of one to three words. Shouts can be used to move objects, to calm or disarm enemies, or to project fire or ice, among other things. As a result of the magic of Thu'ums, among the dragons there is no difference between a verbal debate and a physical battle.
Although all humans have the ability to learn Thu'ums, the Nords believe that Kyne gave them a unique affinity for mastering the Voice. Many of the ancient Nord war chiefs were skilled Tongues, as those with the ability to use Thu'ums were called. It was common during the First Era for Nord armies to rely on the Thu'ums of their chiefs rather than mundane siege weapons to break down the walls of cities.
It was during this time of expansion of Nordic influence in northern Tamriel that the meditative discipline, the Way of the Voice, was developed. In 1E 416 Nordic armies suffered an annihilating defeat at the hands of the Chimer and Dwemer at Red Mountain. Jurgen Windcaller, who was the greatest Tongue who ever lived, was dismayed at the resounding defeat and meditated for seven years to understand how an army with the advantage of the Voice could be destroyed. Windcaller came to the conclusion that the Divines were punishing humankind for squandering the power of the Voice for personal gain and glory. When Windcaller preached to the Nord war chiefs that the Voice was intended as a means to enlightenment and reverence to the Divine rather than a means to power, seventeen Tongues challenged the new philosophy by calling him to battle. According to legend Jurgen Windcaller swallowed the Shouts of the Tongues for three days until the Tongues lay defeated and exhausted. Convinced of the strength and righteousness of the path, the seventeen Tongues followed Jurgen Windcaller to the Throat of the World to build High Hrothgar. The followers of the Way of the Voice have remained there ever since.
Since Jurgen Windcaller's day, countless pilgrims have traveled to the Throat of the World to climb the Seven Thousand Steps from the base of the mountain near the small settlement of Ivarstead to High Hrothgar. Many who make the journey take the time to meditate on the stone tablets that offer the insights of Jurgen Windcaller on their way up the mountain. Although it is an arduous climb, many people have successfully made the journey to High Hrothgar but nearly none have found their way into the fortress. The Greybeards were rarely seen by outsiders and only allowed a select few to enter their settlement. Notably, the Greybeards have only summoned two individuals to High Hrothgar in the last six hundred years: Tiber Septim and Fakhriya, the last Dragonborn. A handful of other people have been granted the opportunity to study the Voice with the Greybeards. Most who were admitted to study remained as monks, but among those who have had the opportunity to train in the Voice were Jarl Balgruuf the Greater of Whiterun, who did not do particularly well in his studies, and Jarl Ulfric Stormcloak of Eastmarch, who was successfully trained and reputedly used the Voice in the Reach during his conquest of that hold and used it in personal combat against High King Torygg.
Fakhriya's mother, who grew up in Falkreath, made the pilgrimage to High Hrothgar when she was in her early twenties with two of her friends. All three young women were devoted to the worship of Kyne and pledged to one another that they would make the trip in honor of the Storm Goddess before any of them were married. When the first of the three agreed to marry a local carpenter, the wedding was delayed until the autumn so the women could climb the Throat of the World that summer. Fakhriya's mother described the journey up the Seven Thousands Steps as the most difficult and fulfilling adventure of her life.
Fakhriya had lost count of how many times she had traveled to High Hrothgar since being summoned to the fortress after she absorbed her first dragon soul in Whiterun. To see if the Greybeards could teach her the Shout that the Nord Heroes used to battle Alduin, she was making her third or fourth trip up the mountain in less than a year.
Although the snow line had receded in the warm Rain's Hand air near the base of the mountain, the Seven Thousand Steps were snow covered at the elevation where High Hrothgar stood. It took a few moments for Fakhriya and Jenassa to adjust to the dimly lit interior of the fortress after the bright and blinding ascent. It was late in the afternoon and the monks of High Hrothgar had retired to their living quarters. Fakhriya found Arngier, the only Greybeard among the four currently residing in the mountain fortress who had ever spoken to Fakhriya in the common tongue. He was eating an apple and reading a book when she found him.
"Sky guard you, Dragonborn," Arngier said to Fakhriya as he closed his book.
"Well met, Arngier. I came to learn the Shout that will help me defeat Alduin," Fakhriya said. Arngier's expression soured.
"Where did you hear of such a Shout?" Arngier asked with suspicion and annoyance.
"I've been to Alduin's Wall," Fakhriya replied sheepishly.
"So you've been listening to the Blades?" Arngier accused. "They have a long history of meddling in the affairs of the Dragonborn. If that is the company you prefer to keep, then there is little here that would be of use to you."
"But they said you could help me," Fakhriya protested. "Why won't you teach me the Shout?"
"I cannot teach it to you because I do not know it," Arngier replied. "There is nothing here for you. Be gone."
Fakhriya stood for a moment in disbelief. Tears of frustration welled in her eyes as she turned from Arngier and stormed off. Fakhriya could not believe that she had traveled so far to learn nothing. As Fakhriya was passing another of the Greybeards sitting beside a book shelf, the monk held up his hand to indicate that Fakhriya should wait. The monk, Einarth, had never spoken to Fakhriya except to teach her the word "Ro", which means "balance" in the dragon tongue. "Ro" was the second word in a Shout that allowed Fakhriya to push objects with her voice. Einarth smiled at Fakhriya and looked to the ceiling.
Suddenly the ground shook violently and a deep, bellowing voice cried out in the dragon tongue.
Einarth smirked as he indicated that Fakhriya should turn around.
"I offer you my apologies, Dragonborn," Arngier stammered. "As Paarthurnax has reminded me, yours is a unique condition. It is not my place to hold you to the tenets of the Way of the Voice if you have not chosen that path for yourself."
