The Tale of Zooryuvokogan
Disclaimer: I don't own Skyrim or anything involved with it.
I wake up dazed in a house and bed unfamiliar to me and I rush to get up, making my head hurt even more. I look around and see a little girl staring me down with excited eyes.
"You're awake! You're awake!" She jumps up and down while clapping enthusiastically. Someone comes up the basement stairs and I automatically recognize it as Hadvar.
"So, you're finally awake, huh?" Hadvar smiles and introduces me to the little girl who's name is Dorthe. Next he introduces me to his uncle and aunt, Alvor and Sigrid.
"When Hadvar came here carrying your limp form, I though his recent girlfriend past out! But that's not the case. Hadvar told me you saved him from the dragon attack in Helgen which is still unbelievable. Thank you for saving him." Alvor finishes his story and tells me that I will always be welcome in his home. He gives me a parting gift of potions and some food for the road.
"Can I have a black cloak too if it isn't any trouble?" I ask politely and they oblige. With the cloak secured around my neck, I gather my things and say good bye to the nice family. As I head out of Riverwood, Hadvar catches up with me.
"Why, if you don't mind my asking, was General Tullius so hellbent on killing you?" Hadvar asks the one question I've been waiting for and the answer he's been waiting for.
I make sure no one is looking and I pull him over to a secluded area. "You can't tell anyone." I wait for him to answer and he gives a simple nod of his head and an "okay". "It all started four generations of my family ago. The first generation was actually a liked clan of mages and battle brutes. They formed the College of Winterhold. The second generation sank half of Winterhold into the sea and then started to be hated. The third generation wanted revenge on Winterhold so they unlocked an ancient but devastating power that turned them into the dragon priests. The fourth generation, which was my mother's side, was cursed by the dragon priests. The curse was 'When wings come unfurled and Alduin rises, the dovah shall follow. The spirit shall be awakened and the form shall be seen. Zooryuvokogan will rise along with Dinoklaaskogan.' My family has generations of hate and curses. General Tullius thinks that my death and Ulfric's will cure Skyrim. Only Azura will know now." I conclude with my story and Hadvar seems to have trouble processing it. Soon, I take my leave and head towards Bleak Falls Barrow. It sounded intriguing and dangerous.
As I walk up the path, I come across a wolf who I slay quickly and three bandits at their camp which I loot when their bodies are still. I travel southwest and sure enough, I find Bleak Falls Barrow along with some more bandits that are no match for me.
I enter Bleak Falls Temple and dispatch the bandits inside. The wind drifts through and the wind howls through this old temple like a ghost. As I trudge deeper into it's depths, things begin to stir from their long slumber. The halls are filled with cobwebs and I watch as a bandit is shot with wall darts. Stupid. The ceremonial room is huge and gives clues to what the puzzle's solution. Don't want to end up like the bandit. On my left, there are three pillars, the first is a hawk, the second is a whale, and the third is also a hawk. I look around the room and spot a glyph on the ground and two on the north wall. It seems that the one on the ground fell from the middle.
The first carving is in a stone man's mouth along with the other two. It is a snake. The one in the floor is a snake and the last is a whale. I match the pillars with the heads and hope for the best as I pull the lever. It seems that I got it right for my life is spared. I walk down the spiral stair case with my weapon at hand. Skeever greet me and I slay them with my iron greatsword.
After the Skeevers are dead, I walk into the next room that was probably an embalming room. Someone shouts for help and I run to their aid only to be face to face with a giant Frostbite Spider. I slay it and approach the one who called for help.
He introduces himself as Arvel the Swift. "You did it. You killed it. Now cut me down before anything else shows up." Arvel gets antsy and I cut him down. "I'm not going to share the treasure with you!" He shouts as he runs down the hall.
I follow him and watch as he is slain by the draugr ambush. Glad I'm not him. I slay the remaining draugr and avoid the clever swinging gate trap. After I take care of them all, I return to Arvel's body and take the Golden Claw from him.
