Heads-up: This chapter is filled with a lot of dialogue, both internal and external. If you feel like you want to skip it, go right ahead. The next chapter should be… interesting.

Chapter 9

Hall of the Graybeards: Part II

Entering the hall of the Graybeards was almost as breathtaking as the view from the top of the mountain. High stone arches rose a good 10 meters into the air, and the walls were adorned with carvings similar to the ones I saw in Bleak Falls Barrow. Several doorways were placed in each wall of the room, and the stone-tiles floor was well swept and scrubbed. As I looked around, I noticed a young-looking Nord, perhaps in his twenties, dusting a carving on the opposite wall. Clearing my throat, I said

"Ahem. Hello. I was called by the Graybeards. Are you one of them?" The man looked up in surprise, almost jumping at hearing my voice. When he saw me, we walked closer, inspecting me.

"No, I'm not a Graybeard. Just some help for a few old men. So you're the one they called for? I'll get Master Arngeir at once so that he can see you." The man's voice was raspy as if he hadn't spoken for a while, but nothing else seemed to make him stick out. He wore a simple gray robe, and had brown hair and eyes. He sprinted off then, robes fluttering, presumably to get "Master Arngeir".

Several minutes later, the housekeeper walked back, an old man dressed in much more ornate clothes flowing behind him. The old man had a bray beard and graying eyebrows. Even his eyes, which were blue, seemed to be graying. When the man, who I guessed to be Master Arngeir locked eyes with me, a shock seemed to go through my body. I stood still as he approached, standing straight-backed despite his old age.

"So. A Dragonborn appears, at this moment at the turning of the age." He examined me closer, his piercing eyes seeming to look past my physical body. Feeling nervous, I shifted my weight

"Um… You call me Dragonborn. What... does that mean, exactly? I've been told that it's a part of ancient Nordic legend, but I still don't understand.", I said. Arngeir waved his hand dismissively.

"I can tell you in a moment. But first, let us see if you truly are Dragonborn. Let us taste of your Voice."

This gave me some pause. A test? They were the ones who had called me, but I supposed a little caution was wise. Digging into my memories, I tried remembering the word that I had shouted. When it came, I focused on it, and I Shouted "FUS" in the air above Master Arngeir's head. While we had spoken, three others in similar robes had walked to the hall. The air shook with the Shout, and several of the old men stumbled back. Wide-eyed, and with a small smile crossing his face, Master Arngeir stepped back up to me.

"Dragonborn, it is you. Welcome to High Hrothgar. I am Master Arngeir, I speak for the Graybeards. Now tell me Dragonborn, why have you come here?", Arengir spoke. I raised an eyebrow. The Graybeards had called me- their Shout could be heard all across the Country. A test. They wanted to know why I decided to come.

"My name is Link. I want to find out what it means to be Dragonborn, and maybe even how I became Dragonborn in the first place.", I said. Arngeir nodded, seeming steeped in wisdom.

"We are here to guide you in that pursuit, just as the Graybeards have sought to guide those of the Dragon Blood that came before you. I shall answer your questions. Ask, and I shall answer to the best of my ability."

Immediately, dozens of questions filled my head. Were there other Dragonborn before me, how did I become Dragonborn, had they ever heard of Hyrule? Questions like that and many more filled my head, but I began with one of the simplest.

"Who are you? I mean, the Graybeards. What is this place?", I asked. Master Arngeir cleared his throat, then began his answer.

"We are the Graybeards, followers of the Way of the Voice. You stand on High Hrothgar, on the slopes of Kynareth's sacred mountain. Kynareth is the goddess of the air and sky. Here we commune with the voice of the sky, and strive to achieve balance between our inner and outer selves." This answered my question well enough. The graybeards were essentially monks, meditating on the "Voice". Seeing Arngeir was done answering my first question, I asked my second, and almost as important question "Have you ever heard or seen Hyrule, my home country?" Arngeir could not answer my question. He sat, deep in thought, for long minutes, but ultimately shook his head. He had never heard of Hyrule, or any other country that fit its description. My confusion grew about my situation. I had mysteriously appeared in a world with no Hyrule. What was going on?

Shaking me out of my darkening thoughts, Arngeir coughed to get my attention. I looked up, and my eyes were drawn to his once more, graying like a lake frosting over.

