A/N: It's been a long week, and I got another page in. It took a bit longer than the last one, I also felt this one was a little rushed so I'm going to fix this one up this weekend, and possibly next week. But that doesn't mean Chapter 5 will be postponed. Actually, I'll try to get it done by the end of the month, as well as edited. I should also probably find a Beta that could help me with this as well. But until then, I'll edit this one and write the next.


Chapter 4 - Under the Hood -

Once again, I'm back on the road, catching up to Hadvar after using the trees once again. It was a quiet walk between the two of us, and it was not just the language barrier between the two of us. Once going through the Keep an the caverns, we both started to distrust each other; me when looking at the monstrosities the Imperials did in there, the torture chambers, the dead bodies and skeletons. Seeing it in the game was one thing, it was a game, taking the coins and bone meal for cash and potions, it didn't matter. Here on the other hand, it was sickening, the smell of death and rot was all around, and besides taking weapons and stuff like shields or books, nothing too personal, I couldn't really rob from the dead, it just felt… wrong.

As for Hadvar, I think it still has to do with the fact of what I am, whatever I am to him. For whatever reason, me being a necromancer, a foreigner, whatever, him being on the Legion, I thought he would be more tolerable.

Or maybe I'm not understanding the situation all the better…

I saw the look in a few people's eyes, on both sides of this war, the Stormcloaks, the Imperials, with Hadvar and the Imperial Captain, to the Stormcloaks. Truly, I don't truly understand my problem, and I don't truly know, it could be the English language itself. Sure, its history is parasitic, taking words from other languages to make it their own, but maybe I'm not understanding their history.

I am a foreigner after all.

Turning around, I could see in the distance, a black column of smoke rising up to an orange sky. As most of the day have already rolled on by, which is no wonder I'm so exhausted. I haven't eaten that much, and I've already emptied my stomach… and my bowels on today's events.

But I've gain enough information; the who, what and when to my surroundings have been answered. Yet, to me, the cost has been immeasurable, as my whole situation looks disastrous. I could help but sigh out of all of this, and apparently it caught the attention of Hadvar, as the corner of our eyes connect. We both said nothing, which I guess is what is holding what little of this alliance and trust we both have on each other.

I'm actually glad he hasn't just left me after running off, but I can't keep thinking that this is everything from the game, and if I keep doing that, it's eventually going to kill me. That thing with the spiders, there weren't much in the game, and the keep was so much different than what I remembered. I probably wouldn't have made it out- no, scratch that, wouldn't have survived with Hadvar's help. The man would've left me dead, especially the way he reacted a few times down there.

That wasn't another thing that I couldn't help myself on, as I can't forget everything I saw. The fires, the amount of death, the fighting. Not only that, but as the adrenaline was running off, my mind had also came back to the amount of people I killed… the eyes. I shook my head, and started rubbing my face… yeah, I have got to be really exhausted to be feeling this shitty.

So the only thing I could do was walked quietly beside Hadvar, and beside him because I think he doesn't want his back turned to me. Doesn't matter, and I walk beside the paranoid man, keeping my eyes on the road, and sometimes on the sky, seeing the orange sunlight flare over the mountains. The sound of birds chirping in the trees and water flowing below us.

As we make another turn, I could see something in the distance, a faint flash of light, and a small line flying into the sky. I look over to Hadvar, as he looks over at me, and the light fades. Before he even knew it, I took off running, only to hear him chase after me. Twisting and turning down the road and pass columns of trees, I eventually go down the winding road down what looks like a sharp drop to the flat land on the side.

I eventually stop around a corner, my eyes catching sight of something… quite fascinating. Three stones peaking out of the ground in a circular fashion; the three stones of the warrior, the mage and the rogue- or thief depending on one's philosophy. My eyes captivated by the two stones, and every step I take towards them, a feeling draws me closer. Up the steps, my eyes are warped at the rogue stone, as a soft haze of green lightly illuminates around the edges and markings. A hand rises, stretched towards the illuminating and rough surface. The markings grow lighter, and then rockets off into the sky- a crinkle of energy warps around the stone. As the light fades, I look over at the markings once more, then back to Hadvar as he looks over at me, his mouth forming a thin line over his rough growing beard.

