QUEST 4 PART 2: The way of The Voice

A/N: funny story, my save file got corrupted and I was forced to erase the whole thing and I had to redo the WHOLE THING! So, yeah, sorry again for the long wait. Here we go.

The mountain echoed with the howls of the wind. The snow crunched under the weight of the Eds feet. It had been at least two hours' worth of hiking upwards. After all, it wasn't called the Seven Thousand Steps for nothing.

"That's two quests in a row that have involved climbing up a stupid mountain." Eddy said. "Why are we doing this again?"

"Riches, glory, and adventure?" Double D remarked, not even lifting his eyes from the tome he was reading. He had been catching up on all of the books given to him from Secret-Fire, eager to add new spells to his arsenal.

"You got two out of three right hood-head." Eddy sneered. "Wouldn't mind it if it wasn't for the cold. Feels like we've been going up this thing for two months!"

"Oh, come on Eddy," Ed said, "Let it go! And I will rise like the break of dawn."

"Don't bicker back there," Lydia said, "We're almost to High Hrothgar."

There was another fifteen minutes of walking that followed. It seemed as though this mountain had been going on for miles. Finally, they had reached the entranceway to High Hrothgar.

"We're here my friends," Lydia replied.

"That was…surprisingly easy." Said Double D. "And here I thought there would be an immediate danger we would have to face."

As soon as the four stepped forward, something landed in front of them. It was a Frost Troll. A hairy, gigantic, Frost Troll.

"You and your big mouth!" Eddy yelled at Double D.

"Weird," Said Ed, "He usually says that to you Eddy."

"Look alive men," Lydia said, "Frost Trolls are fierce opponents."

The Troll charged at them with a great force, knocking Lydia and Ed down.

"Keep him busy," said Double D as he turned the pages in his tome, "I have something that'll work against it, just keep him at bay."

"Easy for you, coward!" Eddy said as he prepared his bow.

Eddy launched three arrows at the Troll's eyes, distracting its attention. While stunned, Lydia and Ed charged in, swinging their weapons at the beast's waist. Even with their combined might, the Troll's regenerative abilities were healing it faster than it could be damaged.

Another swing of its ape-like arms flung the two warriors into the snowbanks. The only thing keeping the monster at bay was Eddy's distracting arrow attacks. Finally, the beast became fed up with Eddy's interference and turned to face him.

"Uh….uncle?" Eddy said nervously.

The Troll rammed its body into Eddy, launching him into a stone wall. He tried to lift his bow as it advanced, but all he could feel was pain. His arm was broken due to the impact of the last attack. Eddy was completely helpless.

"Where's mithril when you need it?" said Eddy in a doomed tone.

Ed leapt in front of Eddy, protecting his comrade. The Troll's claw clashed with Ed's axe, the two brutes struggled against each other's weight. Ed's strength began to fail slowly as the beast gained the upper hand.

"Ed!" Eddy said, "Remember that thing I told you an hour ago never to do again?"

"Eat with my toes?" Ed said.

"No not that," Eddy said, "the other thing. Do the other thing!"

Ed took a deep breath and prepared to shout.

"FUS!"

The blast hardly effected the monster, with the exception of blowing the Trolls fur back. The Troll looked at them, as if to say, 'really?' it raised its claw once more, only to be stopped by Lydia.

Finally, Double D had the spell ready. He stretched out his hand and spoke the incantation. A small burst of flames appeared in front of him, releasing a Flame Antronach. The female elemental flew towards the Troll, crashing its flame body into the Troll's torso.

The Troll tried to get up and fight once more, but the Flame Antronach shot a multitude of fireballs at the beast. She then used her fiery fists to beat the Troll into the ground, sparks flying with every hit. Thanks to the fire attacks the Troll was helpless. After twelve seconds, it was slain. The flame elemental vanished in a wisp of fire, back to the nothing from which it came. Everyone was dumbfounded.

"Cool." Ed comented.

"No Ed," said Eddy, "hot."

"Ironically," Double D said short of breath, "Flame Antronachs are the weakest forms of sumonable Daedra in all of-"

"Life of the party, aren't we Double D?" Eddy said sarcastically. "Let's just drop Lumpy here and get this over with."

"We're not just going to drop him off here," Double D said in a cross tone, "we have to stay with each other at all times, watching each other's backs in case of danger. That's what friends are for Eddy."

"Like kolas?" asked Ed.

"And what is wrong with this one?" asked Lydia.

"Lady," said Eddy, "we could tell stories."

The four made their way to the gate. It seemed ancient and mysterious, perhaps even more so then the tomb they had already been to. Eddy, wanting to get this over with, knocked on the large wooden door.

The door creaked open, revealing an elderly man in a gray hood.

"What is it?" he asked, "What has brought you here?"

