Chapter 25

I wasn’t sure what to expect, being a living being entering the halls of the dead. I knew from my reading that I was no longer on Mundus, I was probably on the plane of Aetherius. I found myself at the top of a long flight of stairs. Half a dozen statues of someone in robes lined the stai.rs down. It had been midday when I entered the column of light. Now it appeared to be twilight. A rainbow colored aurora lit the sky, and when I looked straight up, there were clouds rotating in a circular fashion leading on up, into a bright and nearly blinding light.

I lowered my gaze, and I could see a huge building off in the distance, at the other end of the valley that the stairway I was descending entered. Steep and rocky cliffs rose from all sides.

I continued down the path, picking flowers as I walked. A dense fog began filling the path. I had just the answer to this, using LOK VAH KOOR to clear it. I realized that the statues didn’t just line the stairway, they lined the whole path. After a few minutes of walking, I saw a Stormcloak soldier approach me.

“Turn back, traveler. Many have braved the mists, but terror waits within. Courage is all in vain against the peril that waits within.”

“So what’s the mist?”

“I do not know. Alduin, his hunger insatiable, hunts the lost souls ensnared in this shadowed valley. Can you lead the way to where Shor’s Hall waits, beckoning us to welcome long sought?

“It’s just at the far end of the valley. You’re welcome to follow me there.”

“No, it’s the mist, it’s darkening my mind. Alduin awaits.” He ran in terror back into the mist. Using Clear Skies, I kept some part of my path clear the whole way across the valley, finding a destroyed Word Wall, and eventually getting to the stairs that led up to Shor’s Hall.

A warrior was waiting for me, guarding the bridge that led to the hall. “What brings you, wayfarer grim, to wander here in Sovngarde, souls-end, Shor’s gift to honored dead?”

“Who are you?”

“I am Tsun, shield thane to Shor. The Whalebone Bridge he bade me guard and winnow all those souls whose heroic end sent them here, to Shor’s loft hall where welcome, well earned, awaits those I judge fit to join that fellowship with honor.”

“I see. Well, I’m here in pursuit of Alduin, the World-Eater.”

“A fateful errand. No few have chafed to face the Wyrm since first he set his soul snare here at Sovngarde threshold. But Shor restrained our wrathful onslaught. Perhaps, deep counseled, your doom he foresaw.”

“My doom? I doubt that. But enough, I seek entrance to the Hall of Valor.”

“No shade are you, as usually passes but living, you dare the land of the dead. By what right do you request entry?”

“By right of birth. I am Dragonborn.”

“Ah! It’s been too long since I faced a doom-driven hero of the dragon blood.”

“There you go with that doom again. Destiny, maybe. So may I enter?”

“Living or dead, by decree of Shor, none may pass this perilous bridge til I judge them worthy by the warrior’s test.” He pulled his axe and started to attack me.

I backed up, drawing my own sword. I summoned a flame atronach, then got my shield ready. Tsun was following me, and he shouted at me with Unrelenting Force. I returned the favor, then charged into combat against him. His axe bit into my shield, but I was able to block his swing. I cut him deeply with my sword, blood smearing his chest.

We circled briefly, and he closed again. The atronach was hitting him with fire as well. This time I missed blocking him, but I was too close so instead of the edge, I felt the shaft of his hammer bash into my shoulder. For every swing of his axe, I was able to slash, cut, and stab at him three times. I could feel my knees start to buckle and quickly grabbed a potion of healing.

“Excellent. You fought well.” He sheathed his axe. “I find you worthy. It is long since one of the living has entered here. May Shor’s favor follow you and your errand.” With a wave of his hand, my injuries vanished.

“Thank you.”

I got up, started forward and then stopped at the sight in front of me. A deep canyon separated Shor’s hall from where I stood. Tsun had said there was a Whalebone Bridge to cross, and he wasn’t kidding. I though the bridge at the College of Winterhold was dangerous. This bridge made that one look like a wide, safe road. The bridge before me was literally made up of whale bones, tied together, and supported by ropes attached to towers at each end.

