a/n: This chapter covers the rest of the rewritten material. I promise to write and update as much as possible!
"BANDITS!" the carriage driver yelled, "Everyone out! Run for it!"
Everyone on the carriage panicked. I very nearly did too, but I knew that losing my head wouldn't solve anything.
Wielding my iron longsword – the blacksmith in Dawnstar kindly paid his tab with this a week ago and Thoring let me keep it, and even showed me how to use it effectively – I readied myself for a fight. I didn't see archers, so it looked like everyone else was safe so long as I covered their escape.
Or so I thought…
After getting hit in the shoulder, I looked in the direction the arrow came from. There were archers waiting on a suspended bridge further along the road, with the perfect vantage point to snipe any runners. And they were readying another volley! Damnit!
"Archers! Take cover!" I cried, ducking behind a tree.
The people that weren't quick enough to move were mercilessly turned into pincushions. Ouch. Some people were still twitching… How terrible…
How many bandits were there along this road anyway? Did the carriage driver make it out?
My question was answered when one of the archers whistled and a lot of melee-wielding bandits came out from the bushes on the sides of the road.
"One of them got away, but there were others that were quick enough to hide!" one of the archers called down, "Spread out and search for them! They couldn't have gone far."
I looked at the others that were hiding. There were some people that were hit in the leg before they could find cover. There weren't enough of us in good enough shape to carry the injured. It can't end like this..! But I can't just abandon them, either.
I steeled myself for the fight that was coming, gripping the handle of my sword until my knuckles went white under my gloves.
Then, one of the archers further along the bridge suddenly shouted "Legionnaires! They must've been tipped off!"
"Shit! Loot the carriage and run for it!" a woman that seemed to be their leader ordered "I'm not starting a fight we can't win. Let's go!"
Just as they were leaving, arrows started flying after them, catching a couple of stragglers. The ones that weren't hit quickened their pace. We were saved!
"Help!" I called out to whoever was shooting, "Help! We have people injured over here!"
Some lightly armoured soldiers broke through the brush. Archers and swordsmen chased off the remaining bandits while healers came and tended to the people that were still alive.
About half an hour later, we were on a wagon and headed back the way we came. It turned out that we had run into a notorious group of bandits that targeted cargo wagons and public transport carriages all the time. Luckily, an Imperial platoon on the way to Helgen was passing by and the carriage driver had run to them for help.
Unfortunately, they didn't make it in time to save four out of the ten people in our group. All things considered, it could've been a LOT worse, I was told. There was one time when an Imperial scouting party had come across a burning wagon with charred corpses around it. It scarred the younger soldiers for life. Thank God that didn't happen to us…
We were soon within the safety of Helgen's stone walls. It was only then that I saw what was happening. The soldiers that found us were sent to bolster the defences around this fort.
The soldiers were escorting two wagons of prisoners to this place. They were being carted to this side of the fort after coming through the east gate. I could see their hands were bound as they jumped off the wagons to have their names checked off a list.
I could even see a chopping block with a headsman standing next to it. Axe at the ready. I could hear whispers about one of the prisoners being the leader of the rebellion, and he was finally getting what he deserved.
Knowing where this was going, I asked a nearby soldier if there was a way to get a refund for the carriage so that I could be on my way. He took me to an office-looking place where the carriage driver was being questioned by an Imperial Officer, from the looks of her armour.
"Sorry, madam, but you can't leave yet. We have some questions for you, to hear your side of the story." she said when I asked hr if I could leave, "I promise, you aren't being detained. We just need a statement for the records."
"As long as I can sit in here, I'll wait." I sat in a chair against the wall. As long as I didn't have to sit outside…
She had sent the man on his way and was asking me one last question when it felt like there was a tear in the air, and suddenly I could feel several impacts through the ground. A scout ran into the shack.
"Tribune, there's a dragon out there! It's tearing everything apart!"
"A dragon!" she was visibly shocked, "I thought they were all extinct."
"Then it is one angry fossil!" I joked, looking out the door.
There it was. A gigantic, jet black dragon! Breathing fire while flaming rocks were crashing from the sky. How was this happening?
"Can you use a bow?" the scout asked, holding one out, "We need all the help we can get."
I thought about the archery I used to do with my father before…
"I'm rusty at it, but I can give it my best shot." I affirmed, taking the bow and fastening a quiver to my belt. Good quality steel arrows. It would cost a small fortune to outfit every Imperial scout with these.
