Before we start anything, I want to thank you for taking your time to read this story. Just to say, it's been a long time since I've played and/or watch something about the Elder Scrolls so it could take time for a chapter to be written. I welcome any comments good or bad but I want them to be developed. Okay, here we go.
In a forest leading toward a town named Helgen, an Imperial male with short brown hair and eyes, named Sparax, woke up in a carriage, his hands bound by a thin but strong rope. Since he was a child, he always lived in Cyrodiil, the Imperial province. His parents were caring people, the two of them were Imperials but his mother had Nord origins. He decided to travel to Skyrim, the land of his mother's ancestors, never before he tried to do that, why? Only he knows the answer. Unfortunately, he founded himself in a carriage as a prisoner just like the people with him. He looked around him, trying to recognize where they were. 'Where... am I? What happened-'. His thoughts were interrupted when a Nord with long blonde hair, sitting in front of him, spoke up to him.
(Sparax's POV)
"Hey, you. You're finally awake. You were trying to cross the border, right? Walked right into that Imperial ambush, same as us... and that thief over here." I looked at the Nord who was sitting beside the warrior.
"Damn you, Stormcloaks! Skyrim was fine until you came along. Empire was nice and lazy. If they hadn't been looking for you, I could've stolen that horse and be halfway to Hammerfell." The thief then looked at me, his face showing his tired and irritated expression.
"You there. You and me, we shouldn't be there. It's these Stormcloaks the Empire wants." He told me before the Nord from before talked again.
"We're all brothers and sisters in binds now, thief." He said but the Imperial guard, leading the carriage, let his annoyance know.
"Shut up back there!" He was annoyed but the thief, stubborn like he was, didn't listen to him at all and then looked at me again.
"You. What's your name? And what's your purpose in Skyrim?" Asked the thief.
"S-Sparax. The name's Sparax. All I wanted to do was to travel in the land of my mother's ancestors." If you ask around in the Imperial province, they will say to you that the name Sparax is unknown to them, why? Because this name is very old but was forgotten a long time ago. I didn't understand why my parents called me by this name. The Nord in Stormcloaks clothes looked at me, showing his empathy.
"Such a wise decision which turned into a nightmare for you. My sincere apologies, the Empire has changed a lot for a long time now. The name's Radolf."
"And what's wrong with him, huh?" Asked the thief who looked at another Nord in Stormcloaks's clothes sitting beside me, a piece of cloth on his mouth, still, he has better clothes than all of us.
"Watch your tongue. You're talking to Ulfric Stormcloak, the true High King of Skyrim." Hissed Radolf toward the thief, irritated by the disrespect toward Ulfric. I didn't know what was happening, the Stormcloaks, the Empire chasing them apparently. I didn't have any idea who they were and what their goals are but something sure, the Empire was not happy about that.
"Ulfric? The Jarl of Windhelm? You're the leader of the rebellion but if they captured you... oh gods, where are they taking us?!" Said the thief getting more worried by the second.
"I don't know where we're going but Sovngarde awaits." Muttered Ralof. Sovngarde, the place where the souls of the dead warriors, heroes, and Nord goes when you finally meet your end. 'If only...'. My face started to darken, Ralof noticed it.
"You're alright Sparax?" He asked me. I took a deep breath and looked at him.
"Yeah, I'm alright. I just thought about something I wished that could just disappear." I said in a dark tone.
"No, this can't be happening! This isn't happening!" Cried out the thief knowing already our fate but denying it. yt
"Hey, what village are you from, horse thief?" Asked Ralof to the panicked thief who slowly turned his gaze toward him.
"Why do you care?"
"A Nord's last thoughts should be of home." He said. At least, maybe I will finally find peace in the afterlife, without worrying about the state of this beautiful yet cruel world anymore.
"Rorikstead, I'm... from Rorikstead." I saw the horse thief calming a little at least. Leaving the mortal realm in peace and calm is one of the best things I think. What do I mean by that? I just want to say that at least if you have to die then do it without fear, it's maybe for the best, after all, we'll all pass away don't you think? Suddenly, an Imperial guard spoke up.
"General Tullius, sir! The headsman is waiting!"
"Good, let's get this over with." I heard to my right someone praying to the gods and then I looked to only saw the thief praying. Prayers... I groan at this thought. Ralof spoke up again.
