Way of the Voice
The way up the mountain was accessible only through the small village of Kuroyori. A quiet place inhabited by few, most of which took regular trips up the mountain to pray at the many shrines along the way or to provide resources to the Greybeards themselves.
Ember slowed to a walk as they entered the town, golden ears flicking lazy. Yang pulled her to a stop in front of what looked to be a tavern of some sort.
“Valkyries Inn huh? Guess we’ll stop here tonight girl.” Yang patted her horse's neck and got a snort in response.
Yang dismounted and led Ember into a roughly fenced area on the side of the Inn. It had been a long day of riding but what Ember lacked in speed she made up for in endurance. She wasn’t tired but was lazy as sin when she wanted to be. Yang took off the sturdy leather saddle, throwing it over her shoulder before removing the bridle from her face. She left the tack hanging on one of the fence posts doubting that there were many thieves in the area.
With one last meal for her sturdy steed Yang went inside the Inn where she was met with the wonderful smell of a roast on the fire. She strode in still clad in armor and donning a sword, not the most subtle entrance. A few heads turned her way and were all met with stiff glares. She looked around spotting what seemed to be the Inn keep chatting with one of the fuller tables. She had short red hair and was almost too loud for the small space.
“Not often we get folks like you in here.” A calm voice spoke from her right.
Yang looked over to see a man, not much older than her with long black hair pulled into a braid and kind eyes. He was in the kitchen which meant he was also responsible for the wonderful smells.
“You’re here for the mountain aren’t you? The Greybeards really did summon someone after all.” The man spoke again, eyebrows raised as he somehow pieced all that together without her even saying a word.
Yang tossed a few coins on the counter “I just need a room for the night.” She grunted. The man nodded, not asking anymore questions.
“Nora! Show this traveler to a room.” The red head bounded over excitedly.
“You got it, Ren.” Nora winked at the man causing him to roll his eyes fondly. “C'mon you! You’ll be in this room right here.” She almost raced across the Inn floor to a wall where the rooms sat.
Yang followed less enthused, keeping a sharp eye on all the other patrons. Nora ushered her into a small but comfortable single room with a bed made of hay and furs with a chest to secure her belongings. Yang nodded her thanks and closed the wooden door, sighing as the bustle of the tavern was muffled. She removed her armor relieving her muscles from the strain of carrying steel all day.
The rest of the night went by quickly, she prepped her things for tomorrow and left the room only to get food and ale. The food really was delicious and it turns out Ren and Nora made good company. They didn’t mind Yang's standoffish attitude and after a few cups of ale they exchanged stories by the fire. It was well into the night when Yang finally retired to her room to rest up for the night. Sleep came quickly but not without being plagued with nightmares of dragons destroying cities and keeps.
The next morning Yang was suited up and said her goodbyes from the pair of inn keeps. They were good people, Yang couldn’t help but think that Ruby would’ve loved to meet them. Perhaps after this mess was over she could bring her.
—
Yang and Ember were about halfway up the mountain, the thousands of steps proving no problems to the sure footed horse. It had quickly turned from grass to snow covered floor as they went up. There had been no issues thus far and once she had passed most of the shrines the path was completely empty. She had just started relaxing in the saddle when suddenly Ember stopped in her tracks, ears flicking wildly from side to side. Yang immediately went on guard, hands flying to her sword's hilt. Ember paced in place snorting wildly.
Suddenly from the snow burst a wraith, a snow spirit made from ice and air, they were aggressive beasts that attacked anything that came too close. It lunged at them and Yang barely was able to dig her heels into Ember's side to push them out of the way. The wraith spun gnashing its teeth at them slithering through the air towards the Dragonborn. Yang jumped off Ember's back and urged her to run.
The wraith didn’t chase the horse but rather stayed focused on the girl in front of it. It collided with her chest sending her backwards into the snow. Yang raised her arm to block its teeth from sinking into the flesh of her face. It crunched down on the armor and where its teeth pierced, the steel turned white as if it was freezing over. With her other hand Yang punched the spirit repeatedly forcing it to let go.
The ice wraith retreated before wheeling on her again but this time Yang was on her feet, sword in hand. She jumped out of the way of the charge and held her sword out horizontally where her body was before. The wraith collided with the sharp end of the sword effectively cutting itself in half with the speed of its charge. It burst in a cloud of cold air and shards of ice.
“Dammit!” Yang growled out holding her arm where the wraith had bit through her bracers. The steel was basically ruined and she could feel it biting into her skin below. These had been a gift from her sister. She’d have to stop at a blacksmith to get this fixed.
She put two fingers up to her mouth whistling. Ember came out from a grove of trees she had opted to hide behind and pressed her muzzle into Yang's arm.
“All good, just cold.” she patted Ember's neck, “just follow me for now.” Yang knew that to others it might look crazy that she talks to her horse but she swore to the gods that Ember understood every word she said. Sometimes she just chose to ignore her words.
Yang fought three more wraiths and climbed about 300 steps before finally reaching the doors of the Greybeards home. She was cold, tired, and pissed, not a great combination of feelings. The monastery was made of pure stone and cobble more closely resembling a small castle. Yang shoved the doors open rattling the old iron hinges. She stood in the doorway huffing looking for signs of life inside the otherwise dead looking monastery.
“YANG XIAO LONG” her name reverberated through the halls, it was spoken like a command. The blonde stepped inside fully closing the doors behind her. Her footsteps echoed as she walked onto a carved circle in the center of the main room. From the shadowed halls figures emerged covered in hooded robes, heads downcast. They surrounded the circle Yang was standing on, they didn’t seem to be armed with weapons but she wasn’t taking any chances, Yang's hands flew to her greatsword pulling it from its sheath on her back.
The shortest of the figures stepped out to stand directly in front of the sword seemingly unbothered. They pulled their hood off to reveal… an old woman!? Yang lowered her sword immediately.
“You’re the one who’s supposed to help me? Wonderful.” Yang sneered, sheathing her sword.
THWACK
The woman had pulled out a cane from somewhere and had smacked Yang upside the head hard.
“What the fu-“ THWACK, hit again Yang's leather gloves almost ripped under the pressure of her fists clenching as she bit her tongue.
“Are you quite done?” The old woman spoke finally, only getting silence in response.
“Hmph right then. You are here because you” she poked Yang in the chest with the cane “are the Dragonborn. We are going to teach you how to use and control your newfound powers.”
Yang slapped the cane away from her chest. “First you’re going to explain what this is all about and who the hell you are.”
The woman shook her head at her tone “I am Maria Calavera, one of the Greybeards if you will. We follow the way of the Voice. We have trained our bodies for years to withstand the power of Thu’um.” She gestured around to the other robed figures who had thus far remained silent “Most of us cannot speak for the power of our voice would prove to be quite harmful.”
Yang's brain was working overtime trying to keep up with all of the new information. “The Voice? Thu’um? You haven’t explained anything at all.” That earned Yang another smack on the head, the old woman was much faster than she looked.
“You asked. I answered. If you do not understand it is your own ignorance in the way. As for what you are, you are human. A mortal with the blood and soul of a dragon. You have the ability to master what takes us years in seconds. You absorb power from slain dragons and use it to further your knowledge of words of power.” Maria finished her explanation and gripped her cane tighter ready to hit the Dragonborn if she said something idiotic again.
Yang closed her eyes processing everything before opening them, lilac blazing with anticipation. “Well? What are we waiting for?”
Maria’s grip relaxed and she smirked at the girl. “Let’s get started then.”