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Begin!
Welcome To Skyrim
Cole Pov
I blinked my eyes once, twice and the bright white spots slowly began to fade away, revealing a slowly shifting landscape. I was sitting down on something hard, the surface rumbling slightly as whatever I was in moved.
Blinking once more, I looked around and briefly took in my surroundings, taking note that my hands were bound in expensive looking rope.
'Wow, this place is really pretty.'
Indeed it was. The varying trees, hills and fauna was truly something I could scarce describe. The detail was amazing.
"Hey, you, you're finally awake!"
Turning to face the voice, I found myself looking at a rugged looking man with blond hair and smudged dirt across his face. Before I could so much as think a reply however, something within me clicked and a wall of text appeared over his head.
[Ralof of Riverwood]
Level – 5
Class – Warrior
Race – Nord
HP – 600
Thoughts – He's wondering why your staring at him like he's grown a second head.
Shaking my head slightly, I attempted a smile and looked back at him.
"Sorry, I'm a little bit dazed."
He smiled back and nodded, his eyes flickering over to my right for a brief moment before returning to me.
"I'm not surprised, when they dragged you on here I thought you were already dead," he said, his eyes looking me up and down. "You didn't move a muscle until just now."
"Ah," I intoned, trying to figure out a response. "Well to tell you the truth, I don't really know what happened to me. Or even where here is."
Ralof blinked. "You don't know where you are?" His eyes shifted over to my right again.
I shook my head and looked at the man who Ralof kept glancing at.
[Ulfric Stormcloak, Jarl of Windhelm]
Level – 50
Class – Warrior
Race – Nord
HP – 6500
Thoughts - ?
I narrowed my eyes at the question marks. 'So I can see his health and race, but not what he's thinking? Curious.'
"What's the last thing you remember, Elf?" Ralof asked, snapping me from my thoughts. "Before you woke up here that is."
I turned and shrugged, not bothering to hide how little I knew. "I don't know anything. I don't know where exactly I am, I don't know where I'm from, I don't even know my full name."
Ralof frowned slightly. "Perhaps you took a hard hit to the head."
I chuckled dryly. "Yeah, maybe."
"I don't know why you're laughing Dunmer." A man I'd not noticed shuffled around to look at me, his eyes cold and fearful. "We're on our way to Sovngarde after all."
'Dunmer?'
[Dunmer is another name for Dark Elf!]
'Ah, uh…thanks?'
[You're welcome!]
"Sovngarde is the true resting place for all Nords, horse thief!" Ralof snapped, his irritation with the other Nord very obvious.
"Well I'd prefer to be resting up in my furs thank you," he snapped back.
I focused on the man and felt the click happen again, easier this time.
[Lokir of Rorikstead]
Level – 3
Class – Thief
Race – Nord
HP – 300
Thoughts – He's terrified about his impending execution.
"We're going to be executed?" I asked, catching Ralof's attention as he nodded solemnly.
"Aye. We were ambushed by the Imperials just before they found you. And given who they've…captured," he spat, taking a moment to glare at the driver before continuing. "It's quite likely that when this ride ends…so do we."
'Wait what?'
So as it turned out, I'd been dropped into this fun and fantastical world only to meet the executioners axe shortly after.
Lovely.
"I am Ralof by the way," Ralof said, nodding towards me. "I come from a village called Riverwood. And you?"
"Cole, and I have no idea where I'm from. I did say earlier."
He nodded as his eyebrow quirked up slightly. "I've never met a Dunmer with a name like that before."
"Guess I'm just that special," I said, chuckling. I turned to look at Lokir. "And you, what's your name, where are you from?"
"Why do you give a damn, Elf?" he spat, twitching in his seat.
"A Nords last thoughts should be of home," Ralof interrupted, his tone remarkably soft.
Lokir seemed to wilt slightly at this, his puffed up posture deflating as he sighed.
"Rorikstead, I'm from Rorikstead. And my name's Lokir."
