3 The Empire and It's Secrets

Day 17

Traveling on the road didn't feel as dangerous as it did before. Maybe it was due to the eight, armed soldiers I had been traveling with, despite the injuries. Anyway, it had taken us less than a full day of walking to reach the imperial encampment at the mountain pass. Two large towers where across the river from one another, connected by a bridge. The imperials had a large number of tents and campfires just a little ways away. There were also two makeshift gates on the road that looked as though it would serve as a starting point for the walls to go around them. It looked as though the design was going to have the walls be connected to the mountain itself and stopped at the river on both sides.

After being greeted by drawn swords, it took some time for the group of soldiers to explain their delay and the loss of their captain.

They where surprised to find that a priest of Akatosh would agree to come to assist in military matters. From what they had been saying I gathered that most priests of Akatosh thought themselves better than others. Was it because the head of the divines had blessed them? It was something that I don't think I would ever understand.

"Y'know. I never got your name." The young soldier commented as he helped me to set up a tent. We where to meet with the commander of this operation when she returned from scouting.

"It's Darius." I replied using my real name. Figured it would only be useless to try and make a fake name for myself, as I don't think I would ever remember it.

"I'm Yval. Sorry I didn't introduce myself sooner." He extended his hand after we had finished with the tent. "A pleasure to properly meet you." I said with a smile and took his hand, It was refreshing to see such manners.

After setting up both our tents I was brought to the infirmary area. Apparently both bandits and stormcloaks alike had attacked the group of soldiers. It took all I had not to vomit at the site of the men. Some were missing limbs and others had large gashes across their bodies.

"Darius! Over here." Yval called to me as he knelt before a man who lay on a fur blanket that was coated with blood. "He's lost too much blood. He'll be in Sovngarde soon." The other man seemed to take some comfort in hearing that he would be in the great hall of the Nords. I knelt by the man's side and grimaced at the large wound across his chest. It didn't look fatal at first but I could see scorch marks in the skin around the wound. Either some kind of poison or magic had entered the man's body and looked to be shutting down his internal organs. I bent my head low, my face now covered by my hood and felt a familiar power.

"I ask that you guide this man to Sovngarde. Let him know peace and feel no pain." I prayed and heard that familiar, "your prayer has been heard." The man then closed his eyes and smiled, his chest stopped rising.

Hours and many prayers later I found myself on the outside of the camp. I stared at the small stream that flowed down to the river from the mountain. I had never expected things to turn out this way, It had maybe been a little over two weeks since I had been "summoned." I still had yet to look through the book that the mages had used but I didn't think it would help me right now. Maybe after helping the imperial army I would be introduced to some people where I could talk to court wizards about it? But it would sound crazy trying to explain my situation and who knows what they would do to me, If they believed me it could be worse.

My mind had been busy thinking of all the crude methods that the mages of the college might use to experiment on me when I heard footsteps coming up from behind me. Without thinking I had reached into my sleeves and pulled out my dagger, turning to face the approaching person.

"Careful there!" I heard the familiar voice of Yval, bringing me back from the dark parts of my mind.

"S-sorry." I replied, putting the dagger carefully back in it's sheathe.

"So you're full of surprises." Yval mused as he eyed my sleeve.

"Had it fashioned for me back in Riverwood. Everything alright? How are the wounded holding up?" I asked, worried about the people I had been tending to all afternoon.

"They are doing okay. Most have calmed down and they say their pain is mostly gone as well."

"That's good." I smiled.

"But that's not why I was looking for you. They need a search party to go out and look for the commander. She's been gone much too long. They want to send the four of us that weren't wounded to go looking for her. The other soldiers here are busy with the construction of the fort and gathering resources." He looked very troubled by this idea. "I'm worried, the commander had ten of her best soldiers with her. What are the four of us going to do if something had happened to them?" I looked at him a moment before sighing heavily.

