1st POV.
I remember getting stabbed by some delinquent in a dirty and unkempt, seedy alleyway, the reason of it was that I'm saving a girl from being mugged by the thugs, that or worse, sigh, to be honest, the reason why I saved that girl was beyond me, I don't even know her personally, I only know that she's a popular girl in my university, and now I'm lying down in a pool of my own blood.
"W-wake up! Please wake up!" demanded the girl, I can vaguely hear what she's saying, but it was fading. I-it's so cold here, and painful, but all of it was replaced by the nothingness of darkness, I can see practically nothing, my five senses is not working at all, I don't even think that I even have a physical body anymore for that matter.
It's rather ironic in a way, I was the most pragmatic and superficial of all people, for me, honour and chivalry is for the knights of old, but I doubt that even they abide to that particular ideal, history is written by the victor after all, just like Samurai, it was said that they were honourable, but in truth, they were mostly, lying and treacherous bastards, instead, Shinobi that is said to be a lying and cheating dishonourable people was actually loyal to a fault, like the famed Hattori Hanzō.
And such is human nature I suppose, I would never thought, not even in my wildest dream that I would save someone, to be truthful, I would rather kill and destroy rather than save, I wouldn't even bat an eye if the world is literally burning to ash, so long as there is consumptions, bed, internet, and devices like smartphone or laptop, I wouldn't care.
But, I am honestly content in a way, for saving her, I don't tolerate rape and sexual assault, because it is violating the individual rights, and I absolutely adore personal space, and to see someone violating it is boiling my blood.
Heh, I wasn't such a heartless asshole after all, as I 'see', the void is endless, nothing in sight, nothing to hear, nothing to taste, nothing to- well you got the idea, huh, this is really getting to me, I'm speaking to a non-existent audience.
The void is literally consuming me, before I could do anything, I lost my consciousness and the last thing I remember was a distant voice speaking, a slimy yet detached sort of way, "Ah, a mortal has passed through my realm once more."
It then began to reveal itself to me, it's form is that of a disembodied tentacles and eyes centered around a black and oily substance, its eyes is looking through my soul, like its judging me for something, but it stroke me with a sense of familiarity, like I knew this, being.
Then I remembered, it was Hermaeus Mora, a deity character from the immensely popular video game series called The Elder Scrolls, it has 5 main game, starting with TES : Arena and ending with the most popular franchise, Skyrim.
Herma-Mora is a Daedric Prince of Knowledge and Fate, an immensely powerful sphere to rule over, and now he's here?! "Indeed, mortal, you seem to know of my, existence." I realised now that I'm truly dead and I'm somewhere within the wild plains of the void somewhere.
"I realise this moment may not be the most convenient for a heart to heart, but I had to wait until your, friends? or otherwise occupied,"
"Still, mortal, your presence in itself is, interesting, and you made ripples in fate just by you saving that girl."
'You mean that, I did the right thing by saving the girl and getting myself killed in the process?', I asked him inaudibly.
"If you desire to know, she will become a healer or doctor in your phrase, she regrets the event of your death and desire to save everyone, a noble goal yet a naive one at the same time, on the righteousness of your action? Right or wrong and good or evil is simply a term made by mortal to maintain their incredibly fragile society."
'I-I see.', "When I plucked you from that alley you died in, I acted in the face of, objections, that you were a mere child and of no practical use to anyone, I have learned to ignore such naysayers, when, quelling them, hm? Was out of the question." he said in slow yet terrifying tone as his many eyes bored into my own, as if looking at my very soul.
"Still, I am not one to squander my, investments, and I remain confident that you are worth far more than the initial, appraisal?" He said to me in a slimy and oily way.
"That is why I shall offer you a deal, you see mortal, I've seen too much alternate reality in which you don't exist in mundus, and it is always relatively the same with a little changes from time to time."
"You can change that with your foreknowledge of this universe, of course, I must now extract from you some small form of repayment owed for your own survival in this new universe."
"See to it that you made safely to the Helgen Keep, Mr. Hiroki."
"I wish I could do more than keep an eye on you, but I have agreed to abide by certain, restrictions?", he said to me in an tone not reminiscent like that of a normal human.
'I am going to be reincarnated in Nirn?!' I don't know if this is a good thing or not, on one hand I hate my normal and boring life, on the other hand I don't even know if I'm even ready to jump on a warrior life, hell, I'm only a university student!
