Dark Waters

Sigrid

..::~^~::..

“This begins the 7,000 steps,” Delphine told me, “I cannot take them with you. This journey you must do by yourself,” she explained, and I exhaled deeply. I didn’t understand why I had to go to High Hrothgar. I didn’t understand why Delphine couldn’t just come with me. Beside the Blades’ opposition to the Greybeards, which she had explained to me on the journey to the beginning of the 7,000 steps, “The business you have with them is nearly confidential.”

“I don’t understand the point of going. I’m the Dragonborn, I understand, so why do I have to go see these guys?” I asked.

“Because as a Dragonborn, you come with certain capabilities, such as the way of the Voice. You can’t just learn how to harness these capabilities with practice, they must teach you. You’ll learn all you need to know, and then you can start taking on those dragons, and avenge Nev’s death,” I was beginning to feel that she was playing the Nev card a little too much lately, and that had begun to bother me. The back of my mind told me that she had her own plans, and that she was playing me like a fiddle. This didn’t sit well with me, and suddenly, I was happy Delphine wouldn’t come with me. If I was able, I could avoid seeing her any longer. I could do this all on my own.

“So, I just climb the mountain to High Hrothgar, and walk in,” I asked, and she nodded. I closed my eyes and was silent for a second before I continued speaking again, “Thanks for your help,” I said, giving her a tight smile. She raised a brow, as if she read through the lines.

“What? You think you’ve gotten rid of me?” she laughed, and that sick feeling came back, “Child, you’ll be seeing me soon,” she said as she mounted her horse. She didn’t look back as she rode off, and I turned to face the beginning of the steps. I eyed the mountain, seeing that farther up, the mountain was capped in snow. Snow meant snow bears and frost giants – neither a pleasant thing to deal with. I had to suck it up, though. I took the first step, 6,999 more to go. I made sure to grab onto the Ebony bow tightly. My Ebony sword now dangled from my side, ready for any battle I may need it in. The path twined, twisted, and turned, and if I hadn’t been raised as an assassin, with stellar physique, I would have been exhausted, and barely up the mountain.

As I neared the top, the snow seemed to become thicker, and I could hear growling around me. I knew the growl well, and was happy it wasn’t a snow bear. It was the growl of an ice wolf, which would be an easy match. I kept my ears perked, and my eyes searching the trees, and the snow, which the ice wolf could blend in with. As I walked further, the growling grew louder, and I could tell there were half a dozen, maybe. I sheathed my sword, looking around through narrowed eyes. The first one pounced towards me, and I swung, my sword severing his head off while he was still midair. Another shot towards me, and I kicked it in the snout to make it fall back while a third came up behind me. I swung around, stabbing it in the stomach with my sword. With a whimper, it fell to the ground. I turned back to finish the other one, and two more came up on me. I threw my dagger into the eye of one of the oncoming wolves, and took the other out with my sword. There was no more growling after that. I retrieved my dagger from the wolf’s head, and continued on the path.

I could hope that would be the worst of what I’d have to deal with as I climbed through the mountain. Somewhere along the way, I stopped near a tree, cleaning off my dagger with a leave. I looked out at the Rift from where I stood, and somewhere in the distance, I could see a dragon flying around, probably terrorizing some poor citizen. This caused my hate to grow stronger, and my motivation to grow larger. I turned to continue the path, when I saw a large Frost troll walking around in an open area. A frost giant’s weakness was fire, of which I had none. This was wear it would have been a good idea to have gotten into destruction, at least. I made a note to myself to at least learn some sort of spell. Instead, I climbed one of the cliffs next to me, and wedge myself in an unseen spot. I grabbed my bow, and an arrow from the case hanging onto my back. I aimed just above its head, and it fell as soon as the arrow went through its skull. I grinned in satisfaction. The fact that killing something caused me pleasure sickened me.

I climbed down from where I perched, and continued up the mountain, once more. I didn’t run into any other obstacles, and I reached High Hrothgar before the sun had gone down. It was large, with two doors. In the front were what seemed to be offerings. I walked towards one of the doors, and upon entering, a man who resembled a monk walked up to me. He had his beard in a braid, one of the only visible things on his hooded face.

“Dovahkiin,” he said, expectantly. It wasn’t a question, he knew what I was. He knew far more than I did.

“I believe so?” I said. I wasn’t sure of anything, really, so I’d just wait for him to tell me.

“I am Arngeir. I am of the Greybeards,” he explained, and I nodded, “We mentor in the Way of the Voice. The exact reason you’re here,” he said further. Three other Greybeards surrounded me, and I expected them to say anything, but they didn’t. Arngeir seemed to sense this, “They can’t talk, for their voices are too powerful.” I examined the three other monks, and looked back to the only one that seemed to speak.