"Look at him. General Tullius, the military commander, and it looks like the Thalmor are with him. Damn elves, I bet they had something to do with this." He then looked around before talking again.
"This is Helgen. I used to be sweet on a girl from here. Funny, when I was a boy, Imperial walls and tower used to make me so safe..." Ralof said in a sad tone, his face showing his sadness. Nostalgia is a powerful feeling, it can be sweet sometimes yet destructive for someone. I looked around to see a child argue with his father who told him to go inside. At least, he will not be able to see something that might haunt him forever.
"Why are we stopping?" Said the thief with worry.
"What do you think. End of the line. Let's go. Shouldn't keep the gods waiting for us." Ralof said as we all slowly stood up and quit the carriage. I was two soldiers in front of us: one with a list and another one who looked like some ranks above the other one because of the armor, maybe a captain.
"No! Wait! We're not rebels!" Said in a loud voice the thief who wanted to escape the inevitable.
"Face your death with some courage, thief." Calmly replied Ralof.
"You've got to tell them! We weren't with you, this is a mistake!" He screamed again but just like before he was ignored by everyone.
"Step forward to the block when we call your name. One at a time." Said the captain. I've seen things in the Empire, that's maybe one of the most horrible. After all, everything has a good and bad side.
"Empire loves their damn list." Said Ralof, his glare pointed toward the two Imperials in front of us. I stood beside him when the soldier started to call out our names.
"Ulfric Stromcloak. Jarl of Windhelm." The Jarl walked toward the block, his head high to show his pride.
"It has been an honor, Jarl Ulfric." Said Ralof with a lot of respect for his lord. The soldier continued.
"Ralof of Riverwood." He walked toward the block too, looking at the Imperial who called his name before looking away.
"Lokir of Rorikstead." After hearing his name being called, the thief started to panic, trying desperately to convince them it was a mistake.
"No, I'm not a rebel! You can't do this!" His actions shocked me. He started to run away, the captain telling him to stop but he didn't obey but he was quickly put down when an arrow hit him in the back of his neck.
"Anyone else feels like running?" Asked the woman with a mocking and arrogant tone in her voice. The type of people who think they are all mighty but when will eventually fall like anyone else. The soldier then looked at the list but his face expressed his confusion when he looked at me.
"Wait... you there, step forward." I did as I was said, I didn't want to have more troubles even if I didn't do anything but cross the border.
"Who... are you?"
"My name is Sparax. I'm from the Imperial city but when your men captured me, I was crossing the border to go to Skyrim and travel the land of my mother's ancestors." I tried not to show how much I was tired but my face decided to betray me.
"You're a long way from the imperial city indeed. Captain, what should we do, he's not on the list." He said to the captain who didn't care at all it seems after what she said.
"Forget the list. He goes to the block" She said, a smirk forming on her face when she looked at me. I saw things but this... it's something only the worst people can do and she was a part of them.
"By your orders, captain. I'm sorry. We'll make sure your remains are returned to Cyrodiil." I closed my eyes, accepting my fate, and I walked toward the block after saying "Thank you" to the soldier. When I arrived, General Tullius stood before Ulfric, speaking about the crimes he committed.
"Ulfric Stormcloak. Some here 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!" He said with venom in his voice and Ulfric only growled slowly because of the piece of cloth on his mouth.
"You started this war, plunged Skyrim into chaos, and now the Empire is going to put you down and restore the peace!"He finally said when suddenly a loud noise came from the mountains, echoing in the air. What in Akatosh was that?
"What was that?" The soldier who had the list asked, like if he just read my mind. Tullius, on the contrary, seemed to not care at all.
"It's nothing. Carry on."
"Yes, General!" She then turned toward a priestess.
"Give them their last rites." The priestess started to pray for all of the ones who will die today. Prayers... if only... mine were answered.
As she continued to give our last rites, the priestess was interrupted by a Stormcloak who started to walk forward the fate that awaits us all.
"For the love of Talos, shut up, and let's get this over with!" He said irritated and glaring at the priestess and the soldiers.
"As you wish." Said the priestess unhappy.
"Come on, I haven't got all morning!" He said as the captain pushed him down on the block.
