Just a Skyrim fanfic: Extended cut

Ratway rescue

(Leonidas eventually makes his way to High Hrothgar on his way to Riverwood)

Arngeir: Ah! You've returned the horn of Jurgen Windcaller. Well done. You have now passed all of the trials. Come with me. It is time for us to recognize you formally as dragonborn. You are ready to learn the final word of unrelenting force. Dah. Which means push

Wulfgar: Dah

(The word of power appears on the ground, and Leonidas absorbs it)

Arngeir: With all 3 words together, this shout is much more powerful. Use it wisely. Master Wulfgar will now gift you his knowledge of dah

(Leonidas absorbs some power from Wulfgar)

Arngeir: You have completed your training, dragonborn. We would speak to you. Stand between us and prepare yourself. Few can withstand the unbridled voice of the greybeards. But you are ready

Greybeards: Long in sorrow has waited the storm crown, with no worthy head to rest on. By our voice, we give it now to you, dragonborn. By the power of Kyne. By the power of Shor. And by the power of Atmora of old. You have now become Ysmir, dragon of the north. Remember these words

(A whole arsenal of words of power have appeared on the walls of High Hrothgar, and Leonidas absorbed them all)

Arngeir: Dovahkiin. You have tasted the voice of the greybeards and passed through unscathed. High Hrothgar is open to you, and any trustworthy friends

Leonidas: I thank you, greybeards. But I must be on my way

Arngeir: Divines guide you, dragonborn

(Leonidas returns to Delphine's hideout in Riverwood)

Delphine: You made it out alive, at least. Your gear's safe in the chest as promised

(Leonidas grabs the rest of his gear from the chest)

Delphine: Did you learn anything useful?

Leonidas: I grabbed some Thalmor documents, but I didn't have time to read them yet. As far as I know, the Thalmor know nothing about the dragons. They're just as lost as we are

Delphine: Really? That seems hard to believe. Are you sure about that?

Leonidas: Positive. They're looking for someone named Esbern in Riften

Delphine: Esbern? He's alive? I thought the Thalmor must have got him years ago. That crazy old man... Figures the Thalmor would be on his trail. Though, if they were were trying to find out what's going on with the dragons

Leonidas: What would the Thalmor want with Esbern?

Delphine: You mean aside from wanting to kill every last blade they can lay their hands on? Esbern was one of the blades archivists. Hack before the Thalmor smashed us during the great war. He knew everything about the ancient dragon lore of the blades. Obsessed with it, really. Nobody paid much attention back then. I guess he wasn't as crazy as we all thought

Leonidas: So the Thalmor think the blades know about the dragons?

Delphine: It would explain why they're after Esbern. And you said he was in Riften, right? He's probably hiding in the ratway

Leonidas: I'm going alone again

Delphine: In that case, you'd better get there. And if you find Esbern, you might have some trouble getting him to trust you. Just ask him where he was on the 30th of frostfall. He'll know what it means