I was the first to reach the imperial. Seeing as how I was the only high elf in the town and therefore the tallest person with the longest legs I arrived several seconds ahead of the others.
"Who are you? What happened?" I asked the imperial as I tried to help him with my Healing spell. It was a fruitless effort because his wounds were too terrible for me to heal.
The imperial said something but I couldn't make it out.
"What?" I asked as I leaned closer to him.
"Al...du...in..." The imperial said quietly. He let out one last shuddering breath and died.
Ralof was standing over my shoulder.
"What did he say?" Ralof questioned me.
"He said something about Alduin. Does that mean anything to you?" I asked Ralof. At the mention of this Alduin all the nords began to panic. Children were ushered inside and adults watched the skies fearfully.
"Alduin? Are you sure he said Alduin?" Asked Ralof. He was panicking and looking around wildly as if he feared an attack of some sort. "This is terrible, this is terrible."
"Excuse me but who or what is this Alduin?" I asked Ralof.
"Damn elves not paying attention to the legends." Said Ralof. He was vigorously chewing on his lip and when he opened his mouth to speak his teeth were bloodstained.
"What legends? And why is everyone here going trollshit!?" My voice was raising unintentionally due to anger.
"Alduin is why! Alduin, Bane of Kings, The World Eater!"
"What is Alduin?" I asked not having any prior knowledge about the subject.
Ralof grabbed me by the front of my shirt. His voice was a mere whisper.
"Alduin is a dragon."
"A dragon? Dragons are long gone." I said stupidly.
Ralof drew his arm back and was swinging his fist towards me when I saw proof that the people weren't insane. I heard screaming and looked up. I saw a huge charcoal gray serpent fly over the town. It was also at this moment that Ralof struck me on the jaw and knocked me out cold.
I awoke about five minutes later laying in the street with a chicken pecking at my head. I pushed it away and looked around. Things were beginning to return to normal around the town. Alvor was pounding away at some steel, Faendal was hauling firewood, and Embry was drunk. Another fine day in Riverwood. Or it would be if Ralof hadn't knocked out one of my teeth.
I stood up and looked around for Ralof. Nobody paid any attention to me. It seemed that within five minutes I had become a part of the landscape. But that was the way it was in small villages. One minute people pay attention to something strange then the next they are back to the day to day.
However nice these people are Ralof crossed the line and that meant blood. I looked and saw Ralof standing on the front porch of the Sleeping Giant. The Sleeping Giant was a small inn. The proprietor was a steely-eyed older woman by the name of Delphine. Delphine was getting up on years although you couldn't tell by the way she handles herself. She was as fit and strong as a woman half her age.
I began to jog towards Ralof. There was a rage in me. One I have felt many times in my life albeit in a different form. Ralof was completely ignorant to my intentions. He stood talking to Embry and drinking mead.
"Ralof!" I screamed the nord's name to draw his attention.
"What do you need, elf?" Ralof calmly asked me.
"I need you to come down here so I can kick the shit out of you!" I was furious and I intended to teach Ralof a lesson.
"Alright then elf, if you want a fight you've got one." Ralof sat his bottle of mead on the porch railing and descended the steps.
It took approximately thirteen seconds for Ralof to put me flat on my back in the mud.
"Are you satisfied elf?" Ralof said to me as he stuck out a hand to help me to my feet. I took it and attempted to pull him to the ground with me. Hopefully I would be able to catch him by surprise and beat him. But sadly that was not the case.
Ralof saw it coming though and instead of me pulling him down he pulled me up. He flung me onto my feet as if I was as light as a feather. I was taken by surprise so I didn't expect Ralof's forehead to smash against my nose. And I didn't expect to feel hot blood clog my throat as it flowed down from my now broken nose. I began to choke on it. I rolled over and began coughing to clear my throat. Ralof hauled my to my feet.
"Are we done yet elf?" Asked Ralof. He seemed content to continue knocking me on the ground for the rest of the day. I decided I had to hit the man at least once before this was over.