"It looks as though the people in the infirmary are doing okay. I'll go with you and do what I can to help you search for her. It shouldn't take too long and I can return to tending the wounded when I return." I wasn't sure what aid I could offer them but the look on Yval's face told me that I made the right decision. The people of Tamriel are very religious and for a priest to be traveling with them it must be some kind of high honor. "Let me grab my satchel and we will be on our way." Yval nodded as he left to tell the others that where in his group. Why was I putting myself in more danger? Being in an Imperial camp was bad enough, now I was going to venture off with four soldiers to find a rather large scouting group that could have met worse danger? Maybe this playing priest thing was getting to my head or something. I knew I was not invincible and I did not believe that Akatosh would save me from harm. I swore to myself that I would try not to get myself in harms way again, but I knew better. There was always danger in Skyrim.

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Day 17 -continued-

It had taken some time for the others to prepare. They had packed large bags with supplies that would last at least two days between the four of them. I felt a little out of place with just my satchel and dagger when I stood next to the four heavily packed and armed men. Maybe it was because Yval knew me a little better than the soldiers in his group but I couldn't quiet place why he would want me to go with them. Or how he was able to get permission for me to go as I now was supposed to report to the doctor in the camp.

It had been only a few hours of walking when we realized that something was wrong. There where no animals, no sounds coming from around us. We could still make out the towers in the distance. Did something happen to the commander this close to the construction site? The others drew their swords as we walked, making the already tense air even more so.

It was strange, like they had always been there but we where unable to see them. Seven people, clad in all black robes appeared out of thin air around the road. Their hands began to glow different colors as they whispered words of power to ready spells. Fear gripped at my heart as my body refused to move. Yval and the others each reached into pouches on their belts and put something in their mouths, the next thing I knew they were moving at impossible speeds. Each soldier had caught their attackers off guard and killed them, their blades where caked in blood by the time the fight had ended. How they had been able to do this and remain calm was beyond me. What had they eaten? Was it like a drug? Something made by the empire? Many questions racked my mind as I stared at the men in disbelief.

"Darius? Darius!" Yval dropped to his knees and placed a hand on my shoulder. I hadn't even realized that I had dropped to the ground. Had it been out of fear? Did I think I could dodge the magic? I wouldn't know as it seemed like my body had just moved on it's own.

"I-I'm alright." I stuttered as I took the hand he offered and brought myself back to my feet. The other three checked the mages' bodies and pulled out a piece of paper from one.

"Yval, we need to head back." Yval just nodded to the man, neither one even reading the paper.

"What's going on?" I asked, very confused. Something wasn't right. How had they reacted so quickly? Had they been expecting the attack? If so then how did they know? So many questions and no answers could be offered.

"Darius. I'll need you to try and forget what you just saw." Yval said rather calmly. He didn't seem like the young soldier that I had been seeing him to be. Rather he looked very stern and his posture was confident. Was this really the same person who had seemed frightened by the idea of finding the commander? Why were we turning back already?

"A-alright." I nodded my head and followed slowly as they turned back towards the construction site. What was going on? I tried to remember in the game what something like this might be. The only thing that I could think of was that maybe the Thalmor had something to do with this? Maybe there was more going on than just the commander going missing?

We made it back to the camp by nightfall, I reported to the doctor only to find that there had been no change in the injured. No one had died from their injuries since yesterday and the others seemed to be doing well. I noticed Yval and the other three walk into a large tent on the opposite end of camp, there where two guards clad in what looked to be elven armor from the game. So the Thalmor were involved in all this.

Everything happened so fast that day, I couldn't really make sense of it all. How had they reacted so fast? It all seemed so unreal. All I could do was head back to my tent and write about the events that transpired. I might need to reflect back on them.

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Day 22

Days had passed since the mage ambush and there had been no other talk about finding the commander. A cave in from a recent mining escapade had been keeping me busy. I guess the plan for the fortress was to have a large armory and supply stash carved into the mountain. Rumors where going around that the Valtheim towers were to eventually be a large fortress for the empire, creating a major block between the Empire controlled areas and those who supported the stormcloaks.

