Author's note: I intend to re-write this section at a later date. Given the length and quality of later chapters, I believe this is a poor opening to the story. For those new to the story, the chapters do get longer :). This just happened to be my first major story and I wasn't too sure how my writing style was. Enjoy! This will be a better section soon.

And the sky darkened
Karinia Dagoth Ashmane hugged her mother's leg even tighter as she looked back at her island home of Vvardenfell. The sky was a myriad of grey ash and angry red light, both spewing out of the red mountain at a rate no one had ever seen before. Her mother had her head covered with a cloak, like most did on the refugee boat, making it had for the little Dunmer girl to see the faces of anyone aboard. There was a vivid smell of sulphur and salt in the air, in addition to the sounds of sobs and angry curses from the crowded boat.
The past few days had gone by in such a blur. One day, Karinia was in her tent with her father and mother in the ash lands, the next they were all running for the safety of the nearest port town to get to Solstheim. Her father was dead now, consumed by the mountain's fury.

She had watched him go in. The man did not scream.

Her mother reached down and picked up the little elf, shielding her from the sight that was before her by putting her close to her chest. Karinia heard her mother's heart beating so fast it could've been mistaken for a war drum. Her mother started to softly sing to her between badly kept back tears. It was an old song. A song about Nerevar and Dagoth Ur.

The helmsman of the boat was a Nord. He had done this trip many a time, but this time was different. This time, the gods were angry and he had to get out of here. He was going to leave all these people behind if it wasn't for the eyes of that little girl, begging him to come back. He couldn't save them all though. Many were still on the shoreline.

He hated himself for nearly being so selfish. At least he got to save them. He would get them to Solstheim and make sure that they would be looked after by the authorities. If he couldn't do that. He would make sure the little girl and her mother would be safe.
At least, that's what Kari's mind-whisper spell was telling him to do anyway.