MY LITTLE DOVAHKIIN: Syllables are Magic

by SubzeroGreymon

Chapter 05: Paarthurnax

It was an hour later when the group came into the temple in the Throat. Snow covered the ground, and the sky was a dark gray.

“If only I can affect the weather,” Rainbow Dash sighed.

“We are here,” Lyra spoke, and beheld the massive stone door, “Masters, It is me, Lyra. Open the door.”

The door did so, and the group entered.

“Wow, nice architecture,” Spike noted as they looked around. Everything was made of stone or a stone-like material.

“Thank you for the complements of the place, Dragonling,” An old pony with a long grey beard entered.

“Hello master,” Lyra bowed, then turned to the other ponies, “This is Arngeir Starswirl, Greybeard master.”

“Starswirl? As in Starswirl the Bearded?!” Twilight’s eyes sparkled, “This is great! I am such a huge follower of your studies!”

“Nice to meet someone who still cares about the spells I created,” Arngeir smiled, “Welcome to High Hrothgar.”

“I’d admit, a moutaintop castle is pretty cool,” Rainbow Dash noted, “But it’s nothing compared to a city in the clouds.”

“Excuse me, but I need to ask of something,” Fluttershy asked.

“Go on,” The Greybeard spoke.

“I… I mean, if you don’t mind… I need to learn the Dragonrend Shout.”

Both gasped.

“Where did you learn that information?!” The Greybeard shouted at her, shaking the building.

“… Sorry?” Fluttershy replied, shakily.

MY LITTLE DOVAHKIIN: Syllables are Magic
A MLPFIM / SkyRim Crossover Fanfiction
Chapter 05: Paarthurnax

Fluttershy was in quite the tight spot. The Greybeard’s eyes were filled with rage at the mention of a simple name.

“Look, sorry, I got a little over the line,” Fluttershy spoke out, “I can forget the name of the shout, I’ll try to learn another one!”

“WHO. TOLD YOU. THAT SHOUT?” Arngeir snarled.

“A trio of ponies that pointed out the Throat of the World,” Fluttershy replied.

“The Blades,” Arngeir snarled, “Figures. Those fools like to mess around with that which they fail to understand.”

“Well, they’re helping Fluttershy by giving that information,” Rarity pointed out, “I highly recommend that-“

“FUS!”

Rarity was promptly forced back.

“You speak when spoken to,” Lyra replied.

“Arrogant Mule!” Rarity snapped, but kept quiet otherwise.

Spike went to help her up, and Fluttershy sighed.

“Well, she was right…” Fluttershy noted, “They’re not all bad…”

“Oh, you’ll regret telling me that,” Arngeir sneered.

Fluttershy sighed, and then prepared to depart.

“Wait…” Arngeir spoke, “Sorry. I… was intemperate…”

“Well, sorry for making you snap,” Fluttershy replied, “Can… you-“

“No, I cannot tell you Dragonrend,” Arngeir replied, “I don’t know that shout. However, I know someone that may help. His name is Paarthurnax.”

“Where is this Parthax guy?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“PAARTHURNAX lives on top of the mountain,” Lyra replied, “He is the leader of our order.”

“The place with all that icy mist?” Applejack replied, “No Thanks, Partner!”

“It can be cleared with a simple shout,” Lyra replied, “I shall take you to Paarthurnax, as I have never met him in person.”

And so the group departed for the mountain.

It took quite a while to get to the mountain gate which led to Paarthurnax’s Pathway, and when they got there, it was shrouded by mist.

“Allow me to take this one,” Lyra breathed in, “LOK VAH KOOR!”

The mist disappeared, and they carried on.

An hour passed, and every trace of mist was blasted away with Lyra’s shouts. Eventually, the group made it to the top of the Throat of the World.

“Odd,” Twilight noted, “It now seems like less of a tall mountain and more like a plateau.”

“Well, Twi,” Applejack replied, “Ah’m not sure what a Platow is, but ah’d admit it’s pretty tall.”

“It’s a mountain,” Rainbow Dash replied, “What do you expect? Trees?”

“Not in the slightest,” Rarity replied back.

“So much snow!” Pinkie Pie occupied herself with making snow angels.

“Um… Pinkie?” Fluttershy sighed, “What’re you doing?”

“Making Snow Angels,” Pinkie replied.

Suddenly, something caught Fluttershy’s eye.

“Is that…” Fluttershy gasped, “A dragon!?”

Indeed, a massive dragon was approaching. The fractured horns and dull markings betrayed a dragon in old age.

“We gotta move!” Lyra screamed, “Paarthurnax! We can use your help right now!”

The dragon landed, and turned towards the group.

“Drem Yol Lok,” The dragon spoke, “Greetings, Wunduniik. I am Paarthurnax.”

The entire group was stunned. Paarthurnax was a dragon.

“I can see why the Blades hate him,” Rainbow Dash whispered.

“Who are you?” Paarthurnax asked, “What brings you to my strunmah… My mountain?”

“Um, sorry, Mr. Paarthurnax, sir,” Fluttershy replied, “But I… well, I wasn’t expecting you to be a dragon.”

