"You have it," Paarthurnax said as I approached him. "The Kel – the Elder Scroll. Tiid kreh… qalos. Time shudders at its touch."
The dragon's wings flapped in an agitated way as he went on, "There is no question. You are doom-driven. Kagaan Akatosh. The very bones of the earth are at your disposal. Go then. Fulfill your destiny. Take the Scroll to the Time-Wound. Do not delay. Alduin will be coming. He cannot miss the signs."
I looked in the direction the dragon indicated with his snout. There, some way off, I saw a patch of air that seemed to… shimmer. That had to be it. I hurried over, my boots crunching over the snow. Pulling out the Elder Scroll, I unrolled it and examined its contents.
The parchment was covered with strange markings. As I stared at them, they started to glow and spin. My vision blurred and everything suddenly went white.
When the world came back into focus, everything was still hazy. I was exactly where I was standing moments before, but the sky above me was the color of blood. Somewhere nearby I heard the roar of dragons. It sounded like dozens of dragons. Smoke rose in huge clouds in the distance.
A Nord ran into view then, shouting, "Gormlaith! We're running out of time! The battle–"
He was cut off when I dragon landed behind him. The man whirled, drawing his axe.
"Daar sul thur se Alduin vokrii," the dragon sneered. "Today Alduin's lordship will be restored. But I honor your courage. Krif voth ahkrin. Die now in vain."
The Nord dodged the torrent of flame that burst from the dragon's maw. As he swung his axe at the dragon's head, he shouted, "For Skyrim!"
They battled, a chaotic mix of hacking axe and snapping jaws. A woman ran into view at that moment, her blonde hair streaming behind her and her face set with determination. She raised her sword high.
"Know that Gormlaith sent you down to death!" She cried as she plunged her sword into one of the dragon's eyes. When she ripped out her blade, the dragon collapsed, dead.
Turning to the man, she let out an exhilarated laugh. "Hakon! A glorious day, is it not?"
"Have you no thought beyond the blooding of your blade?" He snapped.
"What else is there?"
"The battle below goes ill. If Alduin does not rise to our challenge, I fear all may be lost."
She waved his concern off. "You worry too much, brother. Victory will be ours."
Both of them turned at the sound of footsteps on the snow. Another man, much older and wearing robes as opposed to their armor, hurried over to them.
"Why does Alduin hang back?" Hakon asked him. "We've staked everything on this plan of yours, old man."
"He will come," the newcomer insisted. "He cannot ignore out defiance. And why should he fear us, even now?"
"We've bloodied him well. Four of his kin have fallen to my blade alone this day," Gormlaith pointed out.
"But none have yet stood against Alduin himself. Galthor, Sorri, Birkir…"
"They did not have Dragonrend. Once we bring him down, I promise I will have his head."
The man in the robes shook his head. "You do not understand. Alduin cannot be slain like a lesser dragon. He is beyond our strength. Which is why I brought the Elder Scroll."
He lifted up the Scroll, the same one I'd gotten from the Dwemer ruin. The other two stepped back warily.
"Felldir! We agreed not to use it!" Hakon shouted at him.
"I never agreed. And if you are right, I will not need it."
"We will deal with Alduin ourselves, here and now," the warrior insisted.
"We shall see soon enough. Alduin approaches!"
Gormlaith pointed to the sky, at the massive black dragon that swooped overhead. He landed on an outcropping of rock and glared down at the three humans below him with unbridled contempt. He snarled something at them in the dragon language before throwing back his head and roaring. The sky rumbled ominously for a moment before fireballs rained down on the mountaintop.
"Let those that watch from Sovngarde envy us this day!" Gormlaith cried.
As one, the three humans released a Shout just as Alduin began to take flight again.
"Joor zah frul!"
A pulse of blue light escaped them, hitting the airborne dragon. His scales crackled with it and he came crashing back down again. He let out a furious roar.
"Nivahriin joorre! What have you done? What twisted Words have you created? Tahrodiis Paarthurnax! My teeth to his neck! But first… dir ko maar. You will die in terrior, knowing your final fate: to feed my power when I come for you in Sovngarde!"
"If I die today, it will not be in terror!"
Gormlaith rushed forward, striking at Alduin with a flurry of slashes. As she did, she taunted, "You feel fear for the first time, worm. I see it in your eyes. Skyrim will be free!"
Snapping his jaws, Alduin caught her in his teeth. He shook her several times before throwing her. She slammed into a boulder some distance away and lay still.
"No, damn you!" Hakon bellowed.
When he barely dodged Alduin's attack aimed at him, he shouted at his remaining companion, "It's no use! Use the Scroll, Felldir! Now!"
Felldir stepped back, out of range of Alduin's flapping wings and snapping jaws. Pulling out the scroll, he unrolled it and spoke.
"Hold, Alduin on the Wing! Sister Hawk, grant us your sacred breath to make this contract heard! Begone, World-Eater! By words with older bones than your own we break your perch on this age and send you out! You are banished! Alduin, we Shout you out from all our endings unto the last!"
