Going in you guys should know that unlike how she may have appeared in the description Quintessence is by no means timid or weak, Alduin's pressence just makes her appear or act that way. How she knows magic and is proficient in it will be elaborated upon later.

I used to be an Imperial sympathizer but after many many years of playing vanilla Skyrim, over ten playthroughs, and exactly 1093 quick saves I sympathize with niether side over the other. Which side I pick usually depends on how I'm role playing the character and the characters motivations. While undoubtedly it feels like Quintessence is leaning towards the Stormcloaks anything that happens in my playthrough could change that although I doubt it given the atmosphere of the first chapter.

To all who read this I really hope you will enjoy.

Towers and dragons

10K Words

Quintessence woke up with a pounding headache causing her to swear internally as she opened her eyes and the light only proved to make it worse.

Once her eyes adjusted to the light she took notice of her position in a cart with three men all of whom had Nordic features.

All of the men were in binds and she looked down noticing her wrist were tightly bound as well, fortunately though they weren't magicka dampners which she thanked Stendar for. One of the men was gazing around fearfully, dressed in a dirty pair of prisoners rags same as herself while another had a blue very regal looking garb with a bear pelt over his shoulder.

He had a gag over his mouth and after one glance at the man she could tell he was a person of great status and perhaps even noble bearing.

His eyes held a silent fury that begged to be unleashed and another look Quintessence recognized all too well as the sting of faliure. His silver eyes held great dissapointment that could only steam from falling not only himself but someone else as well. Underneath all of the fury he stared forward with what was likely a great sadness.

He caught her eye for a moment and the two regarded each other curiously before she turned and looked at the last person she now found herself sharing bindings with.

This man wore the armor of a soldier although she didn't recognize it as any kind of Imperial armor, or the armor of any other soldiers she'd ever seen for that matter.

He stared ahead with the same sadness she'd seen in the other man in blue with. A resigned look on his face and in his demeanor before he noticed the woman's curious eyes and offered a friendly smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

"Finally awake huh? Looks like you got caught up in all this during that Imperial border raid. Shame the Imperials can't differentiate between a soldier and an average citzen these days, but I guess war changes people." The blonde said with a hint of bitterness touching his heavily Nordic accent.

Quintessence didn't reply and the man turned back towards the road figuring she wasn't the type for idle conversation, especially upon considering the situation she was in. Ge didn't think he'd be in any kind of mood for idle chatter in her position either.

"Damn you Stormcloaks! Skyrim was fine before you came along. The empire was nice and lazy. If they hadn't been looking for you I could've stolen that horse and been halfway to Hammerfell by now!" The man in rags said scowling towards the man who'd spoken to her a moment ago.

"You there, you and me don't belong here. It's these damn Stormcloaks the empire wants." He said with a voice full of scorn.

"No use in tossing the blame around now thief. We're all brothers in bindings now." The blonde soldier replied sparing the thief a glance that held a bit of sympathy.

Quintessence inwardly released a bitter laugh at the truth of man's statement before glaring at the back of the Imperial soldier driving their wagon who just told them to shut up.

"I've got nothing to do with you trators!" The man said scowling at the soldier before turning to face Quintessence.

The thief turned to observe the man in the noble garb who scowled upon noticing his stare.

"What's wrong with him huh?" He asked a bit taken aback by the hostile gaze.

"Watch your tongue! You have the honor of speaking with Ulfric Stormcloak, Jarl of Windhelm and true High King of Skyrim!"

The thief's pale Northern skin went a shade or two paler at hearing who he was sharing a cart with.

"That's Ulfric Stormcloak, leader of the rebellion? That means..if you're here... God's where are they taking us!?!?"

"Surely not a med hall or somewhere with cozy beds, or Hammerfell either for that matter." Quintessence said wishing the thief would just shut up and let them ride in silence.

"I don't belong here, and niether do you! You've got to help me convince these guards we aren't with these rebels!" The man said visibly panicked.

"Please..these rebels seem like much better company than some cowardly thief who thought crime didn't come with punishment. If you were actually good at what you did you wouldn't have been caught anyway, and I'd think a smart man would save his words for prayer in a situation such as this." Quintessence remarked surprising everyone in the cart.

"Cowardice doesn't suite Nords and your disgracing your homeland right now so just be quiet." The woman said frowning at the man who was taken aback by her statement.

She turned away not wanting to look at him anymore and began to survey the guards around the cart wondering what her chances would be to escape if she used magic when a hearty laugh errupted from the blonde man who sat across from her.

"Very well said my friend! If you don't mind me asking what's your name?"

"Quintessence Septimus, but I go by Elder scroll."

"An Imperial?" The man asked raising an eyebrow.

"Not at all. I like to consider myself a Breton although my father is of Imperial heritage."

The soldier nodded before tilting his head and looking at her curiously another question on his lips.

"Why the surename Elder Scroll?" He asked elicting a smile from the woman.

"I'm always reading anything I can get my hands on and my father always told me I was powerful in a way others aren't. Plus those around me could never truly read me similar to an elder scroll." She answered wondering if he'd ask more questions.

If he didn't know what an elder scroll was he didn't ask. He turned back towards the front of the cart refocusing his attention on the road as Quintessence inwardly sighed wondering what the Imperials had in store for them and how she'd gotten in this situation anyway.

