//------------------------------// // Chapter I: Wah Helgen. // Story: Elder Scrolls: Skyrim, Twilight's Destiny. // by grammar404 //------------------------------// Chapter I: Wah Helgen. With a loud thump, a woman with pointy ears, a light skin tone and a light ginger hair tied into a ponytail, awoke. She tried to move her arms, but found that her hands were restrained by bindings wrapped upon her wrist. She was on a carriage, led by an imperial soldier wearing his red cloak with the imperial insignia on it. In front of her sat a Nord, with a typical blonde hair and build muscle wearing a Stormcloak armour. Beside the Stormcloak was a much smaller and skinnier Nord with a dark brown hair who wore a ragged tunic. Sitting beside her was a gagged man who's hair was similar to that of the Stormcloak. The cold wind of Skyrim touched her elven skin, making feel the chill of the harsh Nordic climate. Piles of Snow covers the sides of the road and the branches of tall looking trees. "Hey, you," Astrid looked to the owner of the voice, it was the Stormcloak sitting in front of her, "You're finally awake.". "I guess so.". He let out a short chuckle. "You were trying to cross the border right?" She nodded, "walked right into that Imperial ambush, same as us and that thief over there." "Damn you, Stormcloaks," said the Nord thief, "the Empire was fine until you came along, the Empire was nice and lazy. If they hadn't been looking for you, I could've stolen that horse and be halfway to Hammerfell." He pointed at me with his tied hands," You there," "Me?" He nodded, then pointed back and forth from her and him, "You and me, we shouldn't be here! It's these Stormcloaks that the Empire wants." "We're all brothers and sisters in binds now, thief." The Stormcloak said. "Shut up back there!" The Imperial shouted, still keeping his eyes on the road. Astrid turned her attention to the gagged Nord beside her. "Hey, are you alright?" She whispered. He gave a quiet sigh, but did not respond. Of course not, he's got his mouth covered. Feeling a bit embarrassed, Astrid decided to not push the conversation. "What's wrong with him, huh?" The thief asked, looking at the gagged man from head to toe. "Watch your tongue!" The Stormcloak growled, "You're talking to Ulfric Stormcloak, the true high king!" "Ulfric Stormcloak?" Asked The woman, with a look of befuddlement. she turned to the Stormcloak in front of her. "Jarl of Windhelm?" The Nord rebel nodded. "Ulfric Stormcloak," the Thief wondered, " you're the leader of the rebellion! Gods, if they captured you, where are they taking us?" His face fell into worry. "I don't know, but Sovngarde awaits." "No! This isn't happening! This isn't happening!" The Thief panicked. "Hey," Said the Stormcloak, looking at the thief, "Where are you from horse thief?" "Why do you care?" He glared. "A Nord's last thoughts... should be home." "Rorikstead, I'm from Rorikstead." He looked down with a somber face. The wooden doors of the keep opened, letting the first carriage to move in. Imperial guards, some in red cloaks others not, patrolled the walls and the wooden gate house. Astrid's carriage jerked forward as they continue into the Imperial hold. "General Tulius, sir!" Said the Imperial driver, "The headsman is waiting." While the horse thief asked for divine salvation, the Stormcloak looked behind his shoulder, glaring at man with greyish hair riding a horse, talking to a group of High Elves. "Look at him, general Tulius, the military governor. And it looks like the Thalmor are with him, damn Elves. I bet they have something to do with this." The Nord rebel looked around the keep, its stone walls as high as five men, towers stood tall and strong, overlooking its keep. "This is Helgen." He said. "You know this place?" She asked. He nodded. "I use to be sweet on a girl from here. I wonder if Vlod still makes that mead with juniper berries mixed in." He let out a short chuckle. "What's funny?" He looked at her with a sad grin, "When I was a boy, the Imperial walls and towers makes me feel so safe." "Papa, where are they going?" A little boy asked, while sitting in one of the nearby houses. The light ginger-haired woman, stared at them as the wagon moved. "Go inside little cub." His father said. The wee boy turned to his father, "but I want to watch the soldiers." "Inside now!" His father put a bit of a commanding tone this time. "Yes, papa." The boy obeyed, and walked inside their house, pouting. "I was never suppose to be here. I should be