He says something but I didn't hear comprehend it, but would properly think it was something similar to the dialogue in the game. Speaking of the game, I turned to see a set of stone pillars off the side of a mountain, curved over like the skeletal remains of a beast; Bleak Falls Barrow. Hadvar looked over in that direction as well, and probably started explaining what it was, despite the language barrier. He's either talking to himself or explaining the ruins across the river, but if he's letting me know it could be that he's starting to warm up to me.

Who knows, in the end we started moving along, at first a walk, and we're probably going to have to set up camp soon, unless Hadvar wants to move even through the night. It'll probably make the journey even more dangerous. As the last light peaks through the mountains, we came across the remains of skinned wolves laid across the road. Hadvar took out his sword, and I did with my axe. But apart of me wonders if this was the company that was ahead of us. Our journey was a slow walk at first, Hadvar keeping his eyes out on the forest edge, me doing the same.

We didn't spot anything, didn't see anything, despite how hard it has become due to the shadows of the night. Still, we kept moving, despite the light and as the two moons journey over the mountains and into the sky, they provided enough light the illuminate the lands, with a little help with the aurora in the sky.

The stars twinkled behind the dancing bands of light, with the occasional clouds blocking the sky. It made things quite unique, but I couldn't get my head back into the clouds. My eyes started searching the forest's edge once again. Checking for anything out of the ordinary, anything moving in the shadows, anything watching us.

It was like this for many minutes, we walked throughout the night, and despite the scratches and bruises. The exhaustion was starting to get to me once again, and I guess Hadvar could start to see it too as we stopped for a moment near some large walks off to the side of the road. In a moments rest, we once again started walking, and I could understand why we need to keep on moving.

The predators are out tonight, waiting for some form of easy prey, we've been fighting, and surviving against a dragon attack only hours before. Fighting against dragons, spiders and Stormcloaks, we me, especially tied and was about to be executed by decapitation. I haven't eaten much, nor drank an water as much either. Either still having stomach aches and terrible diarrhea due to a form of lack of immune system.

Throughout this journey, I could hear my stomach turn in growl, constantly in pain. The spring water in the cavern was already contaminated by blood and bodily fluids of the dead, something that doesn't look welcoming to drink. Hopefully by the time we get to Riverwood, we'll have something to eat and I can try and adjust to the land much better.

Hopefully without incident…

The journey has been tiring throughout the night, and I've been disoriented for quite a long time, not even knowing what the time was. I know it was late into the night, maybe even quite early into the morning. We know we were almost there, seeing the village of Riverwood in the distance, about another mountain or two to go. The faint light and the walls easily recognizable between the mountainous forest of blue and black. The only light coming from the moons help illuminate the way but now already overhead the sky and descending towards the mountain tops.

Our ears have always been sharp to the dangers of the forest while our eyes scan the trail for anything that'll attack us, whether it were bandits or wildlife. I'm just glad I have somebody to journey along with.

A sudden growl in the forest stops me, my eyes widen, and apparently so did Hadvar. Our eyes started scanning the dark forest, slowly getting darker due to the descending moons. There were scuffling around us, bushes being moved, the clatter of feet and more growling. Suddenly a howl, my eyes widen; wolves.

Just what I need to deal with, I could see shadows moving beyond the treeline. Small beady eyes illuminate in the darkness, with more howling and growling. I took the bow off my side and took an arrow out of the quiver, hanging just below my backpack on my lower back. Notching it with the blow and pulling it back to my lip, I aimed steadily towards one of the beady eyes near the treeline. Hadvar slowly took out his sword and I gave him my axe before taking out my own weapon. I just wish I had that shield, before it was smashed by the fucking Stormcloak a while back.