"My ancestors are smiling at me Imperials. Can you say the same?" He said as his last words before the headsman cut off his head with his giant axe, red with the blood of its victims. Some around us said it was justice but I think it was barbary.
"As fearless in death as he was in life." Ralof said. That's what I mean. When you face your death just like him, without fear. You accept death as a gift, not as a curse.
"Next, the renegade from Cyrodiil." Now, I'm a renegade? This woman is really messed up. I chuckled at her and that made her angry.
"I said next, renegade!" She, with another soldier, approached me and placed me on the block, I smiled.
"Any last words?" She said with a cruel smile forming on her face.
"For dayuk, jiak ukaumn prayeruk for ukomeavhaumn avo finalpak mubarum mausan miukaum. Jiak've alreadausan dancun wiavh Deaavh evaum avime. Gelnaj lat ukaausan avhe ukame? Tug Akatosh gelnaj julderukavand."
All of them: soldiers, prisoners, and inhabitants alike had confused expressions on their faces. The headsman has readied himself to cut off my head when at the same time another loud roar was heard when I saw something... 'Impossible...'
"What in Oblivion is that?!" I heard General Tullius screamed when it landed on the tower. It was a black dragon and it was slender, it looked all around until its gaze fell upon me. Its golden eyes pierced through me, it was like time just stopped all around me, it stared intensely into my eyes. These eyes... they are... beautiful. Wait! What?! What am I thinking! Suddenly, I saw its eyes becoming red.
"FUS RO DAH!" It shouted something I couldn't understand and then... meteors started to fall upon us, the sky color became an orange-like color. The earth shook when it shouted again and it also knocked me onto the ground.
"Hey, you. Get up! Come on, the gods won't give us another chance!" I looked where the voice came from to see Ralof behind me, running toward another tower.
"This way!" I started to run closely behind him without a second thought. I could see around me dead bodies of soldiers and civilians alike, it was hard to not see it. Fortunately, we made it into the tower and Ralof quickly closed the door. Jarl Ulfric and some Stormcloaks were in it too, some gravely wounded by the... dragon.
"Jarl Ulfric! What is that thing? Could the legends be true?" Asked Ralof to Ulfric.
"Legends don't burn down villages, we need to move, now!" He replied. I noticed the rope around my hands was no more, it feels good to be free again but the sounds of the dragon's shouts and the sounds of meteors that fell to the ground made me come back to reality.
"Up through the tower let's go!" He said. When we were on the stairs, a Stormcloak was removing some rocks which fell at the end of the stairs. Suddenly, at my right, the dragon broke the wall, sending rocks against the Stormcloak, crushing him instantly. The dragon then looked at me and this time I could hear it talk.
"Dovahkiin!" I couldn't understand what it... no. What she was saying. You could hear it, the feminine voice coming from her!
But my thoughts were interrupted when the dragon's jaws opened and she screamed something I still couldn't understand.
"Yol Toor Shul!"As she said that, she breathed and unleashed flames that were coming toward me but thanks to Ralof who pulled me down, I didn't get hit by it.
"Are you alright?!" He said with concern in his voice. I looked at my hands, they were shaking, my breath was heavy and my heartbeat was fast. I took a deep and quick breath to calm down.
"Yes... I-I'm alright. Thank you." I said to him and he nodded in response. I heard the dragon growled before she flew away from us. I looked around to see that the stairs behind were now also blocked by rocks our only way was...
"See the inn on the other side? Jump through the roof and keep going. We'll follow when we can!"I did what he said. I took some steps back and ran toward the hole and then jumped through it. I embraced myself when I was about to land but thankfully I landed unharmed and safe. I get out of the burned house before it collapsed on itself. I could feel the unbearable heat from the flames. I heard voices not too far away so I ran toward them to see the same soldier who had the list earlier with a child and an older man.
"You're doing great kid!" Said the soldier before he noticed me running toward them. At the same time, the dragon before next to us and again unleashed a torrent of flames but we quickly ran away from it, missing us just by a few inches.
"Still alive prisoner? Keep close to me if you want to stay that way." Said the soldier.
"Gunnar take care of the boy! I have to find General Tullius and join the defenses! Sparax follow me!" I saw him ran toward the streets and seeing I didn't have any options I started to run after him. The more I followed him, the more there were dead Imperials on the ground either burned to death or died from blood loss.
