When Lydia and I made it back to the Throat of the World, I spoke briefly with Paarthurnax before unrolling the Elder Scroll and getting a glimpse of the past. As I raised it to my eyes, it changed what was in front of me. A colorful aura displayed the ancient Nordic warriors discussing their battle strategies before Alduin returned to the highest peak in Skyrim. Hakon, Gormlaith, and Felldir gave it their all but it wasn’t enough. Facing death, Felldir resorted to using an Elder Scroll with unknown effects. It worked back then; unfortunately it sent Alduin forward in time. Watching this battle was an important step in defeating Alduin because I heard the ancient heroes use the Dragonrend shout, and I can duplicate it.
Before we had a chance to leave the Throat of the World, Alduin surprised us. He spoke and sauntered about before unleashing his fury on us. When I shouted Alduin was grounded and left open to our attacks. We wailed on him before he fled. Paathurnax was in awe of our strength but he warned us that Alduin had most likely returned to the sanctuary where Alduin feeds – Sovngarde. Somehow Alduin has found a way to enter into the realm of the Nordic afterlife.
Paarthurnax knew the whereabouts of his entrance and it’d require an aerial entrance. Paarthurnax would not be able to aid us though. Fielding ideas, he told us of the history of Dragon’s Reach. The fortress the Jarl of Whiterun calls home was originally intended to capture a dragon, hence the name. Paarthurnax told us that the ancient hero Tiber Septim captured one there and if he was able to do, so can I.
Lydia and I traveled to Whiterun and we spoke Balgruuf the Greater. He was weary of the idea and wouldn’t agree to while Whiterun was still under threat of attack from the Stormcloaks. He knew it was extremely unlikely, but he suggested I should broker a temporary peace treaty between the Imperials and the rebel Stormcloaks. The only way he thought it would work is if it was overseen by the Greybeards. After getting Arngeir to accept the idea, Lydia and I ventured far to the northeast to speak with Ulfric Stormcloak in Windhelm.
Ulfric was a strong-willed man, no wonder as he initiated this civil war, but when he knew that the Greybeards were wanting peace, at least until the dragons were dealt with, he accepted, so long as the Imperials accepted too. So, we headed all the way across Skyrim and into Solitude. Lydia and I convinced the Imperials to join the meeting and we headed back to High Hrothgar. The dialogue between all sides was intense. Each side wanted outrageous demands such as replacing the standing Jarls of opposition cities with those loyal to their respective sides. Neither side was happy with their results, but it was enough to have the halt their attacks, and allow me to trap a dragon in Dragon’s Reach.
Before leaving High Hrothgar, Delphine (her and Esbern also attended the talks) pulled me to one side and gave me an ultimatum. She wanted me to break all connections with the Greybeards and stay on my track of ridding Skyrim of dragons, including Paarthurnax. I told her to give it a rest. Paarthurnax has been of great help to me and sure, he’s made mistakes in the past, but I’m not going to murder him. That’s the way it’s going to be I guess.