We kept our eyes looking at the wolves, only seeing six beady eyes in the darkness, three wolves, I slowly turn around looking around on the other side of the treeline, seeing nothing but empty darkness, nothing behind us, and nothing on the road. It was just the five of us, I turn back to my target, my arm starting to shake from the stress of the string. My eyes quickly looking to Hadvar, then back at our targets. We both don't make a move as our enemies slowly move closer, stepping into the illuminated light.

Their fur dark as the night itself as we could see them showing their teeth, drool hanging over their mouths as to probably not having something to eat for days. As the last one got closer, we started to slowly move back towards the edge of the road opposite to us. I then hold my breath, and calmed my nerves, the shaking faded slightly, and in that moment, I released my arrow, sending it straight to one dog's eye. The wolves pounced, one going straight at Hadvar while the other coming straight at me. I'm glad I was wearing a brace, as to what the Legionnaires wear, and with my free hand went to protect my neck as the wolf bites down on my forearm, sinking it's teeth into the brace as I could feel the pressure on my arm.

The intensity of the pain made me scream as I started to fight off the wild dog, trying to hold off the shaking of it's head, as the pain somewhat intensified. My other arm punching it in the head and letting the bow go, I grab onto the fur and turn the beast over. My arm grabbing the wolf's snout and pulled off the top end of it's mouth relieving some of the pain, gripping the top end as the wolf struggles underneath me. My right arm free, still in pain but numb, and as I quickly grab the jaw with my injured arm, before it snaps at my other hand, mostly my fingers. We changed positions once again, I get both arms around it's neck and before it could struggle anymore, a quick twist, the animal falls limp in my arm and I throw it to the side.

My arm started to ache in pain, rushing my other arm over to the brace, feeling it wet and warm. In the moonlight I could see the brace worn and shredded, and as I slowly and painfully take it off, I could see the damage. In the moonlight were dark marks and streaks across my pale blue flesh, and from the looks of it grey bruise marks near them.

The sound of struggling brings me back to the danger we're not out of yet. Turning my head towards the fight before me, seeing Hadvar fighting back the wolf, it's eyes set on Hadvar, and as it pounces once again, I see the man lift his foot kicking the beast in the jaw and then beat it over the head with the hilt of his sword, the small ball sticking from the end smashed into the wolf's skull, probably killing it instantly.

The wolf falls flat on the ground, twitching a little before completely going still. I looked back at the beast, then to Hadvar. He nodded to me which I returned, and with that, we gathered our stuff and started heading off down the road.


I could see the village from just around the corner, as the light just starts peaking over the horizon of the mountains. The pain in my arm aches and have been aching for what felt like hours, though the pain finally subsided into more of a dull throb compare to the aching and and sharper pain it was in earlier.

My mind was hazy, tired, and my body was beyond aching, it was now just dull, numb and heavy. I can feel my mind wander much more often, and a part of me just doesn't mind it, it didn't really matter. The wolf attack was the only thing we found ourselves in, but no other problems fortunately. My eyes land on a figure walking along the walls before disappearing into the village. Nothing happened after that but I didn't really mind it. We reached the walls, and into the village, nothing truly going on, as I could see a group of people in the distance go into the tavern. Small farms further into the distance as the village looks a bit larger than what I remember from the game.

Then again this is no where near the game. Everything is different!

The true facts that I've read on my phone says that the size of Skyrim is probably around the size of Washington, with a much colder and harsher climate, like that of the tundra of Northern Canada or hell, Siberia sounds more accurate. Though I think there's more life, more dangerous life in Skyrim compare to Siberia.

The point of the matter is that everything is much different in compared to the settings from what I remember from the game. Everything is extraordinarily bigger, there's a lot more people compared to the twenty or thirty people you meet per city or village, the war has probably have made everyone more paranoid, and everything here is meaner, nastier and quite paranoid.

