Couldn't wait to upload another chapter : D. Here we go! This one turned out to be shorter than the first chapter but let's not care!
Disclaimer: Both characters you don't recognize are mine, all the rest belongs to Bethesda.
I don't realize I've fallen down before the ground under me shakes violently. I don't know if it's caused by some collapsing building or Alduin stomping around and I don't really care. All I care about right now is that I need to follow the guy who I assume is the Dragonborn. I get up as fast as I can which is quite hard. Have you ever tried getting up with your hands bound while trying not to get squished by some rocks or flaming fireballs or a dragon?
Thought so.
A big chunk of stone falls right next to me. I jump back and nearly fall down again – I stepped on something. I look down and notice I almost tripped over the headsman's axe. I quickly kneel down and start rubbing my bindings against the blade. It takes some precious seconds before my hands are free. I stagger up and turn around only to see the door of that tower I should be in slam shut. I curse aloud and lean on the tower Alduin first landed on.
I've played the beginning of the game several times so I should know exactly where to go. Focus, girl, you can do this. I spot the half-collapsed inn right next to the tower where Ralof and the must-be-Dragonborn are and sprint towards it.
It's even scarier than I imagined. Everything is on fire, I nearly trip over a body of an Imperial soldier and all the time I can hear the dragon's roars. I run round the inn and spot Hadvar and the old man and the boy whose names I don't remember hiding behind the building. I see Alduin taking off after unsuccessfully trying to fry them and quickly run to them only to be nearly knocked down by a blond man who emerges from the burning inn. I immediately recognize him as the must-be-Dragonborn and feel a huge wave of relief. If I wasn't so scared right now, I could actually laugh aloud.
"Still alive, prisoners? Follow me if you want to stay that way!" Hadvar orders. He doesn't even check if we're following him as he runs past the burning buildings, leaving me and the blond man no other choice but to follow him.
We have to stop once when Alduin nearly sits on us but after that make it smoothly to the Helgen keep, where Ralof seems to pop up out of nowhere to stop Hadvar. After exchanging a few words they ran to different directions, both telling us to follow them. The blond Nord hesitates for a second before dashing after Ralof and I of course follow him.
We slip inside the keep and I exhale deeply. It feels like I've been holding my breath ever since I hopped off that wagon. Ralof has knelt down next to a man's body on the floor. I realize it's Gunjar, the man I sat next to on the wagon, and feel a little sick.
"May we meet in Sovngarde, brother", Ralof mutters before standing up. He frees the blond man's hands with a small dagger. "You can have Gunjar's gear. He won't be needing it anymore."
The blond man looks at me hesitantly. "What about her?"
"You can have it", I say quickly. If I don't have an armor or a weapon, nobody expects me to fight. At least not yet.
"Are you sure?"
"I'll be fine", I assure him. Though I would appreciate some shoes. I'm about to ask him if I could get his foot wraps when I notice that they're coated with mud and blood. I look down to my own feet. There's a thick layer of dirt covering them but at least I haven't stepped on something sharp.
It takes only a couple of minutes for the blond man to strip Gunjar from his armor and put it on. I watch him swing the waraxe a couple of times and am just about to ask his name when Ralof hisses: "Damn it! The Imperials!"
I have about three seconds to retreat to the corner before three Imperial soldiers step in and immediately have Ralof and the blond man all over them. Luckily the battle is over as quickly as it started. Ralof and the other man take out the Imperials while I hide in the corner and try to turn invisible. When the last Imperial has had his throat slashed open, I finally venture closer the bodies and start going through their pockets, avoiding looking at their slashed throats, pierced chests and lifeless eyes.
Ralof gives me a weird look. "What are you doing?"
I shrug. "Who knows, maybe they have money or potions." This has always been the handiest way for me to find money in the game.
I find about fifteen septims and two lockpicks (what are the Imperials doing with them?) and take also a shortsword. After all I do prefer having a weapon I can't use to having no weapon at all.
"You don't want an armor?" Ralof asks when I hand him the key I found in the Imperial officer's pocket. I shake my head. Ralof gives me the "It's-your-funeral" look and unlocks the gate.
"Hey", I say hopefully to the blond man, "what's your name?"
He looks me in the eyes for a few seconds before offering me the slightest smile. "Raegan. Yours?"
"Eryka." The name feels strange in my mouth but I guess I'll just have to get used to it.
"So, Raegan, huh?" I make an attempt to smalltalk as we walk through the gate and get into a narrow corridor. "Not a typical Nord name, is it?"
"Well, I'm actually from Cyrodiil. Do you know Bruma?"
Damn. That blows my story of being from there. "I've heard of it."
"Where are you from, then?"
The collapsing ceiling saves me from answering. The floor shakes violently as huge chunks of what used to be the roof fall right in front of us.
"That was close", I breath out. We continue hurrying through the corridors only to find a torture chamber with two Stormcloaks and two Imperial torturers in the middle of a battle. Ralof and Raegan help to take care of the Imperials while I try to blend in the shadows. Unfortunately the Imperials manage to kill the two Stormcloaks before Ralof and Raegan can cut them down.
Again I check their pockets and find about twenty septims and to my surprise a small ruby. It should keep me fed in case we ever get to Riverwood.
"There's something in that cage", Raegan points out, "but it seems to be locked."
"I have a few lockpicks. You want to try to pick the lock?" Ralof asks. Raegan shakes his head so Ralof gives the lockpicks to me.
I kneel in front of the lock and examine it. I've always played stealthy characters and mastered sneaking and lockpicking first, but I suppose this is a bit harder. After a few broken lockpicks I finally manage to open the door. The poor fellow on the floor has died a good while ago – he has started to smell. I try not to breath through my nose as I carefully strip him off his robe. I can sense the two men's amused looks on me but I try my best not to care. The robe makes my fingertips tingle and it seems to glow slightly in the dim chamber. Is it enchanted?
"Do you mind if I change?" I ask. Ralof seems to mind a little for the delay but neither of them says anything. When I'm sure they are looking at the opposite direction, I quickly undress and put the robe on. Surprisingly it fits me quite well even though the boots are a little too big for me. I also take the few coins and potions laying next to the man and pick up the spell tome. The text on the cover says it's "Sparks". When I open the book, it starts giving me the slightest electric shocks. I don't know if I should be reading the text but I don't actually even have the time: The book crumbles in my hands, leaving only a small pile of dust.
"That was handy", Raegan sneers. I lift my gaze to see him looking at me with an amused smile.
"You're right", I admit. I lift my hands and focus really hard. I can feel it. Tiny sparks fly off of my fingertips as small balls of pure electricity form on my palms. I've never felt this powerful. "Handy as ever."
Raegan's cheeky smile turns to appreciative look. I smile widely at him as I let the electricity fade away. This might actually turn out to be fun.