“Why must I learn the…way of the voice?” I asked.

“Because, child, you are a Tongue,” he explained, and I furrowed my brows. I was a what? “A Tongue is one who has the natural ability to speak the language of Dov. You are this because you are Dovahkiin. You have the body of man, or woman in your case, and the blood and soul of a dragon,” this angered me. I didn’t want to the blood and soul of a dragon, one of the things I hated most.

“It doesn’t add up,” I said, “I can’t speak the language of Dragons.”

“Because you must study it. Along with that, as you absorb the souls of dragons, you will gain knowledge,” he said. Is that what happened when the dragon was killed earlier. I absorbed a dragon soul?

“I just want to kill them,” I admitted. I didn’t care about to the voice. I didn’t want to speak their language. I wasn’t aiming to become best friends with them. I wanted to learn the proper thu’um to stop Alduin. And then I understood. I needed to know the way of the voice to be able to use it against him. Again, I sighed heavily, and listened.

“Spoken like a Blade,” he didn’t seem resentful, as Delphine did whilst talking about the Greybeards, “We will teach you what we can. Besides that, the rest is solely up to you. Including what you do with the voice, though we recommend you choose a different path.” I didn’t have to think twice about it. My mind was made up.

..::~^~::..

-some time near a month later-

I played with fire on my fingertips as I walked towards the small cemetery isolated in the corner of Riften. I pressed the button, waiting for the stone casket to draw back. This had been the first time I returned to the Guild since I left, and found out I was what people called the Dragonborn. I tugged at the black chain, and then climbed down into the Cistern. This time, I didn’t get as warm of a welcoming as I had last time. I looked around, and saw Brynjolf walking towards me, his eyebrows raised.

“You’re alive,” he pointed out, and I grinned, “you didn’t even tell us you’d left.”

“I had stuff I had to do,” I said vaguely, and I knew it wasn’t fair to leave him so unknowing. I wasn’t sure if he would still allow me to stay here, “I um, I have sort of a long term goal that I’m working on,” I had been working on it very hard. I’d gone into many Nordic Ruins, learning words, and strengthening myself against Draugers, and I had been working on my mage skills in destruction. I’d been searching endlessly for the scroll that would help me kill Alduin. I’d grown frustrated and exhausted lately. I needed a break.

“You don’t have to tell me,” Brynjolf informed, and I gave him a thankful look, “You’re still welcome to stay as long as you need.”

“That leads me to a question I have,” I said, and he looked at me, cocking his head to the side in a questioning way, “What would it take for me to join the Guild?” I asked, and his face grows into a grin.

“Well, it helps you’ve been in the Brotherhood. I’ll have to discuss it with the rest of the Guild, though. I don’t believe it would present any problem. You’d make a fine addition,” he said, and I nodded. It was better than a flat out no.

“That means a lot,” I said honestly, “I must go speak with Melvin now,” I said, and he bowed his head before I turned and left. I walked through the hidden door into the Ragged Flagon. Melvin was standing at the bar, where Vekel had usually been. He wouldn’t be there any longer.

“Well, look at who’s back,” Melvin’s voice crept into my ears, and I grinned at him, walking over to the empty bar, “Wa’int sure if you were alive or not,” he said, and I shrugged.

“I don’t die easily,” I joked, and he raised an eyebrow, “How’s Vitrin?” I asked sincerely. The last time I had seen her, she was like a living corpse. I wondered if she’d gotten better yet.

“Wouldn’t we all like to know,” he said, confusing me, “She left not long after you did. Tried to sneak out, but Brynjolf let her leave properly. Wouldn’t tell Niruin where she went. Apparently it was somethin’ she had ta’ do,” he said, shrugging, “So wha’ have you been up to?”

“This and that,” I said, not wanting to reveal that I was trying to stop dragons. By now, everybody knew that they were back. It placed a fear in Skyrim like overcast on a bad day. There were less travelers, and hold capitals were more protective of their cities.

“Well aren’t we secretive, today?” he joked, and I rolled my eyes, “Just make sure you’re safe out there, whenever you are. When’s the next time you plan on leaving the lot o’ us, again?”

“I need to unwind for a bit,” I admitted, rubbing the back of my neck, “I asked Brynjolf to join the Guild. Said he’d discuss it with you guys,” his face held a smile at this.

“Well, you’d be a fine addition,” he chimed, and started going off on the duties of Guild members. I was thinking ahead of the ruins that I had yet to visit. Of the thu’ums I had yet to learn. Of all of the things I had yet to learn. The Guild was only a rest stop.

©Shannon.