I’m so glad Lydia wasn’t here to watch me walk across this thing. I held on for dear life to the center bones, and peed myself a little when my foot slipped in the middle of the crossing and I found myself hanging over the abyss below. After what seemed an eternity I finally found myself on land again. I hate heights.

I cleaned up a bit, then finished walking up to Shor’s hall. The entry doors were of normal width, but seemed designed for a giant otherwise. I hadn’t come this far to quit now, so I pulled the door open.

Just as the building was huge outside, so it was inside as well. An assortment of people were walking around. They literally had a golden glow about their bodies. A long banquet table filled the center of the room, where an open pit had an oxen roasting on it, behind the table. My sightseeing was interrupted by a tall man wearing ancient armor. He had shoulder length dirty blond hair and a full beard.

“Welcome, Dragonborn! Our door has stood empty since Alduin first set his soul snare here. By Shor’s command we sheathed our blades and ventured not the vale’s dark mist. But three await your word to loose their fury upon the perilous foe. Gormlaith the fearless, glad hearted in battle; Hakon the valiant, heavy handed warrior; Feldir the Old, far-seeing and grim.”

I recognized all those names. They were the ones who’d fought Alduin in the first place. “I know who they are. Who are you?”

“I am Ysgramor. You spoke with Kodlak Whitemane recently. He’s earned his place here and does not deserve to fall prey to Alduin’s insatiable hunger. Seek him again when you are done.”

It’s not everyday you meet a legendary figure, even if he is dead. I’ll definitely be looking Kodlak up when I return to Whiterun. I looked around the hall, grabbed a bite of food, and then went in search of the heroes of old.

I found the three of them in a corner, talking bravely about facing Alduin again. “Greetings, warriors. Are you ready to face and defeat Alduin with me?” They nearly trampled me in their eagerness to return to battle, screaming their defiance of the Wyrm.

I followed them out of Shor’s hall. They fearlessly charged across the Whalebone bridge. I was a little more timid, but made it easier this time. The four of us lined up in front of where Tsun had stood guard. Feldir spoke, “We cannot see to fight in this mist.”

Gormlaith yelled, “Clear Skies! Combine our Shouts!”

The four of us Shouted, together, in a great Shout. A huge portion of the mist ripped away. From a distance, I heard Alduin Shout in counterpoint, bringing the mist back. “Again!” We Shouted again. It took longer this time for Alduin to bring back the mist.

Hakon said, “Does his strength have no end? Do we struggle in vain?”

Gormlaith rallied him. “Stand fast! His strength is failing. Once more and his might will be broken!”

“One more time and the World-Eater must face us,” Feldir said. Again the four of us Shouted Clear Skies. This time even I could tell something was different. Alduin came flying in, using flame breath to scour the ground.

“I have defeated your friends before, and I will defeat you!” He roared in challenge.

I was ready. I shouted “JOOR ZAH FRUL” - Dragonrend. At the same time, he made the same shout that he’d used in Helgen, causing rocks to fall from the sky. I readied myself to attack him and got knocked backwards by a flying rock. The other three closed on him, Gormlaith with her bow, the other two with swords. I quickly got to my feet again, running to their aid.

Alduin leaped into the air again. While airborne, he was invulnerable, and he swept over us again with his flame breath. I tried to get him with Dragonrend but missed, allowing him time to do his version of Storm Call and get even more rocks flying our way from out of the sky. While he was winging back around, I quickly drank several potions, to heal myself from the wounds I’d suffered so far, to improve my archery and sword fighting, and to regenerate both my magic and health quicker. I switched to my bow as well.

As he went into a hover to breathe fire on me, I was quicker and got him with Dragonrend first. That forced him to the ground. While he was grounded, he was mortal and could be killed. From that point on it was simply avoid the falling rocks if possible, otherwise get back up, keep him grounded by continually using Dragonrend every chance I could, and fill him with as many arrows as I could.