home in " "Wha –" the Stormcloak interrupted by a sudden jerk as the wagon stopped. "Why are we stopping?" The horse thief asked. The Stormcloak looked down, "What do you think?" He said, he lifted his face to look at The light ginger-haired woman, "End of the line." They simultaneously hopped off the carriage, while the horse thief protested. They were met by two Imperials, one in a heavy armour and the other in light armour – except the helmet. "Move forward when we call your name." The Imperial captain said with her harsh female voice. "The Empire loves their damn list." The Stormcloak hissed. Her companion, a Nord with a dark-reddish neck long hair, held a quill and a paper. "Ulfric of Windhelm," The Jarl walked to join the group from the first carriage, "It's been an honour jarl Ulfric." The Stormcloak said. "Ralof of Riverwood," The Stormcloak obeyed without question, joining his brethren to the block. "Lokir of Rorikstead." The horse thief took cautious steps forward, "Wait! This is a mistake, we're not rebels You can't do this!" He only gained a glare from the Imperial captain. With shock in his eyes, he took a ran for it, "Halt!" Said the Imperial, but Lokir continued, she pointed at him. "Archers!" Imperial sentries that was posted nearby, took an arrow from their quivers and pulled it across their bows. They let loose of two arrows, both landed on Lokir's back, sending him crashing to the cobblestoned road, bloodied. "Anyone else feel like running?" The Imperial captain turned to continue glaring at them. "Wait," said the Imperial holding the list, "you, step forward." She did so. "Who are you?" "I'am Astrid Alvar of Valenwood, Daughter and Huntress of Sun'li Tribe." He nodded and scribbled it down, "Not many wood elves would choose to come alone to Skyrim." The Imperial faced his superior, "Captain, what should we do? She's not on the list." "Forget the list, Hadvar!" Said the Captain, " She goes to the block!" "By orders captain." As the Imperial faced Astrid again, his captain muttered to herself, "Damn, Elves." "I'm sorry. We'll make sure your remains are returned to Valenwood." Hadvar made a few more notes before ordering her to follow his superior. Astrid stood along with Ralof and other Stormcloaks as general Tulius talked with Ulfric. "Ulfric StormCloak," said Tulius, "Some here in Helgen call you a hero, but a hero doesn't use the power such as the voice to murder his king and usurp his throne." Ulfric replied with muffled grunts. "You started this war! Plunged Skyrim into chaos, now the empire is going to put you down and restore the peace!" From out of nowhere, a roaring sound boomed through the horizon. Everyone looked into the skies in search of the source. "What was that?" Hadvar asked. "It's nothing, carry on." "Yes, general Tulius!" Said the captain, "Give them their last rites." A priestess, in a light-brown robe and yellow shawl, raised her arms towards the sky, "as we commend your souls to Atherius, blessings of the eight divines upon you –" "For the love of Talos, shut up and let's get this over with." A Stormcloak with a red hair grumbled, walking towards the block. The priestess gave him an annoyed look, "as you wish." "Hurry, I haven't got all morning." The Stormcloak stood by the block as the captain put him to his knees and placed his head on the block, "My ancestors are smiling at me Imperial, can you say the same?" The headsman raised his axe and struck at the Stormcloak's nape. His head rolled into the basket. "You Imperial bastards!" A female Stormcloak with a similar red hair screamed. "Justice!" A man from the crowd shouted. "Next!" Said the captain, glaring at Astrid, "The wood elf!" From the distant mountain near Helgen, the roar came again, much closer this time. "There it is again, did you hear that?" Hadvar asked. The captain, grimacing looked at Hadvar, "I said, next prisoner." Hadvar looked to Astrid as she walked towards the block, "To the block prisoner, nice and easy." She was pushed to her knees by the captain, her hand placed Astrids head to the bloodied stone. Astrid watched as the headsman heaved his might axe. Another roar came, but this time Astrid saw a black dragon flew pass the mountain tops. "What in oblivion is that?" general Tulius shouted. "Sentries what do you see?" The captain asked, as she and everyone else search for the dark thing. "It's in the clouds!" Replied one of the sentries. As the headsman readied to drop his axe on Astrid's nape. A dragon flew to the nearest tower. It's