"What in oblivion are you talking about?" Minthara demands, having taken a moment to compose herself "Alduin wants to end the world, why would I not want to face him?"
"As is only natural." Paarthurnax hums in vague agreement "But why do you wish to face him?"
She narrows her eyes "This is one of those trap questions where if I answer with the obvious you get to correct me with something vaguely philosophical and get to feel smug about it, isn't it?"
The dragon blinks... and then looks to the side a bit awkwardly "Put like that my intentions do seem quite base do they not?" Had he been a humanoid he'd no doubt have cleared his throat by now "I do admit to being rather surprised, how was I seen through so easily?"
Minthara just sighs tiredly at that "I am just too used to it at this point." Before directing a sideways glare in my direction.
"Heh." I smirk smugly.
Out of the corner of my eye I notice Paarthurnax giving me an appraising look, as if he had just found another fellow of culture, the exchange lasts for but a moment as he shakes himself out of the surprised fugue "Be that as it may, I ask that you indulge me." He faces Minthara again "Why must you be the one to face Alduin?"
"Isn't it obvious?" She asks, already accepting the incoming lecture "It is because I am Dragonborn."
"It is true that you were given power, yes." Paarthurnax bobs his head "But why must the purpose of that power be what others say it must? Are you a mere follower of prophesy or do you believe yourself to stand against my brother out of your own volition?"
She glares at him for a moment before exhaling "When I first learned about what I was I did want to follow the prophesy, it gave m e a purpose after all." The dragon nods understandingly and she goes on "But then... as I travelled the world and met more people I realized that I wasn't doing what I am because of some old tale." She looks up, her eyes firm "I am stronger than most and will grow even stronger, and a perfect counter to dragons at that. If I just stand to the side and do nothing while Alduin burns everything, would I not be just as guilty as he?"
"You believe your strength and power a burden then?" Paarthurnax questions.
"No, of course not!" She scoffs "I love being this powerful, standing above the rest by simple virtue of existing!" The words flow out of her with ease, none of the shame she usually held for her instincts showing now "But what use is feeling powerful if I also feel guilty for not using the gifts I was given?"
"It is only natural for a Dovah to crave such feelings." Paarthurnax nods along "And yet mere dominance is not enough for you, is it? Your mortal feelings limit you greatly."
"And is that really such a bad thing?" She snaps and glares at him.
The massive dragon barks a laugh "Of course it is not." He admits with some mirth "I am happy to hear you do not follow our kind's basest instincts as closely as the rest of us."
"Yes, yes, a most profound revelation I am sure." She grouses, an eye twitching "I have a question for you as well."
"Oh?" He turns almost excited "Do ask, Dovahkiin, and I shall answer as best as I can."
'Lonely ass lizard.' Scorch scoffs.
I silence him with a mental poke 'Let the man cook.'
"Why are you so insistent on questioning me about this?" She asks "Do you think that the world should end and are looking for an excuse?"
"No." He answers simply before elaborating "What I do wish to know is your reasoning. Alduin may have been a tyrant to mortals but he is still a god in truth, his duty to end the world so that the next may begin. Are we truly right to try and stop him now that he has decided to bring his true might to bear?"
"What kind of a stupid question is that?" Minthara looks at him like he is an idiot "We should fight him because we want to live, any reason beyond that is just grandiose posturing and a waste of everyone's time."
"I think I see where the confusion stems from." I cut in and both of them turn to me "Paarthurnax, you are not a mortal, and never were a mortal." He nods "And so you cannot understand mortal concerns like death and suffering beyond battle wounds."
"It is true that my perspective remains that of a Dovah." He agrees easily.
"Then it is rather simple, isn't it?" I point at him "Death is completely meaningless in your mind, just another curiosity among thousands, am I right?"
A protracted pause follows my words but in the end Paarthurnax inclines his head and admits "Your words ring true, Lok-Wunduniik, even after all this time I yet fail to understand how mortals view their end."
"Probably because there are no two mortals who view it the same." I shrug "Everyone has doubts about it and their own beliefs which let them sleep at night but one universal constant is that no matter how faithful or uncaring, everyone holds some fear towards the end."
"And so no matter who is right, the great and the brave will still fight?" Paarthurnax ponders "Simply because there is nothing else to do?"
"That is basically the core of things." I nod easily "To not stand against Alduin is to accept death, and so one needs no more motivation than survival to go against him."
"I see..." The dragon hums "I am satisfied."
"I said pretty much the same thing." Minthara grumbles to herself, not caring that we could both hear her.
"You did say so Dovahkiin." Paarthurnax nods "But you did not elaborate upon your meaning."
"I did not come here to discuss philosophy, I came here to look for help!" She snaps at him "I understand that you want to indulge after so long but by the Divines wait until we aren't all about to die!"
Instead of being offended by her words he lets out a bark of laughter "Then you will find yourself disappointed Dovahkiin. To speak with a dragon and as a dragon is philosophy. It is no accident that a battle between dragons may be likened to a mortal debate."
"Right." She mutters, takes a long breath, and meets his eyes "Well then, would you kindly care to help us debate your older brother to death then?"
Paarthurnax gives her an unamused stare for a moment before shaking his head lightly "Whether I would aid you face the brother I rebelled against was never in question. I merely desired to learn more about the heroes of this age."
"So that was all a waste of time?" Her hand begins to twitch.