"Good to meet to you both," I said. The rest of the ride petered off into small talk. From what I'd managed to gather from Ralof, it appeared that I'd landed in some kind of civil war between a faction known as the Imperials and Ralof's which was called the Stormcloaks.
Picking a side right then seemed pointless given that I was apparently about to die. But the Imperials weren't exactly warming themselves up to me.
Eventually Ralof's eyes seemed to flicker with recognition as we neared the gate of a small looking village.
"This is Helgen. I used to be sweet on a girl from here. Wonder if Vilod is still making that mead with juniper berries mixed in." He paused for a moment and chucked to himself. "You know Cole, it's funny. When I was a boy, Imperial walls and towers used to make me feel so safe. Now…not so much."
I didn't really know what to say, but was thankfully saved from saying anything as a couple of loud voices could be heard arguing.
"And I demand you release the prisoner, General Tullius!" snapped a female voice.
"I'm afraid that won't be possible Ambassador," replied a male voice. "We've spent a good many months and soldiers to get to this point. We will end this war today."
"You will regret this decision General, mark my words."
Eventually we crossed through the gate and I briefly caught a glimpse of a very attractive female High Elf on a horse. Her beauty was unfortunately marred by the scowl on her face as she glared at a man in very formal looking armour.
I could only see the back of the man, but even then his posture seemed to exude confidence and command.
I tried to focus and observe them both, but the familiar click felt faint…as if they were too far away to be observed.
'Does the Observe skill have a range limit?'
[It does not have a range limit! It can however be blocked by a few rare methods. The one you are currently experiencing is confinement. You cannot observe another when you are bound unless they are five feet or less away from you.]
'So what you're saying is once I'm unbound I'll be able to use it no matter the distance?'
[Correct! As long as you can see them, you can observe them.]
Inwardly nodding to it, I looked back at my fellow passengers and took note of the fear flickering in each of their eyes. It was barely there for Ralof and Ulfric, but Lokir practically stank of it.
Eventually the cart stopped by a few other carts and a sharp female voice shouted to us.
"Everyone out of the carts, move it!"
Ralof sighed but nodded to me and stood up, letting me lean against him as my as of yet unused legs wobbled slightly.
"Don't be afraid Cole," he said, mistaking the wobbling for fear. "On this day, we go to Sovngarde."
"Do Dark Elves go there too?" I asked, more curious than anything else.
Ralof smiled and nodded. "You die alongside true Nords today, for something you did not take part in. The Gods will see this unjust fate and will surely allow you to join us in feast and merriment."
I smiled faintly. Truth be told, such a fate didn't sound so bad at all.
We stepped down out of the cart until at least thirty Nords and myself stood before a man and a women in clear Imperial Armour.
The man cleared his throat and began listing off the names of the Nords before me.
"Empire loves their damn lists," Ralof grumbled.
"Ralof of Riverwood!" the male Imperial called, his eyes meeting Ralof's with some sort of recognition, though it vanished into a professional indifference as quickly as it'd come.
"Lokir of Rorikstead!"
Lokir was visibly sweating, tears were clinging to the corners of his eyes as he stepped forward fearfully. "Please, I'm not a rebel. You can't kill me for something I'm not a part of!"
The Imperial frowned and I took the brief moment to Observe him.
[Hadvar of Riverwood]
Level – 5
Class - Warrior
Race – Nord
HP – 600
Thoughts – He's feeling really sorry for Lokir.
"I'm sorry Lokir, but you were found in the middle of the skirmish holding a dagger to a fellow Imperial Soldier."
"I was scared okay!" Lokir shouted, ignoring the looks of pity and anger the other Nords were giving him. "I only stole a horse, I'm not part of the rebellion!"
"Then we'll save the local guards a chore and execute you here," interjected the female Imperial. I tried to Observe her but couldn't see her as clearly as I could Hadvar.
Lokir took a step back in fear…and before I could do anything he'd bolted past everyone towards the open gate.
I caught only the barest of smirks on her face before the Imperial raised her open palm and made a gesture to the other soldiers. Two nodded and raised their bows at the sprinting Lokir…and shot him in the back, neck and head.