Double D was too nervous to speak. He was in the presence of a Graybeard, a legend in flesh form. Ed and Eddy didn't know what to say at all. It was Lydia who broke the silence.

"We were sent here by Jarl Balgruuf the Greater of Whiterun. We believe that this Altmer is the Dragonborn."

The old man looked at Ed, who smiled at him. He gestured for the others to come inside the temple.

They followed him in, admiring the stone walls inside. There were many other monks of similar garb chanting and wandering the gigantic interior. The Graybeard from the door held out his hand, gesturing the four to stay put. He then went over to another Graybeard, speaking quietly to him.

"Great." Eddy complained, "Now we're stuck in some Nordic retirement home."

"Eddy, hush!" Double D scolded. "This is a place of great discoveries; The Way of The Voice, mastering Thu'ums, use of Dragon Souls, learning what few mortals can even conceive."

"Yawn." Eddy said. "Right Ed?"

Ed, however, was distracted. He listened in on the two Graybeards talking. They were speaking in an odd tongue, which any common mortal would call gibberish. But as the way of the Graybeards, they spoke the language of the Dragons. And then he recognized the voice of the other man, the one who called the shout the other day.

He approached the four.

"Which of you is thought to be the Dragonborn?" he asked.

Eddy, Double D, and Lydia stepped back, leaving Ed by himself.

"Hey there bucko," he said, "I got the message."

"So," the Graybeard said, "You understand the language of the Dragons. Impressive, many need years to comprehend them. But what of your Thu'ums?"

"My what?" asked Ed.

"He means Dragon Shouts Ed." Double D said.

"That is correct," the old man said, "not only can the Dragonborn understand the words of the Dovah, but they can use them as well. With their words, powerful shouts may erupt from their lips."

The Graybeard gestured to a man next to him, one with a shorter beard. The short bearded man stood in front of Ed.

"Now," the Graybeard said, "show us your proof. Use one of your shouts on brother Gafric, show us the power of the Dragonborn."

Ed looked nervous. On the trip up the mountain, Eddy had threatened him never to use his shout again after launching him down thirty feet.

"It's alright." The Graybeard said, "Your shout can't harm any of us. Brother Gafric will be fine."

"It'll take more than a shout to master me," Gafric said, "Why, I was in the army of Whiterun back in the war against the Orcs. Why I once took thirty arrows…"

As Gafric babbled on, Ed nervously looked to his friends. After looking at Double D, who nodded to him like a mother giving permission to a child, he prepared to let loose.

"..Of course, it took two fingers when it was my turn…" Gafric continued.

"FUS!" Ed shouted.

The shockwave from the shout launched Gafric backwards, crashing him deep into the far wall. Everyone looked in pure shock at the crater which contained a live man inside.

"Well," the Graybeard said, "that's…never happened before…"

"MY LEGS!" Gafric shouted. "I'VE BROKEN MY LEGS!"

"That shout," one of the monks proclaimed, "He is the Dragonborn!"

"The Dragonborn has come at last?" another said.

"At last another has come." A third replied.

The Graybeards surrounded Ed at this revelation. It was as if a celebrity had come to their door.

Finally, the first Graybeard silenced the others.

"It is true," he said, "this young Altmer is indeed the Dragonborn for this age. Come with me boy, there is much needed for you here."

Ed followed the Graybeards into the next room. The others followed suite, but they were stopped by one of the Graybeards.

"Sorry," he said, "but this is business between the Dragonborn and the Graybeards. Nothing personal. You'll have to wait here."

"B-bu…but," Double D said, "I have so many questions about Thu'ums and-"

The door slammed shut, echoing through the halls. They were completely shut out.

Hours passed as they waited outside the door. Double D had been using his healing spells in order to fix Eddy's broken arm.

"You're going to feel numb for an hour or so," Double D said as he finished, "but it's healed."

"Are you a priest by chance?" Lydia asked.

"Oh me?" he answered, "Heavens above no! I'm just a novice mage."

"There's nothing novice about mending an arm broken in two places with a simple healing spell." She retorted.

"You kidding?" Eddy said, flexing his arm around to get the feeling back. "Double D is a Wiz at this Wizarding thing. Wouldn't survive a day out here if it wasn't for him."

"You've got talent boy," she said, "wish I could say the same for your thieving Imperial friend here."

"What did you say said to me?" said Eddy in a steamed tone.

"Let's not get caught up in a small dispute," said Double D, "Besides, there's a skill and art to… well…sneaky business affairs."

"How long do we have to wait here anyway?" she asked.

"We have no idea." Double D sighed.

Behind the door, the Graybeards had completed their ceremony.

"Rise young one," their leader said, "rise. For now, you are more than a mere mortal. You are now…Dovahkin!"

To be continued…

A/N: well, I guess you can consider this the start of Edder Scrolls: Skyrim season 2! More chapters on the way. Thanks to all of you for being so patient!