Especially in these harsh times…

I've survived this far, and escaped the jaws of Alduin himself, but I know for a fact that I'm far from invincible. In a matter of fact, I'm actually more vulnerable than invincible, but all of that can simply change due to a little training in using a few weapons and a few tricks. That and know some good people; mentors, companions, celebrities. And from the light I saw last night, from the stones, as the Dragonborn isn't too far behind. Now all I have to do is find the bastard.


Hadvar introduced me to his uncle, saying a few things (probably telling him that I'm mute and deaf), whatever he said, Alvor nodded to his niece and then looked to me, with… sympathy in his eyes. You have got to be kidding…

The two of us shook hands as we both went inside. From the looks of it, the family was starting to have something to eat. Though if I remember right, breakfast wasn't a big thing in medieval life, or I'm completely wrong, who knows. But there's food out and Alvor's daughter and wife were sitting at the table. The mother, Sigrid, was her name, was questioning him, from the tone of it, that was until she saw Hadvar and I.

It was then that Sigrid got up and hugged the man and was immediately asking questions. After a small exchange of pleasantries, the four of us sat down at the table, Hadvar immediately started eating. I would've as well… if it wasn't for my stomach, I started nibbling at the food around me, focusing one thing at a time as I try to understand the conversation at the dinner table. The child started asking something, I can't recall the name but she intervened as well, but whatever she said lately she pointed to me, then seeing her family scold her.

I guess whatever she said was quite rude… and speaking to me.

Getting their attention, I shook my head and smiled at the child. She's innocent, not compared to the older natives in this land, as one group did try to behead me… but that was probably for an entirely different circumstance.

I'm just glad to have played the game to understand that the Legion were trying to get rid of Ulfric Stormcloak in order to end the civil war, but I do frown at the extremity of it all. Nobody was spared in whoever was caught during their snare. Prisoners, innocents, petty thieves, the rebels, Imperials were killing us all to end the war. Unfortunately for them, their plans were thoroughly crushed by the World Eater himself: Alduin.

Which practically shows us how much their Gods really do love them…

Well, whatever I was thinking about, the family continued on in their conversation, and whatever they were saying threw me out of my line of thinking with a word like, kray, or kra, like I said, I didn't really understood it.

What I did understand was whatever the family was saying, made Hadvar stand up from the table. His fists were white, clenching as hard as can be, and before I knew it, there was yelling involved. Hadvar snapped and was walking around the table. Alvor and Sigrid were up as well, following the child and I. Alvor got in his nieces way, blocking the entrance to the door. Again there was more yelling, but it was one word that made me understand what's going on, one name.

Ralof.

The two must of had one hell of a history together, they've probably been friends at one point living in this town, that was until the war drove them apart. If I remember, Ralof joined the Stormcloaks because of the Thalmor, taking his mother or aunt from him, while Hadvar's father was a soldier to the Empire. It's like these two were meant to fight against each other, like the cheesy Stars Wars Episode III, but in a more fantasy sense, and one that actually made sense.

Another thought flashed in my mind, the Dragonborn, or who I think is the Dragonborn. Is he still here? Has he already gone off to Whiterun, or have gone to retrieve the Golden Claw from the market clerk… what's his name?

It doesn't matter, what matters is that the Dragonborn is here, possibly here. I look over at Hadvar seeing him trying to get around Alvor, his aunt and cousin standing at the table still, his cousin near her mother, as fear starts to dread in her eyes. It slowly dawns to me that this is slowly descending out of control.

I walk over to Hadvar and put my hand on his shoulder, he stops trying to argue over Alvor's voice. He slowly turns around, at first staring down at me, of course I'm smaller than he is, about a head shorter than he is, and slimmer than the average Nord, and a more athletic-built. I could slowly start to see the man's confusion as time starts to pass, the family around us looks at me, wondering.

"Ralof… no." I simply say, he probably won't understand me, but I can try and make him understand. I started shaking my head, then pointed over to his aunt and cousin, they're still looking at us, ready to see if one of us starts battling with each other with our fists.

