Chapter #7: The Price of Faith

They say that Talos, the hero-god of man, once walked the paths of Skyrim. That was long before he would become known as Tiber Septim; the founder of the Septim Dynasty. I had pondered if it was by divine decree that I found myself dwelling in the north. But I put aside the idea. I had never actually been the most zealous of Mer, but I believed in Talos and doing the right thing meant standing by that belief no matter the costs. I had seen the evils of the Thalmor and came to the understanding that if they were against him so adamantly, then he must be good.

The sun reflected a brilliant orange off of the waters of Lake Ilinalta. It was not long after sunrise and I wanted to get on the road towards Riverwood as soon as I could; I had already lingered too long here. It had been two nights since the attack on Helgen and the fisherman, Waylas, had been kind enough to share the days' bounties as well as a campsite. It was a pleasant reprieve, doing nothing but fishing and sharing stories. But it was time I had moved on and the roads seemed to be calling my name. I bade farewell to Waylas and struck out along the beach towards a nearby stone path.

I traveled uphill and into the woods. The road winded and turned amongst the towering pine trees of Falkreath Hold. Skyrim was known for its tundras and alpines. I had yet to experience the tundras, but I placed my on septims on enjoying the forests best. Mer were, after all, stereotypically at home in nature, and I was not exception to that tale. As the sun rose higher into the air, I walked along the stone path. I would reach Riverwood before nightfall.

My path climbed slightly higher and soon a small hill came into view. It came before the cobble road turned and, in its center, was a shrine of Talos. The stone carving stood proud in the sunlight of the morning, with sword in hand and in a constant battle with the serpent carved beneath him. I walked closer, up towards the hill. I wanted to take a chance to pray to my god, but what I found before me shattered my spirit to the core. My heart sank as I saw the dead bodies. They rested in pools of their own blood and were sprawled throughout the clearing before the shrine. It was a massacre.

I strode cautiously and gazed with somber reverence at the sight of horror before me. There were four victims lying dead in the grass with their blood painting the statue of the god they worshiped. Not far from them lay a fifth corpse; a Thalmor soldier. My sorrow turned to anger and my fist clenched. At least the monster was dead. I decided that Riverwood could wait; these people deserved a proper burial.

I only dug four plots. The innocent worshipers would not rest beside their killer. I decided to burn my fellow Altmer, but not before searching his body. He wore traditional Thalmor robes with fabrics imbued with magicka. Within his pocket, I found a letter. It read:

Agent Sanyon,

In response to your report dated 22nd Morning Star 401, your request for an expeditionary force is hereby denied.
Sanyon, this is the seventh report you have filed this month, and not one of your leads - not one! - has turned up so much as a shred of evidence that a Shrine of Talos exists in the Lake Ilinalta region. No prisoners. No documents. Nothing!
Our forces are stretched thin enough as it is, and I have better missions - better agents - to assign them to. If you feel so sure of your informant, investigate this yourself. Come back with proof. Or not at all.
By my hand and seal,

Elenwen

I knew that name. She was at Helgen. I could picture her gaunt, pale face. Elenwen was the Ambassador and First Emersary of the Thalmor in Skyrim, wielding great influence. A power that she would presumably be soon using to hunt me down. I was the personification of everything she hated; a Talos worshiper and a prisoner who escaped her clutches.

It would seem that this Agent Sanyon found what he was looking for and was returned the mercy he offered. I cast a fire spell from my palms, setting his corpse ablaze. As I briefly watched the embers, I thought about the different paths this fellow might have chosen. I also pondered how easily it would have been for me to end up like him. It was not long until his body was ash upon the ground.

Before I set back along the road, I prayed at the altar of Talos. It was a quiet moment of peace, but it did not last long. This dark discovery of the killings reminded me of the vast danger out there. Skyrim was a harsh land; harsher still with conflicts like the massacre at the shrine of Talos. My travels were only beginning though and the Thalmor would soon be on my trail.

Dear Reader,

It has been a while! My schooling has been crazier than usual this year, which is saying quite a bit. But nevertheless, here is another chapter of Boundless Roads! I understood that my previous one was a little too home-y, so here's a little bit more strife. I really hope you enjoy! Not sure when I'll be able to get the next one out, but hopefully there won't be as large of a gap. As usual, if you liked it? Please drop a fave or give a review! Maybe even follow? If you thought something was missing or could be improve? Let me know! Thanks again.

~Kovecs