The Captain turned to the rest of the prisoners with a glare.

"Anybody else feel like running?" She asked in a gruff voice.

Surprisingly, there was no answer. The soldier who held the list looked at Nace and then back at the list with a confused expression.

"You there," He nodded towards her. "Step forward. Who are you?"

"My name is Nace," She stepped forward as asked. "I'm a Nord returned here to Skyrim to bury my mother and father's bones in their homeland, as per their final request."

"She's lying," The Captain said. "I caught this assassin red-handed. She killed an Imperial soldier in cold blood and we caught her as she tried to escape."

Nace said nothing. It wouldn't have helped, as she saw it. She knew the truth. The soldier looked at his superior.

"Captain, she's not on the list," He said. "What do we do?"

"Were you not listening, Hadvar?" The Captain asked. "She murdered your fellow Imperial! Damn the list! She goes to the chopping block."

"By your orders, Captain," Hadvar said reluctantly. "I'm sorry. At least you'll die here, in your homeland." He jerked his head towards his superior. "Follow the Captain, prisoner."

Nace bowed her head and slowly ambled after the Captain's long strides between the prisoners to take her place next to the executioner. Nace stood between Ralof and another Stormcloak soldier. She felt her hands and arms begin to shake. She was about to die, and there was nothing she could do. Mother, father, she thought quickly as a final solace to herself. I'll be with you soon.

"Ulfric Stormcloak," General Tullius' voice brought her out of her thoughts. "Some people in Helgen call you a hero. But a hero doesn't use a power like the Voice to murder his king and usurp his throne." Ulfric's arguments were reduced to a few, unintelligible muffles by the gag. "You started this war. You plunged Skyrim into chaos," Tullius continued. "And now the Empire is going to put you down and restore peace!"

A roar echoed through the cold, stale air that blew gently through the dried grasses on the ground. Everyone looked up into the air in confusion. The call was unlike anything Nace had ever heard. A few of the guards became skittish and placed their hands readily on their weapons.

"What was that?" Hadvar asked.

"Nothing," Tullius brushed the phenomenon off like dust. But he did seem more intent on making the ceremony short. "Carry on."

"Yes, General Tullius!" The Captain assented. She turned to the Priestess of Arkay who stood beside her. "Read them their last rites."

The Priestess began her sermon that gave the souls of the prisoners to the shelter of the Divines and praised Nirn. Not two words into her speech, a Stormcloak soldier burst forward from the line and interrupted her. It seemed, to Nace at least, all Stormcloaks seemed to be outspoken.

"For the love of Talos," He emphasized the name and glared at the soldiers. "Shut up and let's get this over with." He had already sauntered up the chopping block and was on his knees.

"As you wish," The Priestess growled.

"Come on!" The Stormcloak jeered as the Captain stepped up behind him. "I haven't got all morning!" He was doubled over so his cheek rest against the dried blood of previous victims. A smile was spread across his face. "My ancestors are smiling upon me, Imperials," The Stormcloak said as the executioner raised his axe. "Can you say the same?"

Nace certainly hoped his question was rhetorical, because the executioner's axe severed his neck from his shoulders before he could get an answer. Other Stormcloak soldiers began to speak out against the Imperials, but their cries were drown out by the dissent from the citizens of Helgen, who screamed for the death of the Stormcloaks. The Captain pointed to Nace.

"Next: the Nord assassin!"

Another roar sounded in the sky. The Captain opted to ignore the sound this time and called for Nace to come forward again. Nace did as she was told and stood before the block. The Captain came behind her and pressed her face to the block none too nicely. Hadvar watched and felt something brewing in his stomach. All Nace could see was the executioner, with his giant axe, and the tower that stood behind him. Roars again came from the sky and she would have gasped at what she saw next if it hadn't rendered her breathless. A reptilian form with wings appeared in the sky from behind the trees. Its body was covered in black scales, which made it stand out against the vibrant, blue Skyrim sky. The executioner, unable to see what was going on behind him, continued to prepare for Nace's death.

"What in Oblivion is that!?" General Tullius shouted and drew his sword.

"Sentries!" The Captain called as the beast flew towards the village, its target appearing to be the tower. "What do you see?"

"It's in the clouds!" One called as the beast crashed onto the tower. Its talons, embedded on its wings, scratched and buried themselves into the stone as if it were nothing. It surveyed the scene before it with quick, silver eyes and when they fell upon Nace, the woman was sure the creature was looking directly at her. Looking back, Nace found the creature's name on her lips.

Dragon.

Soldiers scrambled, unsure of how to fight a beast they had never seen. The executioner dropped his axe in fear and fled. The dragon opened its maw and a strange roar erupted from its throat. All went white for a moment then faded. Balls of fire fell from a swirling vortex in the sky as Nace quickly got to her feet and ran.

"Follow me, kinsman," Ralof shouted when he noticed her up. "The gods won't give us another chance!" He motioned to the keep. "This way!" And he took off.

Nace followed while she tried to get her hands free from her binds. Inside the keep were other Stormcloak soldiers as well as a freed Ulfric Stormcloak. Ralof approached the Jarl while Nace stepped off to the side and tried to twist her hands free. It did little good. All she could do was wring her wrists until they were raw.

"Jarl Ulfric, what is that thing!?" Ralof asked. "Could the legends be true?"

"It's a dragon," Nace said. "And whether or not they are legends should be very clear right now."

"She's right," Ulfric said gravely. "Legends don't burn down villages."

A roar sounded from outside and the keep shook violently. Stones dropped to the ground and shattered into pieces as though they were made of glass. The dying Stormcloak soldier coughed violently as pieces of rock fell on him.

"We need to move, now!" Ulfric said.