"Stay close to the wall!" He said and I did so. If I have to die, I don't want to be crushed or burned alive for sure! The dragon Landed on the wall and unleashed for the third time her flames on a group of soldiers nearby. I couldn't see them but I could hear them... their cries and screams of agony. She then flew again to take a position where she could look around, shouting at the same time.
"KOLOS LOS HI, DOVAHKIIN?!" She shouted in the air like last time, I couldn't understand but this language... why is it so familiar to me?
"Quickly, follow me!" Said the soldier. We entered another burned house and when we left it, I saw some imperials trying to hit the dragon, and with them was General Tullius. He then looked at us while making sure he didn't get hit by the dragon's flames.
"Hadvar, into the keep! We're leaving!" So I finally got his name, Hadvar. At least, he did try to make sure I didn't go to the block.
"It's you and me now prisoner." Said Hadvar. As we were approaching the keep, I saw Radolf coming from our left.
"Out of the way, traitor!" Shouted Hadvar, showing clearly he didn't like Radolf.
"We're escaping, Hadvar! And there's nothing you can do to stop us!" Replied the Stormcloak to the Imperial showing his own discontent as well. Ralof ran to our right, toward another keep and he took my attention.
"Sparax, come, into the keep!" Said Ralof.
"Come with me, Sparax! Go!" Said Hadvar. I had to choose between the two of them. Why? Why do I have to pick? Even if they face a common foe, they still acting as enemies and don't try to help each other, why?! Before I could do anything, a loud noise came from behind, like if something landed on the ground... oh no! I could see the terrified look on Ralof and Hadvar faces. I slowly turned around to see the black dragon behind.
I fell on the ground, panicking, I crawled back to stay away from her while facing her to see if she doesn't try something. She smirked and started to approach me slowly, just like a predator would do with its prey. I stared at her thinking of what I could do, I felt the panic taking over me and looked around for anything that could save me. Then, I felt something else... fear. The fear to die.
"Het hi los, Dovahkiin." She said as she crawled toward me, her golden eyes piercing through mine again. My next action shocked me. I felt a tear coming out of my eye, making its way on my cheek to reach my chin, and then it fell to the ground. I gasped in shock. 'This fear I feel inside me... this tear...'. I looked down to see where this tear fell and then...
"Fin Kel tinvaak do aan sahrot kendov. Pah zu'u koraav los aan sahlo joor ko hi." She said again.
I smiled, I looked down where the tear fell. I then looked up at her again, my smile never faded. It seems to confuse her because she tilted her head a little.
"Maybe... just maybe... lat ayh avhe anukwas. Kulkodar." Before she could do anything, the dragon was hit by an axe. I looked to the left to see it was Ralof who threw it while Hadvar was running toward me to pick me up, Ralof then ran toward us and entered the keep before Hadvar closed it. 'What did they do?!' I asked myself in my head, after a long time I'm sure I finally found it... ugh! I started to breathe heavily and faster, I didn't felt good, my head was hurting so much!
"I must say, Ralof. You didn't lose your throwing capacities." Said Hadvar.
"And you didn't lose your agility, Hadvar." Said Ralof back. He turned to see me shaking violently, he rushed to face me and put his hands on my shoulders, Hadvar was behind him, looking at me as well.
"Hey! Are you alright?!" Asked Ralof showing he was worried. I started to calm down a little, taking deep breaths and thinking about something else. 'I must calm down, maybe it's just my brain playing tricks with me. Maybe it was not it.' Maybe some people will think I'm crazy but they can't understand if I explain anyway.
"Leave him alone, he faced death too much time in one day after all." Said Hadvar. Ralof then noticed a dead Stormcloak, he walked toward the corpse and place one knee on the ground before placing his hand on the dead's chest.
"We'll meet again in Sovngarde..." He muttered before the three of us started to walk.
"Looks like we're the only ones who made it." I said, my two companions agreed with me and we finally arrived in a place which looks like some sort of armory. Hadvar then pointed to a chest at my left.
"There is some gear you can take in it. I don't think anyone will need it anymore." He said. You could hear in his voice a point of sadness. He was thinking about the people who died for sure. Inside the chest were an Imperial armor, a sword, and a bow. It will certainly be useful in the future.