I run down the stairs and dispatch two more draugr but come up short when one shoots an arrow at my shoulder. It hurts but I pull it out and drink a potion for good measure. I sneak to where he can't see me and pull out my bow. One shot to his head killed him instantly.
The set of stairs are useless because they have been caved in. I try my luck with the swinging axes and come out with a few gashes. To my right is the deactivation chain and I pull it to stop the axes. Unfortunately, some more draugr appear and I attack them relentlessly.
I travel the halls while killing the draugr that come my way. Soon, I find a chamber with a shallow river and some coffins, where a draugr awakens. He's dead again before he can strike me. I pull the chain on the wall after looting the chest on my right and I travel carefully down the river so I don't slip. There is a dead end so I turn and walk that path till I get to a bigger room with glowing fungus on the walls that I gather.
As I travel the chamber, the river ends into a waterfall and I follow the path that leads downward. Another draugr dies at my blade and I look next to the waterfall to find some treasure. I climb up again and follow the path, still collecting mushrooms. The walls turn back into the smooth, carved stone and I cut down the restless draugr in the next room. I then walk into the Bleak Falls Sanctum where I come across another swinging axe trap.
A draugr attacks and I attack too. I kill him and two more that appear by shooting the oil lamps down. After climbing up the stairs, I open the iron door at the end of the hallway and walk through to the puzzle door at the end. I move the rings so they match the Golden Claw's markings. The door accepts the pattern of bear, moth, and then owl.
I run in and see that my adventure in Bleak Falls is almost done. The treasure is almost mine. I see what the people of Skyrim call a Word Wall and I bask in its presence, absorbing the shout 'Fus'. A very powerful draugr overlord attacks from behind and I dispatch him while he rises from his coffin.
After I am sure he is dead, I search his body to find the Dragonstone and an enchanted two handed weapon. The Ancient Nord Battle Axe of Cold. I equip this in place of my iron greatsword. Then I raid the area for any good loot and take my leave of this place by climbing up the steps, activating the secret door, jumping off a ledge, and running outside into the fresh air. The musty smell of old bones and rotting flesh was horrible.
I jump down from the rocky crags and travel back to Riverwood. Once I go into the Riverwood trader, I am greeted with thanks that I brought the claw back. After I leave, my journey to the hold city has begun . Next stop, Whiterun.
It smells like burning flesh and the sound of bones breaking when I wake. The pain is all I feel, broken bones is what I hear, rotting and burning flesh is what I smell, flames ablaze in front of my eyes, and the flavor of ash dances on my taste buds. My whole body hurts. Was it a dream? Or was it real?
"Well hidey ho there lass! Your family has been messing with the wrong magicka! And the coming of the dragons will hurt you for sure!" A pale man in ridiculous clothing announces with a heavy foreign accent.
I look around in this gray sort of limbo. It seems to have no end with wolves, dragons, blood, and death around. My attention is zeroed in on this intruder. "Sheogorath, Prince of Madness." I announce harshly to the Daedric Prince.
Sheogorath smiles at his name and my innocence. "Aye lass. Ye better hear this from me before the other shows up." He flicks away some invisible dust and I stare at him.
"So, what do you have to tell me?" I can make a few assumptions but they are probably incorrect. Saying another will come probably proves it. I'm either crazy or in trouble. They both seem self explanatory.
"I'll give ye a hint before my time is up. It is one of the creatures in here, your messed up noggin!" He laughs uncontrollably and disappears from sight. I sigh. That crazy prince never makes sense to me.
A flash of light appears and the slaughter around me disappears. The endless walls turn a soft green that is comforting. "Your curse has rested long enough." A loud voice pierces the silence but no one else except me is here. "I am Akatosh. Your curse will awaken now that Alduin has risen his comrades. It will hurt for a bit until you get use to it."
I look around as the voice is talking. I must be insane. Or this is a crazy dream. The voice laughs and speaks out again.
"You are not insane my child. The path your ancestors chose for you is now clear. Follow it and you will see both life and death." Akatosh concludes and everything is silent.