She just leaned back against the cart and prayed Stendar have mercy on her and her cart companions.

A few minutes later they pulled into a small town that looked as if it was built to serve as an Imperial garrison. One by one the prisoners began to pile off their carts and Quintessence noticed besides her and the thief all of the others wore Stormcloak armor.

She watched the men in front of her step forward one by one and nearly furrowed her brow when the would be horse thief attempted to escape and found himself on the killing end of some arrows after his attempts at begging for his life failed.

"How foolish." She thought feeling no pity for the man.

"Next."

She stepped forward looking at the Imperial soldier with a passive expression.

"So it says you were captured trying to cross the border from Cyrodile into Skyrim but who are you exactly?" The man asked raising an eyebrow.

"Quintessence Septimus, ethnicity Breton, age 24 and although I'm a Breton I was raised in different parts of Cryodile and High Rock my entire life so there isn't really any one place I could claim as my home." She said wanting to hurry up and get this over with.

"I see...captain, her name isn't on the list. What should we do with her?" The Nord asked turning to address an Imperial woman in heavy Imperial armor with the mark of a lower ranking officer engraved on the left shoulder.

The woman turned and observed her for a minute before her eyes developed a sadistic glint.

"Forget the list, she goes to the block."

"Oh what a charming dead Imperial you are, bitch." Quintessence thought promising herself she'd kill the woman before meeting her own death.

"As you command." The man said before turning to face the Breton with a look of sympathy. "I'm sorry prisoner but unfortunately you ended up getting yourself caught up in all th-"

"Save it." She replied as impassive and uncaring as ever.

Some of the Stormcloaks who were awaiting their execution were looking at the woman curiously wondering why she seemed uncaring she was about to die when her crime was one that didn't even come close to warranting an execution.

The man nodded asking her if she wanted her remains returned to High Rock or Cyrodile.

"Just bury them here for all I care it hardly matters where my lifeless corpse ends up." She replied surprising the man once again and earning the respect of a few of the Stormcloaks who were watching her curiously.

"Well tha-" Quintessence didn't give the man time to finish as she walked past him falling in line with the rest of the prisoners who were awaiting their execution.

"Stendar have mercy on my soul and the souls of the others who are deserving. Arkay please hold off on me I'm not ready to die yet. Akatosh please give me more time it's too early for me." She thought closing her eyes and willing her voice to be heard by the God's before opening them and praying to a being similar to the Aedra.

"Azura please guide me." She thought hoping that the mistress of twighlight would give her a sign or some sort of insight.

She used a small bit of sparks to cut her bindings grateful that no one noticed, still holding her hands behind her back and waiting for the right moment.

She hoped the divines wouldn't hold praying to a Daedra against her but the only one she ever prayed to was Azura anyway so why should it really matter.

A man in very regal looking Imperial armor stepped forward with a vicious scowl looking as if he wanted to spit in the face of the rebellions leader but was restraining himself.

"Ulfric Stormcloak... Some here in Helgen would call you a hero, but a hero doesn't use a power like the voice to murder his king and usurp his throne. You started this war! Plunged Skyrim into chaos, and now the empire is going to put you down, and restore the piece!" He said sneering at the man before turning away and addressing the priestist.

"You may give them their last right's." He said reclaiming his former spot as the prestist nodded and began doing just that. Not even a full minute into the rits she found herself being interrupted.

"For the love of Talos shut up and let's get this over with!" A red headed Stormcloak said stepping forward to scowl at the executioner then the rest of the assembly.

"As you wish." The Imperial captain Quintessence had her eye on said with a sneer as she moved behind the man and forced him down with her hand and then her foot.

"How degrading, this is the Empire my father fought for?" Quintessence thought with a scowl.

"My ancestors are smiling at me Imperials, can you say the same?" The man questioned showing no fear in the face of death.

Quintessence decided that she rather liked the Nord and it might as well be now or never.

She charged and invisiblity spell in one hand and a bolt of lightning in the other being sure to put enough magicka into it to drop the executioner on contact.

As he raised his axe and prepared to bring it down she brought her hand out from behind her back and fired the bolt at the man pushing him off his feet and effectively stopping his heart, casting her invisiblity spell in the same motion as she quickly moved and ducked behind the closest building getting under the cover of shade.

The Imperials were all slightly in a panic as to what just happened as one of them quickly put the pieces together and they fanned out and began searching the area.

Tulius considered stabbing his blade through Ulfric's heart on the spot but figured it was just one mage and she wouldn't be able to do much against an entire fort on her own.

Quintessence croached in the shade still shielded from detection by her invisiblity cloak but she knew it wouldn't last long.

She considered summoning two dremora but knew if she did they wouldn't last long against all the soldiers and it'd just drain her of the rest of her magicka leaving her only capable of a few more weak bolts of lightning.

The gears in her mind stopped turning momentarily when a loud roar that was completely alien yet somehow familiar rang throughout the valley churning something within her bones that she couldn't explain.

The Imperials temporarily paused in their search all looking around in wonder as to what the alien sound they'd just heard was.

"Damnit I wish I had some soul gems." Quintessence thought knowing she could escape on her own but for some reason she really didn't want to abandon the soldiers in blue armor who she felt for for whatever reason.