"It is never a waste of time to learn more of yourself and others." Paarthurnax lectures "But I can see how the patience of youth may find my words grating so let us move on to something you may consider a bit more practical." He pauses briefly "To face Alduin you must arm yourself with a weapon to count-"
"Dragonrend." Minthara interrupts.
He blinks but quickly gathers himself "I see you are already awar-"
"We aren't aware of it, we know it." She interrupts again, almost gleefully.
The dragon looks just about ready to slump onto the snow "How?"
"That would be my fault." I cut in with a sunny smile "You see, I saw this whole thing coming years ago, and being the annoying little meddler I was I made sure to make preparations and dragonrend was just one of those."
"There were no records left of the shout." Paarthurnax shakes his head "I am certain of it."
"A proper wizard must retain at least some mystery, I am afraid." I 'lament' offering him an 'apologetic' bow "My reputation would not survive otherwise."
The dragon huffs through his nostrils but doesn't say anything, probably well aware of the smug ass wizard stereotype.
"Now that we have established that we are more capable than you believed we would be and that our goal's righteousness is without question, bar the inane and the insane." I continue like nothing happened "We would appreciate the pledge of your voice to our cause."
"You wish for me to descend?" He asks, seemingly surprised.
I give Minthara a look and she takes the lead "Only if things turn truly dire for now." She answers "Otherwise your aid with the voice will be more than enough."
"I have no issues with it but..." He hesitates "Would the Joore of the lands below not be disturbed by your alliance with a dragon?"
"Oh, you don't have to worry about that." I grin and clap my hands, a distant roar responding but a moment later.
Paarthurnax looks at me with suspicion but does not yet do anything as the sound of wings flapping comes ever closer to the peak of the mountain. The tension rises as the noise approaches but once Krein's unique form comes into view all of it is replaced with surprise and... dread?
"What did you do?" Paarthurnax glares at me, suddenly in front of my face.
*One mildly uncomfortable conversation later*
Krein's head settles just above my own as he looks at his older brother with amusement "That would be it, Zeymah. Reyvin Thuri liberated me from an eternity of slavery and once I connected with him I found him worthy of overlordship. There is no spell as your doubts put it, merely earned loyalty to a worthy master."
I nod along smugly.
"I see..." Paarthurnax mutters, his voice still laced with doubt "If that is what you wish brother then I will pursue the matter no further." He turns to me "You."
"Hi!" I wave at him without a care.
"I will be keeping an eye on you." He half-threatens and uncaring for my irreverent shrug looks to the bird on my shoulder "You seem familiar."
"I am a familiar you featherless degenerate." Scorch bobs his beak at him.
Krein lets out a noise that is suspiciously akin to a fond sigh as Paarthurnax tilts his entire head before shaking it and walking over to Minthara, who had decided to read the inscription upon the word wall instead of listen to Krein's retelling of our meeting.
"That is what I thought bitch." Scorch huffs, raises his beak in disdain, and unsummons himself.
-----
And thus begun yet another training montage.
Most of our time on the peak was spent listening to Paarthurnax's ponderings on the voice, whenever he wasn't busy catching up with Krein that is as the duo were of the rare sort of dragon who preferred actual conversation to a more traditionally combative Tinvak.
The Secondborn's own learnings of the voice held no tricks or special methods, I've come to find. Oh no! Good ole' Partysnacks was purely focused on his understanding and it showed because after listening to him for mere hours I was able to master a full two words, those of spirit and of sand, mostly for the purposes of using the become ethereal and slow time shouts as the two were far more useful then setting things on fire.
I could do that by myself at this point thank you very much.
And so it was that ZII and KLO joined my arsenal of words, ready to save my ass from my next bout of arrogance or the next time I decided to be an idiot and invade literal hell just because I wanted a nifty little knife.
A small part of me did feel just a tiny bit bitter then, as my piddly little duo of words fell well and truly short of the utter deluge of verbiage that Minthara now wielded. Paarthurnax needed to speak but once and she would absorb the meaning of his words with such ease I'd think she was cheating if I didn't already know for certain that she was.
Akatosh is hacks was the long and short of it.
Even Paarthurnax seemed like his soul wanted to leave his body as Minthara executed a full mark for death the moment he and Krein ended their explanation on it. The poor bird Scorch brought was far less lucky as its soul did in fact leave its body.
We had to test it on something and no one wanted to volunteer themselves for getting cursed so rest in pieces little birb, you will not be missed.
A full day passed before we decided enough time went by. I did make sure to ask big old and grey if he knew anything about his brothers' movements but all he could say was that they were likely planning something and gathering their strengths.
Which was completely and utterly useless but I decided to keep that little tidbit of information to myself.
As we appeared atop Tel Dagoth, having left Krein to keep catching up, I noticed Minthara immediately brighten up, her mildly inhuman eyes practically shining with her newly refined power.
"Happy to finally be done?" I ask leisurely.
"Very." She answers, her smile widening "The old dragon may be annoying but he certainly knows what he is talking about."
"No longer want to punch his snout, do you?" I chuckle.
"Am I really that obvious?" She grumbles, a bit of red shading her face.
"Yes." I answer with 0 hesitation.
Her grumbling followed me all the way down the tower, though the smile was yet to leave her.
----
Lok-Wunduniik = Sky Traveller
-------------
Accept the path of wisdom
give me your stones.
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