"Hello?" I ask to make sure no one else has intruded my headspace. Then everything is filled with burning flames and I know it's over.
"Kill it! Kill the dragon!" Someone shouts but I don't know who and how they got to my secluded campsite. Everything is on fire and I feel different. The only thing that worries me is that I'm not me.
"Zu'u koraav nid dovah!" As soon as the words roll of my tongue and escape my lips, I know what has happened to me. The curse. I'm a dragon.
Fearing the worst, I stretch my long scaly wings that use to be arms. My legs are bleeding from wounds a pack of villagers have caused. Can I even speak in my own native language or only dragon? Using the new muscles in my wings, I move them back and forth to take flight. I do not wish to harm these people. My quest is still on but I do not know if being a dragon will make it worse. Probably.
My first flight is horrible. I swerve everywhere and trees seem to be my worst enemy at the moment. Branch after branch, I finally get above tree level and am amazed at the sight. Everything is clear and I can see Whiterun easily with its small stables, meadery, and dots of farms. The only problem is that I have no clue what to do now that I'm a dragon.
I have a job to do and it must be done. To the best of my new found abilities, I land on Dragonsreach's balcony. The sun is now up and it seems to be about seven or so. As soon as get situated, at least 10 Whiterun guards pelt my scaly flesh with arrows.
"Zu'u-" I stop talking straight away. "I am not your enemy!" It feels so weird trying to talk in words that they can understand. The guards stop to ponder this for a second but they continue their attack. "Let me talk to Balgruuf the Greater. Bring him out!" The last part comes out as a sort of growl and at least one of these guards have a brain. He comes back out with the jarl and his housecarl who has her sword drawn.
"What do you want with the jarl you vile worm?" She threatens me as she keeps edging closer and closer.
That dark elf better back off. "I come with news. News that may be hard to handle but believable enough now that I am here as proof." My words are loud and echo through the stony space.
Jarl Bulgruuf the Greater stares in amazement more than fear or the need to attack. "Are you, by chance, the legendary golden dragon of fate? Zooryuvokogan?"
The name from the curse! This catches me off guard and the jarl must take my surprise as a yes. "You have heard of me?" I question as if this was common knowledge.
"I've heard stories of you when I was a child. They say one of your scales is worth enough to provide for a family for months." A flash of greed crosses his eyes but it disappears as soon as it got there.
I roll my eyes and make sure that they can see it. "That's not the point. The dragons have returned. Alduin has returned. He attacked Helgen." I settle down a bit to watch how this affects them. Horror is stricken on their faces and worries me. "I can offer you protection."
"How do I know we can trust you?" The dark elf speaks up again, her tone lighter but filled with worry. Her sword begins to lower too.
"If you do not want my services," I begin to turn around and unfurl my wings to take flight, "I will be leaving." My large teeth peek out from my lips, they can't refuse dragon protection.
The Jarl seems jumpy but he speaks out before I start to take off. "We accept."
Good, only fools would turn away protection from a powerful and trustworthy being like me. "Shoot a ball of fire in the sky to signal me. I will come if I can." I'm about to take off but I want to throw something else in the mix. "A visitor will be coming. Trust in their strength and they will help you." My wings beat faster and faster as my feet leave the porch of Dragonsreach. This flight is less destructive but I crash land on top of Eldersblood Peak.
Frost Trolls begin their attack to defend their home but I quickly kill them with a puff of fire. It wouldn't hurt to try one of these muscly beasts and I do it quickly because I haven't eaten in two days. They don't taste that bad except for their singed fur.
I don't know if I can change back but I'll try. Thinking of being human might help. And it does oddly. I look around carefully as the cold nips and bites at my skin. My old armor from Helgen isn't sufficient enough so I should smith some new steel armor in Whiterun.
It's time to return to the world so I start to run down the peak. I pass a cottage and don't bother to ask for directions. As I come closer to one of Whiterun's field guard towers, the sight I see isn't shocking. The grass is burning and some warriors are trying to survive. A dragon is attacking.
Second chapter. I have so many plans for this story! Please continue to read!