Upon entering the keep, Ralof rushes forward, and I bar the door and put a chair under the handle for good measure.
I turn, and Ralof is mourning for a dead Stormcloak in the corner: "We'll meet again in Sovengarde, brother."
"Looks like we're the only ones who made it?" I say sarcastically.
"No, he was killed with a sword, see the cuts?" Ralof points. "Some Imperials must have gotten in before us. I hope Ulfric made it too."
"So who was this guy? I don't remember seeing him around the chopping block with us."
"Huh, now that you mention it, I don't either. Maybe a party managed to escape the Imperials at Darkwater Crossing and were coming to help." Ralof sighed. "Either way, Gunjar here won't be needing his armor anymore, and I don't exactly want our only lead dying."
"Aww, Ralof. You care." I smile. Ralof sighs again and walks to the middle of the room.
I poke at Gunjar's body, expecting a loot menu to appear. I pull at his boots, too, and am severely disappointed. "Fine," I whisper to myself, "I'll do it myself."
As I strip Gunjar, Ralof murmurs," So that really was a dragon then? A harbinger of the end times?"
The ground tremors as Alduin flies above the keep, causing me to drop a Fur Boot. I chuckle at his disbelief, "I'd say so."
"We've got to get moving, we're too close to the outside," Ralof turns. "Hurry up and get that armor on and give your sword a few swings. We're going to have to fight our way out." Ralof heads towards the locked gate leading downstairs.
"Cool your jets, Ralof, that gate is locked," I say as I tighten the boots to the best of my ability. "We have to wait until the Captain and her simps come through the other gate. They'll deliver the key on a steel platter."
Ralof futilely tries to open the gate anyway. Right on cue, we hear footsteps through the corridor behind the other entrance. Ralof turns to me in disbelief, "How could you possibly-," sighs, and pulls out his two iron axes.
"Come on, soldiers! Keep moving!" the Captain calls out. I pick up my sword and stretch. "How do you fight in this shit, Ralof? It's almost more scratchy than the burlap clothes." Ralof ignores me, focused on the corridor.
The Imperials finally come into view. "Stormcloaks! They must be trapped! Hahaha, get this gate open, Soldier!" The Captain and her soldiers draw their swords, and one pulls the lever to open the gate.
"Oh no! Someone! Get help!" I sarcastically cry out, "But not for me." I grin as I repeat my stance from the fight with Hadvar.
Both the Captain and Ralof ignore me, and the imperials flow into the room. The Captain locks eyes with Ralof and places her sword on her shoulder plate. "Ralof of Riverwood. I've heard stories of your feats on the battlefield. Let's see if they were all just stories." Ralof stretches his back and enters a defensive stance.
The Captain grins and flips her sword in her hand at her side. "Kill the Stormcloak traitors!" she bellows, charging at Ralof, her comrades following her move.
