Chapter 1: Unbound
"So you were a prisoner of the Empire because you were caught crossing the border?" Ronan asked.
"Yes. They had knocked me out and removed the fur armor I was wearing to enter the country, placing me in ragged clothes and sandals as they carted me to Helgen with the thief and their prisoners of war. Apparently, this one bitch was determined to have me executed just because I was on the cart. I killed her during our escape, but only because she swung first. Back then, I was paranoid enough to believe she was a Thalmor agent, but she probably was having a rough enough day as it was at the time. I remember the cart ride specifically. It was a foggy morning in Helgen at the time, but evrything became clear when Alduin came down. The first thing I remember was waking up on the cart."
Zacharius woke up to the sound of the wheels grinding on the stones of the road, groaning as he tried to remember how he got into this situation.
Oh, right. He remembered. That's why.
A Nord with yellow hair looked right at him. He was wearing a blue cuirass of sorts, and he held a friendly glance.
"Hey, you." The man spoke towards him. "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."
Zacharius turned his head towards a brown-haired Nord who held a glare on his face towards the man he first saw when he awoke.
"Damn you, Stormcloaks. Skyrim was fine until you showed up. Empire was nice and lazy. If it hadn't been for you, I could've stolen that horse and been halfway to Hammerfell by now."
"We're all brothers and sisters in binds now, thief."
"Shut up back there!" The Imperial cart driver yelled. Zacharius had learned from his father to respect the Imperial Legion's troops and fighting skills, but it was harder to respect them when he was a prisoner on one of their carts.
"What's wrong with him?" The thief asked, nodding towards a fourth man in the cart. His mouth was gagged at the same exact time as his hands being bound, and he wore fancy clothing that only a noble would wear.
"Watch your tongue!" The Stormcloak snapped. "You're speaking to Ulfric Stormcloak! The true High King!"
"Ulfric? The Jarl of Windhelm? You're the leader of the rebellion. But if they captured you... Oh, Gods! Where are they taking us?!"
"I don't know where we're going, but Sovngarde awaits."
"No! This can't be happening! This isn't happening!"
Zacharius found himself in a panicked state as well, but he remained calm enough on the outside. If he actually was going to meet his ancestors, he was going to do so on his terms, like a true Nord.
"Hey, what village are you from, horse thief?"
"Why do you care?"
"A Nord's last thoughts should be of home."
"Rorikstead. I'm... I'm from Rorikstead."
"General Tullius, sir! The headsman is waiting!" An Imperial shouted from within the village they approached.
"Good." A man in golden armor responded. "Let's get this over with."
"Headsman?" Zacharius finally spoke. "My grandfather never mentioned anything about a headsman in his journal."
The Stormcloak looked over his shoulder as the thief tried praying to the gods to help him. "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!"
Zacharius caught a glimpse of the Thalmor before he bowed his head, hoping they did not notice him and tried to take him prisoner. If they knew about him, they probably would try to take him for themselves, and he heard about their torture methods.
"This is Helgen." The Stormcloak spoke softly. "I used to be sweet on a girl here. I wonder if Vilod is still making that mead with Juniper berries mixed in. Funny. When I was a boy, Imperial walls used to make me feel so safe."
"I know the feeling." Zacharius spoke quietly. "I lived in the Imperial City up until now. It was nothing more than a cage. I realized that some time ago."
The cart started to slow down.
"Why are we stopping?" The thief asked.
"Why do you think? End of the line." The cart stopped and the Stormcloak faced Zacharius. "Let's go. Shouldn't keep the gods waiting for us."
"No, wait! We're not rebels!" The thief cried out to deaf ears.
"Face your death with some courage, thief."
"You have to tell them! We weren't with you! This is a mistake!"
"Step towards the block when we call your name!" An Imperial woman barked. "One at a time!"
Zacharius had planted his feet on the ground as the Stormcloak began to mutter. "Empire loves their damn lists."
A young More in Imperial light armor began reading off of the list. "Ulfric Stormcloak, Jarl of Windhelm."
The Jarl walked towards the block with the rest of his people.
"It has been an honor, Jarl Ulfric." The Stormcloak nodded as his leader walked over to the group.
"Ralof of Riverwood." The man reading the list spoke the name of the Stormcloak who had been talking this whole time. He walked over and joined his leader. "Lokir of Rorikstead."
"No! I'm not a rebel! You can't do this!" Lokir attempted to make a run for it.
"Halt!" The Imperial woman screamed.
"What in Oblivion is he thinking?" Zacharius asked out loud.
"You're not going to kill me!" Lokir yelled as he ran for the entrance.