"Never mind the Breton, she's probably escaped by now. I need a replacement for the headsman asap... As matter of fact step forward Ulfric. I'll execute you myself before we have any more misfortunes today." The General said pulling his sword and approaching the man who shot him a murderous glare.

"Oh no you don't!" Quintessence said summoning two demora who charged the shocked Imperials easily cutting three of them down in their surprise.

"It's now or never!" She thought rushing forward surprising Ulfric as he felt and invisible set of hands working at his bindings which were quickly off.

She moved to assist the other soldiers but quickly found that she was too late as an arrow flew past her head by inches and she realized her dremora didn't last as long as she had hoped.

Ulfric had taken the gag off of his mouth prepared to shout all Imperials in sight to hell but also came to the realization it was too late when he noticed an entire squad of archers training their bows on him and his men from all directions.

He sighed and turned his head to address the woman he assumed had escaped the second she blasted the headsman and disappeared.

"That was very brave of you friend, but it seems the divines don't intend to smile upon us on this day."

She smiled grateful she at least tried but mad she hadn't gotten the Imperial captain who was now approaching her with her sword drawn, wearing a scowl that could spook a cave bear.

"Indeed it doesn't, although it was worth a try." She said holding up her hands in a gesture of admitted defeat.

"You bi-"

"Captain." The voice of Tulius rang stopping the woman in her tracks as she turned to look at her commander.

He walked forward to stand in front of Quintessence observing her coldly with a curious gaze.

"Who are you?" He demanded looking as if his curiousity was the only thing keeping him from killing the woman on the spot.

"Quintessence Septimus, although I like to go by Quintessence Elder Scroll. I'm likely one of the best mages in Skyrim at the moment but other than that I'm really no one of importance." She said answering the man and hoping he'd back out of her face.

"Why would you help Ulfric? You aren't even a Nord nor are you from these lands." The man asking practically spitting out his question as she smirked at the barely contained rage she saw in the Generals eyes.

"He and his men seem like honorable people. I don't know what this confrontation of yours is about and nor do I care, but at the moment I chose to attempt to save him and his men rather than looking out for my own hide."

Tulius nodding before looking to the captain. "As you were." He said giving the woman approval which caused her to grin wickedly as she back hand slapped Quintessence before punching her in the gut hard causing her to fall to her knee's as she held her stomach.

The woman sneered at her from above before kicking her in the side causing her to fully fall over before bending down and grabbing her by the hair and forcing her to look up.

"Bad move runt. I'm going to request your execution be delayed because of that little stunt. Just so I can teach you some r-"

The woman stopped mid sentence when the Breton spit on her face and smirked at her through the pain she felt.

"You're the one who should respect your betters bitch."

The woman's face contorted into a canvas full of unholy rage and she dropped the woman raising her foot before the General cleared his throat causing her to frown and back away returning to her former position.

"Since your gags been removed already, any last words before I send you to Sovengard or wherever the hell it is you Nords think you go after you die?" Tulius asked the rebellions leader with a look of utter contempt.

Ulfric moved to open his mouth but froze as a huge dark figure landed on the tower shaking the ground with the impact.

Tulius turned around looking up and his eyes went wide at the sight that beheld him. "What in Oblivion is that!?!?"

"Dragon!!!" The prestist shouted in shocked disbelief.

"Archers!!!" The captain commanded reacting quickly for someone who just came face to face with a long dead beast of legend and myth.

The dragon opened it's mouth and the next thing anyone knew all hell was let loose.

The sky seemingly shook and turned from a beautiful blue to a menacing red. The dragon shouted again and Quintessence was blown off of her feet but luckily their was a hay bale behind her and it hit the wall before she did softening the impact and landing over top of her as she fell back to the ground. For some reason she thought it best to stay hiden as the dragons shout had been meant to kill her specifically. She did that for a number of moments till the pile of hay started threatening to suffocate her and she stood and looked around seeing the entire fort had decended into chaos.

The sky rained meteors which scorched the ground and anything else they touched, shattering on impact and sending a number of smaller flaming pieces of rock flying in various directions.

She quickly stood up knowing she'd die if she stayed standing and rushed to the closest tower she saw making it inside only seconds after she'd started running but in her mind those few seconds seemed to have been many minutes during which her only thought was would she survive.

She breathed a sign of relief when the door was closed and looked around finally observing the other figures in the room.

"Jarl Ulfric, was that thing what I think it was... Could the legends be true!?"

"Legends don't burn down villages." The Jarl replied surprisingly calm given the situation they were in.

"We need to move now! Up through the tower, let's go!" Ralof yelled already rushing up the stairs as Quintessence struggled to escape the sinking feeling she had that the huge black dragon was out to get her for whatever reason.

Knowing she had no choice but to sink or swim she rushed up the stairs behind Ralof figuring the soldier might just be her greatest chance for survival right now.

The two made their way further up the tower reaching a landing where a soldier was attempting to clear a number of rocks in the path. Quintessence got a bad feeling in her stomach and shoved Ralof back hoping he wouldn't fall down the steps.

"Move soldier!" She said holding out her hands and pooling her magica into a telekenesis spell.