The battle dragged on and on. I went through two more series of potions, and twice that number of healing potions. It seemed that every time we’d make progress, he’d manage to get airborne and get a respite. I could feel my strength flagging, nearly unable to continue. Another Dragonrend shout, more arrows into him, and suddenly it happened.

He threw his head back, screamed one last time, and then collapsed. Unlike a regular dragon, though, I didn’t absorb his soul. Instead, it seemed his soul was absorbed by the Gods themselves. And his body didn’t disintegrate, leaving his bones. Instead, it seemed his bones were literally yanked from his body, and then they exploded. I was thrown backwards into a rock, and my vision was blurred. To me, it looked like his body simply crumpled into a black dust that was then sucked up into the sky.

Gormlaith came over and helped me up. “Even in this hall of heroes, there are still feats of legendary glory to be performed. All hail the Dragonborn!”

Feldir and Hakon also offered congratulations. Even Tsun came down with a word of praise on the mighty deed. He then said to me, “When you are ready to rejoin the world of the living, just let me know and I will send you back.”

I nodded that I was ready, my aching body feeling ... wait, what? Suddenly my pain was gone, my hurts were healed. “You are a hero worthy of Shor’s hall. When combat is over, we feast and rejoice. You cannot enter the hall again, but you deserve the reward as well. Return now to Nirn, with this rich boon from Shor, my lord. A Shout, to bring a hero from Sovngarde, in your hour of need.”

I suddenly knew the Shout HUN KAAL ZOOR, Hero Champion Legend, Call of Valor. I knew that would allow me to summon one of my three friends should I need them. I wanted to ask Tsun something else but he suddenly Shouted at me, and I felt Sovngarde fade away.

My vision returned and I found myself surrounded by dragons. I realized I was on the Throat of the World. There was an echo as dozens of dragons said the same thing, “Alduin mahlaan”, Alduin has fallen. Paarthurnax said, “The Mighty Overlord is vanquished.” The dragons in unison again said, “Alduin has fallen!” Paarthurnax said, “The Dragonborn is his dragonslayer.” The group again said “Alduin has fallen.” Paarthurnax replied, “His Shout is silenced”, and after one last group comment, finally said, “We no longer follow him.”

The others were flying overhead, breathing flame and frost into the sky. Paarthurnax remained sitting on the Word Wall, but turned his neck towards me. “So, it is done. Alduin dilon. The Eldest is no more, he who came before all others, and has always been.”

“I have no regrets. Alduin had to be destroyed.”

“Of course, Alduin had to be stopped. I would not have helped you if I thought otherwise. You did what was necessary. Alduin had flown far from the path of right action in his pahlok – in the arrogance of his power. But I cannot celebrate his fall. He was my brother once. This world will never be the same.”

“The world is a better place without Alduin.”

“Perhaps. At least it will continue to exist. And, as you told me once, the next world will have to take care of itself. Even I cannot see past Time’s ending. But I forget myself. Krosis. Melancholy is an easy trap for a dovah to fall into. You have won a mighty victory, one that will echo through all the ages of this world, for those who have eyes to see. Savor your triumph, Dovahkiin. This is not the last of what you will write on the currents of Time.”

Paarthurnax then jumped into the sky. “I feel younger now than I have in many years.” He joined the rest of them, flying around the Throat. “Many of the dovah in the Keizaal may yet bow to the rightness of my Thu’um. Many other may not. We will see. Fare thee well, Dovahkiin.”

Another dragon came in and landed in front of me. I recognized Odahviing. “You have succeeded in your quest. Alduin has proven himself unworthy to rule. I go my own way now. But I suspect many will not wish to exchange Alduin’s lordship for the tyranny of Paarthurnax and his Way of the Voice. As for myself, you’ve proven yourself twice with your mastery over me. Truly Dovahkiin. I gladly acknowledge the power of your Thu’um. Call me when you have need, and I will come if I can.”