"Here, you will need it." Said Ralof as he gave me an axe.
"Isn't it yours?" I asked.
"No, I take it from Gunjar's gear." He said.
"Just... taking it, just like that? Are... you sure?" I asked, I didn't want to take what was belonging to a true warrior after all. He then smiled at me before replying.
"There's nothing wrong borrowing a friend's axe." He finally said. I nodded and then the three of us resumed our walk yet we were walking quickly maybe even running at some point.
"I'm going to see if I can find some way out of here." Said the Imperial walking toward an iron door trying to open it.
"It's locked." He said
"Let's see about that gate." Said the Nord walking to the gate at our left while I was remembering my training with swords and axes.
"Damn, no way to open it from our side." He said in frustration. Suddenly, we heard voices coming in our direction. One of them was the one I would have like to die... damn she really made me hate her that much. An Imperial soldier and the one and only... the captain, they were walking toward the gate. The three of us hide behind the walls waiting for them to step into our trap.
"Get this gate open." Ordered the captain to the soldier and before they could react, Ralof slashed his two axes into the soldier's body while Hadvar and I were taking care of the captain. Hadvar slashed her with his sword in the stomach while I pierced my sword through her chest and my axe cut her throat.
"I'll never have done that but her... she had this coming!" Said Hadvar in satisfaction. I must admit it feels good to finally have her dead, she was such a pain in the ass.
"One of them has the keys. Try to find it." Told Ralof and so we search and finally found them on the soldier's corpse and we opened the gates which led us to a storage room.
"Maybe we can find something useful, like potions." I said.
"Good thinking. It will help us for sure." Agreed Ralof.
We searched all around the place, opened chests, looked on tables, everything. I found some healing potions, Radolf found three bows and some arrows, adn Hadvar found a bag full of gold and three bags he shared between the three of us.
"It will help us when we'll leave this place." He said before we leave the room thanks to a door that led to some stairs. We walked down them and the more we went down the more we heard fighting noises. We prepared ourselves and rushed down the stairs and find ourselves in another room.
"Troll's blood... it's a torture room!" Said Ralof.
"I wish we didn't have to use them." Said Hadvarin in a low voice.
I saw that the Imperials and the Stormcloaks were dead, the only one barely alive was the torturer himself, he was old and he glared at us especially at Ralof to be more precise. I walked toward him, seeing his wounds. There were too much and plus it seems his foes hit deadly parts of his body. I looked at my comrades who understand what I was going to do and nodded. I raise my sword and in a merciful strike, I killed the torturer. Did he deserve it? I don't know but one thing is sure, I will not let anyone suffer, the consequences of his life actions will be judge by the gods.
I spotted on a table a particular book which gained my attention, its title was: Book of the Dragonborn. When I opened it, I saw while reading that there was some kind of prophecy but I didn't understand... I didn't get the idea and couldn't understand any words in it. When I looked up, I saw Hadvar And Ralof managed to break the lock of the door. At the same time, I heard the dragon roar again, the earth was shaking cause of the powerful roars this beauti- Wait! What am I thinking?! I really need to get rid of my silly thoughts.
"Good, now we should get out of here." Ralof said and so we followed him in the little entry which led into a cave. Inside me, I hoped it was the right way even if it was the only way. We soon came to a bridge we crossed but yet again the earth shook because of the dragon's shout I heard again but this time big rocks were falling on the way we just came from, letting us with only the choice to advance.
"Well, now we can't go back anymore... let's move on." I said. In front of us was a way where I could see a brook ran down. We took this path but more rocks were on our way so we tried to put them somewhere else until I saw a path at the right.
"There's another path here." I said to get their attention. We took it, praying it was the right one. After some time, we arrived in an area with a lot of spiderwebs and Akatosh knew what creatures were living. I slowly looked up to see spiders falling from the ceiling.
"For the love of Mara... why?" I hate spiders. I always tried to ignore and dodge them when I could, these things can overwhelm you in the blink of an eye, and also they are disturbing when you looked at them, can you blame me to hate them?
We fought for quite some time until Hadvar killed the last spider. We quickly walked out of the area, making me quite happy to finally leave this place behind me but we came to a little place where a bear was sleeping.