She pulled the soldier clearing the rocks towards her and not a second later the wall behind where he'd been was blown out of the tower and the black dragon stuck it's head through, his angry fiery red eyes meeting her panicked golden yellow.

"Rotmindol Dovahkiin drey hin eylok uhn lorot nistmaar vos viik Rah! Puny Dragonborn did your kind really think themselves capable of defeating a God!" The Dragon shouted gazing at Quintessence with a hate she couldn't understand.

"Yol Tor Suul!" The creature shouted towards her and she quickly leapt out of the way pushing the soldier who was with her and falling back down the tower steps but being caught by Ralof before she could sustain much damage.

"You all right Elder Scroll?!"

"Yeah.. I think I'll be just fine." Quintessence lied getting to her feet and feeling like she wanted to throw up.

She didn't know what was going on but something was making her feel sick. Like she really wanted to throw up or just go lie down.

"Come on, we've still got to get out of here!" Ralof said moving back up the tower steps.

Quintessence nodded weakly knowing he wouldn't see it and followed behind him. They reached the hole on the side of the tower seeing the pathway to go further up the stairs being blocked. She looked out of the hole inside the tower and then towards the flaming Inn knowing she had no choice.

Her and Ralof nodded to each other and both jumped at the same time crashing through the roof of the inn.

Quintessence looked up and noticed she landed on the top floor but Ralof was nowhere in sight although there was clearly a second hole in the roof. She covered her mouth attempting to slow the speed of her smoke inhalation, taking one last look around and hoping to see Ralof but cursing as she couldn't find him. Deciding she couldn't worry to much for the Nordic man's safety in place of her own she rushed towards a hole in the floor, dropping down to the first floor and running through a gaping hole in the wall.

She began to run towards the next building that looked like it'd provide moderate cover but stopped when she felt a pair of hateful eyes boring into her skin from the skys above.

"Druv los hi tul nahlaas Dovahkiin? Druv dreh hi ni brah hin thuum wah bild balnu joor wo dreh ni fon wah dahmaan luft do niist Ulokuun? Hi fen ag asamit reid niin! Why are you still alive Dragonborn? Why do you not use your thuum to defend these worthless mortals who do not seem to remember face of their Emperor? You will burn along side them!"

"Hemming get over here!" A soldier called out to a boy standing over his father who was pinned by a large wooden plank.

The man shoved his son away as the dragon landed and incinerated him and attempted to catch Quintessence in the inferno as well but missed her slightly thanks to a firebolt which glanced harmlessly off his flesh but seemed to do a fine job of irritating him.

"Hi joor fen biis deerly fah hin duziirah. You mortals will pay deerly for your insolence." The Dragon said taking to the skies again and scorching the immediate area around where he'd just been, snatching mages and archers from the bridges where they uselessly launched attacks at him.

"Good to see you're alive prisoner. Stick with me if you want to stay that way." The soldier who'd written down her information earlier remarked before moving past her heading towards another area of the fort.

Were she in her right state of mind the woman would have frowned at being called prisoner, especially considering this man knew her name, but as she was now she simply took heed of his advice hoping more than anything he could lead her somewhere where that black Dragon wouldn't be able to follow them.

The two reached a low wall the man yelled commanding her to stick close to and a feeling of dread ran through her entire being as the black Dragons wings pressed against the wall and he looked over top of it sniffing the air as if looking for something or someone specific.

"Vir sahlag tol aanwo wo piraan faan do dreh fund ru nol grah. Zu'u vis sahlon hi Dovahkiin, hin faas los grotiin ko su ahrk hi nis filok dii nah! How pathetic that someone who claims the name of dov would run from battle. I can smell you Dragonborn, your fear is heavy in the air and you cannot escape my fury!" The dragon yelled unleashing another barrage of flame and burning an Imperial man who'd been desperately picking through the remains of his home attempting to find something.

Quintessence no longer thought, she knew that the dragon was leveling insults at her. She wondered why he seemed so upset and why it acted as if it knew her personally. Did her father have something to do with this or what her panick just making her delusional?

"Quickly follow me!" The soldier called moving away from the wall after the dragon took back to the skies.

The two rushed through the burning remains of a house and made there way over to a group of Imperial archers and mages who were attempting to do harm to the dragon but only succeeded in drawing out more anger from the creature.

"To the keep soldiers, we're leaving!" A man called in a commanding voice.

"With me prisoner, we're getting out of here!" The Imperial soldier called moving towards the keep.

She cleared her mind for a moment and followed deciding she'd kill this guy when they were alone and find a way out by herself if she could.

The dragon swooped over head scorching the land and causing great panick to swell inside of her again but luckily didn't notice her as he continued his assualt on the town.

She continued on with the Imperial man feeling a bit of relief swell in her chest when she saw a familiar blonde haired blue clad soldier running across the courtyard. The two men stopped to observe each other for a moment both of them fixing the other with hard glares.

"Ralof you damned traitor, out of my way!"

"We're escaping Halfar, you're not stopping us this time!" The Stormcloak soldier said in a manner that threatened the man to try stopping him.

"Fine, I hope that dragon takes you all to Sovengard! You come on, into the keep!" The Imperial commanded rushing past the rebel soldier and towards another end of the courtyard not even checking to see if she followed.