My mind wandered to the attack on the road again, taking in the details as I could remember them. Had they used some magic to enhance their bodies? If so then did that mean that they where Thalmor agents? I knew from the game that the Thalmor had agents everywhere and searched for worshippers of Talos as well as keep an eye on all things. They where even more powerful than the empire and I wondered if maybe it was a wise idea to stay submitted to them.

Windhelm was just a few miles away from here. I could take what I know and tell Ulfric and help the stormcloaks. If Skyrim developed it's independence then maybe there would be a fighting chance against the Aldmeri Dominion?

I shook my head. Such thoughts would end up getting me killed. I was here in the middle of an imperial camp with Thalmor agents and soldiers stationed here, I wouldn't even make it close to Windhelm before imperial soldiers cut me down.

Damn, I was making my head hurt just spinning all this around in my head. I needed some air and time away from the injured and dying. I walked out of the tent and to my usual thinking spot near the stream on the outside of camp. Groaning loudly I removed my hood as I sat myself on a rock, checking to make sure I had my knife properly sheathed in my sleeve before attempting to gather my thoughts.

. I knew that I should have just stayed out of this, Stayed back at the inn in Riverwood and not accepted to go with Yval. I tried praying to Akatosh last night but received no reply or even the feeling of being looked over like I got when reciting a prayer for someone else. I needed answers and all I seemed to be getting where more questions.

Frustrated I stood and picked up a large rock only to slam it into the stream. Water splashed all around and got the lower end of my robe wet.

"Dammit!" I shouted then slumped back down on my rock with a pout. What was I going to do? My whole situation was already confusing. Now add all this political and power struggle drama and things just get even crazier. Was this nightmare ever going to end?! Though I had given up on thinking this was just a dream, I still thought of this as a nightmarish situation.

"Sounds like you're having a bad day." The familiar voice of Yval brought me out of my confusing thoughts.

"Well I have been kept busy the last few days." I retorted, reaching into my satchel and pulling out my water pouch.

"Right, the cave-in and all that." I hadn't even spoken to Yval since the ambush, in fact I had made a point of it to avoid him and the rest of the men that I had arrived here with. There was an awkward silence between the two of us before he turned and began to walk away. "I can understand if you no longer want to be here. But be careful. Skyrim is full of dangers."

Was that a threat? Was he warning me? I had believed this man to be a friendly face but already find that there may be no one I could trust here. I would need to stay even more on my toes now and tread very carefully. I hadn't known him for very long, a week or so in fact but still. I had thought that maybe I could have found a friend in this hostile world. I should have known better though.

I laughed at myself with how sappy and pathetic that just sounded when I thought about it. I really needed to get myself adjusted. Being this sentimental was going to eventually get me killed in a place like this. I sighed heavily, put my hood back on and returned to the medical tent where I helped the surgeon to fix up wounds and bring food to the injured.

Later that night I received my first payment for assisting the empire. I had a hefty coin purse of five hundred pieces. It was much more than I thought it would be for just a short amount of time I had been there. But the surgeon had told me that it was also an advance in hopes I would stay around until the fortress was completed. I asked how long he believed it would take but he said he was unsure. At the progress they where going it would take them a month or two to get the basis of the structure up where they could move their camp within the outer wooden walls. I had then learned that the Imperials planned to make it a multi-leveled fortress. Having an outer wall, inner wall, and keep. The keep was to be held within the mountain like the armory and storehouse. It was to be a grand feat and show the Empire's presence in Skyrim.

When it finally came time to retire for the night I threw myself upon the cot and stare up at the top of the tent. The light faded away until I had to light the candle beside me. I fixed my dagger to be comfortably under my pillow and wrapped myself in the heavy furs I used for blankets. With darkness came colder air and my body was not yet used to the climate of Skyrim. If I got sick it would mean even more trouble for me, no modern medicine to rely on and who knows what someone might put into a potion that would be meant for me. I felt ridiculous, this paranoia was eating away at my sanity. Not even a month after waking up in Skyrim and I've already dug myself into a hole though I was thankful enough that I had made it this far. It was much more than I would have expected from myself. I closed my eyes and did my best to get some rest, as I would need every bit of what strength I had in the days to come.