"Well now, I shall send you to Nirn, and prepare for unforeseen consequences." he said as his voice is getting far away as I thought, I can hear a terrifying laugh in the distance, an involuntary shiver escapes my non-existent body, just what is greeting me in the other side?!
1st POV.
I stirred in an uncomfortable seat as a huge headache hit me out of the blue, it's like experiencing hangover for the first time all over again, but I don't remember drinking at all, then a series of memories stroke me, I remembered the conversation with the Daedric Prince, Hermaeus Mora, how he send me to a new world for me to live a second chance.
I opened my eyes and saw a cobblestone road, a carriage and felt that my hand were very much bound like I'm a criminal, and it was bound with dirty rope. Then I see people I am so familiar with from the game Skyrim, Ralof, Lokir, and the Jarl of Windhelm and leader of the joke of a rebellion, Ulfric Stormcloak himself, there was only one thing that I could say, "Fuck."
"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 there." said Ralof, repeating the same phrase that were memed over and over again, should I act like Joseph Joestar and said, 'Your next line is bla bla bla' but I don't want to act like a smart ass.
"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!" Lokir said, I have to wonder, is he an imbecile? Hammerfell is so far away from the pale pass, and he thought to go to Hammerfell of all places.
"You there, you and me- we shouldn't even be here! It's these Stormcloaks that the Empire wants!", said Lokir, looking straight at me, "We're all brothers and sisters in binds now, thief." said Ralof, with a defeated tone, like he wants this clusterfuck to just end and go straight to sovngarde, I almost had the same idea, it's a shame that I'm far from being a nord, feasting and drinking mead for eternity doesn't seem so bad after all.
"Shut up back there!" commanded the Imperial soldier, I always play as an imperial legionnaire in my game, but now I think I should just leave the Empire to its measly and miserable state, and wait until it was consumed wholly by the Aldmeri Dominion, I am by no means, fond of the Thalmor, but like, I understand where they come from, if I am a proud Altmer and then out of the blue, some Human with an Anumidium came to my home to ravage and conquer it, I will be sure to hate them.
"And what's wrong with him, huh?" said Lokir tactlessly, pointing to Ulfric Stormcloak, I just kept silent and gave no response with my well kept emotionless visage. "Watch your tongue, you're speaking to Jarl Ulfric Stormcloak, the true High King of Skyrim!" pointed Ralof, with anger visible in his eyes.
"Ulfric? The Jarl of Windhelm? You're the leader of the rebellion. But if they captured you... by the Gods, where are they taking us to?!" asked Lokir, becoming more terrified with every second passes. "I don't know where we are going, but Sovngarde awaits in the end." said Ralof, far from being comforting.
"No this can't be happening! This isn't happening!" Lokir said in panic attack, my sadistic side commanded me to make him panic more, and that was the time that I say something.
"Relax, there's nothing special about being born, not a thing, most of the universe is just death, nothing more. In this universe, the birth of a new life on some corner of our world is nothing but a tiny, insignificant flash. Death is a normal thing, so why fear death?"
I said a phrase straight from the mouth of Johan Liebert, main antagonist of Urasawa Naoki's masterpiece, Monster, with a charming smile in my face and a half-lidded eyes, it must be truly terrifying in Lokir's eyes, terror visible in his eyes, Ralof also looked at me strangely after I said that.
"Hey, what village are you from, horse thief?" Ralof took the time until Lokir calmed down significantly to say that, I understand though, no one wants to deal with a man with a panic attack, with my sadistic side satisfied, I relaxed in my bench in this horse-drawn and slow going cart and closed my eyes to ease my headache.
"W-why do you care?!" Lokir responded aggressively, "A Nord's last thoughts should be of their home." Ralof said calmly. "Rorikstead, I'm... I'm from Rorikstead." Lokir said with stutters. I then saw the cart coming down through a quite large town or village, depends on whose asking, I saw an Imperial soldier walking to Imperial General, Tullius.
"General Tullius, sir. The headsman is waiting." the soldier said with a professional tone, as expected of a soldier coming straight from an empire similiar to Rome. "Good, let's get this over with!" The General said with a rather coarse tone, but I guess he has no time for pleasantries, especially to convicts.
"S-Shor, Mara, Dibella, Kynareth, Akatosh, Divines, please help me!" Lokir prayed to a Gods that won't ever answer, he should know better that praying to the Aedra is very much an exercise of futility, especially Lorkhan, since he is dead, but he wouldn't know that, and I dare not say it in such a, public, environment.