"Archers!" The woman yelled as an Imperial bowman pulled back his string and fired and arrow straight through the thief's back, piercing his heart and traveling out through his chest. "Anyone else feel like running?!"
The man reading the list turned and faced Zacharius. "Wait. You there. Step forward." Zacharius did as instructed and walked forward. "Who are you?"
"My name is Zacharius Morrigan, and unlike the rest of those you have captured, I've commited no crime. I was merely in the wrong place at the wrong time. You must believe me."
"Captain, what should we do? He's not on the list."
"Forget the list." The woman said harshly. "He goes to the block."
"By your orders, Captain. I'm sorry. At least you'll die here in your homeland. Follow the captain, prisoner."
Zacharius looked down in defeat and walked into the group. General Tullius walked up to Ulfric Stormcloak.
"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."
Ulfric moaned through the cloth around his mouth, obviously frustrated that he had been gagged.
"You started this war; plunged Skyrim into chaos! And now the Empire is going to put you down, and restore the peace!"
Suddenly a loud roar could be heard from across the mountains.
"What was that?" The man that had read the list asked.
"It's nothing. Carry on."
The Imperial woman planted a fist on her chest. "Yes, General Tullius! Give them their last rights."
A priestess of Arkay stepped up and raised her hands. "As we commend your souls to Aetherius, blessings of the Eight divines upon ye, for you are the soul of the earth of Nirn-"
"For the love of Talos, shut up and let's get this over with!" An unnamed Stormcloak yelled as he stepped out ready to die.
"As you wish." The priestess spat as he stood over the chopping block.
"Come on! I haven't got all morning!" The woman pushed him onto the block with his head to the side. "My ancestors are smiling on me, Imperials. Can you say the same?"
The headsman brought his axe down hard on the man, cleaving his head off with precise motion. The Imperial woman kicked his body off of the block, and shouts of both agreement and disagreement began to fill the town square.
"As fearless in death as he was in life." Ralof paid his respects to the man executed.
"Next, the Nord in the rags!" The Imperial woman shouted before another roar echoed the mountains; this time much louder and closer.
"There it is again!" The man who had read the list noted. "Did you hear that?"
"I said next prisoner!" The woman barked, as if she wanted Zacharius dead for doing something to her or her family that would leave a personal vendetta.
"To the block, prisoner. Nice and easy."
"As if there was any other way, you stubborn milk-drinkers." Zacharius walked up to the block, and the woman's foot was planted on his back much harder than he wanted it to be. He faced the tower as the headsman prepared to swing his axe.
"What in Oblivion is that?!" A man yelled as a dragon flew up to the tower. The soldiers began talking to each other as it landed on top of the tower, startling the headsman as its landing sent a shockwave across the town.
"Dragon!" A woman yelled. The dragon literally yelled right at Zacharius as a bunch of rocks began falling from the sky. Some were killed by the dragon's first attack, but others began to flee as he switched to summoning fire from his throat. Zacharius himself was laying on the ground next to the body of the man that was killed first. The pool of blood that had flown from his body was pushing closer to his head, and he was afraid to move as the dragon flew overhead.
"Hey, come on, kinsman!" Zacharius lifted himself up as he heard the Nord Ralof call for him. "Let's go! The gods won't give us another chance!"
Zacharius quickly got back up on his feet, using the headsman's axe to free the restraints on his wrists in one swift motion before he sprinted over to Ralof. The man closed the tower door behind him as the dragon had started breathing fire at the doorway.
"Jarl Ulfric, what is that thing? Could the legends be true?!"
"Legends don't burn down villages." The Jarl responded, his voice deep and strong. "We need to move now!"
Ralof motioned to Zacharius. "Up through the tower! Let's move!"
Zacharius followed up the stairs until the dragon bashed his head through a wall, covering a Stormcloak in debris before summoning more fire from his mouth. Zacharius stepped back before the blazing inferno sent him to Oblivion. The dragon flew away when it finished breathing fire.
"Damn. No going up that way."
Ralof looked out the hole in the wall to see a path into the house next to the tower. "Jump through the roof! We'll catch up with you when we can."
"Are you sure it's safe?"
"What? Are you a milk-drinker?"
"What did you call me?" Zacharius growled, looking down at the ground below. "Although..." Snapping out of his negative thoughts, he jumped out of the tower, rolling around on the top floor of the house he jumped through. Parts of it were on fire, and there were plenty of holes from the meteor shower the dragon had caused. He manuevered around the rubble and fire, walking outside through a hole in the wall. The Imperial that had called all of the names on the list was trying to get a child away from the dragon as it landed on the ground. The boy ran towards him as the dragon spewed fire again, burning a wounded man that laid on the ground.
