To Call Another World Home

Solsteim

              Eighteen
"It's up to you, Inquisitor , if you want us to pursue the claws ", Siri said as they walked down the mountain path  towards High Hrothgar .   They had stayed a bit just talking to the old dragon ,who insisted Siri greet him in the way of the Dov when they were about to leave .  To everyone's surprise Siri used the Firebreath shout on the old dovah . " Yol Toor  Shul !", it echoed as Paarthurnax's whole face was engulfed in flames .  The  next thing they knew it was Siri's  turn to be greeted and Anthony felt his heart grow cold with fear of loosing his Little Heart Beat . He wanted to kill that dragon ,but was held back by Bull and Blackwall . When the flames vanished he was so relieved to see her unharmed ,he hugged her . That was a mistake because even if she was unharmed ,her clothes were still clothes  and they were as hot as hell .  He couldn't stop the yelp that escaped his lips when he released her . Note to self ,do NOT hug the Dragonborn when she was just engulfed in flames.

"I think we should do it ,Siri", he says now as he over weights his options. He could either go home not knowing if the claws would ever be found and in the process hurting some people ,or he could find the claws and put them in a safe place . " Where is Qo's Retreat ?",he adds.  Scrunching up her face to remember where she had heard that name before she says " Give me a moment to go over my map and I'll tell you ".  Smiling amused at her facial expression Anthony nods his head slightly ," Alright ,but don't take to long ,Thedas is waiting ".

They reach High Hrothgar just after nightfall .  Master Einarth  awaits them in the courtyard . He beckons them   to follow him inside . " Why don't he talk? ", Dorian asks curiously. " His Thu'um is too strong for mere mortals ", Siri explains " Master Arngeir is the only one that can talk to us  even if his Thu'um is strong as well ". 

All the other Greybeards awaits them in the dining hall . " We have  prepared  dinner for you because we knew you'd come back when its already dark outside ,you may stay for the night or longer as you wish ,we don't get many visitors ,but we have enough room in this old place to house a lot of people ,please be seated and share our humble meal ", Master Arngeir says waving his hand over the table at the food . The meal isn't much ,but it is better than the horrible food they have eaten before . There's bread ,cheese ,potato soup , goat stew and some fruits and nuts .  There is also water, fruit juice and mead for drinking . They sit down, feeling rather grateful to rest their feet ,after walking so much through the day . 

" Thank you , Masters ,for your kindness ", Siri says when they all are seated . " You are welcome ,Dragonborn, ", Master Arngeir replies  before dishing up some stew for himself . Soon everyone fills their plates with food and starts eating hungrily . Sera is once again the most hungriest and her manners are obviously forgotten when she eats like a pig again.  The Greybeards watch her with astonished  expressions on their faces . Never had they seen someone eat like that before . 

When dinner is over Arngeir asks Siri to join him for a walk in the Courtyard . She follows him without question much to Anthony's disappointment. He would have liked that she didn't wander off from their little group. 

" You have grown a lot ,Dragonborn ,not in body but in character and your Thu'um is much stronger  now than when you found your first word of power , but that is not what I want to talk to you about, it's about where you can find the other two claws , Qo's Retreat is in Solsteim and Reik's Respite is here in Skyrim  ,  Solsteim would  be the best to go to first ", Arngeir says when they halt at the edge of the cliff  that they sometimes practice their Thu'um from .  " Thank you ,I will ask the Lord Inquisitor Trevelyan if he wants to go to Solsteim, Master Arngeir , see we are supposed to get back to Thedas soon ,do you know where the cave is where the Red Lyrium crystals have been found ?". Master Arngeir nods , " Yes ,Dragonborn, but it has been sealed for so long I don't think anyone would go there ". Siri shakes her head " No, Master ,you are wrong , someone has gone there ,two soldiers had died ,and also the merchant who sold them the drink with the Red Lyrium in it , we need to destroy all that is left off it and if we want to keep Tamriel safe we need to make sure that no one ever finds those claws  again  ,Thedas is in chaos because of Red Lyrium and Dark Spawn ,I don't want my world to have that fate too ,so where is it ?". Her voice  is edging on hysteria when she speaks ,while images rushes through her mind of what Red Lyrium can do to Nirn .   Arngeir sighs . What else can he do?  . What if she heard of the statue that was in that cave ? . The statue looks like her and somewhere deep in the past of Nirn someone must have crafted the statue . Someone who must have known what would come .  " The cave is part of an old tomb  , it is near Yol's Rest ,the exterior will tell you that ".
Siri nods her head in thanks  before turning  away from the edge of the cliff  to go join her friends .