By the time Serana and I made it back to Whiterun rumors of the appearance of a "Dragonborn" had already spread through town. Before reporting back to the Jarl, I decided to visit the many shops and stands in the marketplace to offload as much of my looted treasure and weapons as I could in order to bring me closer to my goal of 8k Gold so that I may purchase a house in the city of Markarth. While browsing in the marketplace, I met a priestess of Kynareth who was upset about the death of this sacred tree that is important to their Temple. She explained that it may be possible to revive the tree if she were able to get some sap from the source tree. However, to extract the sap requires a special blade that is able to cut the tree. This blade is called "Nettlebane". I offered to retrieve the blade for her, and it is likely that she will ask me to do the rest when I return to her with the weapon.
After speaking with the Priestess, Serana and I made our way to Dragonsreach to meet with Jarl Balgruuf. I told him about my slaying the Dragon and how I absorbed its soul afterward. They explained that the thunderous noise we heard on our way back to town was a cult known as the Greybeards who spend all their time on a mountain named High Hrothgaar. They were "summoning" the Dragonborn to their mountain hideaway with their voice. The Jarl suggested strongly that I go and answer this supposed summons.
We left town immediately and Stopped briefly in Riverwood before starting our way toward the first goal, "Nettlebane". Nettlebane was nestled comfortably in the hands of a powerful Hagraven near the base of the mountain we were about to climb. As soon as we arrived we were met by witches and hags who proved to be of no consequence as we quickly dispatched them and moved in on the Hagraven. While more powerful than her sisters, she too fell to my arrows and Serana's Ice Spikes with ease.
Now that Nettlebane was in our possession we moved on through the base of the mountain to some sort of lookout and a pass that ran under the mountain for a few miles. When we came out the other side, we caught the quickest ride to Ivarsted that we could find which to my delight was a caravan of khajit salesmen and bards that are quite entertaining to say the least. Serana was uncomfortable as usual and more than happy to complain to me about it. Once we reached Ivarstead I started asking around about The Greybeards and got little information. It seems they have a strange relationship with the town at the base of their fabled 7000 steps. Serana and I agreed to take some supplies up for some guy who's getting too old to do it. Which is a concept I will never know. The steps were wrought with Bears, Wolves, and even Ice Wraiths! But, no matter, we made our way to the top easily where I deposited the supplies upon the alter and asked Serana to wait while I go in to speak with the reclusive monks.
I stood before the door, completely aware that my destiny would begin on the other side.