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Day 26

The days continued going by the same. Over a week had passed since the mage ambush, still no sign of the commander or the men who had gone with her. The soldiers where restless and worried yet continued their work on the fortress. I heard from one of the injured men that they had been serving under their commander for years now and where worried that the Thalmor high mage that was there would be placed in charge of the battalion of soldiers.

If the Thalmor had that much influence, was the empire really the better choice for Tamriel? What if alliances could be forged? All races united to fight against the Aldmeri Dominion might have a chance for victory right? But how could the races and lands of Tamriel come together? Was that even possible? I tried to wrack my brain of the many books I had seen in both the oblivion and skyrim games but couldn't think of anything that involved all the races coming together under one banner.

"This is hopeless" I groaned to myself as I retired to my tent and tossed my satchel on the cot. "What am I to do? I can't just-" I stopped myself from speaking any more as I realized that it could be dangerous to speak my mind in an open area surrounded by supporters of both the empire and Thalmor. Sighing heavily I sat down and rummaged through my satchel.

When I found what I had been looking for my body began to shake. Many questions swam through my mind and I hoped that this could answer at least some of them. I held in my hands the book I had found when first waking in this world. The texture of the cover was smooth, like leather but the color was a dark shade of purple, the sign for conjuration on the front of it. I knew the sign as it was on the cover of the oblivion game case. I had always just associated the sign with oblivion but I believed I had seen it as the conjuration symbol in the schools of magic.

I tried hard to stop myself from shaking and slowly opened the book. I was surprised by what I found. Well, more or less didn't find, every page in the book was blank.

"What?!" I asked out loud in confusion, panic taking hold of my senses. What was this? I flipped through the book, each page empty as the first. Was this book a fake? Had they taken the actual tome? If so then why was this book on the table with me?

"Great. Even more mysteries." I was getting tired of this and fast. Everything in this world was so confusing and I found no answers at all. "What am I to do?" I closed my eyes and placed my hand over my face. "Akatosh, I need answers. Please assist me." I prayed, hoping something would happen. But just like before, no response from the divine being that apparently had taken note of me. I threw the book back into my satchel in frustration, put it on and stormed out from my tent and right into a soldier.

"Ow, watch where you're going you robe wearing milk-drinker!" A young woman swore as she picked herself back up.

"Me? You're the one skulking around my tent. If you hadn't been that close then I wouldn't have run into you!" I retorted, not in the mood to have someone yell at me. I looked over the women that I had run into. She looked to be a wood elf, wearing what looked like regular leather armor from the game. She was a wood elf, short, slightly slanted eyes and light brown skin. Her pointed ears where made more prominent by the dark brown hair that was tucked behind them then tied in a long ponytail. I had never seen her in camp before and wondered what she must be doing here.

"I wasn't skulking! I was told I could find a priest of Akatosh here. It's rare to find one in skyrim. But I see that you're just as pompous and rude as I heard!" With that she stormed off to a different area of the camp that I hadn't noticed before. There where two circles of tents that had many furs draped over them. Two large campfires where in the middle of them, surrounded by men and women with all assortments of armors and weapons. Had the empire hired mercenaries to oversee the protection of this area? Were the soldiers not enough?

After gazing at the construction site a few moments, I stood up straight and turned back into my tent. With all the craziness going on and everything making me on edge, I had made up my mind. After gathering what provisions I had inside my tent I went out and refilled my water pouch in the fresh stream just outside the tent. After checking to make sure no one else was around me, I put up my hood and avoided all gazes as I walked past the towers and headed west. Avoiding a few patrols was easy enough if I stayed off the road a bit and so far no one had really noticed my absence, not that I could tell anyway.

It wasn't until I had made a few hours headway before I wondered how long I would last. The Thalmor would surely send someone after me if it was believed I knew any of their secrets and plans, but I needed to get out of there. I had to get to safety, maybe Windhelm? It made sense to me that if I wanted to stay safe from the empire and Thalmor I would need high walls and people around me that hate them. What better place than the capital city of the Stormcloaks?