The guide was a Nord man named Kolinmai, tall and thin, looking very sturdy, carrying a large sack on his back, bulging with who knew what.
Nine people gathered at the village entrance. Crossing the stone bridge led to the mountain steps. Everyone had long heard the fame of the seven thousand steps. Standing at the starting point and looking up, the mountain was so high its peak was out of sight, and the sky was so vast only clouds remained. Their hearts couldn't help but feel uneasy, so they encouraged each other before beginning the climb.
The group rushed up the mountain with great momentum. At first, they were still able to chat and laugh, looking at the etched inscriptions on the roadside shrines. Everyone had prepared water and food; they drank wine when thirsty and chewed on jerky when hungry. Two Imperials shouted and cheered, relying on their youth to charge ahead, leaving the main group behind.
Most of those climbing were young people, and naturally, there were times when they were inspired by their companions' passion. A Dark Elf shouted, "Haya!" and began to chase after them, and everyone immediately swarmed forward.
Jonas was eager to try. Seeing Simon didn't stop him, he also started to run. The Troll walked with the guide.
"What's in your backpack?"
"Some smoked meat and dried fish. Things that can be preserved for a long time."
"For the Greybeards, right?"
"Yes, I deliver them once every few weeks. It's quite easy."
"Besides you, does anyone else deliver them?"
"Probably not..."
Arriving at the first etched tablet on the long ascent, Simon observed it carefully. The text here was written in Old Nordic, and not many people could understand it.
The guide, Kolinmai, saw the Troll was engrossed and asked, "Can you understand it? Could you tell me what's carved on it? It's funny, I've climbed this mountain so many times, but I still don't understand the inscriptions on the roadside."
Simon nodded, pondered for a moment, and then recited, "Rune One: Long before man's appearance, Dragons held sway over Mundus. Dragon Shout, the heart's desire, shook heaven and earth at will."
Mundus is the present-day universe, including Nirn, the twin moons, the other eight stars, and vast space.
Kolinmai closed his eyes, savoring the words as if possessed by a poet. "Ah, it truly makes one imagine. Our ancestors were also capable of such earth-shattering feats."
They continued forward.
The stone steps were actually quite rudimentary, weathered and mottled, half-buried in the earth. Some sections were even missing, and their construction was inconsistent.
Several exclamations came from ahead. Simon and Kolinmai hurried to catch up. It turned out the main group had encountered a Frostbite Spider hatchling, which they had easily dealt with, with no one injured.
Forward, turn, forward, turn. The first half of the seven thousand steps was almost entirely on the eastern slope, winding upwards.
They reached the second etched tablet.
"Rune Two: Man was born and spread, Dragon sounds filled Mundus. But mortals were all weak, for their shouts were not from the heart." "Shouts not from the heart" means not having mastered the Dragon Shout, not having the Dragon Shout within their heart, referring to the history of humans in the early Merethic Era.
Beside the stone steps was a rugged mountain wall, with large rocks shaped like solidified flowing water, appearing soft at first glance, but a touch revealed their cold hardness. In addition, there were some symbolically rich stone pillars, cairns, flags, and other objects, varying in age, all standing solemnly in the mountain wind, awaiting decay.
Simon and the guide were chatting congenially when the main group ahead became boisterous again. They were chasing a pack of wild wolves. A Wood Elf archer raised his hand and brought down a wolf with a single arrow. The arrow pierced its eye and entered its skull, leaving the wolf's pelt completely intact. Everyone applauded and cheered.
Kolinmai shook his head, "I don't even know if I'm the guide or if they are."
"Haha, no matter, it's nice to relax."
By the third etched tablet, many people were already out of breath. They sat on the roadside stones to rest. Only the three most energetic individuals were still climbing, and Jonas was one of them.
They were already very high, probably close to a thousand meters in elevation. They had started in the morning, and it was now past noon. Skyrim in spring was not particularly warm to begin with, and the mountain was even colder with biting winds. Everyone began to add layers of clothing. These people were well-prepared, knowing the climb was difficult and would require an overnight stay, so everything was in order.
The Troll walked to the stone tablet, where some offerings left by previous pilgrims were placed.
"Rune Three: In ancient times, saints were resolute, unafraid of the Dragons' frenzied shouts. But no one could match the Dragon Shout, which shattered heroes and ancestors."
At this point, Kolinmai suggested everyone start eating lunch. Simon was quite confident in Jonas's current strength; if he couldn't win, he could still fly, so with a little caution, he was invincible.
After lunch, the group continued their journey. This time, everyone was no longer as energetic as they had been in the morning, all showing signs of fatigue, looking as if they were on the verge of collapsing.
From the third stone tablet onwards, there was accumulated snow on the path. They also began to move towards the southern slope, going up and down, and the stone path was slippery, making everyone physically and mentally exhausted. The group soon caught up with the people who had been rushing ahead earlier, but Jonas was nowhere to be seen, still sprinting.
Simon smiled. Good, solid martial arts made traveling much easier.
The sky darkened. Everyone turned to gaze at the mountains, which were shrouded in clouds and mist, their peaks like cones, resembling hidden swords in a box. Near and far, high and low, they were scattered like stars, the mountains like an earthly screen, the clouds like a heavenly wall. Amidst the plain colors and dark forests, the deep valleys and small plains, how many homes were hidden within the dense fog? Such a magnificent and vast landscape stretching for thousands of miles filled one's heart with great joy.
There was a Breton in the climbing party who sang loudly, a passionate and explicit love song. Everyone clapped along, their faces full of smiles.
What was most astonishing was that after he finished singing, another woman's song came from down the mountain, also a love song, her voice sharp and clear, reminiscent of a soaring hawk or a streaking meteor.
Everyone cheered and howled like ghosts and wolves at this wonderful coincidence.
Kolinmai grinned, showing his back teeth, "You are the most interesting climbers I've ever seen!"
By the fourth etched tablet, the sky was dark. Everyone found a flat spot to pitch their tents, preparing to rest for the night.
"Rune Four: Kyne and Paarthurnax, with compassion, looked upon mortals. They taught everyone the way of the Dragon Shout, and the Dragon War was a race to be first."
The Troll looked at the snow-covered mountain, shrouded in wind and snow, as night gradually swallowed the sky. The boy was still nowhere to be seen. Although he wasn't afraid of him being in danger, he couldn't help but worry.
As night fell, everyone chose their watchmen and then began to rest. Kolinmai inquired about Jonas's situation, but Simon simply said he was fine, which made Kolinmai return to his tent, still worried.
It rained lightly in the first half of the night, and a strong wind came at midnight. Those on watch for the latter half of the night were fortunate enough to see the sky full of aurora and the deep twin moons. The stars were brilliant, and so were their inner spirits.
The Troll sat on a jagged rock by the roadside, his body merging into the shadows. Not even the archer on watch noticed him, mistaking him for a dead tree stump.
A low wind whispered in their ears, lulling everyone to a good dream.
Suddenly, a thunderclap echoed in the sky. High Hrothgar trembled. People scrambled out of their tents, thinking it was a sudden earthquake, and were filled with panic.
After the explosive thunder, came words even grander than the thunder.
"Dov—vah—kiin!!!"
The Shout shook heaven and earth!
Because the Dragonborn had appeared!
Simon's eyes widened. The Shout announced it to the world, but this was not the time for the Dragonborn to appear!
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