"Who is Paarthurnax?" Fakhriya asked.
"Paarthurnax is the greatest among us," Arngier replied. "It is his will that you learn the Shout you seek. You will meet him later."
"For now, come with me," Arngier said as he lead the way to the courtyard. "In order for you to reach the summit to see Paarthurnax, I must teach you another Shout."
Although it was often damp and chilly within the walls of High Hrothgar, the cold mountain air was still a shocking slap to the face as Arngier, Fakhriya, Jenassa and the other Greybeards stepped outside. The sky and snow had taken on a pinkish orange hue as the sun sank to the western horizon.
Arngier moved to a place in the courtyard where the paved stones peeked through the snow. There he telepathically etched three words into the stone: "Lok" meaning "sky", "Vah" meaning "Spring" and "Koor" meaning "Summer". The words appeared to be cut into the stone like an ordinary carving but they glowed from within with a white hot light. Fakhriya stood before each word in turn. On each occasion the word glowed intensely as Fakhriya looked upon it. Much like the energy that could be seen swirling out of a dragon's body when Fakhriya absorbed its soul, the words emitted an eddy that surrounded Fakhriya and seemed to pour itself into her body.
Each word cleared all thought out of Fakhriya's head. She saw the word in her mind in all its facets. The sensation reminded Fakhriya of unfolding paper. At first the word was a small packet, but as it unfolded more was revealed. She could feel the mundane and then the magical aspects of the word taking root in her mind and body. The rush of alternating between the comprehension of the magical aspects of the dragons' words and the return to her own mundane senses left Fakhriya dizzy. Jenassa put her hands on Fakhriya's waist and arm to steady her as she swayed under the magic's influence.
The Shout allowed Fakhriya to clear fog and inclement weather. Without the benefit of dragon blood an ordinary human would have needed a decade or more to comprehend what Fakhriya had learned in less than an hour.
After Fakhriya regained her bearings, Arngier directed Fakhriya's attention to an archway at the opposing end of the courtyard.
"Tomorrow you can use the Shout you have been taught to reach the summit where Paarthurnax awaits," Arngier said. "Tonight, you are welcome to what we have by way of food and shelter."
Fakhriya and Jenassa set out early the next morning for the summit of the Throat of the World. The women had not ventured far from the archway at the edge of the courtyard before they realized that the climb to the summit would be much more treacherous than the well traveled path that brought them to High Hrothgar had been. After traveling a short distance up the mountain the clear blue skies gave way to a dense fog.
"Lok vah koor," Fakhirya shouted. The fog split as if her words had cut into it and then the fog disappeared. A goat that had not been visible before the fog was lifted was startled by the presence of the women and ran ahead on the steep, narrow path. As the women made their ascent, the fog rolled back in. Fakhriya was forced to repeatedly use the Shout she had learned to clear the road to the summit.
It was midmorning by the time Fakhriya and Jenassa approached the peak. They were nearly to the top when Fakhriya abruptly stopped.
"What's the matter?" Jenassa asked.
"I don't know," Fakhriya said. "Something feels weird."
"Weird, like how?" Jenassa asked.
"I don't know," Fakhirya said. She shook her head as if she were regaining her senses. "Just weird. It's OK. It just feels odd."
The women continued up the path. They were surprised to see a dragon sunning itself on a stone wall. Jenassa immediately drew her sword, but Fakhriya held out her arm to stop Jenassa before she could advance on the beast. Fakhriya wasn't certain, but she thought the dragon smiled at her.
"Dovahkiin, drem yol lok," the dragon said. "Greetings."
Fakhirya was dumbfounded, but she approached the dragon without trepidation. Jenassa lowered her weapon but did not sheath it.
Paarthurnax seemed to take immense pleasure in speaking to someone new, but the dragon clearly struggled to make himself understood in the common tongue. He often resorted to speaking in the dragon language and then translating sentence fragments into the comparatively unfamiliar common language Fakhriya knew. Paarthurnax taught Fakhriya a shout that allowed her to expel fire from her throat so that he might exchange greetings with the Dovahkiin as dragons do. He then led Fakhriya in a circular conversation laden with ritual, formality and philosophical debate before he allowed the discussion to turn to the thu'um that Fakhriya sought.
"I knew you would come for this as Alduin and the Dovahkiin return together, but I cannot teach you Dragonrend," Paarthurnax finally announced. "The thu'um was created by men to use against dragonkind. The very concept of the thu'um is incomprehensible to me."
"If you can't teach it to me, who can?" Fakhriya asked.
"When your ancient heroes defeated Alduin, they did not destroy him, but instead sent him forward in time to remove him from their path," Paarthurnax explained. "In doing so, they created a tiid ahraan, a time wound. The humans used an Elder Scroll to open the time wound in this place. If you could find an Elder Scroll and open it here, you may gain the insight you need to defeat Alduin."
Fakhriya knew that finding an Elder Scroll would be no simple task. Elder Scrolls existed both inside and outside the flow of time and contained the recordings of both the past and the future. Before the Great War the Imperial Library in Cyrodiil housed a vast number of them, but when the Imperial City fell to the Aldmeri Dominion, the store of Scrolls was lost. Because Paarthurnax had long removed himself from the world of humans, he had no suggestions as to where or how Fakhriya might find an Elder Scroll.
Although there were still a couple of hours of daylight left when Fakhriya and Jenassa reached High Hrothgar, the women thought better of continuing down the mountain. The Seven Thousand Steps were well traveled, but it would be dark before the women reached Ivarstead. The Greybeards extended their hospitality to Fakhriya and Jenassa for another night. Arngier suggested the women go to the College of Winterhold to search for an Elder Scroll.