Shattered Destiny
Chapter 33: An Unpleasant...
Slowly I come to, my head pounding, my back resting up against a rail. "Hey you, you're finally awake." My eyes find focus, I'm with three others riding on a wagon, hands bound in front of me, one of them has a gag. A wagon with more prisoners in front of us, and a horseman behind us. "You were trying to cross the border, right? Walked right into that imperial ambush, same as us, and that thief over there." The gagged man, I recognize him.
"Skyrim was fine until you came along, Empire was nice and lazy." The man across Ulfric Stormcloak seethes. "If they hadn't been looking for you, I could have stolen that horse and been half way to hammerfell." He turns to look at me, the hatred melting away. "You there, we shouldn't be here, it's these stormcloaks the Empire wants."
"We're all brothers and sisters in binds now, thief." The man who noticed that I was awake retorts.
"Shut up back there." The wagon driver snaps.
"What's wrong with him eh?" The horse thief asks, looking at Ulfric.
"Watch your tongue! You're speaking to Ulfric Stormcloak, the true High King of Skyrim!"
"Ulfric? The Jarl of Windhelm?" The thief is confused for a moment, before becoming alarmed. "You're the leader of the rebellion, but if they've captured you." Fear takes hold. "Oh Divines, where are they taking us?!"
"I don't know where we're going, but sovngarde awaits."
"No, this can't be happening." The thief slips into hysterics and starts calling the divines one by one for aid.
"Hey, what village are you from, horse thief?"
"Why do you care?" The thief snaps.
"A Nord's last thoughts should be of home."
"...Rorikstead, I'm… I'm from Rorikstead."
"General Tullius sir! The headsman is waiting!" A guard calls out.
"Good, let's get this over with."
The thief slips back into hysterics, breathing quickly.
We're rolled into the village, the townsfolk coming out to watch the precession, and children are sent indoors. The others in the wagon continue speaking, but I've stopped listening. It's not going to matter much in a few minutes anyways.
Before long the wagon stops, and we hop off as per guard orders. Off to the side is an executioner and his block. "Step towards the block when we call your name, one at a time!" A female commander snaps.
"Empire loves their lists." One of the passengers snarks, being the last to get off the wagon.
"Ulfric Stormcloak, Jarl of WIndhelm." A man with a list and quill says, marking the name down as the rebel leader marches towards his death.
"It has been an honor, Jarl Ulfric." This man really idolizes him.
"Ralof of Riverwood." Without a word he pushes past me and towards the block.
"Lokir of Rorikstead."
"No! I'm not a rebel, you can't do this!" And the thief makes a break for it. "You're not going to kill me!"
"Halt! archers!" I watch as he's unceremoniously filled with arrows, and they leave his lifeless body in the middle of the road. "Anyone else feel like running?" The commander asks, quickly losing her patience.
"Wait, you there, step forward." The man with the list tells me, and I comply. "Who, are you?"
"Syl'v." A feminine voice comes out of me, and I don't question it.
"You've picked a bad time to come back to Skyrim, Kinsmen." The man with the list says with pity. "Captain, what should we do? she's not on the list."
"Forget the list, she goes to the block."
"By your orders, captain." He turns back to me. "I'm sorry, at least you'll die here in your homeland… Follow the captain prisoner."
The captain marches towards the block, and like the hopeless sheep I am, I follow.
"Ulfric Stormcloak, some here in Helgen call you a hero, but a Hero doesn't use a power like the Voice to murder his king and usurp his throne." General Tullius tells the Jarl.
Ulfric grunts, unable to speak due to the gag.
"You started this war! plunged Skyrim into chaos, and now the Empire is going to put you down and restore the peace!"
There is a roar off in the distance, I know it better than anyone else, as it's mine… but I'm not alarmed.
"What was that?" A guard wonders aloud.
"It's nothing, carry on." Tullius steps aside the priest, here to give us our last rites.