"I know that you're situation must be confusing, suddenly finding that you are Dragonborn. We can help you, train you, so that you can control your powers. Are you, Link, ready to learn?" I wasn't. I didn't want to have these mysterious powers, and I didn't want to be "Dragonborn". Why was there a Dragonborn, anyway? I irritably asked Arngeir that exact question, though my harsh tone made me wince. I sounded like a child, but Arngeir looked past it and answered calmly.

"Dragonborn are the only ones who can destroy a dragon permanently- by absorbing its soul. Dragons can be slain, but Dragonborn are the only solution to make sure that they stay dead. You can learn Shouts much more quickly and supposedly can read all dragon scripts- given time. You came at an interesting time, when dragons long dead rise once again, and an enemy long-thought gone has returned." Arngeir turned towards a carving on a wall, with a man in armor standing before a dragon that looked eerily similar to the one I saw in Helgen.

"Ancient legends also speak that the Dragonborn were created to slay Alduin, the child of Akatosh himself. He ruled Skyrim with an iron claw, once, and shirks his duties as the World-Eater. It is said that Akatosh, in order to slay Alduin and have him complete his sacred duty, created the Dragonborn. It seems like this is happening now. Alduin has returned, and you are the only one who can stop him"

To cut out a lot of unnecessary details, I didn't take that information very well. Arngeir's words confirmed my fears from several nights prior, and a slew of expletives exploded from my mouth. I got pretty angry, and I even used the word "Fus" to shout a half-dozen plates off a table. The Graybeards were rather zen about my explosion, Arngeir calmly looking at me the whole time. By the time my fury and self-pity died down, he cleared his throat.

"Are you done acting like a child?", Arngeir asked simply. This set me off again, and I yelled at him. Hell, Lydia had to hold me back at one point to keep me from swinging a fist at the maddening man. It took longer than the first time, but I managed to cool my temper.

"Arngeir," I said as respectfully and calmly as I could, "you don't know ANYTHING about me, or what I've been through. You can't judge me for my reaction."

My statement made Arngeir nod, finally making him react. Throughout my entire tirade, he hadn't so much as flinched, even when I used the Voice.

"I see. Tell me then, Link. what has happened, to merit your tantrum?", Arngeir asked. His words were harsh, but accurate. I decided to tell him everything- the whole truth. Lydia listened attentively as I spoke, and her eyes widened after hearing further details of my past quests. It must have taken a few hours to finally complete my life story, and by then, my voice was hoarse, and my mind tired.

"And now I'm here, in a land I've never heard of or seen before, and I'm apparently the only one who can stop an impending dragon invasion, and keep Alduin from destroying all life on the continent."

Silence rang after I stopped talking. By now, all of the Graybeards were present in the room, along with two or three manservants to help serve food and drink. Lydia sat by my side and was in awe after listening to my entire story- with no details taken out. Arngeir leaned forward in his carved chair.

"I believe you. You speak with honesty, and I cannot detect any madness in your voice. Still, is it fair to the people of Tamriel to leave them to die? To abandon people who need your help?", he asked. I looked down at my plate, an untouched meal that was now stone-cold.

"Can nobody else take my place? I've heard of past Dragonborn, what happened to them? Or what about this "Empire"? Can't they do something against the dragons?" My words sounded hollow, even to my ears. A voice laughed inside of my head. It mocked me for being a coward, for running away from responsibility. It made my left hand itch, and I scratched it unconsciously. Arngeir shook his head to my questions.

"It must be you, Link. You may leave if you wish. You may escape from Skyrim, and never come back again. Just know that doing so would doom the entire continent, and perhaps one day, the whole world"

I stood at a crossroads. My panic, selfishness, and past trauma all begged me not to go on a dangerous quest again. They reminded me of the pain, suffering, and most of all, the childhood that was wasted being a pawn to greater powers. On the other hand, my sense of honor, my kindness, and my duty to protect all egged me on. My conscience screamed at me to save the people of Skyrim. It reminded me of the good I had done, of the peace I could spread. In a country that had so much conflict, I felt it was my duty to help them. Once again, my selfish side butted in. It reminded me that I had no obligations to the people in this country. I felt like I was being stretched, on the brink of being torn in half. All while I was internally struggling with this decision, Arngeir calmly looked at me, waiting for an answer. I opened my mouth to speak, answer, but no answer came out. I desperately looked at Lydia, who looked at me almost pityingly. She shook her head, and her meaning was clear. If I were to make a decision, it would have to be my own, not someone else's.