"Hurry, let's get inside, come on!" Ralof called already standing in front of the building and holding the door open for her.

Quintessence had already known before hand which of the men she'd rather run from a dragon with and she choose her fellow prisoner rushing past him and into the keep.

She stepped inside the main room awaiting them when they entered and breathed a sigh of relief feeling her usual state of mind kicking in as the door closed behind them and she felt shut off and secure, away from the dragon that so feverently sought her doom.

Ralof quickly rushed to a dead Stormcloak who lay inside the room and felt for a pulse shaking his head and looking down sadly as Quintessence felt pity for the man. She couldn't think of many things worse than watching your comrades or your loved ones die. Hopefully it was a pain she would never have to feel personally.

"We'll meet again in Sovengard brother." Ralof said after saying a short prayer for his friend.

"Looks like we're the only ones who made it. That thing is a dragon no doubt. Just like the childrens stories and the Legends. The harbringers of the end times."

Just then a loud roar was heard outside causing Ralof to look up as the keep shook slightly and Quintessence involuntarily shivered wondering why the creature seemed so enraged. It was plain as day inside it's roars. She heard an anger the likes of which would draw the attention of the Gods themselves, and below that she heard a pain that she didn't quite understand but found herself oddly wishing she did.

She frowned and quickly shook the thoughts out of her head wondering why the hell she was thinking and behaving so differently from how she would usually. She needed to get the hell away from that dragon outside that much was certain.

"We better get moving, that things still outside and we don't know how many Imperials may be in here with us. You'd may as well take Gunjar's gear. He won't be needing it anymore." The man said as his voice grew solemn.

Quintessence frowned and decided she'd rather not steal from the dead. Especially if the man had lived an honorable life in his time on Nirn.

"Help me move his body to the center of the room, come on we don't have much time." Quintessence said holding a hand up to silence Ralof when he was about to ask question what she was asking.

"Please, just help me with this." She said seriously.

Ralof looked at her in confusion for a moment but nodded and grabbed Gunjar's arms helping to move him to the middle of the floor.

Quintessence took the ale filled tankards from the table and began pouring them on the Nords corpse causing Ralof's eyes to widen as he drew and axe looking at her with a murderous glare seeing as she'd just disrespected his fallen comrade. The woman paused for a moment looking at him questioningly before continuing to poor the rest of the ale over the man's body figuring if Ralof was going to kill her for it he likely already would have done so.

"What the hell do you think you're doing!" Ralof commanded wanting to kill the woman for her disrespect of Gunjar's corpse but feeling as if she had to have her reasons considering she appeared to be a good person if first impressions were anything to go off of.

"Giving this man something of a burriel." She said creating a small flame with her finger and sparking the trail of ale on the man's body at his boots.

The fire started spreading from the man's feet further up his body. The two stood and watched for a moment but Quintessence eventually moved away leaving Ralof standing there and watching his friend burn till the flames encompassed him fully and caused Ralof to finally look away as the stench of burning flesh made his stomach clench and he couldn't help the tears that made it's way into his eye.

"Thank you friend. I'm sure Gunjar would have appreciated that." He said turning to the now calm looking Breton who was sitting on the floor in front of one of the two gates in the room with her legs crossed.

"It was the least I could do. Thank you for allowing me to give him something of a funeral prye. It's too bad we couldn't have done any better." She said turning to gaze at the burning corpse of the man as Ralof nodded in agreement with her.

"It's still better th-"

"I hear voices coming through this gate getting closer. We need to hide." She whispered standing and leaning against the wall of the right side of the gate.

Ralof nodded and quickly did the same pulling out his axe as Quintessence thanked the God's for her deep magicka pool and summonded a thunderbolt knowing she'd only have one shot and hoped it would count.

"Come on soldier keep moving!"

Quintessence smirked wickedly as she realized she'd first heard that voice today merly a number of minutes ago but she recognized it well.

"Get this gate open!" The woman commanded sounding just as arrogant and full of herself as she had before.

The woman began laughing menacely inside her head as she allowed the thunder bolt in her hand to weaken slightly.

The gate came open and before she'd even had the chance to walk into the room the Imperial captain was blasted backwards through the corridor she'd been standing in as a bolt of thunder slammed into her chest with a powerful boom that shook the walls around her.

The other Imperial soldier turned to look at his captain, an expression of shock plain on his face. Ralof didn't even hesitate to cut the foolish man down. If you couldn't even keep your eye on the closest threat you had no business being a soldier in anyone's army anyway.

Quintessence walked down the dimly lit corridor stopping in front of the now coughing Imperial woman who was laying on her stomach weezing and shaking slightly.

"Remember me bitch?" Quintessence called to the woman grabbing her Imperial helmet and pulling it off of her head before kicking the woman with her foot and turning her over.

"You were oh so eager to send me to the block and inflict pain upon me weren't you, but now I'm the one in the position of seniority. Oh how the tables have turned!"

The woman's eyes were fearful as she attempted to respond but found couldn't due to the strong blast of electricity that tore through her armor and damaged both her lungs. She could only continue drawing shallow breaths of air and gritting her teeth at the pain that was coming from the burning hole in the front of her armor cooking through the flesh over top of her chest.