"You'll need this, too." the Officer handed me a longsword made out of a white steel, "That iron one of yours wouldn't last long before it melts under that dragon's fire."
"Thanks." I strapped the scabbard to my torso while the other two finished gearing up.
We came out of the shack, all guns blazing.
Incredibly, with all the arrows and magic being thrown at it, the dragon seemed to only grow more enraged. Nothing was hurting it!
Then it caught sight of me.
I swear, to any God or Goddess that existed, that the dragon was GLARING at me! If looks could kill, I would be less than ashes under that stink-eye. What did I do to make it mad?
After another ten minutes of pointless aiming and shooting, which got us nowhere, I heard the order to fall back into the keep and get the townspeople to safety. Even though I was just a civilian, I helped cover the retreat, earning myself some burns on my arms from a flame that got too close to roasting me for my liking.
After the door to the keep was shut and barred, the higher up soldiers did a head count.
"Twenty civilians and forty soldiers unaccounted for, sir!" the Officer from earlier reported to a man sporting truly Roman-esque maroon armour with gold trimmings and crimson cloth.
"Damn. We should've retreated earlier…" he grumbled, "How many are injured? Did any healers make it?"
"General Tullius, sir!" another soldier ran up and saluted with his fist over his heart, "eight out of ten people are injured, including three of the healers that made it in here. Orders are circulating to create a triage as we speak"
"Good work on the initiative, Praefect. Keep this up, and you may be promoted when we get back to Solitude."
"Thank you, sir." the soldier saluted once more and went about his duties.
General Tullius called another Officer over, this one a woman that seemed had seen many battles..
"What happened to the Stormcloak prisoners?"
"Gone. Last I saw, they ran into the watch tower next to the Inn. Either they escaped, or they burned with the rest of the town."
"What a disaster…" he sighed, "Any idea how we're getting out of here, Rikke?"
"I sent a scout further in after the head count. He should be back soon with news." she reported.
"Then we wait." General Tullius nodded.
Over the next two hours, the healers saw to everyone they could. The realization of what just happened hit hard, particularly with a young boy named Hamming that had lost his parents. There was talk of him being escorted to his grandfather's shack out in the Rift, across the mountain pass.
Another four hours passed and there was no word from the scout.
"We can't wait any longer. That dragon could still be out there." General Tullius stood, "Everyone, get ready to move. We've been here far too long as it is."
As we went further into the keep, we came across a cave-in, with an arm poking out of the rubble. Digging out the body revealed the scout that was sent to find the way out. He was likely on his way back when the roof collapsed on him. Luckily, he had a piece of paper in his pocket with a map that he drew.
"Looks like he found our way out…" Legate Rikke saluted the fallen soldier, "Divines give you peace…"
All the soldiers saluted and bowed their heads for a moment's silence.
"Let's keep moving, everyone!" General Tullius commanded, afterwards, "There's a way around, if I remember this keep correctly."
The Officer that took my statement earlier walked next to me and talked.
"You were a pretty good shot out there. You should join the Legion! We could always use someone with your skill."
"I'll consider it." I genuinely answered. Being a soldier wasn't my first intention, but maybe a better network would help me find Aaron quicker. Plus, I would also get better sword and bow training than I would as a mere bounty hunter. It was the more logical choice.
"We're based in Solitude. If you want, you could come with us after we get everyone else to safety."
"So, why were you executing all those people earlier?" I asked.
"Haven't you heard of the Rebellion?" the Officer was shocked.
"No. I'm from another continent." I lied, "I was shipwrecked near Dawnstar a month ago."
"You don't say..?" she frowned, "Well… This is a long story, so try to keep up."
As we walked, she told me about how the Great War between the Cyrodiilic Empire and the Aldmeri Dominion, a sect of High Elves that believed they were the superior of all races, ended with a treaty that included forbidding the worship of Talos, a man that ascended to Godhood in the early 3rd Era, after united all of Tamriel under one banner and ruling as Emperor until one day when he was felled in battle. In retaliation for banning Talos worship, a lot of Nords took to worshipping him in secret.
There was no problem until about a year ago, when Ulfric Stormcloak, then a member of the Imperial Legion, and his squadron were arrested in Markarth for secretly worshipping Talos. After he broke out, he started a rebellion that was aiming to not just oust the High Elves, but the Empire, too, weakening the Empire even more.
