Chapter Three:

Tarah ran as fast as her feet were willing to go, every step felt like she was walking away from where she was supposed to go regardless of direction. The floor beneath her felt different than what she was used to, the trees were too different. For many hours she ran, her wolf blood keeping her from tiring to the point that most Nords would collapse.

Even though the dense forest, she could see the sunlight fading away, the varied sounds of animals changed as the darkness set in. Tarah wasn't worried though, her night vision was very sharp, aided by her wolf blood and the many nights she had traveled back in Skyrim, for now, she was more certain that she was not in the familiarity of her home.

By the time she exited the forest night had fully descended, looking up her worst fears were confirmed as not a single constellation was in the sky that she recognized. Worse still the two moons she had grown up with had disappeared.

Falling to her knees tears began to fill her eyes.

"Wragh!" She cried out slamming her fist on the ground, here she was alone in a strange place, with no idea how to get home. "Damiiiiit!" She cried again, slamming her fist once again. She had been to many strange places in her life, but she had always known how she had gotten there. This was different, she wasn't in Tamriel anymore, she may not even be in the same plane of existence either.

"When the lost one run, seeking answers and glory" The memory of what the cat-thing told her came slamming in. This had all happened because she had gotten careless, if she hadn't gotten injured so easily she would have gotten to the scroll in time, she would have been able to help the few friends she had left.

Sofie, Lucia The thought of her adopted children only swelled her tears, she knew that they wouldn't notice her absence at first, they were used to not seeing their mother for weeks as she traveled, bringing back presence and trophies for them. But eventually, they would realize something was wrong, but they wouldn't know what to do.

"At least Lidia will keep them safe." This was her only comfort, her loyal housecarl would provide and protect them, at the very least they wouldn't be alone.

The tears continued to flow, she couldn't remember the last time she had cried, it had been such a long time ago, the sensation was foreign, but she couldn't stop it.

Trying to control her breathing she finally noticed the sound of incoming hooves, the sound of exhausted horse breath became louder, until finally with a "Neigh" the horses stopped. Even though Tarah had not bothered to look up to see the new arrivals, so caught up in her grief and guilt.

Two thuds indicated that a pair of armored individuals had dismounted, the light of a torch slowly broke through her arms, illuminating the floor beneath her.

"What do we have here?" The sound of a man pierced through her ears.

Not bothering to wash away her tears Tarah looked up to see two armored figures approach, they wore red tunics with a symbol of a twisted flame outlined in golden thread, underneath was a line of chainmail, they also wore leather brigandines riveted with squares of steel. On either side of both was a broadsword and the one to her left had a wooden bow and quiver. They were only a few feet away.

"Looks like we might have a lost bandit." The other man with the bow replied.

His partner unsheathed his broadsword, aiming it at Tarah's throat, "Or maybe a rebel." He said, confidence radiating from his voice.

"So what are you?" The man asked, "A rebel or a bandit?".

Before she could respond the man continued, "It doesn't matter, we'll get the answers eventually." The soldier with the bow began to circle behind her, intending to take her prisoner she realized.

With a savage scream, Tarah leaped to the side, rolling on the ground before getting on her feet, pulling out her two ebony axes she eyed both soldiers on either side of her. Managing to finally hold back her tears so that she could fight.

The soldiers who hadn't noticed her weapons in the darkness wisely began to spread out, both broadswords drawn and ready for battle.

Twisting her axes across her wrists, Tarah tried to move into a position so that they would be both in front of her, a tactic she had used against the Stormcloaks whenever she found herself outnumbered.

But these soldiers unlike many of the Stormcloacks knew this tactic and continued to ensure that she would be flanked if she decided to charge either of them.

Realizing that her plan wasn't going to work, she went on the offensive. Feigning to attack the soldier with the bow on her right, she moved swiftly to attack the man on her left. As she had predicted the soldier with the bow had in that instant raised his sword to defend against a strike that didn't come, while the other one had moved to intercept and aid his comrade.

Which meant that he had unintentionally gotten within striking distance of Tarah's weapons. As she raised both weapons to strike his shoulders he barely managed to dodge the first blow, letting her swing fly wide, while his sword blocked the attack of her second weapon. The sparks flew far as ebody metal met against forged steel. The soldier then managed to use the momentum that she had created against her, he managed to trip her, letting Tarah fall and roll on the ground.

Tarah managed to regain balance in time to swing around and see the soldier she had just engaged with was thrusting his sword to the undefended part of her helm. Moving her head out of the way just in time she used her left ax to knock the man's broadsword out of his hand, which landed with a thud a scarce ten feet away.

Then using her other ax she slashed across the man's chest, but the angle of the strike meant that her ax made contact with the most heavily armored part of his chest. There was a screech as the weapon slid across the armor, causing no damage.

Seeing that the man was unarmed Tarah tried to push forward as the man fell back, but his partner had reached them. Performing an overhead swing he forced Tarah back as she dodged the blow. Both soldiers fell back themselves, the archer giving his companion his sword as he himself drew out his bow and prepared to knock an arrow.

The wound on Tarah's stomach began to burn again slightly, grinning her teeth she charged them before the archer had a chance to shoot. The soil dug under her feet as she leaped at the man with the sword, her arms raised to deliver a powerful strike. With no time to dodge the attack, the soldier raised his weapon to meet hers in midair. The hilts of her weapons connected with the blade and the force helped drive her weapons to the man's chest as she fell onto him. But as the ax blades were about to embed themselves on the man's face they suddenly veered away, sinking in the dirt on either side of him.

As this happened the archer fired his arrow and it embedded itself next to Tarahs left shoulder. With a cry of pain Tarah fell to the ground, the arrow snapping underneath her weight. Panting she looked up to see the soldier standing closer, ready to deliver the killing shot, his friend using the sword to help himself rise not too far away from her.

Instinct took over as the man fired his arrow, the world moving in slow motion in Tarah's eyes, "Fus Roh Dah" She shouted, a wave of force and power flying out of her mouth, making both men fly back landing in awkward angles, along with their weapons.

Panting and winded Tarah rose, looking over her foes, the man with the bow had cracked his neck when he landed, blood pouring from the open wound. The other soldier laid not far off, his weapon having cut his leg tendon. Seeing her approach he tried to crawl away, his hands digging deep into the earth as his breath became heavy with sudden panic.

"How did you find me?" Tarah asked as she approached, looking across the surrounding countryside there were no signs of civilization anywhere, the fact that they had seen her in the dark was incredible on its own, but suspicious at the same time. Tarah had too many assassins attack her in more than convenient times to know that such encounters were rarely coincidental, the only complication was that aside from the two guards, she had met a total of one other person so far.

The man continued to crawl away, his pace quickening in panic as she got closer. "Answer me." She demanded, and though it hurt her sides and back to do she kicked him over. His face was one of defiance and terror, the type that came from the fear of the unknown.

"What are you?" He whispered.

Grunting Tarah reached to her back, her hand finding the leftover shaft of the arrow, despite knowing that it was a stupid thing to do as it would have caused more damage in the long run if not properly treated, she painstakingly pulled the arrow from her back. Her teeth grinning as she did, feeling as the arrow cut into her skin on its way back out, and then the release of tension as it popped out of her armor, now replaced by a swelling sensation that was dripping with blood.

More for dramatic effect she inspected the bloody arrow in front of the man, before tossing it away. Focusing her magic, Tarah's hands began to glow gently, the healing spell slowly drawing from her mana pool. Placing her left hand where the wound was, she poured her energy to mend the ripped muscles and tendons, slowly the wound began to seal and soon became nothing more than a scar.

"I am the Dragonborn."