"Look at him. General Tullius the Military Governor. And it looks like the Thalmor are with him. Damn elves. I bet they had something to do with this!" Ralof said hatefully as he encountered the General and the soldiers. "You shouldn't exe-" Elenwen said to a mounted General Tullius, but I was too far away to hear anything coherent, or important for that matter.
I heard some mead brewery owners said something to his child, to not watch us being beheaded, but once again I can't hear him, many town dweller then began to murmur and whispers to another, I can't hear for a certain but I heard "Stormcloak scums!".
The carriages then were lead to the centre of the town, afterwards it was stopped.
"Why are we stopping?" said Lokir with a new sense of panic, tactlessly, Ralof pretty much said, "Why do you think? End of the line. Let's go. Shouldn't keep the gods waiting for us."
"No wait! We're not rebels!" Lokir said with panic plastered over his average visage, "Face your death with some courage, thief!" Ralof said to the horse thief, seemingly irritated with Lokir's ceaseless complain.
"You've got to tell them! We weren't with you! This is a mistake, it must be!" requested Lokir, frustrated and filled with panic. One by one, the rebels and criminals were called by the Hadvar and the rude imperial captain, I can't wait to be called and escape this city, more importantly, escape Alduin.
"Ulfric Stormcloak, Jarl of Windhelm. Step forward." Hadvar called the Rebellion leader, he steps down from the carriage, still gagged and bound, his eyes showed nothing of interest, and I can't read him well.
"Ralof of Riverwood, step forward." Ralof glared hatefully to Hadvar, he then steps down from the cart, still glaring, I can somewhat understand that, Hadvar and Ralof grows up together, but politics and war separates them, how distasteful, I too hate war, it is simply not productive.
"Lokir of Rorikstead." Hadvar called the thief. "No, I'm not a rebel. You can't do this to me!" he says in his climaxing panic state, he then ran away from the carriage with his bounded hand, it wasn't very effective I tell ye, he was shot by an arrow while he was running, exactly like the game.
"Anyone else feels like running?" no one does and everyone stood with a grim silence, I almost laughed at the situation, but practice made me not do such a tactless thing, "Thought so." the captain said quietly.
When everyone in my carriage had step out of it, I was then called by Hadvar using the classic dialogue, he looked at me with perplexed looking visage, understandable, since my look is vaguely Asian, but I'm not 100% Japanese, my father is from England with my paternal grandfather being French and my mother is a mix of Dutch and Japanese, so the closest race I can get to is Breton, they named me Hiroki Francois, grandma were a noble descendant, though to be honest, nobility means nothing in the modern era, especially since France is a republic.
"Wait. You there. Step forward. Who are you?"
I walked up to Hadvar and introduce myself, "My name is Hiroki Francois, I am a Baron of a minor noble house in Wayrest at High Rock, there must be a minor misunderstanding for me to be captured by Imperial Legionnaire." I said with as much bullshit that I can currently muster as I try to be as calm as I could.
"I-I see.", stuttered Hadvar, he was seemingly convinced by my bullshit word, "Captain, what should we do? He's not on the list." said Hadvar, with worry etched on his tone, I know what the captain will say and I know for certain that I won't be decapitated, well, I hope so.
"Forget the list, he goes to the block!" I glared with as much hate as I can muster at the captain afterwards, and keep glaring, "By your orders. captain." Hadvar said with regret, it can be seen as it was written on his face. "I'm sorry Sir Francois, We will make sure to return your remain to Wayrest." I just nod at his word, a frown embedded on my face.
I then saw one of the stormcloak soldier laid down on the execution stone, a priest of arkay tried to recite the script to send souls to peace, but the stormcloak soldier just said to not be long and 'be done with it', the executioner, with a terrifying clothing, came down with a huge axe to decapitate the man.
"Follow the captain, prisoner." commanded Hadvar, "To the block, nice and easy." I walked to the execution stone and lied down myself, still the captain fucking kicked me down to the stone, how rude of her, I will make sure to torture her if I see her again in these parts, the executioner came, when he wants to swung down his axe, a roar came, I know that Alduin will save me.
"What was that?!" the executioner said, shocked by the roar, but Tullius will be dismissive of him, "It's nothing! Carry on!" Tullius commanded the executioner, but the roar came down a second time, and this time they will be more alert, "There it is again. Did you hear that?" said Hadvar, starting to panic by the roar.
