Chapter One-The Dragons Return

A time of bows, swords, and shields. Where I came from that usually meant we were talking about times long past, or a form of literature prominent in fantasy games or movies. This is not that kind of story.

A land of beauty as well as endless mystery, the Land of Tamriel, the brutal and harsh landscapes of Skyrim. Home to Nords, vampires, werewolves, Daedra, and basically every other race that existed in Tamriel. A literal and figurative melting pot or an already lit powder keg. I was sadly placed right in the blast radius. 

A region ruled by none, though a gruff Nord with the voice of a dragon and a certain grouchy Imperial general would tell you otherwise. A land plagued by all manner of horrible things but also filled with enough wonder, mystery and beauty to make up for it. At least that's what I think looking back on it, my opinion at the beginning was not as positive, admittedly.

My name was Cirus Damon, a 21-year-old guy who loved video games, anime and pretty much everything that many would call 'nerdy'. 

Now I guess I answer to a different name. My name is…. Well, you'll find that out soon enough, considering this is my story after all. 

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When I awoke for the first time it was to the smell of ash and blood. The sounds of whispering voices broke me out in what I thought was an amazing nap.

"So you're finally awake, lousy luck you have there kid. Caught in that imperial ambush just like us." A voice spoke in perfect English with an almost perfect Western accent.

My vision cleared extremely quickly at that phrase, hell I've heard it over a hundred times easily. Dreamed of something like this plenty of times, hell there is a genre of media based around this topic. 

"Though usually when one of your kind crosses the border they are covered in black and gold robes. You're an odd one huh?"

'Fuck…...' I quickly tried to move until I realized my hands were bound, though when I looked down to check if my feet were the same I noticed two things quickly.

One I was on a wooden carriage and it was moving, two and probably most dire, the skin that I could just peek at from my pant leg had a distinctly yellow tint to it.

'Double fuck' I thought as I suddenly realized what these uncomfortable feelings were, it felt like my skin was covered in ants and my insides were on fire. Though none of that was particularly painful, that might also be because I was having an existential crisis. 'I'm not human anymore'. 

"You still in there elf? You realize where you are, don't you? On a carriage to the end, hmm that was very poetic."

"Trust me Ralof, I'm well aware….." Even my voice felt foreign, a hint of an accent that was reminiscent of French. He looked over at me in confusion and a touch of surprise that I even responded. 

"My name isn't Ralof? Ryker Windsung of Ivarstead, a pleasure….." the man said in greeting. 

'What? Dude you look just like him…' I thought as yet another problem seemed to unfold. I realized as I looked around the carriage and noticed the distinct lack of a horse thief and a self-proclaimed king.

'I can't fucking believe my luck, not only did I get ripped from my world but I don't even get the cheat code that is being the Dragonborn.... In the only period since the first era that's infested with dragons,' I almost wanted to laugh more than despair at that revelation.

 I noticed that I still hadn't answered and Ryker was starting to get annoyed at my apparent slight at his greeting. 'Damn, what is my name now? Cirus sounds kind of elven enough. The hardest part of character creation strikes again.... Maybe I should just call myself Reanu Keaves'

"It's Cilus, a pleasure. Do you mind filling me in on what's going on?" I asked hopefully, secretly cursing my lack of imagination in terms of names.'yeah just change one letter'

He nodded slightly as he began looking around us, then took a good minute to look down at the at least ten carriages shadowing our advance. 

"Well short version is we're all fucked.... Jarl Ulfric is among us and considering I watched him be loaded onto a carriage along with us. Sovngarde isn't far." He said with a resigned look in his eyes. 'Yes….. Well usually I'd scoff at an apparent religious zealot but sadly I knew the Hall of Heroes was a real place...'

Ok... planning time. I rattled my brain for anything that could help me quickly and only came up with the beginnings of a rather shotty plan. Operation: Follow the Demi-God. Then get to the college, without dying to a random flying reptile that thinks I look tasty.

"Sovngarde huh... you don't seem that old though Ryker, maybe twenty? I'm sure you wish you had a better story to tell the others when you reach 'that' table."

"Don't all Nords... But I'm listening elf, what are you getting at" He said as he caught on quickly, a note of curiosity mixing into his voice.

"Hey, quiet back there" The Imperial captain said with a hint of annoyance.

"I can get us both out of here….. in return, you leave the Stormcloaks and follow me? You know, train me in the ole sword and shield that your people are so famous for. No further than Winterhold then our deal would be completed and you could return to your war" I offered in a hushed whisper, his eyes seemed to boggle slightly at my proposal before he scoffed.