"We can go up through the tower," Ralof pointed to the stone staircase that spiraled up the keep. "Let's go!"

Nace was tempted to stay, but not one of the damned soldiers had a knife on them to free her hands. Ralof charged up the stairs and Nace followed in the hopes of finding something on one of the upper floors to free herself. The dragon punched the wall of the keep on the second floor inward and caused Ralof and Nace to stop dead in their tracks. The dragon opened its mouth sprayed fire into the keep, but instead of an earsplitting roar, a single word registered in Nace's ears:

Yol.

The smoke and fire cleared as the dragon beat its wings powerfully and continued its rampage elsewhere. Ralof shoved Nace forward onto the burnt wooden floor and looked outside. Smoke rose high into the sky from a nearby building where the straw-thatched roof burned. He coughed and waved some of the smoke aside. He turned to Nace and pointed down to the burnt mess.

"See the inn on the other side?" Ralof shouted. Nace peered outside the keep and nodded. "Jump through the roof and keep going!"

I'd almost rather take my chances with the dragon, Nace thought as she rolled her eyes. She saw no other way out, though, and stepped back. She took two steps forward, leaped across the gap, and fell into the second floor of the inn. Nace rolled to her feet and ran across the room. She dropped to the ground floor through a hole in the floor and exited the inn. Hadvar stood a few feet away and tried his best to guide the citizens of Helgen through the chaos.

"Don't look up!" He ordered a couple of survivors that stood behind him. He looked to a boy no older than ten that stood a few meters away, frozen in fear as the dragon circled overhead. "Haming, you need to get over here-Now!" The boy stumbled towards Hadvar and scampered behind some burning debris in fear. "Koral!" Hadvar called to one of his fellows just as he was caught in the dragon's fire. "Gods!" He swore as he noticed Nace. "Still alive, prisoner?" He jerked his head to the side as he turned. "Follow me if you want to stay that way."

"You know what would also help me stay that way?" Nace said as she crouched for cover beside Hadvar. "If you would cut these Divines' damned bonds!"

"We haven't the time right now. We've got to get to proper cover!" Hadvar argued and turned to another soldier. "Gunmar, take the boy! I've got to find General Tullius and join the defense."

Hadvar took off around the corner of a smoldering house and Nace followed. She sprinted through the smoke-filled streets and stepped carefully over the bloodied bodies of fallen soldiers, almost all burned or scorched. A giant shadowed crisscrossed over her head ominously as she journeyed into a small back alley behind Hadvar. A rush of air nearly forced her to the ground and she reflexively pushed herself against the stone wall as claws buried themselves in the scorched earth where she'd stood moments ago. Leathery wings nearly enveloped her as the dragon, roosted on the wall that she and Hadvar pressed silently against, reared its head back and spit forth more flames. The two detached themselves from the stone as the dragon took to the air again with a roar.

Just through the remains of a burning house, General Tullius and a group of Imperial soldiers stood amidst the rubble. Archers shot volley after volley of flaming arrows at the dragon, but any arrows that didn't bounce off the creature's rough hide just buried themselves harmlessly in the tough scales. The General watched in horror as the dragon looped back around in the sky and dove toward his mean. It plucked one right off the ground in its mighty jaws and roughly through him about as it ascended. Tullius' eyes traced the soldier's bone crushing descent as he finally tore free from the dragon's mouth and plummeted to the ground.

"That's it. It's no good," He addressed his soldiers loudly. "Everyone to the Keep! We're getting out of here!"

"Looks like we're following them," Hadvar said as they rounded a crumbling building. "Come on, prisoner, to the Kee-" He stopped when he saw the navy blue cloak and chainmail wearing soldiers headed in the same direction. Hadvar drew his sword and stormed forward. Nace frowned and followed him. "Ralof, you traitor! Out of my way!"

"Are you kidding me!?" Nace shouted and slammed her bound hands across the back of Hadvar's head. He turned with a ludicrous expression on his face as Nace next grabbed his wrist and effortlessly jerked his sword out of his hand. She cut her binds and tossed the sword on the ground. "We have better things to do than worry about your stupid war! Pull your head out of your arse, soldier, and get in the damned Keep!"

Hadvar stood, dumbstruck, and looked between his sword at his feet and her unforgiving expression. When he failed to respond, Nace sighed irritably and sprinted into the Keep by herself. Inside, the Keep quaked and some dust fell through the stones as they moved from the dragon's attacks, but the structure remained pretty sturdy overall. Nace muttered angrily to herself as she tore through the chests and shelves inside the dimly lit room. She retrieved a few weapons and a set of Imperials leathers. She quickly replaced her prisoner's rags and set off through the halls. She came to a cell door that stood strong despite her best efforts to force it open.

"Key," She mumbled and searched the pockets of her borrowed armor. "Key, key, key-ah!" She pulled the small metal object free from one of the pockets. "Key!"

The door flew open just as a couple of Stormcloaks entered. They cast a single glance at her Imperial armor and drew their weapons in preparation for an attack. Nace rolled her eyes and drew her own weapons.

"Divines help me, this war is going to be the literal death of me," She said under her breath. "Now, listen, I'm not-"

The only response she received was a war axe intended to be lodged in her skull. She ducked and rolled behind the attacker. She reversed her grip on her sword and stabbed the blade into the back of the Stormcloak's knee. He screamed and his weapon clattered against the ground. Nace stood and spun with her sword raised, beheading the man and facing her next opponent with one swift motion. The second soldier charged forward with only a sword in hand. Nace easily evaded the attack and shoved her sword through the attacker's stomach. She sheathed her sword and looked down at the two with a scowl. She turned to the door they'd come through and crinkled her nose.

"Well," She placed her hands on her hips. "Let's hope the rest of the trip will be much less eventful."