"Sure, sure we're done." I gasped as blood flowed freely from my nose. Ralof started to turn away and I decided now was the time to act.
"Hey!" I screamed at Ralof and threw myself upon him. We were launched several feet and landed on the steps of the Sleeping Giant. Ralof and I swung at each other repeatedly and for the first time that day I gave as good as I got. Ralof stood up and shoved me away. I tried to rush him before he regained his footing. Ralof reached toward his bottle of mead. I saw it coming towards me out of the corner of my eye and after that point I don't remember anything else of that day.
I woke up in what I later found out to be Hod and Gerdur's home. They had me tied down with some thick strips of leather. Instantly I thought to make sure I wasn't naked. I have been a little bit paranoid about that since the incident with Anise. I also realized my nose was no longer broken. Someone in the town must have some knowledge of restoration magic.
"Well it's about time you woke up." A female voice said. I looked over and saw Gerdur.
"What in oblivion? Why am I tied to a bed?" I asked Gerdur.
"We weren't sure how we were going to react when you woke up so we tied you up."
"What do you mean how I would react? Ralof swung first!"
Gerdur was silent.
"Just let me go and I will leave. I won't return to your crummy little town unless it is urgent. Deal?" I began pleading with the woman. There was no need for me to be here anyway.
Gerdur considered it for a moment and decided.
"Deal. But you have to send word to Jarl Balgruuf in Whiterun. Tell him about the dragon and that we need aid."
"Okay."
"Good." Gerdur cut the bindings with a small iron dagger. "Now off with you!"
I arrived in Whiterun late the next afternoon. Other than a small confrontation with a thief there were no problems on the journey. I was approaching the city gate in my new studded imperial armor and hood that our thief friend so generously donated when the guards outside the main gate stopped me.
"Halt, city's closed with dragons about. Official business only." The guard said in a thick accent.
"I have news from Riverwood. A dragon was spotted nearby."
"Go on inside."
As I entered the city immediately to my right was a smithy. I made a beeline for it. Unusual for an altmer I don't use much magic. The only magic I really use is from the illusion school.
I needed some better weapons if I was going to confront the Thalmor. This iron dagger was not doing me justice. I approached the blacksmith. She was a woman by the name of Adrienne Avenicci. After some bartering I bought quite a bit of leather, some steel ingots, iron ore, and an enchanted iron war axe with soul trap. I crafted a full set of leather armor minus the helmet, a steel sword, and a steel dagger.
With my new gear in hand I walked behind the building. Once there I began to change into my new leather armor. I was pulling the cuirass down over my shoulders when heard the ringing hiss of a blade being pulled from it's sheath.
I pushed the cuirass up over my head and I swung it towards the sound. It smacked against my attacker and I dived for my sword which was leaning up against the back wall of the smithy. I hadn't had enough leather to make a sheath for it yet. It was this fact that saved my life. My attacker, who I now realize is a woman, jumped towards me swinging a dagger in a deadly arc towards my head. I thrust my sword forward and it sunk deep into her chest. Blood flowed down the hilt and along my arm onto my torso. Her hand was still clenched on the dagger and gravity made her arm swing down towards me. The dagger lightly brushed my face but it was so sharp it still left a gash deep enough to cause blood to well up to the surface. I shoved her body off of me and then I stood up. After I pulled my blade out of her chest I searched the body for evidence. On her body was a note which I promptly began reading.
Nurida-
Your contract is to kill off an ex-Thalmor Justicar by the name of Daenir. He is on his way to Whiterun, intercept him on the road if possible. If not make sure there are no witnesses. He's not the typical altmer though. He has almost no magical skill at all. He is not particularly skilled with weapons either. He was more of a torturer at the Thalmor Embassy than a soldier.
He's a master alchemist though so don't eat or drink anything other than supplies you packed. He is extremely vigilant so expect a small scuffle, but nothing you can't handle.
Elenwen wants this poor fool dead; we have already been paid for this contract. Failure is not an option.
-Astrid