"Yeah, I'm sure you can whisk us both away with your fancy hands, maybe if there were less than the 200 imperials marching behind and in front of us. No elf, I doubt your little magic will get us out of this."

"I don't know any magic.... But I guarantee I can get us out of here at the perfect moment, you just gotta trust me and accept the deal." I said while trying to assert that I wasn't just talking crazy. He looked at me once before turning his head and promptly ignoring me.

"How about a bet then?" I asked as I wiggled my unknown-colored brows. He looked back for a moment before he sighed and nodded to hear it, I smirked. 

"When the black dragon descends, follow my back and you'll make it out alive. Granted I could just be going hysterical at my seemingly imminent demise, but what do ya got to lose? Want to bet on a dragon showing up?" 

"…..You've been touched by Sheogorath…... Fucking bat shit crazy elves" he said as he relaxed his alert posture and slouched back against his seat.

"So you're too chicken to take the bet Nord... Hmmm I swear there was a saying for this that I've read your people use quite often but I can't seem to rem…. Ryker, are you a 'milk-drinker'?" 

"Oh, you little yellow bastard!" He seemed outraged as he tried to kick me from where he was sitting before the Legion again interrupted him. 

"Stormcloak, I swear to Arkay that if I have to tell you to be quiet again you'll get a front-row seat to the torture room General Tullius had built just recently under Helgen!" It seemed that one warning was all the gruff Imperial had to give, it seemed to work however as Ryker stopped foaming out of the mouth in outrage. 

I gave him a few seconds to compose himself before I whispered again. "So you in?"

"Talos help me...… Fine high brow, I'll participate in your madness, you've got a deal. But what do I get if the Dragon doesn't show?"

"I will literally strip down and start singing your Stormcloak song in front of hundreds of Imperials. All in all this bet ain't bad for you, either you get to live or you get to laugh your ass off before you die."

"You've got a deal... Besides your snide comments, it was nice talking to you kid but I would like to use the rest of this time to pray to Talos" Ryker finally agreed as we started to see signs of civilization after we crossed the tree line.

Helgen was... beautiful. Well as far as aesthetics go, a city/army outpost surrounded by nothing but trees. There was a small problem though. 

'There's no way there were that many watch towers and they were surely not ten stories tall.' I counted at least fourteen all varying sizes and filled with archers on every floor. 

'This escape plan might not be as smooth as I first thought' A mild amount of dread began filling me.

Well, there's one answer to a question that's been nagging in the back of my mind. The world is larger and different from what I've seen on my TV.

It wasn't much longer till we came to a stop and they began unloading us like cattle.

It was then that Ryker finally finished his lengthy prayer and turned to look back at me from his place in the line. He gave me a small nod to which I responded with something similar. 

Even though we were the first to get off our carriage it wasn't until the last arrived that everything began. 

Curiosity getting the better of me I began looking over the people leaving the legendary 'last carriage'

First, it was the greatest thief of them all, someone even the Gray Fox would bow to. The master of stealth that specializes in the arcane art of horse thievery.... And he immediately took off running and got an arrow in the back. 'Poor Lokir….. No matter how many times I see it I always feel bad you don't wait it out'

Next was Ryker's twin. Big buff Nord with blonde hair and Stormcloak attire….. next. 

'The true high king' himself, Ulfric Stormcloak. The dude is huge, could see him killing a king.

And then the moment I was waiting for happened. 'She' left the carriage. 

A beautiful Nord woman, with long silky blonde hair tied in the back, and silver eyes that looked like they would swallow me whole. She was tall, at least taller than me with beautiful long legs that were perfectly accented by the rags she wore. With a small cut in the front right that just barely exposed a luscious thigh that would flutter in and out of view as she walked.....

'Hold the fuck on...… this is a troupe I will not be a part of. Ha! I see your game 'random god' that sent me here, make the Dragonborn the most beautiful woman I've ever seen and I would follow her on her insane adventures. Well fuck to the NO... I Cilus Spotter-Of-Bullshittery am no simp!'

"She's very pretty, I heard she got caught the same way you did. Though you shouldn't stare too long, no reason to make a woman uncomfortable before her death" As soon as he noticed it, it seemed the girl noticed as well when her eyes shot towards me for a moment and we locked eyes. It seemed my body wasn't listening as without my consent I smiled at her when she noticed I was looking.

 Surprisingly she seemed spooked at that, and quickly turned her head away and back to Hadvar who said those Iconic words. 

"Who are you?" Hadvar asked.

"Hey Ryker, am I ugly?" I asked in despair. 

"You're an elf?" He stated as if that was a perfect answer.