"Yes General Tullius sir!" the captain turns to the priest. "Read them their last Rites."
"As you send your souls to-"
"Shut up and let's get this over with." A Stormcloak soldier steps up impatiently.
"... As you wish." The priest steps back, and the executioner steps forward.
"Come on! I haven't got all morning." The soldier says mockingly as the captain pushes him down onto the block. "My Ancestors are smiling at me Imperials, can you say the same?"
I look away as the axe falls, and there are shouts for both sides of the civil war. A war that should be over already, but hasn't. "Next, the Nord in the Rags!"
Without a word I step up, ready to accept my fate. But then a Dragon… No, Me. I land on the watchtower and let out a roar that splits the sky open, and my perspective shifts to be back with my original body.
I don't know who this woman is, but I can see the fear on her face as she wasn't expecting to see a Dragon, let alone one that could devour worlds.
I wake with a start in a cold sweat, breathing slowly, but loudly. That dream was so real! It can't have been… was it a vision? But I already remember Alduin's return to Skyrim… Except for the woman, I can vaguely remember it but it was a man ready to die, not a woman, it can't mean anything.
I let out a sigh and jump out of bed to go get some fresh air, the suspense is killing me, I know Grandpa has spoken to my parents and my mentors, but I don't know what was said… And I'm too afraid to ask. The sun is just now rising
I wait nervously for the Samurai to come to our home and tell us to leave, as Alduin poses a threat to their nation that they cannot shelter.
And I agree with them, if I knew how to get rid of him I'd do it in a heartbeat… But I've found no trace of a seal anywhere on my body, not even in my hair so I don't know if I have one.
…
It doesn't mean it's not possible.
"Hey Keiki-kun, no lesson today." Goro-sensei settles down next to me. "What's eating at you?"
I give him a look, saying nothing. You already know why.
"How'd your Grandpa know?"
"I wanted to learn jutsu and showed him my regeneration… and then Alduin slipped in and…" I stop, still ashamed that I let him slip… I've done so well!
"Well, it wasn't too bad, he wasn't shouting that you attacked him in dragon mode." Goro-sensei chuckles nervously.
"What'll happen now?"
"Whatever the Samurai decide… they're the sovereign force of Iron."
People are chosen to rule because of their combat prowess? Then how strong are the Daimyos? "Whoa." Must be powerful.
"You've lived here for three years and you still thought there were shinobi here?" Goro-sensei taps my shoulder jokingly.
"No!" I frown at him. "I knew that."
"I was just messing with you." Goro-sensei says reassuringly, with the hint of a smile. "Everything'll be alright."
"How do you know that?" I ask, genuinely curious.
"... It just will."
"Sounds like you're making things up." I say, returning to my slump.
"No." Goro-sensei retorts, only slightly offended by the remark. "Have faith, not everyone is blinded by a Jinchuuriki for being a Jinchuuriki."
"Just most people." And I'm one of them.
"Keiki-kun, Koi-chan and I have stuck around after seeing what Alduin could do while enraged, and we're not going to leave you for being in a slump because of it."
Thank you. "I wish I could go back to before I learned about him." I sigh wishfully. "I didn't have to worry as much."
"I'd rather you didn't, Koi-chan told me how suicidal you were." He chuckles.
"I've changed since then!"
"Indeed you have, more so than you think."
"Don't feel like it." I mope.
"You have." He places a hand on my shoulder and gives me a side hug. "Was there anything in particular you wanted to learn from Wakuni-sama?"
I snap my fingers.
-48 Chakra.
Summoning is now Level 7. +7 Character XP (181/750)
And my bound blade appears in my hand. "I've heard how versatile the Samurai Saber technique is and wanted to learn it… so I didn't have to use this anymore." It looks like the ghost of a demonic blade, it's unsettling.
Probably because it's mine.
"No one's making you use your Kekkei Genkai, only you can use it."
"Better than being caught unarmed when someone's trying to stab you." I remark.
