Note: Although I am still angry with Bethesda for ramming Steam into the game, thus forcing me to open a hole in my security to play the game so that Steam can spy on my usage and put ads up from time to time, even though I paid good money for this game, I decided I’d write some stuff just the same. Be aware that not all events as described are things that can actually happen in the game. Call it “artistic license.” ^_~
There’s nothing quite like waking up in the back of a rickety wagon and discover you are a prisoner on your way to your own execution along with a bunch of other prisoners. Well, these things are to be expected when you are an interdimensional traveler like myself and I knew that returning to a world I’d last visited some two-hundred years earlier in another form could result in such an event happening.
Apparently, I was captured along with some rebels against the Empire. So, I carefully considered my options and decided to go with the flow. After all, if I died in this world, the real me wouldn’t die at all. So, when the wagon stopped and all of us prisoners were lined up, I just waited. It didn’t take them long to get to me, even though I wasn’t on any wanted list, but the decision was made to kill me just the same. A roar rang out in the bright day and though it was noticed by all, the Imperial captain wanted to get the executions over with. Too bad for her, a second roar was heard, much closer this time, and as I looked, a massive dragon landed on a small tower looking down on us and then breathed fire with a roar.
Chaos ensued as the dragon fried several people before taking off again. The rebel leader ran free and I followed some Imperial troop who’d been kind enough to yell at me to follow him. Going to a guard tower was a mistake because the dragon burst its head through the wall and incinerated all inside. My Imperial “friend” yelled at me to get to the barracks, which I did. The screams of the dying and the smell of burning flesh seared in my mind as my heart pounded in my chest. I didn’t stop to look or anything, I just ran.
It didn’t take long for my Imperial buddy to arrive. “Its ugly out there,” he said grimly and cut my bonds. “The town of Helgen is lost and we have to survive to alert General Tullius that the rebel leader Ulfric has somehow managed to get a dragon ally. This is bad, really bad. Dragons have not been in Skyrim for ages, so for Ulfric to have summoned one to his aid could spell doom for the Empire, especially since the dragon outside seems impervious to our weapons.”
After introducing himself as Hadvar, the Imperial soldier instructed me to get some gear. I put on a set of new, Imperial soldier’s light armor even though I planned to be a mage-type. It was then that I discovered I’d soiled myself during the dragon attack. Fortunately, there were clean underthings and a bucket of fresh water to wash my now itching rear end. Ugh. Nasty.
As soon as I was ready, we left, down through the dungeon and out a cave system were several Stormcloak rebels were skulking. Hadvar dispatched them before I could raise a hand and proceeding on, I was horrified to see we’d entered a Frostbite Spider den, full of giant spiders. Hadvar went into them with relish and it was all I could do to kill a couple of the smaller ones. I hate spiders!
Before we exited the cavern, Hadvar noticed a large bear sleeping up ahead. Great. Just what I needed — another thing that could viciously slaughter me. Apparently, Hadvar didn’t want to kill the bear so we tried sneaking passed it. Unfortunately, a loud fart echoed through the cavern and I looked back to see Hadvar giving me a look of surprise. It was then that I realized that I was the one who’d passed gas as the bear woke up and decided to take exception to intruders into its domicile. I put on the flames and started burning it, allowing Hadvar to finish the critter off. Out of respect, we left the bear’s pelt on his body and left the cave.
Darkness had fallen by this time and I looked up to see the giant dragon flying off in the distance. Even in the dim light of nightfall, I could still see the evidence of fires burning from the town we’d just left. Hadvar thanked me for helping him get out to do his mission. He said he was going to see his uncle in Riverwood before informing the general. I decided I’d accompany him. After all, if that dragon came back, it would be good to have an experienced warrior at my side.
Onto chapter 2.