"Here are our options: we sneak past this bear, hoping it doesn't hear us... or you guys think it's your lucky day and we take it out with our bows." Hadvar said to us. I looked to Ralof, seeing he was tired just like Hadvar was showing on his face. I thought that we already had a difficult day and we fight a lot. I think it's time we go out of here now.
"Let's try to sneak past it. We already had a tiresome day." I said and they nodded. We successfully sneak past the bear, reaching the way leading to the outside world.
"Here is the exit! I knew we could make it!" Said Ralof, without hiding his happiness and joy. Hadvar and I did the same with smiles forming on our faces. By the gods...
Suddenly, we heard the dragon roar loudly again and the sounds were coming to us so we hide behind a rock, seeing the black dragon flying away from us.
"I think it's truly gone now." Said Hadvar. He then turned toward me.
"You know, you should join the Imperial Legion. We need people like you." I was taken back by that. I didn't expect someone to say I have the capacities to join the Imperial Legion but a part of me didn't want to, I don't think it's my place and truthfully I don't know if I really want to join this war. Ralof who heard that turned toward me as well.
" Don't listen to him, Sparax. You should consider joining the Stormcloaks we need warriors like you." He said.
"I-I... I'll think about it but truthfully... I don't think I will have my place on any of your sides... I just want to live my life." I said without hiding anything from them, they saved me so they have to know.
"I must thank you for saving me... I think I couldn't have survived without the two of you back there." I said. They nodded and smiled at me but the look on their faces showed their disappointment for not being able to convince me but I know they will respect my choice.
"Very well, Sparax. Down this street, there is a little town named Riverhood, I think we should go to it. I need to talk to my uncle about what happened." Said Hadvar.
"And I need to see my sister." Said Ralof. I smiled at them.
"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!" I said before we started to make our way toward the town. I know that thanks to this day, even in these difficult times, Ralof, Hadvar, and I developed some sort of friendship in the adversity and this... it makes me smile.
Somewhere else, Alduin, the World-Eater, decided to take some rest after coming back from the town she burned to the ground. She thought about him, the Dovahkiin. She tried to understand what happened. When she went to this town, it was to kill him before he could do anything to stop her but when she arrived, she saw him who was about to get his head cut off and before she did anything, she heard him telling something in an unknown tongue, even for her. She heard him because she was hiding in the clouds and so it helped her to approach the joor without being spotted. But when she landed and her gaze fell upon him, it was like the time around her stopped, her eyes piercing through his, this feeling was strange to her but she dismissed it, and when she finally trapped him she taunted him, saying he was weak but it seems he didn't understand any of her words. What actually confused her was, when he was panicking his fear took over his body and she saw the tear coming from his eye and falling onto the ground, he started to smile, a happy smile and then he started to say something: 'Maybe... just maybe... lat ayh avhe anukwas. Kulkodar.' What was this language and what did he said, he was just showing happiness before the very same being who was about to kill him!
"What is wrong with you, Dovahkiin? Why were you happy when you were going to die?" Said Alduin but she knew she will not have the answer right now, she has to be patient but right now she had other things that needed her attention and one of them was to revive her fellow dovah but she knew that she will see him again... very soon.
Hey guys, thank you for reading this first chapter. Like I said in the story description, it will be a Female Alduin x Male Dragonborn/Dovahkiin. I hope the sentences with the dragon's language were correct and I hope you like them. Also, I bet you asking yourself what the heck our dear Sparax just said in his mysterious language but I will reveal it in future chapters.
Also, here the translations of some sentences. I used Thu'um. org if you asked but don't hesitate to tell me if you see something wrong in the dragon language.
Dovahkiin: Dragonborn.
Fus Ro Dah: Force Balance Push (the Unrelenting force shout)
Yol Toor Shul: Fire, Inferno, Sun (fire breath shout)
Kolos los hi, Dovahkiin?!: Where are you Dragonborn?!
Het hi los, Dovahkiin: Here you are, Dragonborn.
Fin Kel tinvaak do aan sahrot kendov. Pah zu'u koraav los aan sahlo joor ko hi: The Elder Scroll talks about a great warrior. All I see is a pathetic mortal in you.
Joor: Mortal(s)
Dovah: Dragons