Hadvar simply looks at them, and slowly starts to grasp, as the whole situation dawns on him. It would've been much worse, the fight between the two former friends would've ended with one's life, and would've scarred the village with another casualty to war. I walk over to the table taking two mugs, and handed one to Hadvar. He didn't do anything at first, his eyes still conflicted to either go after Ralof or take the mug.

His hand grabs his mug, and with it, I could help but get a hearty laugh, "Today, we eat and drink!" Colliding my drink against his, as he draws it back, again confused but I could see the atmosphere ease, and Sigrid and her daughter relaxed. "And you, I pointed to Hadvar, will go to Solitude, to talk to Tullius, Alduin!" The Legionnaire looks at me in surprise, as well as the family, "Alduin has return," I then started to point at the two of us, "we will go to Whiterun, then Solitude, and talk to Tullius about Alduin's return, we will stop him!" The same hand clenches into a fist, "Alduin!" My hand clenches in dramatization, yes I feel like a ham for doing this, but how the hell am I going to explain this to the man in front of me.

I walk back to the table, taking one of the knives, and went to my backpack, taking out my… yes, it's still there, my iPhone. As I started looking through the contents, I could see the family looking at me curiously. As I find what I was looking for, I go in front of Hadvar, then, jammed my knife into the floor, and started carving into the wood. The family started to rush forward but Hadvar yelled, probably said something like stop, or wait!

Didn't care…

The letters were etched into the wood, as the symbols were formed, the four of them looked on in curiosity. "Dovah speak, Thu'um!" I said to them, "The Dragon language." I said more to myself, I look back to Hadvar, lifting one finger, "Whiterun, first," then the second finger, "then to Solitude and General Tullius." If he didn't understand what I was saying, then he understood what it meant. Whiterun first, Solitude and his general second.

"But first, we'll eat, and rest for a moment. And hopefully, I won't shit myself later today." saying the last part to myself, I look back at him and crashed my mug to his, then started drinking the ale and walking back to sit back down on the table. The rest of the family, plus Hadvar, were busy looking at me, but the tension was gone… good.


Hadvar's POV

The tension eased off after the foreigner, Connor explained what we were going to do next. Explaining that we will go to Whiterun first, then to see Tullius in Solitude. But the languages he knows, and the fact that we've seen Alduin, the World Eater. Then what we saw was true, and that it really is the End Times. As we all ate around the table, my uncle explained to me a request he wants me to do. To go to Whiterun and send a garrison of guards to defend Riverwood, from any dragon attacks.

My eyes draw back to Connor, strange as he knows the dragon language and from the sounds of it, daedric of all things. If he knows what we saw then and there, then there's something truly going on and I need to know what we're up against. If either the Stormcloaks, or the Thalmor have unleashed the World Eater upon us, or even the Daedric Princes themselves, my eyes draw once more upon the man drinking his ale and eating slices of goat. If Connor himself let upon the World Eater's return, I will draw this sword through his foreign gut. But I must keep an eye on him.

We stayed a little longer, but Connor had gotten up and from the look of it shook my Uncle's hand, he then bowed a little to Sigrid and Dorthe taking a mage's hood, he put upon his furs, he tilted it a little, reminding me the look of the thief, and the stone he touched from the Guardian Stones. Truly, ever since I've first set my eyes on him, he gives off an ominous and mysterious air. Even knowing my name, without us knowing each other.

He must've known it from somewhere else, a fellow Legionnaire, from the reports, he was captured by Stormcloaks out in the Eastramarch, hiding out in a farm. The Stormcloaks say that he was a necromancer, due to the evidence they found in the small cabin. With evidence of the body of a Dunmer, he was to be put on trial before Ulfric and probably hanged. Little did they know that Ulfric was drawn to our trap at Darkwater Crossing.

