1 Prologue

When misrule takes its place at the eight corners of the world

When the Brass Tower walks and Time is reshaped

When the thrice-blessed fail and the Red Tower trembles

When the Dragonborn Ruler loses his throne, and the White Tower falls

When the Snow Tower lies sundered, kingless, bleeding

The World-Eater wakes, and the Wheel turns upon the Last Dragonborn.

——

As I slowly opened my eyes, what greeted me was the sun shining through the branches filled with leaves of huge trees. "The hell?" I asked aloud.

I looked around to see if there was anything I could relate to this strange occurrence since I couldn't remember how or when I got here.

I couldn't deny the possibility of this being a dream but the fresh smell of the forest, soft touch of the grass and the melodious chirping of the birds were too real for this to be simple dream.

The last thing I remember was… huh?

I don't remember the last thing I remember?

To be specific, I don't remember anything at all, I just know that I wasn't here, and now I am here.

There might be something that would help me remember somewhere, better to take a look around.

I slowly got up and walked in a random direction.

Wait, now that I think of it, I'm not naked but what is this clothing?

It was a simple green tunic with brown pants and boots.

Did I use to wear this? I don't think I did…or did I?

It was of no use trying to remember anything at this point so I threw it to the back of my mind, there are more important things to worry about.

Like this forest I found myself in. I can't hear any other noises except for the chirping of birds but better be safe than sorry, I grabbed a fallen branch that looked sturdy enough. Who knows, there might be potentially dangerous animals around here somewhere, not that a branch would do much against a dangerous opponent but the feel of something that could potentially protect me was comforting enough.

I performed the eight basic cuts with the branch as if it was a sword, well it would at most be a club but you know what they say; "it is the swordsman that counts not the sword"

Straight down, straight up, horizontally right, horizontally left, diagonally down to the right, diagonally down to the left, diagonally up to the right, diagonally up to the left.

Performing the eight basic cuts felt somehow familiar like I was doing them for almost all my life, but I didn't know why.

Then I remembered,

[Performing the eight basic cuts is critical—though you will never use them in battle.]

"Loredas Maxim."

Huh? I remember this from somewhere, but I don't know where. Nothing else comes to my mind.

Apparently I know how to train with a sword. Another thing to consider at a later time.

After I familiarized myself with the branch, I continued my trekking.

I didn't have any belongings with me nor at the place I woke up so there was nothing to impede my walk.

As I continued walking, I searched for anything edible. I wasn't hungry yet but it is better to be prepared for later.

While looking around, I found a tree stump and found what I was looking for, Mora Tapinella, a fungus that grows on tree stumps and around fallen trees.

An ingredient that is used for alchemy but they can be eaten as they were and they are beneficial too but consuming too much can lead to adverse effects such as feeling sick and unhealthy but not too drastic of a condition.

Huh? I knew about this too?

This whole memory loss thingy was getting on my nerves.

I collected a few mushrooms and continued my walk, the sun that was at its peak when I first woke up was slowly going down with each moment I was walking.

"I have to find a place to camp for the night."

I didn't encounter any wild animals yet but who can say it would be the same for the night.

There were a lot of nocturnal creatures both the ones that could be seen and the ones that couldn't be? that could attack me in my sleep.

I searched for a suitable place to spend the night but I couldn't find any.

Trees filled my vision for as far as I could see, with no other choice, I settled for sitting down against the biggest tree I could see.

The sun went down as with it the warmth.

I started shivering because of the coldness of the night.

'What would I give for some warmth.'

Then, I remembered. The fire, the magic.

Flames.

A roar resounded in my mind like a dragon breathing fire and engulfing me. Then something washed upon my body.

I opened my palm to see a flickering flame radiating warmth but weirdly enough it didn't disturb me nor harmed me.

It was as if it was a part of me, there to answer my wishes but I felt the loss of something, a piece of void, only for it to fill up a few moments later.

So I can do magic huh.

Wait, I can do magic?

It was real?

What am I saying, of course it is real.

The flame flickering in my palms is proof enough for it to be real.

I shelved these thought in the back of my mind and focused on the fire in my palm.

Thanks to that I no longer felt the cold of the night but I felt like I could do more with it.

I pointed my palm forward and willed it to burst out.

No sooner than I thought about it, the flames burst forward in a raging torrent. And I felt the something leaving me again, but this time it was faster and more taxing.

Then I remembered that I was in a forest and cut the connection with the flames.

As soon as I cut the connection, the flames vanished as if it was never there, leaving the ashes and charred ground behind.

But 'magically' there was no wildfire. The flames on a dried wood extinguished with the cutting of the connection, further giving proof that it was magic.

That 'something' that left me…no, not 'something'… magicka.

Yes, it was magicka. An energy used for spell casting. I remembered.

The magicka I spent for the spell was replenished not as quickly as before but still fast enough.

With the absence of the flames, cold started creeping in once more so I cast the flames again but only a small one in my palms to ward off the cold.

Even if I collected dead wood to make a campfire, the fire would extinguish as soon as I go to sleep which would cut the connection, leaving me to spend the night without any warmth and while sleeping to boot. So, no sleep for me tonight or as long as I am unable to create a lingering fire which would persist even with the connection cut.

