Inheritance of Skyrim

Chapter 11
The Long Climb

by. R. Reichelderfer

Having solved the issue of the Barrow, the next day he had started up the Mountain. Even taking the supplies that Klimmik was suppose to deliver, Thorn carried them up on his back. Murtagh did not ride Thorn, as he went up. Thinking on the emblems. Having taken time to learn and understand the dragon language. Murtagh and thorn read the emblems. The path had had it's dangers. Frost trolls mostly. Nothing too dangerous as they were not a danger to Murtagh nor Thorn. The Pair were battered by the ice cold winds. The trip up the mountain took nearly a week's time. Some goats, and the trolls had provided Thorn some good food as the pair would reach High Hrothgar by high noon. Packing up the make shift camp the pair of them moved on. Walking through the crevasses the winds were too strong to allow Thorn to fly. He couldn't go much higher before the winds only seemed to push him down. But once in a while Thorn thought that about them he had glimpsed a massive dragon moving around. But there was no attacks so it could have been tricks of light. But Thorn could smell another dragon.

For now the pair were content to continue on. Murtagh figured that once he was accepted as this Dragonborn. He would have protection from both Imperial and Stormcloaks and would be free to pursue his own goals and desires. As the ice and stone cracked under Thorn's weight Murtagh had given little thought to the Emblems. Thorn seemed to have more desire to sit and meditate on them. As if with each one he gains some sort of hidden knowledge. Or perhaps instinctive understanding. The air was thin, breathing was hard as the pair of them had to take their time. At this point they were only three quarters the way up the mountain.

Moving around the path Murtagh looked to the sight of a massive stone castle, or monastery. If you believed the latter. Approaching the two of them took their time reaching the last two emblems. Finally once Thorn was satisfied. Both he and Murtagh had begun to walk up to the massive double doors. They were large enough that Thorn could enter the place. Removing his helmet Murtagh debated having his sword drawn. Normally when people were summoned this way, it was to their deaths. Even with Thorn, having heard how Ulfric had murdered or killed the High king, and how the Greybeards could kill him with a word made them both that was Alagaesia. Not Skyrim. Placing the Klimmik's offering in the chest, he cleared his head. Closing his eyes Murtagh shook his head and marched up the stairs as Thorn stepped on the stone steps to follow his rider.

Taking hold of the massive doors Murtagh pulled them wide open and was blasted by hot air. Well hotter that the air outside as he and Thorn moved inside. Looking around Thorn narrowed his eyes as he could see four robed men walking down stairs as Murtagh and Thorn slowly approached him. The high vaulted ceilings allowed Thorn to stand at his full height. The monks in the robes when the saw the massive red dragon behind the young warrior they had summoned. Murtagh's cold hard eyes looked at then as Thorn snorted. Smoke left his nose as he settled down on his belly. His ruby red eyes peered at them watching everything they did and said.

The monk's looked at Thorn and they seemed surprised as one of them began to approach Murtagh. A final look at Thorn and the Monk said. "So a Dragonborn appears, at this moment in the turning of the age."

Inhaling and speaking with an air of authority that had started to come easier to him. "I am Answering your summons."

The old monk replied, "We shall see if you truly have the gift." Continuing, "Sho us Dragonborn, Let us taste of your voice.

Pulling the power he felt in his throat Murtagh was almost ready to use his Fire Breath, but as he unleashed his voice. He Roared out, "FUS!"

The power made he issued forth made the old monk stumble back. Part of it had clipped his companion making him recoil. As they recovered the one who addressed him said.

"Dragonborn, it is you. Welcome to High Hrothgar." With a bow he spoke. "I am Master Arngeir. I speak for the Greybeards. Tell us Dragonborn, Where did you befriend this Dragon?"

The Question had caught Murtagh off guard as well as Thorn. Keeping most of it to themselves. Thorn and Murtagh both explained about Dragon Riders and Alagaesia. Leaving large amounts of information out. But the Greybeards were surprised that Thorn could not speak as the Dragons did. But rather spoke through telepathy. Finally when it was clear that neither Murtagh nor Thorn would elaborate on the Dragon Riders. Arngeir asked of Murtagh.

"Now tell us, Dragonborn, why have you come?"

The question caught Murtagh off guard. Thorn was also surprised. Murtagh's reply was. "You are the ones who summoned me."

"And you are the one who chose to answer the summons." The Smirk on Arngeir's face was evident. Thorn laughed softly behind Murtagh. Annoyed he said.

"I want to find out what it means to be Dragonborn."

With a nod Arngeir said, "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."

"You mean I am not the only Dragonborn?"

"You are not the first. There have been many of the Dragon Blood 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 that has been revealed thus far. That is all I can say."

Crossing his arms, Murtagh's annoyance was evident. But inhaling deeply he said, "I call no one master, But I am ready and willing to learn." Murtagh said. Arngeir nodded and bowed his head.