He dropped to the ground with a distant thud and did not move.
"Fucking hell," I breathed, panic welling within me…before fading into a controlled calm as Gamers Mind worked its apparent magic.
"Poor fool," Ralof said, sighing sadly. "Better to die with your head held high then with your tail between your legs."
"He was scared."
"I know," Ralof replied, looking at me with a glimmer of respect. "You don't look particularly frightened though."
"Death comes for everyone, no point fearing it," I said, deliberately ignoring that if not for Gamers Mind I'd likely be pissing myself in fear about now.
"Spoken like a true Nord, friend."
Now that the commotion was over, Hadvar went back to ticking names off his list until eventually he got to me.
"Wait, you there!" he called, gesturing for me to come closer. "Who are you?"
"Cole," I intoned dryly, watching as his eyes trailed up and down the list before returning to me, confused.
"Are you another refugee?" he asked, shaking his head and continuing before I could answer. "Gods really have abandoned your people Dark Elf."
He turned to the female Imperial which allowed me the momentary pause to Observe her.
[Svelte of Skingrad, Imperial Captain]
Level – 3
Class – Warrior
Race – Nord
HP – 400
Thoughts – You're all disgusting males. She doesn't care why you're here, she just wants to watch all the other men die.
'Okay two thoughts. Why is she so weak and what does she have against males?'
[Congratulations! For being curious, your Observe skill has evolved!]
[You can now Observe deeper into the thoughts of others, allowing you to see not only more of their general thoughts, but their thoughts about YOU in particular]
I what now?
The box of text above Svelte shimmered slightly as the bottom half changed. Peering at it, my eyes widened as I read it once more.
[Svelte of Skingrad, Imperial Captain]
Level – 3
Class – Warrior
Race – Nord
HP – 400
General Thoughts – You're a disgusting male. She doesn't care why you're here, she just wants to all the other men die. Svelte hates males because she used sex to climb the ranks of the Imperial Army. She was too weak to do so the normal way.
Thoughts About You – You remind her of Fintir, the Dark Elf servant she kept in a cage back at her home. Fintir was castrated by her and bled out before she left for her Imperial Service. She is wondering whether it's worth keeping you alive to replace him.
Okay so that explained why she was so under levelled, but more importantly this women was a fucking psycho!
"Captain, what should we do, he's not on the list," Hadvar asked.
Captain Svelte looked at me with a cruel smile…but said smile quickly changed into a far more angry one as she met my hard gaze.
"Forget the list, he goes to the block!" she ordered, sneering at me.
"But Captain, look at him," Hadvar replied, pointing at my shabby clothing. "He's clearly a civilian, surely we can show some mercy. We're not tyrants."
She turned swiftly and walked right up to Hadvar, her face bar inches from his. "I said…To. The. Block!"
Hadvar met her gaze…before looking away and nodding, looking at me sadly.
"I'm sorry. We'll make sure your remains are returned to Morrowind." He raised his voice as she looked at the bound Nords. "Alright, everyone follow the Captain. Any sudden moves and…well, you've seen what happened to Lokir. So don't."
Catching Ralof's gaze, he nodded and we all began shuffling slowly towards a very clear picture of our impeding future. A man with his face covered with cloth stood by a chopping block, holding the biggest, meanest looking axe I could've imagined.
"Well at least it'll be quick," Ralof said, eyeing the axe warily. "That monster looks sharp enough to cut a God clean in two with one swing."
"Bet he polishes that thing all night," I muttered, grinning as I caught his hastily covered laughter.
A few Nords in front weren't so subtle as they roared with collective laughter, a couple looking back at me with an amused glint in their eyes. The Imperials looked baffled at the laughter and one of them shouted for quiet, a couple reaching for their weapons in warning until everyone quietened down.
A man stepped forward and I quickly recognised him as the man the High Elf lady had been arguing with earlier. Taking the moment, I Observed him quickly.
[Tullius, General of the Imperial Army]
Level – ?
Class – ?
Race – Imperial
HP – ?
General Thoughts - ?
Thoughts About You - ?