"I said, next prisoner!" said the captain, irritated by the lack of progress, the executioner then swung his axe the second time, when it almost reach my neck, Alduin came down from the sky and sit in the tower, creating a shockwave that knocked the executioner down from his post.
Alduin then shout, creating his meteor shower, at the same time it killed the executioner, I saw the chance and began running towards the tower that housed Ulfric and his soldier temporarily while Helgen was engulfed in chaos.
I didn't follow Ralof, but I still climbed the stairs of the tower when Alduin destroyed it, I then jumped to the inn then went down the stairs when I saw Hadvar saying something, "Haming, you need to get over here. Now!" he then lead Haming, the boy to himself, "That a boy. You're doing great." Hadvar said to the boy, Alduin then lands behind the man that is supposed to be the boy's father, Alduin breathed fire and killed the man.
Hadvar saw that and in the moment of shock yelled the man's name, "Gods... Everyone get back!" Hadvar said to the civilian that is still in the proximity, Hadvar then notices my presence and said "Still alive, prisoner? Keep close to me if you want to stay that way." he said to me, I ran to him and stayed behind him, "Gunnar, take care of the boy. I have to find General Tullius and join the defense." he said to another man, and Gunnar? said "Gods guide you, Hadvar."
I ran with Hadvar through the wall and through the nooks and crannies of Helgen, towards the keep while avoiding the rubbles created by Alduin's wrath, I then saw Alduin near a particular wall, and Hadvar shouted to me, "Stay close to the wall!" Alduin breathed fire towards one of the houses and went away, "Quickly, follow me!" Hadvar said to me after the famed Nordic pantheon went away from the wall.
We go through the ruins of Helgen, once pristine it was now burning with hellfire created by the harbinger of the end times, if I have to be sincere, Alduin absolutely terrifies me. Hadvar and I then at last came to the keep, we saw Ralof with some Stormcloaks fighting the Imperials and Alduin.
"Ralof! You damned traitor. Out of my way!" Hadvar said angrily to Ralof who is blocking his way, he pointed his sword at him. "We're escaping, Hadvar. You're not stopping us this time." Ralof said, ignoring the angry Hadvar, he then ran into one of the entrance, "Fine. I hope that dragon takes you all to Sovngarde." Hadvar curses the Stormcloaks.
"With me, prisoner. Let's go!" Hadvar pointed his gaze towards me and direct me to the keep entrance, I entered it with Hadvar with him opening the way as my hands are still bound by this accursed rope. "Quick, I can cut you loose inside the keep." said him, while we run towards the entrance.
We went inside and rested for a bit, afterwards Hadvar began walking towards me, "Looks like we're the only ones who made it. Was that really a dragon? The bringers of the End Times?" he said to me, "I think so, but why did that accursed dragon had to strike Helgen of all places, I would be infinitely happier if it strike Alinor instead." I said to him, I then stand up, "Hadvar, can you cut down this binding for me?" I asked him, "Yes, of course." he took a dagger and cut it off.
"Ahh, that is quite pleasant."
"Mr. Francois, are you really a noble from high rock, and if I may, why is it that your name a tad bit strange?" asked Hadvar regarding my true identity. "Yes, I am, or, perhaps I used to be, before I was exiled by my house that is, so I suppose no, you can instead call me a scholar, and about my name, let's just say that my parents are quite obsessed with Akaviri culture, hence, my name." I lied, well, not entirely, I just described a half-truth, "By the way, you can just call me Hiroki, I never was one for properness."
"Very well, you can open these chests to look for a proper clothing and a weapon, tell me, what kind of weapon are you proficient in?" asked Hadvar regarding my combat capability, "I am capable in sword fighting, I would choose a sabre if there are any and a long bow, I also prefer light armour than heavy armour, they restrict my agility."
"I see, thank you Hiroki.", we walked to the gate and there is no one and there was no way to open it, I then look for a key or some other way, even if I know every nooks and crannies of Skyrim, this is a real world now, not a video game one, restricted by the incapability of rendering too many details.
Sigh, How I wish I could have just arrived in a city or something, rather than in a prisoner carriage.
End.
Author's Note
I hope you like my new story, I want to write this from so long, but I only gotten the time to write it now, please read and review, I'm always welcoming constructive criticism, ja ne.
Word Count : 3,810.