"Fuck you Ralof Jr." Of course the one Nord I tricked into helping me was racist. Karma, I guess.

"Tiberia Winged"...…..'seriously, couldn't be more on the nose….' Her voice however made my knees slightly quiver and I realized then that I couldn't be anywhere near this demonic seductress.

"Just messing with you kid, you've got no deformities I can see. You are short though…. Couldn't be older than 16 winters if I had to guess. Well besides the yellow skin." He said as he began laughing, my hero reinserted himself again and punched Ralof Jr. in the side to shut him up.

I almost giggled before his eyes landed on me and I wisely retreated with my dignity intact. 

Since the line to Hadvar started at the last carriage it took around five minutes until he reached us. He addressed Ryker first then looked at me with extreme confusion.

"Another one huh, what's your name elf?" He asked curiously.

"Cilus" I answered quickly and the most amazing thing that could happen did happen.

(FORCED) QUEST STARTED

'The Return Of The Dragons'

Objective: Escape Helgen alive.

Bonus Objective: Kill three live beings as you make your escape.

Rewards:250 gold, Spell Tome-Summon Skeleton Archer

Bonus rewards:?

The translucent black screen with the iconic dragon symbol at the top brought me more joy than anything I could've hoped for. 

Smirking, I willed the screen away as Hadvar finally realized I wasn't on the list. 

"Uh, Captain? We've got another that wasn't on the list" Hadvar said and even I could see that he already knew the answer, probably just wanted to tell himself he tried.

"The same as the other" she says offhandedly as if he asked her what shoes she'd wear tomorrow. 'Fucking cunt'

After that we were placed in the line, noticing quickly that yes. The Dragoness was still the second in line. 

"Things are looking up for us Ryker" I said with a smile as the priestess of Arkay came to give us 'criminals' our last rights. 

"Yep, just waiting for you to start running around making a fool of yourself sounds nice. Hopefully, those bastard Imperials at least let you finish the song before putting a bundle of arrows in you" he said with an even bigger smile. 'Poor guy he doesn't realize he got played'

"As we commend your souls to Atherius, blessings of the eight divines upon you, for you are the salt and earth of Nirn, our beloved….."

"Talos fucking help me, just cut my damn head off" The first Stormcloak in line stated as his patience ran out. With balls the size of mountains, he walked himself to his execution, kneeled, and began talking shit to them. He didn't get more than a few sentences before his head was separated from his shoulders.

'Fucking medieval savages... But at least it was quick, merciful.' I thought in absolute disgust at how they just kicked his body out of the way and grabbed a new bucket. 'Alduin…... I might be starting to understand where you're coming from. Very different when you realize this is real life'. 

It would seem his possible woman agreed with me as I saw a cute Stormcloak girl scream at the 'Imperial Bastards'.

"Next the Nord girl" Captain Cunt ordered. I barely controlled the obnoxious fit of laughter as I heard the first rumble. 'This will probably be the only time I'll be excited when Alduin appears in front of me. Please eat these bastards'

It was when Tiberia took her first step that something broke in the world. A roar so mighty that it made regular thunder seem extremely tame in comparison. 

I looked over at Ryker who had gone deathly still, as his head slowly turned towards me he began shaking uncontrollably when he saw my wide smile. 

"Get your shit together, milk-drinker, it's almost party time. Like I said, no matter what happens don't lose sight of my back." I said as I turned my head and focused solely on Tiberia and the sky above her. 

After the roar of warning was ignored everything continued. Tiberia walked slowly to the stump and was kicked down on top of the other Nord's corpse. I imagined the lines of tears that marked her face as she looked up at her executioner.

I saw the son of Akatosh before anyone else, quickly dropping into a crouch. I used the unaware Nords in front of me as a meat shield. Deciding to check behind me I smirked harder as I saw Ryker inches away from me in the same position. Still shaking like a leaf as he was the second to see it. 'Smart guy.'

"WHAT IN OBLIVION IS THAT!" And with speed unheard of Alduin appears on the tower over the Dragonborn, almost protectively as he roars. The blast of dragon speak sent everyone in the first couple rows flying away smashing into the structure's walls like water balloons. 

Ralof appeared and began hoisting the girl up as they both took off toward the tower in the center of town.

"There's our cue, run like a fire-breathing dragon is behind you" I said as I began laughing hysterically, following closely behind the Demi-God and Stormcloak at my fastest speed.

"THAT'S NOT FUCKING FUNNY YOU LITTLE BASTARD!" Ryker screamed back in absolute fear as he didn't lose a step and followed behind just as quickly.