The man pulled out his sword. "Still alive, prisoner? Keep close to me if you want to stay that way." He turned and faced an old man who crouched beside the boy. "Gunnar, take care of the boy. I have to find General Tullius and join the defense."
"Gods guide you, Hadvar." Gunnar responded, taking the boy and running inside the building.
"Let's go, prisoner! We need to move!" Hadvar ran past the burnt corpse of the man, and Zacharius followed suite, knowing that Hadvar was currently his best chance at escaping. They jumped down behind another house, but the dragon landed on top of the stone wall above them. "Stay close to the wall!"
Zacharius brought himself against the wall as the dragon spat more fire at an Imperial archer. "Does that dragon know any more tricks than breathing fire?"
"I don't think it would be wise to ask it that." The dragon flew away, giving Hadvar and Zacharius the chance to run away. They passed by a group of soldiers who had flung every spell and arrow at the beast, but somehow Zacharius knew that wouldn't be enough. They ran for the keep in order to escape, but Ralof appeared out of nowhere with an axe in his hand.
"Ralof, you damn traitor! Out of my way!"
"We're escaping, Hadvar! You're not stopping us this time!"
"Fine! I hope that dragon takes you all to Sovngarde!" Hadvar ran for one door while Ralof ran towards Zacharius.
"Come on! Into the Keep! Let's go!"
Zacharius followed Ralof into the Keep, slamming the door as the dragon landed right in front of it. He panted frantically at what had happened. So strange how the events since entering Skyrim had been so chaotic. He knew his grandfather foresaw the return of the dragons, but he didn't think he would be here to witness it.
Ralof ran to the corpse of a dead Stormcloak soldier. "We'll meet again in Sovngarde, brother." He stood back up and faced Zacharius, who had just got out of his shocked state. "That thing was a dragon. No doubt about it. You better take Gungar's gear. He won't need it anymore. I'm going to find a way out of here."
Zacharius shrugged his shoulders and started to remove the armor of the fallen soldier and place it on himself. He thanked Talos that the armor fit him. The axe, however, was not his favorite weapon. He'll make due with it for now, but when a sword could be found he'd take that instead.
"Any luck?" Zacharius asked as Ralof walked back to him.
"The door's locked. And that gate is only opened from the other side." Ralof cocked his head. "Wait. What's that?"
Zacharius looked to see that the Imperial woman and another soldier were running to the gate. He immediately hid to the side of the wall where he couldn't see them, and Ralof did the same on the other side. When the gate opened, they ambushed the two soldiers; Zacharius focusing on the woman while Ralof fought the man. After a few swings against her, Zacharius went low, knocking the woman off her feet as he delivered a quick death.
"Bitch!" He yelled as he turned to see Ralof finishing the other man with two axes.
"Let's see here." Ralof began to search the pockets of the Imperials as Zacharius headed in the direction of where they came from. Ralof found the key but saw the other man disappear behind a corner.
"What are you doing?!" Ralof whispered seriously.
A second later Zacharius came back around the corner with a sword on his belt. "I wanted a sword. The Imperials use swords so small, they could be classified as daggers."
"I have the key. Let's move!" Ralof and Zacharius went over and unlocked the door, running down the hallway before the dragon knocked down the ceiling in the hallway they were in. Luckily, neither of them were hurt.
"Damn. That dragon is very presistent." Zacharius muttered as they took the doorway to their left. They found a supply room with two more Imperial soldiers, but Ralof and Zacharius made short work of them. Since Zacharius knew how the Legion fought, he could counter their attacks and finish them off quickly. Ralof had likely fought a lot of Imperials in the campaign for Skyrim, but he didn't kill his opponent as quickly as Zacharius had.
"There might be some useful things in here. Take a look around and see if there's anything we can use." Ralof walked over to the door while Zacharius searched the barrels, taking a few apples, potions, and septims from what was left over. He placed it in a small satchel he quickly hooked onto his belt.
"I'm ready. Let's go." When Ralof heard those words, he and Zacharius continued down the corridors to a torture room, where a jailor was fighting against a few Stormcloaks. Ralof immediately jumped in to help his brothers, slaying the Dumner that had threatened the life of his brothers.
"Troll's blood! It's a torture room!" Ralof exclaimed.
"What were you expecting?" Zacharius commented. "The Empire is a lot darker than it was in the days of the Septim dynasty. Even back then, they weren't the prettiest , but at least they didn't use these."
"That cage over there." Ralof pointed. "Looks like there's some gold in there. I think it's locked, though."
Zacharius looked at the lock. "Do you have a set of lockpicks on you, anyone?"