"Look at you now, so pathetic. Let this incident serve as a reminder that being in a position of power makes you no better than anyone else at the end of the day. I can do literally anything I want to you right now, torture would be equally as cruel as letting you sit there and weeze to death while that armor I know you love so much burns a hole through your chest." Quintessence said smiling evilly at the fearful woman who really hoped the woman would kill her rather than leave her here to suffer till she could no longer breath.

"Alas though dear crone. I am not without mercy, and fortunately for you, and unlike you I do posses something of a conscience." Quintessence said stooping down and removing the woman's armor straps causing her fear to rise as she wondered what exactly the Breton woman was going to do to her when she got her out of her clothes.

Removing her armor was only necessary in the case of torture or rape and the wicked smile on the woman's face was only causing the Imperial captain stomach to churn further at the thought that nothing good could come from this.

"Two magica potions!" The Breton squeeled looking like she'd just struck gold. She uncorked the cap on one and downed the glowing blue liquid in one motion grinning ear to ear after tossing the bottle to the side.

"I don't mean to rush you Elder Scroll but we do need to be making our way out of here." Ralof said wondering if the Breton really did intend to torture the woman. He wouldn't stop her but he'd have no part in it either.

"Sorry Ralof, I'll try to hurry this up." She said raising her hand over the woman's chest having finally gotten the armor off.

The captain closed her eyes expecting to be burned alive or electrocuted but opened them wide when she felt the familiar warmth of healing magic coursing through her body repairing the damage to her lungs and healing the burning flesh over her chest.

She looked at the woman sitting above her completely puzzled and attempted to move her legs but found slamming against the wall had likely broken her spine and much to her horror she couldn't even move her arms.

The Breton woman stood up smiling at her wickedly as if she knew some sort of secret that'd just break the woman completely.

"So you healed me only to leave me here in my broken state so that I might starve to death!" The Imperial captain shouted close to tears as she began wishing the woman would've just killed her or left her to suffocate eventually.

No death she could think of was a worse one than dying from starvation. She'd been nearly starved before during the hardest times of her life before she became an Imperial captain.

"Oh heavens no, nothing so sinister. I do believe in Stendar after all. I've got something else in store for you." Quintessence said pooling some more magicka into her left hand and summoning a dremora next to the woman.

"Carry her." She commanded the creature moving back into the other room with Ralof and nodding she was ready to go.

The captain felt another powerful surge of fear in her chest as the creature picked her up and started walking after it's master and the Stormcloak soldier. What exactly was this woman planning to do with her?

They reached the bottom of a set of stairs leading towards another part of the keep and the entire building shook and some stone blocks holding the building together feel out of place blocking off the path in front of them.

"Damn..that dragon doesn't give up easily."

Quintessence swallowed her nervousness wondering why she became so frightened when she heard the dragons roar. It was throwing her off her game and while most of her was upset about it a small part of herself was telling her there had to be a reason behind it. She and that dragon outside were connected somehow. The thought of death didn't even scare her as much as the thought of that creature did and that unnerved her to no end.

"Quick grab everything you can take and let's go!" A gruff voice sounded from somewhere inside the room they stood outside.

The Imperial captain felt a surge of relief fill her heart at knowing her comrades we're so close but it quickly faded when she registered the fact that she was currently incapable of battle or even escaping with them if they managed to overpower her captors. Unable to even limp let alone walk she knew the men and women who wore the same colors as she did would only apologise before abandoning her to save their own hides, which she couldn't blame them for as she'd do the same thing if one of her superiors were incapable of even the slightest movement in this situation.

Especially considering she'd never been kind to those of a lower rank than her. She'd often looked down held her nose up and even talked down to most of them thinking herself to be their better. Oh how the Breton was right about her position of authority meaning nothing in the end. She couldn't help the tears stinging her eyes and threatening to fall as her captors summon laid her down and unsheathed the large blade on it's back. The three rushed into the room and she heard the sounds of battle before all went silent a few short moments later.

For what seemed to be a long time that felt like an eternity she heard nothing and she let the water pooling behind her eyes fall feeling as if she'd been abandoned like the dead weight she was. Left to starve to death or perish if the dragons assault caused the keep to collapse.

She looked up hearing footsteps heading her way and felt a strange sense of relief when the creature that had been carrying her before lifted her into it's arms and walked back into the room over the corpse's of two dead Imperial soldiers and to the door at the end where the Breton stood with the Stormcloak.

They both smirked at the woman's tears and turned heading through the doorway not even sparing her a word to ask what she'd been crying about which she was actually grateful for. She found that she hardly even cared about them seeing her cry. She was just grateful she wasn't being left to die, that was a fate that really terrified her to no end.

She couldn't believe her luck or how her day had ended up turning out. She heard the soldier yell something about a torture room but paid his words no mind as she knew what he was talking about.

The dremora went to sit her down again but her master commanded he keep her as she was and he nodded and just stood there as the captain watched the woman and the soldier assist two other Stormcloaks in killing the torturer and his assistant.

"Have you seen Jarl Ulfric?" Ralof asked the woman who's life Quintessence had saved with a well timed bolt of chain lightning.

"No. I haven't seen him since the dragon attacked."