"We are honored to welcome a Dragonborn to High Hrothgar. We will do our best to teach you how to use your gift in fulfillment of your destiny. And perhaps as we understand each other, in time you will share more of your knowledge of Alagaesia with us, and the Dragons of these lands."

"What is my Destiny?" was all Murtagh asked.

"That is for you to discover, we can show you the way to find it, but not it's destination."

"Who are you, What is this place?" Murtagh finally asked. He was curious as he looked around at the stone work, Cut, centuries old. Running his hand over the cut stone work as he listened to Arngeir.

"We are the Greybeards, followers of The Way of The Voice. You stand in High Hrogthgar, on the slopes of Kynarath's sacred mountain. Here we commune with the voice of the Sky, and strive to achive balance with our inner and outer selves."

"I am ready to begin." Finally Murtagh said.

"You have Shown that you are Dragonborn. You have the Inborn gift." Moving to the Center of the Chamber Murtagh felt uneasy at all the eyes on him. Even though there were only four people here Murtagh still felt uneasy. "But do you have the discipline and temperament to follow the path that has been laid out before you. That remains to be seen." Motioning Murtagh to the Center area Arngeir continued as Murtagh took his place. "Without Training you have already taken the first steps to 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 Eord, your Shouts will become progressively stronger. Master Einarth will now teach you "RO," the Second word in Unrelenting Force. Ro means Balance in the dragon tongue, combine it with 'FUS,' - Force - to focus your Thu'um more sharply."

A second of the Greybeards came up as he looked down at the ground and said, "Ro." and a wave of power erupted from his mouth impacting the ground at Murtagh's feet. He could see the ground heave and crack as the word in dragon script came up glowing as the meaning and the word took root inside of Murtagh's mind. Filled with the strength of this new word, he could hear the surprise of Arngeir.

"You learn a new word like a master... 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." Continuing, "Well that is how the rest of us learn shouts. As Dragonborn you can absorb a slain dragon's life force and knowledge directly."

This concerned Murtagh as he wondered if he would need to go out and slay yet another dragon. But Arngeir continued. "As part of your initiation, Master Einarth will allow you to tap into his understanding of 'Ro". Looking over at the monk he began to glow as Murtagh could feel him channeling energy into him. The understanding of the shout and the word grew allowing him to understand how to effect the balance around him with his shout. "Now let us see how quickly you can master your New Thu'um."

Following their Direction as Murtagh stood with his back to a wall looking towards the doors he came in. Thorn was laying on his belly to his right out of the way of the strike area he hoped. "Use your Unrelenting Force shout to strike the targets as they appear." Thorn took note of the words Fiik Lo Sah as Murtagh used his stronger shout to strike the phantom targets. Impressed with his skill and quick mastery. Murtagh's Next Lesson took place in the courtyard. There he started to learn a new shout, Whirlwind Sprint.

Learning it quickly, Murtagh was able to complete the task of Traveling through a gate on his second attempt. While it carried him for a fair distance, it did not take him through the gate. So it took a second attempt for him to get through continuing to run at the very end of the shout to get through. What had surprised him the most was there was only one last test. He had expected to be training for weeks or months on end. The Final test was to retrieve the war horn of Jurgen Windcaller who was buried at Ustengrav, an ancient fane in the marshes of Hjaalmarch. When it was marked on his map. Murtagh realized that he had months of travel ahead of him.

The journey it's self was part of the test. Thorn said he would fly them, Murtagh had wanted Thorn to grow stronger and older. But Thorn said. /~I am positive I can make the journey. Providing I am not laden down with excess weight. I will turn a journey of months into days or weeks. We will fly and you will ride.~/ Thorn's voice indicated he would not take no for an answer. With Sun setting and not wanting to fly at night. Murtagh and Thorn were allowed to spend the night at High Hrothgar. Murtagh and Thorn returned to the main hall where Thorn could sleep. Thorn asking of Master Arngeir various questions. Which lead to the discovery of the fact there was a dragon above at the top of the mountain. Paarthunax. The Same dragon that had pitied men and taught then the Thu'um. Thorn had desired to meet him, but he could not reach through the gale force winds, nor pass through the gate to the top of the mountain.

So for now, Murtagh was bedding down and storing his excess gear in High Hrothgar. Thorn rested by the fires in the main hall, sleeping and resting for the flight tomorrow. Thorn had continued to talk into the late hours with the Greybeards. About Dragons and history, Despite the coaching and hard attempts. Thorn could not vocalize the words to project his own Thu'um. The Greybeards adviced Thorn to seek balance within himself, and to pray to Akatosh, father of all dragons for that blessing. That for now, It was part of Akatosh's plan and his destiny that he be denied the Thu'um. When he would gain the ability to use the Thu'um, only time would tell.