It all came to a head a week ago when Ulfric entered Solitude seeking to talk to the High King, Torygg. He challenged Torygg to a duel. And he murdered him. Right in front of his wife and Court. This sparked many more skirmishes until the day before yesterday, when he was finally captured in Darkwater Crossing, wherever that was.
Ulfric Stormcloak, Jarl of Windhelm, and leader of the Rebellion, was going to be executed at Helgen for crimes against Skyrim and the Empire.
Then the dragon attacked, leading to the current events.
There were rumours milling around that the Stormcloaks were somehow controlling that dragon, but I personally didn't believe that. The dragon didn't look like it cared who or what it was burning. If it was being controlled, it wouldn't have attacked the civilians and destroyed the town. The Officer agreed with me.
Back to the present, it was found that there was a gaping hole leading into a cave system in the basement of the keep, right past the… torture room… ugh…
The caves were infested with giant frostbite spiders (Yes, GIANT SPIDERS!) and, close to the cave entrance, a bear. There were too many of us to sneak by either confrontation, so the soldiers had to protect the civilians.
When we came out, we were just in time to see the dragon fly away to the northwest. Everyone was relieved that we didn't catch it's attention.
"Alright, everyone, we're off to Whiterun. You can go where you need to from there." General Tullius addressed the crowd, "Anyone with relatives in Riverwood, or knows where to go, they can stay there as we pass through."
"Permission to request leave for recuperation, sir!" a young scout piped up from behind me, holding up his hand.
"…Granted, soldier." the General decided after looking over the scout's injuries, "You've earned it."
"I will stop in Riverwood, sir. I have family there." the scout elaborated.
"Ah, yes. You're Hadvar, aren't you?" realization crossed the General's face, "Send your uncle my regards. My sword has been stronger than ever since he reforged it."
"I'll pass it on." Hadvar saluted and fell back in line.
After that exchange, we got moving again. By the time we got to Riverwood, it was already getting dark. The soldiers decided to camp out while the survivors from Helgen were given money to rent rooms at the Inn.
It turned out, Hadvar was the scout that had come to tell the Officer that a dragon was attacking. After we chatted some, he offered me a bed at his uncle's house, if he were willing.
Not wanting to sleep on the ground at the overcrowded Inn, I followed him to the house by the town forge.
"Uncle Alvor, hello!" Hadvar said in greeting, waving at his uncle.
It looked like Alvor was packing up for the day, his young daughter helping him stow away the tools.
"Hadvar! It's good to…" he paused, "Shor's bones, boy, what's happened to you?"
He'd caught sight of the burns and scrapes on Hadvar's face and arms.
"Not out here, uncle." he shushed, "I'll tell you when we're inside."
"If you say so… but who is this?" Alvor gestured to me.
"A friend of mine. I'll explain when we get indoors."
"My name is Brunhilde. Nice to meet you." I held my hand out to shake his.
"Likewise." he completed the introduction, "Get on inside. I'll join you when everything's packed up for the night."
"This way." Hadvar led me across the porch.
Once we were inside, Hadvar asked his aunt Sigrid for some burn salve and bandages. By the time we were done patching ourselves up, Alvor and his daughter came inside.
"Hadvar, the old lady across the street said she saw a dragon!" the girl said, "Did you see it?"
"Actually, that's what I'm about to talk about…" Hadvar sighed, "Everyone should sit down."
When we were all seated at the table, Hadvar recounted what had happened at Helgen. At first, Alvor and Sigrid thought he was just telling tales, until they saw the serious look on his face and in the tone of his voice.
"If what you're saying is true, then someone needs to warn the Jarl that Riverwood is defenceless." Alvor stood, "We have no guards. I would go myself, but I need to run the forge. Sigrid..?"
"I can't. What if I'm attacked on the road? I only have a dagger."
"Hadvar is the more injured out of us. I'll go." I said, sipping on the cup of water I was given.
"Really? Thank you." Alvor smiled, "If you need some supplies, I'll see what I can spare."
Things were looking up. I wasn't sure when we'd see that dragon again, but I hope it wasn't any time soon. I truly had the feeling that, if I had been alone with nothing to distract it, the dragon would've torn me to shreds and burned the remains for good measure. It looked really angry…
Hopefully, it's not a problem I have to confront. I just want to find Aaron and live my life here in peace.
a/n: And there you have it.
I promise to upload more chapters as soon as I write them.
Undertale fans, keep an eye out for A Peaceful Resolution, coming soon!
GameFan335 signing off for now! :-)