"Damn... Guess we'll have to meet up with him when this is over." Ralof replied to the woman moving to one of the cages and stating it wasn't empty. There looked to be a few things on the floor.

"You said you were always reading right? Maybe you could get that gate open and take that book for later. Looks like there's a magicka potion in there too, I know you could use that." Ralof commented looking to Quintessence who really had her eye on the novice mage robes the man wore.

"Quickly, grab whatever you can and let's go."

She went into the torturers work station in search of a key and found none but saw a few lock picks and two books, A Brief history on the Empire volume one and two. She picked up the lock picks and moved to the cage quickly breaking the pathetically easily lock and opening the cage.

She quickly stripped the man out of his robes grateful that he was freshly dead and had likely died at the hands of a zap spell or possibly starvation as the robes were in perfect condition and lacked any smell of death.

She quickly discarded her prisoners rags and changed into the robs uncaring of who was watching as now wasn't really the time for any kind of modesty or shame. She picked up the sparks spell book on the ground and placed it inside the empty travelers satchel the dead man had fortunately been carrying. She picked up a magicka potion and the four septums that'd been laying next to the man before moving back to the torturers office and grabbing the books on the history of Empire which she was well versed in thanks to her father, but it never hurt to study up.

She grinned upon noticing the man had two magicka potions in his robes and moved towards Ralof and the other two Stormcloaks stopping when she saw a satchel with a dagger and a book in front of it sitting on a small tabel. She went inside the satchel and took the four lock picks and the healing potion inside before picking the book she didn't recognize up off the table and reading the white words on the cover.

'The Book of the Dragonborn' Wasn't that what that black dragon had called her, Dragonborn or Dovahkiin? Something along those lines. Quintessence placed the book inside of her robe figuring it could possibly hold some of the answers she was looking for, or if not would at least provide her with an interesting read.

She rushed after Ralof and the others beckoning her dremora follow and meant them inside what looked to be another torture room another hallway ahead. She frowned at the Imperials who claimed to belong to a benevolent government but committed such crude acts of volience against their own people. She failed to understand her father's love for the Empire. Maybe because he'd been a soldier or maybe because he was a noble, the answer as to why escaped her mind.

In the end of the room was a large hole inside the wall that lead to what looked to be a large carven inside the keep. Ralof nodded seeing she was ready and started moving through the tunnel followed by his fellow soldiers. Quintessence quickly followed behind them wondering why the captain wasn't shouting at them to release her or why she wasn't slinging the insults Quintessence expected to hear left and right at the woman and her companions.

Uncaring about the answer she continued following the others till they slowed down hearing a voice coming from somewhere ahead of them inside the tunnel. The first voice she didn't hear well thanks to the sound of her movement mixed with that of the soldiers with her but she heard the second voice clearly shouting about not waiting to be killed by some dragon and escaping while they could.

Ralof and his fellow soldiers didn't even hesitate to storm the room and raise their blades at the Imperials igniting a battle they had a distinct disadvantage in considering the Imperials had three melee fighters and two archers on their side.

Quintessence summonded a flame atronach and pointed to the archers, the atronach taking the qeue quickly started blasting fire balls at the men before they even had the chance to load their bows.

She grabbed the sword of the first Imperial who'd quickly been slain by Ralof and the others upon entering the room and sprinted towards the archers who were luckily focusing their arrows on her atronach just as she had hoped for. She saw some kind of gasious fluid on the for and quickly blasted it with a flame spell shielding her eyes as that entire section of the floor caught fire instantly roasting the Imperials. She turned ready to assist the others but saw Ralof pulling his axe out of the last Imperials skull taking a short moment to wash the blood away in the stream before moving towards Quintessence and surverying the burning Imperial bodies in the slowly dying flames.

"Nice work Elder Scroll."

The Breton shrugged at his comment unsure if she should be proud of killing soldiers in a fight that wasn't hers but accepting the praise anyway.

"Let's go on ahead, see if the way is clear." Ralof said looking towards the tunnel behind them.

"We'll keep watch, see if Ulfric comes through here. Talos guide you both." The woman remarked as her and the man she was with moved back towards the rooms entrance.

"No, you two are only endangering yourself staying here as you are. You're both sporting injures from earlier battle's and niether of you know when this entire buildings gonna collapse and come down on top of all of us, we need to stick together or we'll die."

The man and the woman exchanged a glance before looking at Quintessence and nodding as they made their way back towards her and Ralof and the ground proceeded through the tunnel.

Quintessence banished her flame atronach and summonded another dremora who took the Imperial captain off the first ones hands as he didn't have much longer in this world. The four of them continued on their way hearing a loud crash and turning around to see the rocks in the room and tunnel behind them come down in an avalanche and effectively block their way back off should they need one.

The group all spared a moment to look at one another as the same thought crossed each of their minds but no one said anything. Quintessence had likely just saved the two soldiers lives.

"Come on, we've got to push on." Ralof said running forward and not waiting for them to follow.

They got a bit further inside the cave and saw another exit that'd likely been blocked off by falling rocks.

"Guess we'd better check this way." Ralof said turning and heading towards the right.

After walking in that direction for a moment the group came across a large carvan inside the cave with spider webs everywhere.