"I'm sure there's someone in Fire who only fights with Taijutsu, no kunai, no swords." He says thoughtfully.
I look at my mentor like he's lost his mind.
"I'm serious, I've heard that there's a few people in Fire who don't use ninjutsu." He insists.
"How is a fist going to help you when someone can paralyze your body with Genjutsu?" I question.
"How is the Samurai Saber Technique going to help in that case?"
I take a deep breath, defeated. "I don't want anything to do with my Kekkei Genkai." I finally admit.
"No one's making you."
I slap my neck as I'm bitten yet again. "I swear I've got some snow bug on me." I grumble.
"No insect could survive in this cold." Goro insists.
"Well what else could be biting me?"
"The cold."
"It's not the cold!" I insist yet again. "The cold feels like you're being constantly gnawed at, this is instant and painful."
"We didn't find any insects on you yesterday, we can check again later."
"No, but I can constantly see the effects of my Kekkei Genkai, it's impossible to ignore.. And it's tied to the Monster who wants to kill everyone for being inferior to him." I pull my legs to my chest.
"That's not true, you haven't touched your teammates while Alduin was 'in control'." Goro-sensei points out.
"Yet." I correct, closing my eyes to take a deep breath.
"You can't keep this part of you suppressed forever." Goro-sensei tells me. "Eventually it'll boil over to the point where you'll have to acknowledge that part of you."
I don't answer.
"There are people who love you, and are willing to help you through this identity crisis."
"I know who I am!" I retort.
"I don't think you do, and it's eating away at you." Goro says with a level voice. "Are you a boy, or are you a dragon."
"I am Keiki Sekine, not Alduin the World Eater!" I snap, a chill going down my spine as my resolve grows. "I'm going to take a walk, don't follow me." I jump up and leap farther and faster than I've ever dared before, just wanting some alone time to blow off some steam.
And this bug on my back isn't helping at all!
It's when I leave the village that I realize someone's trying to catch up.
"Keiki-kun!" Koi-sensei calls, chasing after me.
"I said don't follow me!"
-52 Chakra.
I throw two Firebolts behind me, destroying the branches I just leaped off of, I really don't want to hurt my old sensei, but I also don't want any reminders. The injured Jonin takes a different route.
-52 Chakra.
I throw more firebolts at the trees I'm leaping towards, aiming to cut off future passages.
-28 Chakra.
And then destroy the branch I used, leaving a wall of fire separating me from her. The injured Jonin stops before the flames, and watches helplessly as I continue leaping away.
I'm not entirely sure when, but I've gone to the stars, irritated I try to leave, but an angry prompt from Tutorial stops me.
You cannot wake now, you are unconscious.
I don't remember falling asleep, didn't even think it was possible to go to the stars while asleep, I wasn't here while I was in my recovery coma.
You have (20) unspent Talent Point(s), would you like to spend them?
"This again? I want nothing to do with you, Tutorial!" I yell at the prompt.
I look down.
Health: 260/260
Chakra: 126/150
Stamina: 150/150
Part of me wishes that I could have left those back when I gave up on all this, but as it's tied to my survival I can't. Don't want to die to a hundred papercuts now do I?
Once again I try to leave.
You cannot wake now, you are unconscious.
"I'll gladly sit here forever if it means that I don't have to bother with you, Tutorial! I know what you're trying to do!" Keep me here until I conform, well I don't want to!
I walk up to the One Handed talent tree, the lines connecting the stars have lit up despite the stars that make them up are still dim, One Handed and Block are the only ones like this.
One Handed is 100, you can legacy this skill and return it to 0, but retain any levels and Talent Points you've earned.
My eyes widen at the implications, and I'm left speechless. If I were to reach a hundred in everything I still wouldn't be done… I sit down, I never actually thought about how long it would take me to actually finish the skills, it took me three years of daily training to reach a hundred in something that could easily be trained, I'd be spending the rest of my life trying to get everything done at that rate.