With that I spent the night experimenting on the flames and learning what I could do with them.

I shaped the fire like a ball and tried hurling it forward but it didn't work and it became a torrent once more.

I tried it again and again but couldn't create other than a flame torrent.

My magicka filled up very fast so I didn't feel any adverse effects from using magic too much.

Wait, you can feel adverse effects when you drain your magicka too much? Huh apparently you can. Bits and pieces of memories come when I think of something related to them.

So I tried thinking what I was doing here or what I was doing before but everything came up blank.

It was frustrating. It felt like it was at the tip of my tongue but it just didn't come out.

So I took out my frustrations by performing the eight basic cuts until morning. Swinging the branch helped me clear my mind and I could focus on my objective.

Getting out of this forest and hopefully finding a settlement.

As the sun came up, I continued my trekking. Weirdly enough, I didn't feel tired from swinging the branch until morning.

So, I had good endurance huh. Good to know.

*Crunch

As I was walking, I heard the crunching of dried leaves. I stopped and focused on the sound, it was close and was slowly getting closer.

I couldn't quite make out what was creating the noises but I didn't need to because the reason, or more like reasons, appeared before me.

"Grrrrr."

"Hrrrrr."

Two wolves appeared between the trees, their fangs barred. Clearly they were hungry and I was an easy prey for them seeing that they had the number advantage.

I placed the branch between me and the wolves preparing for their attack.

I didn't feel nervous even though it was my first mortal combat, and against the wolves to boot.

Wait, was it my first mortal combat? I remember fighting before but against whom I didn't know.

Now, focus. I had more pressing matters than wondering whether I fought in a mortal combat before.

I watched the wolves for any sudden moves they could make, which would be a lunge with the aim of biting me with their strong jaws and sharp teeth or the less likely option which was attacking with their claws.

And they didn't disappoint, they lunged at me at the same time.

I swung my 'sword' towards the one on the right with all my strength and kicked the one on the left.

*Crack

But then I felt pain coming from my right.

Ah of course, the branch broke since it wasn't a sword. I was too engrossed with the memories that I started considering the simple branch as a sword which led to this situation.

The wolf has bitten my arm but weirdly enough even though I felt some pain, it wasn't much, lesser than I expected.

I grabbed a hold of its head and threw the wolf over my head. Wow so I could do that too.

Maybe the branch broke because of my strength?

I looked towards the other wolf that I kicked but apparently I kicked it very far since it was just coming closer to help its ally.

I positioned myself so that I could see the two and waited for their next attack but it never came.

Wolves realized that I wasn't an easy prey and they retreated.

Well, it wasn't like I was expecting an epic fight from two wolves.

After they left I looked towards the wound, it wasn't too deep, only a surface wound but in an unknown forest, leaving even a simple wound could be deadly.

As I was ripping my tunic to cover the wound, I had a thought.

What if I could use healing magic?

It was a feasible idea since I used flames while wishing for it.

Then I focused on the same sensation I felt when I created the flames. But this time I wished for healing.

The same roar resounded once more, but this time the feeling was different. Instead of smoldering flames, a golden radiance appeared in my palm.

Then I felt the healing taking effect. The wound closed with a speed visible to naked eye and it was gone in a jiffy.

I could get used to this feeling of being able to use magic. Without me knowing a smile appeared on my face. It was an amazing feeling, like if I set my mind to it, I could create any kind of magic I could think of.

Then I started thinking of what kind of magic I could create in case of different situations I would need them but my delving in my thoughts was short lived as I started hearing shouts.

I focused on the sound and could differentiate them as human shouts, I wanted to run towards them but the following sound of clashing metal halted me in my thoughts.

A battle, a war, a clash was occurring.

I didn't want to get involved with it so I turned around only to come face to face with a hooded man.

"You picked a wrong time to return home my friend. I actually would like to act as if I never saw you so you could get out but orders are orders, please surrender quietly." The man said sighing.

What is going on here? How did I miss this guy sneaking up on me?

"I think you are making a mistake, I didn't do anything that requires arrest. I have no relation to whatever is going there. I'm just lost." I tried to reason while pointing towards the place I was hearing the clash from.

"I know, but simply being here requires your arrest. I don't like this but by the order of the Imperial decree I demand you surrender at once."

Imperial decree? But why? What are the Imperials doing here? And why am I being arrested? And since the Imperial decree left his mouth there is no way for me to avoid arrest.

So, I did the only thing I could think of at the moment.

Blasting a torrent of flames towards the guy to distract him long enough so that I could get a chance to escape, with a hope that I can outrun him.

As soon as the flames left my palm I started running away from the hooded man, away from the battle but I didn't get the chance as I felt a sharp pain at the back of my head.

"Agh!"

I fell down and rolled on the ground.

"You are quite sturdy, much more than a lot of soldiers in the army, if only the situation was different I would be glad to have you in my platoon. Such a shame that this blasted situation doesn't allow us to do so. No matter, go to sleep now. I hope that it will be painless." The man waved his hands before my face and I felt my consciousness fading.

But before I lost consciousness, I heard a somewhat familiar thunderous shout.

"Fu* *o D*h!"

Then everything went dark.