Alduin swung his massive head around to face Felldir, his glowing eyes wide. His whole body seemed to shake. A strange hazy green mist appeared around him. His head whipped around again to stare at it.
"Faal Kel…? Nikriinne…"
With a roar, he was sucked back into nothingness and vanished.
"You are banished!"
Hakon looked around, breathing hard.
"It worked…" he said. "You did it…"
Felldir sighed. "Yes, the World-Eater is gone… May the spirits have mercy on our souls."
There was another flash of blinding light. I staggered back, blinking to clear my eyes. When I could see again, I suddenly found myself gazing up at a very real Alduin above me. He sneered, baring his long fangs.
"Bahloki nahkip sillesejoor. My belly is full of the souls of your fellow mortals, Dovahkiin," he snarled. "Die now and await your fate in Sovngarde!"
Dropping the Scroll, I drew my bow and aimed an arrow right at his ugly head.
"Lost funt. You are too late, Alduin!" Paarthurnax cried.
With a roar, Alduin climbed higher into the sky over the mountain.
"Dovahkiin! Use Dragonrend, if you know it!" With that, the other dragon leapt into the sky as well.
I watched the two dragons circle overhead. They lashed out at each other with fire and ice, with teeth and claws. They left me no opening to use the Shout. I didn't want to accidentally hit Paarthurnax.
With a sharp kick, Alduin broke away from his opponent. Seizing the opportunity, I Shouted the words of Dragonrend at him.
"Joor zah frul!"
The Shout ripped from me and I doubled over in agony as it seared through my chest and tore at my throat. Tears stung at my eyes and I fought to breathe. There was a loud boom somewhere nearby, presumably from Alduin crashing down. I straightened and tried to steady myself before drawing back an arrow and firing it at him. He just shook it off.
"You may have picked up the weapons of my ancient foes, but you are not their equal!" He growled. He reared back, his maw opening wide. Paarthurnax suddenly landed between us and I leapt back, watching in horror as the gray dragon blocked the flame Alduin had been about to Shout at me.
When the burst of flame ended, Paarthurnax gasped, "Now, Dovahkiin! Now he is vulnerable! Strike with all your force!"
Drawing my sword, I dashed around the dragon toward Alduin. Before he could move to attack, I jumped and plunged my sword into his skull. For a moment I thought I had won. Then he laughed.
"Meyz mul, Dovahkiin. You have become strong."
Wrenching the blade from his head, I staggered back. He grinned wickedly at me, blood trickling over the black scales on his face from the wound I'd dealt him. The wound that should have proven fatal.
"But I am Al-du-in, Firstborn of Akatosh! Mulaagi zok lot! I cannot be slain here, by you or anyone else! You cannot prevail against me. I will outlast you, mortal!"
Mortal. Not as much as he thought.
He took off, black wings flapping and stirring up the snow in flurries, before vanishing into the distance.
Well, a lot of good that did us.
There was a pained groan from behind me, and I turned sharply to see Paarthurnax wincing. His scales were marred with burns and deep, ugly gashes from the fight. I hurried over.
"Hold on, let me see what I can do," I told him, summoning a healing spell to my fingertips. It glowed a warm gold color on my hands as I worked to close the wounds that covered the dragon.
"Lot krongrah," Paarthurnax said to me as I worked, his breaths coming in pained gasps. "You truly have the Voice of a dovah. Alduin's allies will think twice after this victory."
"I would hope so," I murmured. "But it wasn't really a victory. Alduin escaped."
"Ni liivrah hin moro. True, this is not the final krongrah – victory. But not even the heroes of old were able to defeat Alduin in open battle. Alduin was pahlok – arrogant in his power. Uznahgar paar. He took domination as his birthright."
"I still need to find out where he went."
"Yes… one of his allies could tell us. Motmahus… But it will not be so easy to…" he cut off with a low growl as I healed up one of the worse gashes, "… convince one of them to betray him."
"What do you suggest, then?"
"Perhaps the hofkahsejun – the palace in Whiterun… Dragonsreach. It was originally built to house a captive dovah."
I looked up at him, surprised. "Was it really?"
"Yes. This was ages ago, you understand. There were more of us then. Before the bruniikke – the Akaviri – came and killed all my zeymah. I used to visit him from time to time. Nearly crazed by loneliness and captivity. Tiiraz sivaas. He did not even remember his own name. I do not know how he came to be caught, but the bronjun… the Jarl… was very proud of his pet. Paak! The hofkahsejun has been known as Dragonsreach ever since."
Paarthurnax descended into melancholy silence. That was when I remembered the dragon skull on the wall over Jarl Balgruuf's throne. I didn't have to ask where it came from.
After a few moments, the old dragon said, "Still, a fine place to trap one of Alduin's allies, hmm?"
I smirked. "The Jarl of Whiterun might not think so."
"Hmm, yes. But your su'um is strong. I do not doubt that you can convince him of the need."
"Right." My expression hardened as I murmured, "I barely know what I'm doing. It feels like a mistake that I'm even here at all."
"Ful ahzid. Do not doubt yourself or your power. You fought Alduin. You made it this far. Lost sahvot… Have faith, Dovahkiin. You will prevail."