Wait, I didn't put myself here, so what did? Horror takes hold as realization hits. Alduin.
I want to get out of here.
You cannot wake now, you are unconscious.
I need to get out of here.
You cannot wake now, you are unconscious.
I don't care! I'm not going to let some monster control my body!
You cannot wake now, you are unconscious.
You can't stop me! I close my eyes and then try to force my real eyes open, ignoring Tutorial, as it can't make noises. I won't be a prisoner of my own mind! For my father is the highest of the Divine!
I jolt awake, and then let out a startled scream, squirming out of the grasp of a shinobi andI roll in the snow, as part of my training I take the roll in stride and get to my feet. "Who are you!?" I shout to the air getting to my feet, my hands are bound.
-6 chakra. +8 Elemental Ninjutsu XP (38/300)
-8 health.
I burn my hands while burning the binding off. Quickly I look around at the white expanse while my enemies regroup, they seem hesitant to approach one on one. "Answer me!" I demand.
A swarm of insects erupts from one of the shinobi, giving them a living fog wall to hide behind as it swarms towards me.
"I knew it was a bug!" I snap my fingers and a Bound Blade appears in my hand.
-48 Chakra.
Summoning is now Level 6. +6 Character XP (82/750)
And the other crackles with flames.
-6 Chakra. +24 Elemental Ninjutsu XP (62/300)
I aim my flames ahead and into the swarm, cutting a swath into the encroaching insects, in this cold they can't be out for long or else insect guy won't have any left.
-5 Health. -10 Chakra.
I let out a yelp as a mass of bug grips my leg, thousands of bites and I can feel them drain chakra.
-6 Chakra. +24 Elemental Ninjutsu XP (86/300)
I sweep flames around to get rid of the bugs before they can do anymore damage. Most of the swarm scatters as I burn quite a bit.
-5 Health. -10 Chakra.
But still there are bugs clinging to my leg.
-8 Health. -6 Chakra. +8 Elemental Ninjutsu XP (70/300)
I wince as the flames shoot down my leg, wiping off every bug trying to bite me, or driving them off to rejoin the swarm.
A shinobi bursts out from the swarm and drop kicks me into the mass of black that circles menacingly
-30 health. -60 Chakra.
I charge a fireball and watch as the rest of my Chakra depletes, and fire.
-21 health. -24 Chakra. +63 Elemental Ninjutsu XP (133/300)
The same rage that always comes before Alduin takes over rises, but I won't succumb. "No!" I scream, holding my burned hand to my head, forcing the feeling to go away.
The flames quickly die out and the insects close back in, and I jump straight out of the danger.
Might of Alduin has been added to active effects.
"I DON'T NEED YOU!" refusing the surge of Magicka, but watch helplessly as my health and chakra rise.
I. Don't. Need. You!
The insects are coming for me, and a chain springs from their midsts and wraps around the hand holding the blade.
Letting the jutsu drop, I charge yet another fireball, clench my fist, and blow my hand off, and consequently launching me away from the insects.
Crit sustained.
-60 health. -24 Chakra. +60 Elemental Ninjutsu XP (193/300)
I hit the snow with a roll, holding the stump. I can't keep this up.
And it seems that I don't have to, a tidal wave washes over and slams into the insect wall, devastating the number of parasitic bugs coming at us.
Goro-sensei lands in front of me. "I was going to wait to ambush them, but this works too."
"Why is it that whenever you go off on your own, you always end up with something missing." Koi-sama huffs, finally catching up.
And then Grandpa lands in front of Goro-sensei, Katana brandished. "No one, attacks my family."
Two water Shinobi and an Iron Samurai, eagerly ready to fight six unknown shinobi. "You'll regret getting Iron involved in this war, I can assure you that." Goro-sensei chuckles.
"Are Samurai really that powerful?" I ask Koi-sama.
She nods, bandaging my stump. "I'm betting two days until this heals." she says, only semi joking.