“I am as my father Akatosh made me,” The dragon replied, “As are you, Dovahkiin. Tell me, why do you come here? Why do you intrude on my meditation?”

“I, um, need to learn a certain shout, that is, if you don’t mind,” Fluttershy answered.

“Drem. Patience. There are formalities that must be observed at the first meeting of two of the dov,” Paarthurnax turned to a nearby rock, “By long tradition, the elder speaks first. Hear my roar, feel it in your bones, and match it… if you are Dovahkiin.”

The dragon breathed in, and unleashed a shout; “YOL TOOR SHUL!”

When the flames dissipated, the rock had three symbols carved on it.

“The word calls you,” Paarthurnax spoke, “Go to it.”

Fluttershy looked at the symbols.

“I know this shout,” Fluttershy realized.

“Then show me your understanding,” Paarthurnax replied, “Greet me not as pony, but as Dovah!”

*Inhale,* Fluttershy breathed in, “YOL TOOR SHUL!”

The jet of flame engulfed Paarthurnax’s face.

“Ouch,” Paarthurnax replied, “Not bad…”

“So, about that shout…” Rainbow Dash noted.

“I cannot teach dragonrend,” Paarthurnax replied, “And I think you’re wondering why. It is a Joorre-exclusive shout, the first ever created by mortals. When shouted at a dovah, it causes the dovah to experience the worst thing – the fear all normal creatures gain when faced with death. Since a Dovah is immortal in the best terms, such a fear can be crippling. It’s regarded as… a dangerous shout.”

“But it’s the only shout that can defeat Alduin,” Twilight noted, “Isn’t that right?”

“Hm… yes and no,” Paarthurnax replied, “Alduin wasn’t defeated, only stunned. It was a Kel, an Elder Scroll, that send him through time.”

“What’s an Elder Scroll?” Everypony asked.

“…It’s complicated to tell in your tongue,” Paarthurnax replied, “It’s a piece of parchment written from someone outside time. It does not exist, and yet it does. It is… a fragment of creation.”

“I see,” Twilight replied, “So, the guys that beat Alduin the first time just sent him forward in time in hopes of something happening in that time?”

“Not intentionally,” Paarthurnax replied, “Some hoped he’d be gone for eternity, forever lost. I knew better. For thousands of your years, I have waited for the day Alduin resurfaced. I knew he would eventually. Only problem was I didn’t know when…”

“Okay, but this doesn’t answer some of my questions,” Fluttershy noted, “Is there… any way an Elder Scroll can help me learn Dragonrend?”

“Well, when the Elder Scrolls sent Alduin to the present day, they shattered time as well,” Paarthurnax noted, pointing towards a strange reptilian-bird creature that was sleeping nearby, “This not only brought back random dinosaurs, but also allowed some ponies to peer into past events. If you found a way to locate the Elder Scroll, you can use it to pinpoint the time the Ancient Tongues created the Dragonrend Thu’um, and allow yourself to learn it for those who created it.”

Everypony was silent, as they tried to understand what they had to do.

“What’s a dinosaur?” Pinkie Pie asked.

Paarthurnax’s expression told her that it wasn’t something worth asking.

The group was about to depart, when something crossed Fluttershy’s mind.

“Hey… Mr. Paarthurnax?” Fluttershy said.

“Yes, Dovahkiin?”

“There are… ponies that feel that you’re… um, morally ambiguous. The Blades for example.”

“The Blades are wise for mistrusting me,” Paarthurnax replied, “I have done a lot of terrible things in my lifetime.”

“But why?”

“It’s Dragon Instinct. The desire to conquer is in our blood. You feel it in yourself, do you not?”

“I… I do, but I keep it quiet…” Fluttershy sighed, “However, I… Well, Paarthurnax, it’s clear you have a dark side… if you don’t mind me saying…”

“It’s how Dovah operate,” Paarthurnax replied, “The only reason I haven’t burned down civilization yet is because I often meditate to calm my instincts. Not a day goes by when I get the urge to kill and destroy.”

“Then… you are… um, morally problematic…”

“Then it’s logical to slay me, Dovahkiin,” Paarthurnax replied, “But answer me this; what is better? To be born good, or to have overcome your evil nature through great effort?”

And with that, Fluttershy left. Paarthurnax looked towards the sky, and watched the Aurora play out.

“Soon, Alduin…”

CHAPTER ENDS…

Glossary:

LOK VAH KOOR: Known as the Clear Skies Thu’um, this disperses weather conditions too tough for any Pegasus. Some outdoor Thu’um-Casters use it as a substitute for Fus Ro Dah.

Paarthurnax: The Greybeard Elder, and one of the few survivors of the first Dragon Wars. He’s known for his boundless friendliness, and can be honest, kind, loyal, generous, and humorous when needed. However, some ponies mistrust them, as he is a Dragon.

Dovah: The dragonic term for “Dragon.” It also can be used as an insult among Dragonlings, although most Dragons would probably eat the little creatures as retribution.

Comments

[bacon96]

very good

[Port Raptor]

*finds fanfic* hm...been looking for something with flutterborn.....i`ll give it a read. *reads chapter one* * sees it`s incomplete*

[adamdwarf]

2084148 no