Almost everything was unknown with this guy. Even Ulfric wasn't this secretive with his stats which could only mean that Tullius had to be more powerful somehow.
Speaking of Ulfric, the man was being pushed forward until he stood opposite Tullius. It was only then in the light of day that I noticed that Ulfric had something wrapped around his mouth. At first glance it looked like plain cloth, but the material was shimmering with some kind of magic.
I didn't know why.
"Ulfric Stormcloak," Tullius began, staring at Ulfric with cold professionalism. "Some here at 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 glared at him and tried to say something, but the magic flashed and he winced in obvious discomfort.
"You started this war!" Tullius continued, not phased by Ulfric in the slightest. "Plunged Skyrim into Chaos! And now the Empire is going to put you down and restore the peace!"
Before any more could be said, a distant roar filled the air. Everyone looked up at the sky, peering as if trying to see where it came from.
"What was that?" Hadvar asked aloud, peering up with the rest of us.
"It's nothing," Tullius said, his voice so filled with command that every Imperial simply stopped looking up and instead turned to face him. Tullius turned and nodded at Svelte, the Captain. "Carry on."
Svelte seemed to swell with pride, and it was only with the knowledge that I'd observed that I knew it to be false. It wasn't pride, it was sneering glee.
"Yes General Tullius!" she cried, snapping a salute before turning to look at a women dressed in robes. "Give them their last rights."
The robed woman moved forward and began to speak, but I couldn't really catch any of it as the Nords began to mutter to one another, their distaste for what she was saying very clear until eventually one of the men began to walk towards the block.
"For the love of Talos, shut up and let's get this over with!" he snapped, spitting at the hem of the woman's robe.
She bristled and walked away, muttering something that I failed to catch.
"Come on, I haven't got all morning!" the man shouted, kneeling of his own volition as he sneered up at the executioner. The executioner paused for a moment to look at Svelte, who nodded at him, and then raised his axe.
"My ancestors are smiling at me Imperials," the man said, his voice hard and yet somehow soft as he closed his eyes. "Can you say the same?"
The axe fell and his head rolled into a large bucket. Two soldier came and took the headless corpse away.
"You Imperial bastards!" a woman besides me shouted, rage clear in her eyes as she glared daggers at the Imperials. A quick Observe gave me the answer as to why.
[T'mara of Windhelm]
Level – 5
Class – Warrior
Race – Nord
HP – 550
General Thoughts – She is beside herself with anger and grief. They just killed her brother, Felkas. Felkas was the one who taught her how to use a sword. He was all she had left of her family and now he is gone.
Thoughts About You – She has none right now, all she can think about is her brother, Felkas.
"I'm sorry," I said, catching her attention as she looked at me with angry, tear filled eyes.
"He's in Sovngarde now, T'mara," Ralof said soothingly, the words calming her down a mite.
"Aye, he is," she replied, her voice tight with emotion. "Fool that he is, always picking a fight. At least now he's with Pa and our ancestors."
"Next, the Dark Elf!"
I froze as the words hit my ears, my eyes moving to look at Svelte as she sneered back at me. Before I could move, another, much louder roar filled the sky.
"There it is again," Hadvar said, looking up with trepidation as he fingered the helm of his blade. "Did you hear that?"
Svelte scoffed dismissively and looked at me. "I said next prisoner!"
Hadvar met my gaze and seemed to sigh inaudibly as he gestured for me to come forward. "To the block prisoner, nice and easy."
I hesitated, looking briefly at Ralof. He smiled encouragingly and gave me a firm nod.
"We'll meet again in Sovngarde, Cole."
I really liked him.
Forcing myself to smile, I walked forward towards the block and turned to face it. Not a few seconds after, I felt a hard boot pressing against my back, shoving me into a kneeling position.
I looked up at the executioner, watched as he raised his axe…and closed my eyes.
…
…
…
"WHAT IN OBLIVION IS THAT?!"
And that'll do for the second chappy!
As always do let me know what you think, I always enjoy a good review and will always address any questions in the next chapter's author note.
Cya, have a good day!