Quintessence told her dremora which was no longer carrying the woman to walk in first and three small frostbite spiders jumped from a corner of the cave as two big ones fell from the celling. The group made short work of the creatures and Ralof shuttered towards the end as they walked through and cave pass into another carvan inside the large cave.

"You alright Ralof?" The male soldier asked his comrade.

"Yeah, I just hate those damned things...too many eyes."

The rest of the group save the captain nodded their heads in agreement knowing what he meant. They walked further into the chamber till Ralof stopped and held a hand out.

"Hold up, there's a bear up ahead, see her? I'd rather not tangle with her right now let's try to sneak by, just take it nice and slow and watch where you step. Or if you're feeling lucky you can take this bow, might take her by surprise, go ahead I'll follow you lead and watch your back." The man said offering Quintessence a bow.

She smirked and charged two bolts of chain lightning into one with both her hands and blasted the bear awake.

"Kill." She commanded her soon to be gone dremora who unsheathed it's sword and finished the cave bear in a manner of seconds before finally disappearing as it's time ran out.

"Well I'll be damned, well done." Ralof said with a grin as he stood and the four made their way past the cave bear all breathing a sigh of relief when they rounded a corner and saw an opening in the stone that looked to be an exit.

"I knew we'd make it!" An excited Ralof shouted as the group picked up their pace towards the exit.

The captain didn't know whether she should feel relieved or afraid as once in the wild and away from immediate danger or any other Imperials, she'd be at the full mercy of whatever it was the Breton woman had planned for her.

The cool Skyrim air that Quintessence couldn't yet say she'd grown used to had never felt so good entering the lungs. They we're free from their captors, they survived the dragons assualt on the keep, and they were once again free to follow the paths they'd undertaken for themselves. Quintessence could recall few moments that felt as good as this one in her life and it was likely the same for the soldiers she stood at the exit of the cave with.

One of them took a step forward only to be pushed back by Ralof.

"Wait, hurry up get down!"

The group all quickly followed the blonde man's orders hiding under the cover of a large rock that provided them shade.

The sky or the ground or possibly even both of them shook as the dragon that'd likely burned the Imperial fort to the ground passed over head and let out a roar that was no longer angry but sounded more like a roar of freedom, a declaration of it's existence, a cheerful shout of barely contained glee Quintessence felt pull on something inside of her, time seemed to slow down as she watched it.

She took notice of how it was gliding without a single flap of it wings, head straight forward as it seemed to stare directly ahead to a place she'd never be able to see or guess at from where she stood crouched behind a rock, it seemed proud noble, and possibly even divine as it's scales shone in the sun light giving it an other worldly glow. She didn't even feel it as her mind began to wander for a moment, the creature was powerful and for some reason sought her death but she could not deny it was positively stunning to look upon as it's wings carried it across the sky and into the distance where it disappeared over the horizon.

Quintessence was relieved that the creature was finally no longer a threat to her well being but a part of her was a little saddened at it's absence and she found herself inexplicably drawn to it which scared the woman as she had no idea why.

"There it goes, look it's gone for good this time." Ralof said standing up and sighing in relief.

"He." Quintessence couldn't help herself from correcting inside of her head.

She wondered how she even knew the dragons gender. She knew it wasn't a wild guess she was one hundred percent certainty the creature was male.

"No way of knowing if we're the only ones who made it out. This place is going to be swarming with Imperials soon enough, we'd better clear out of here." Ralof said as he started walking down the hill in front of them.

"My sister Gerdur owns a mill in Riverwood just up the road, I'm sure she can help us out." Ralof said talking to his other Stormcloak buddies before turning to look at Quintessence.

"I'm sure she'd be willing to lend you a hand too of you stopped by but for now it's best we split up, wouldn't want you getting involved in our fight a second time in one day now. Good luck, I wouldn't have made it without your help today... You know, you should go to Windhelm and join the fight to free Skyrim. You've seen the true face of the Empire here today and our cause could use more soldiers like you. If anyone will know what the coming of the dragon means it's Ulfric."

The last sentence peeked the woman's interest as she fought between the strong desire to know more about that dragon and the desire to try to forget everything that'd happened today.

"I appreciate the offer friend but sadly your cause isn't my own."

Ralof nodded figuring she'd say something like that, but it was worth the try either way.

"Well then this is we're our paths divide. Safe travels on your journey friend, and may Talos guide you."

"Same to you and your companions Ralof, may Talos give strength to your cause."

The man gave her a friendly smile and a nod before turning and running down the road eager to reach Riverwood as soon as possible.

Quintessence looked at the dremora behind her which was still holding the captain and sighed wondering exactly what would be her next move.

I'm basing Quintessence entirely off of my first play through, same personality same abilities, ect. Unlike most of my other characters Quintessence is a scholar at heart who's always acting off of reason. Although she worships Kynereath and Arkay above all others she definitely can get a little sociopathic sometimes as you'll see later in the story, she's also a powerful necromancer who has no qualms at all about exploting the dead even though she holds Arkay in a higher respect than most other God's.

Her morals are naturally good although they can be very questionable at times, what she wants is what she wants and if you stand in her way she'll kill you for it and tell your corpse you were foolish.

Alduin throws her off of her game which we'll see more of in the story. Her back story is also a very unique one that will be revealed in bits and pieces.