What finally made me decide was a reminder of the people I loved. Malon, Talon, Darunia, Saria, Zelda, all of them would have wanted me to help. I wouldn't disappoint them. If I backed down now, people would die. Thousands of them. My left hand prickled again, and I looked at it. The scar on its surface reminded me of why I was chosen for my former adventure. It was because I was worthy of Courage.

"Courage comes from helping the greater good, even if you're selfish or scared. It comes from overcoming both of these emotions, and not all can accomplish it. Few can overcome their fear, while even fewer can become selfless from their selfishness." I looked up, shame etched into my features.

"And that is why I, can be the only one. Nobody can shoulder the responsibility of defeating Alduin. Nobody can kill him permanently, except for me. I must take on this burden myself. I'm sorry, Master Arngeir. I am ready to learn."

Arngeir forgave me. He told me it took a brave man to admit his faults. When I finally accepted the duty to become the Dragonborn, my left hand seemed to warm. I desperately wished that Courage was with me right then. Its calming power and fierce determination would have firmed my decision, its healing light would ease my nerves, and its wisdom would help guide my decisions. I didn't have Courage anymore. It had faded, disappearing years ago. I didn't know whether it was because the threat of Ganondorf had vanished, if it appeared elsewhere, or if I simply wasn't worthy of it anymore. Any way that it went, it was gone now. Now, I was just Link.

After my decision was made, Master Arngeir and the other Graybeards stood in the main hall, facing me. I learned the word "Ro", to go along with the first word of Fus. Master Einarth whispered the word, cracking the stone of the floor, and carving the jagged script that I had seen in Bleak Falls Barrow. I touched the word, and the word poured itself into my mind. I couldn't speak it properly, however, until Master Einarth gifted his knowledge of the word to me. What was the culmination of years of work for him, was all poured into my mind directly. Spoken together, Fus and Ro increased eachother's power. I was given an apparition to test on, which I Shouted at. While the first word made the apparition stumble and sent dishes flying, the second in combination with the first shoved it several steps backward. All Shouts came with three words, or more in the case of exceptionally rare and powerful ones. I couldn't wait to see what would happen if I tried to Shout all three words of the "Unrelenting Force" Shout, as I had learned.

Master Arngeir was impressed by my progress, remarking over and over about how quickly I could learn new Shouts. He led me outside with Master Borri, and we stood about 10 meters from an iron gate, worn and weathered from the icy wind that flew over us all.

"We will now see how you learn a completely new Shout. Master Borri will teach you "Wuld", which means "Whirlwind", Arngeir spoke. Master Borri whispered, the jagged dragon script once more appearing on the ground. I eagerly touched its surface, absorbing the word. Master Borri gifted his knowledge of the word to me, and I absorbed it as well, learning the meaning of the word, how to pronounce it, and how to make it have an effect on the world around me.

"Now we will see how quickly you can master a new Shout. Master Wulfgar will demonstrate Whirlwind Sprint. Then, it will be your turn. Master Borri."

Standing near the gate, Master Borri Shouted "BEX", making the gate fly open. Before it could close, Master Wulfgar Shouted

"WULD NAH KEST!", and suddenly appeared on the other side of the gate. I blinked. I hadn't even seen the Graybeard move, yet he was on the other side of the gate. It closed, and Master Arngeir gestured for me to stand in front of the gate.

"Now it's your turn. Stand next to me. Master Borri will open the gate. Use your Whirlwind Sprint to pass through before it closes." Once more, Master Borri Shouted

"BEX", and the gate opened. Taking a deep breath, I focused on the word that was glowing in my mind.

"WULD!", I shouted. I instinctively knew what to do, the memories of Master Wulfgar guiding me. I braced my feet, and pushed forward when the shout exited my lips. The wind whistled around me, and I was standing on the other side of the gate in a heartbeat. I knew another shout! It would be invaluable in battle. I was imagining how I could use it against a dragon as I walked back to Master Arngeir, and my hopes of defeating a dragon by myself seemed more doable.

With that last shout, my first training session ended. Master Arngeir congratulated me, and the three other Graybeards nodded in appreciation. However, Master Arngeir wanted to have a few last words before I went to rest.

You were given this gift by the gods for a reason. It is up to you to figure out how to use it. You are ready for your last trial. When you can, retrieve the Horn of Jurgen Windcaller, our founder, from his tomb in the ancient fane of Ustengrav. Remain true to the way of the voice, and you will return. Sky guard you, Dragonborn."

Translations

Fus: Force

Ro: Balance

Bex: Open, to open

Wuld: Whirlwind

Nah: Fury

Kest: Tempest