Ralof handed him some lockpicks and he immediately opened the door like there was no trouble. He then took the gold and the robes from the dead man within. He wasn't much of a spellcaster, but he might be able to do something with the robes later. He then saw a book and a satchel on the table behind them.
"We should keep moving." Ralof spoke, but Zacharius rummaged through the bag, finding a steel dagger, a few more lockpicks, and a potion of healing. He placed these things in his satchel and took the book on the table. Realizing it was a book of the Dragonborn, he put it in his satchel, thinking it might be a good read later.
"I'm ready." Zacharius motioned, running with Ralof and the others out of the torture room. It was then that they entered a system of caves, running into a bunch of Imperials that had been waiting for General Tullius to catch up. Instead, the Stormcloaks went and slaughtered them all. Zacharius didn't exactly enjoy fighting his father's men, but his worshipping of Talos was probably enough for the Imperials to want to slaughter him had they known.
"We'll stay behind in case the Jarl passes through." One of the Stormcloaks suggested.
"Very well." Ralof acknowleged. "My friend and I will continue to find a way out."
Zacharius had pulled off a bow and all of the arrows the Imperials had been carrying by then. "Wonderful." He followed Ralof down the hallway to a wooden bridge. Zacharius then pulled the lever next to it to lower the bridge down for them. The bridge came down with a crash, and Ralof charged over it quickly. Zacharius followed and stopped when he heard the dragon roaring again. This time, a rock fell down the tunnel and broke the bridge, and Zacharius was happy he had crossed the bridge before then.
"No going back that way." Ralof muttered. "Let's go. I'm sure the others will find another way out of here." Zacharius followed Ralof through the cave more, running into a skeleton with a coin purse. Being the kind of guy who doesn't leave coins laying around in caves, he took the coin purse, tying it to his belt. When they turned the corner, however, they met a monster Zacharius never encountered in Cyrrodil.
Frostbite spiders.
"You've got to be kidding me." He pulled out his bow and shot an arrow at one, killing it instantly. Another arrow was loaded and hit a second spider in its eye. He pulled his sword out as Ralof caught up, cutting and stabbing two more spiders as Ralof swung his axe at another. Soon enough, the giant abominations were dead.
"I always hated those things." Ralof noted. "Too many eyes."
"What's next?" Zacharius asked. "Giant snakes?"
"Giant snakes with legs and arms, no doubt." Ralof joked.
"That would be horrifying." Zacharius muttered. "It'd be worse if they could take your form after they eat you." Zacharius shook the thought out of his mind, realizing he was talking about the stories of the continent of Akavir. "Let's keep going."
"Right." Ralof put his axe on his belt and continued through the caves with Zacharius. They saw a bear sleeping within the cave, but they snuck around it, deciding to avoid a confrontation they didn't need. The bear stayed sound asleep as they snuck past it, running through what remained of the cave and to the outside world.
"Freedom." Zacharius whispered. However, the roar of the dragon dragged him back to reality as it flew right above them. They hid behind a rock until the dragon flew out of sight into the mountains.
"Looks like its gone for good this time." Ralof commented.
"Yeah. But where did it come from?"
"I don't know. If it weren't for that dragon, however, we'd be dead. My sister, Gerdur, owns the mill in Riverwood down the road. I'm sure she'll be willing to help you out with whatever you plan to do next."
"Good. I was hoping to get to Whiterun to meet up with a friend. He's a roaming trader who has something of mine with him. He promised to meet me there."
"If my sister can help you prepare for your journey, you could be out by the morning. I wouldn't have made it without your help today, friend."
Zacharius laughed. "And I wouldn't have made it without yours."
"So you escaped with Ralof of Riverwood?" Torygg asked. "The one who brought the war into Ulfric Stormcloak's favor?"
"Yes. He was an honorable Nord and I respected the hospitality of his sister. When she asked me to head off to Whitetun to ask for troops, I couldn't refuse. I had planned to go there to meet my friend, a Dumner named Tarius, so I could've also gone in to represent the people of Riverwood."
"There were a few guards sent to protect the town."
"Indeed they did. But on the road to Whiterun was where I ran into two of the people mentioned from my grandfather's journal. An Imperial thief named Errick and a Breton warrior named Akira."
AUTHOR'S NOTE: So I figured I'd hammer out another chapter for this story real quick. I've also completed a good chunk of my Mass Effect chapter for when I update that. The next chapter will introduce the members of the Companions and the Thieves Guild that will follow the Dragonborn. Errick is meant to be the comedic relief of the story while Akira is more of a serious type of character who hides her past from many people. Soon after, I will introduce the elf characters who will reside in the College of Winterhold and the Dark Brotherhood.
Until next time.