landing sent gales of wind, which threw people to stagger off balanced, including the big man before her. The dragon roared, piercing Astrid's ears. It roared again, and the clouds turned dark, swirling above the dragon, sending fire balls down from heaven. Everyone is in panic, the Imperials were busy fighting the dragon, as the Stormcloaks tried to shelter in one of the guard-post. "Hey, Wood Elf, get up," said Ralof, as he grabbed Astrid by the arm, his hands unbound, and guided her towards the guard-post, "come on! The Gods won't give us another chance!" He shut the door behind him, he held Astrid on her shoulders and looked at her straight to her green eyes. "Are you alright?" Astrid nodded. He then turned to Ulfric, who's mouth was uncovered and his hands unbound. "Jarl Ulfric, what was that thing? Could the legends be true?" "Legends don't burn down villages..." Ralof turned to the other two Stormcloaks, one was wounded as the red haired female was tending his wound. "We need to move now! Up the tower!" "We can't, he's hurt he can't exert himself." From upstair, they heard a wall being crushed, then a dragons roar, while a man screamed in agony. Ralof and Astrid ran upstair, just in time as the black dragon flew. A burnt corpse of a man, his face etched in horror. "Over here," said Ralof, he was leaning out of the hole that the dragon made, "jump to the roof." He pointed at the hole of a two story house, "we'll find another way." He looked at Astrid with a smile, "Gods guide you." He then ran back downstair. Astrid jumped into the building. With a thump, she tumbled for a while before lifting herself up. The room has two beds in it, and a badly burned bookshelf with a coffee table full of papers and a quill. Astrid moved down the stairs then outside. "Haming, you need to get over here, now!" Hadvar said, his sword drawn, waiting for the boy to get to safety. When the child got close to him, he guided him behind an inn's wall. "That a boy, you're doing great." "Torolf!" He called after a bloodied man, a large wood impaled in his back. The dragon flew down at Torolf and blew flames at his crippled body. "Gods... Get to cover!" Hadvar immediately guided the boy behind a half burned house, where a man was crouched. He noticed Astrid, hiding behind with them. "Still alive, prisoner? Stay close to me if you want it to stay that way." He turned his attention to the crouched man, "Gunnar, take care of the boy. I'll have to go to general Tulius and join the defense." "Gods, guide you Hadvar." gunnar said. Hadvar and Astrid ran across the open as the dragon flew pass them, "Stay close to the wall!" They jumped to a nearby alley and stick to the wall they did. The dragon perched itself atop the wall and burned an Imperial archer, who still fired his arrows despite his imminent death before him. Astrid showed sympathy by praying for the man's courage to Y'ffre. The dragon flew one again to cause more destruction. "By Ysmir, nothing kills it!" An Imperial said, as Hadvar and Astrid got out of the alley and found the remnants of the Imperial soldiers stationed in Helgen. "Give me your hand... We're getting you out of here." Said another Imperial to a white haired man, sitting on the cobblestone streets, his leg burned. "Hadvar!" Said general Tulius, "In the keep soldier, we're leaving!" Hadvar nodded. "It's you and me prisoner, let's go." They ran pass mages and archers, shooting projectiles at the dragon as it dodge them, some repelled by its hide. Outside the keep, they ran into Ralof. "Ralof, you damn traitor, out of my way!" Hadvar said. "We're escaping Hadvar, you're not stopping us this time." "Fine, I hope that dragon take you all to Sovngarde!" Ralof ran towards the keep entrance, while Hadvar ran to the barrack's door. "You, come with me." "Over here, prisoner, to the barracks." Astrid was about to dash towards Ralof, but the. She heard a girl call for help. She turned her head towards the source of the plea and found a girl, with blakish-blue hair with two stripes of a different shades of pink. She was croached behind a wall near a burned down house, her hands above her head, as she cried for help. "Ralof, help the girl!" Astrid said. "There's no time! The dragon will soon be upon us!" Her eyes widened as she glanced between Ralof and the girl. She'd have to choose. Freedom or the girl's life. Astrid closed her eyes for a moment the opened them sgain. "Go on, Ralof. Save yourself." She said, as she ran toward the girl's help. To be Continued...