When Tullius was going to do the honors of beheading Ulfric and his men, my superiors would agree to kill the crimes of the others as well. All but the one man, Andrel Deep-Raed, besides his innocence, he didn't object, and was quiet. It was then he joined Ralof, with the boy, Saeta I think his name was. That was then, I was left with Connor… Kon-Nor. It was a strange name, follow by a strange small man, this Connor.

It was then Connor started heading out the door, and started heading across the street, to the Redwood Trader. As I followed, I could hear arguing, seeing the familiar faces of Camilla and Lucan.

"Well one of us has to do something!"

"I said no! No adventures, no theatrics, no thief-chasing!"

"Well, what are you going to do then, huh? Let's hear it!"

As the two were arguing, they failed to see Connor standing there, with his hands behind his back, and a mischievous look in his eyes. I stood beside him, and as the arguing was getting louder, Connor made a strange coughing sound, snapping the two owners from their fight to see us standing at the doorway.

"Oh, uh- a customer. Sorry you had to hear that- Hadvar is that you?" Lucan's eyes widen upon seeing me, as did Camilla's.

"Hadvar?" Camilla ran over to hug me, me doing the same, she reached back, a smile plastered on her face. "It's been so long."

"Yes, it has, though I wasn't the only one." My eye falls back on Connor who was looking at Lucan, or rather his desk. The man had a pile of septims sitting on the counter, he swipes one.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing-" the man stopped as Connor puts a hand up, stopping the man, he then put up the middle of his fingers in a hawk claw like motion and starts tapping them on his desk. At first Lucan had no idea what in oblivion he was doing, neither of us did.

"What's uh… wrong with your friend, Hadvar?" Camilla asked.

"Don't know- I mean, he's a foreigner, he doesn't speak the basic Cyrodiil's language." I told her, she looked at me for a moment and looked back at him.

"I said, give that back!" Lucan called out as he leaned over the counter trying to grab at the foreigner. The man literally smacked his hand with his head before he did the same motion once more, tapping the desk, then put the septum in his face. Whatever he was doing, it looked as if it finally dawned on Camilla."

"Wait, does he know about the Golden Claw?" she asked. Lucan's eyes widen, as well as mine, the memory of Connor speaking in front of me, calling my name as I check him off the list. Though it wasn't his name, it just had the words necromancer on it.

Camilla walked up to him, "Do you know where the Golden Claw is?" she asked, putting out the three fingers like he did. Connor smiled, as he nodded his head lightly, "You know where it is?" this one didn't really quite reached Connor. Of course he said something in his language. He then pointed to Himself and I and did the same routine. It was then everyone's eyes widen, even mine.

What about Alduin, or Whiterun?

"Hadvar, would you? I've… got some coin coming from my last shipment. It's yours, if you can bring my claw back." I was speaking to me, I looked over at Connor as he looked back at me. I… I really don't know what to do, or what to say.

"I- yes, no problem." Lucan started to smile at that, and laughed as his luck turned around.

"Alright, thank you! Now, if you're going to get those thieves, you should head to Bleak Falls Barrow. You should know where it is, right buddy?" Wait… those words. The blood drained from my face, I could hear a hold in chuckle, looking over to see Connor looking at me with barely hold back laughter.

He knew…

Composing myself, I nodded, "We'll get it as soon as possible." With that we headed out of the store and to my uncle's to get our things. Turning my head, I could see Camilla and Connor right behind me.

"Wait, Hadvar, let me at least walk you towards the right path." I didn't reject as we both headed out of the village and over the bridge. It was a walk's away, the path shorter than what it was when we all were younger. When we got to the path, we all said nothing, that was until Camilla spoke first. "The Barrow is on this path up the mountain, you'll be there by sunset."

"So, you've been there." She said nothing, but gave me a smile.

"Thank you again, both you and your friend Hadvar." She looked at him and smiled, the smaller man nodded and started walking up the hill. I soon did the same, "Be safe!" I looked back, seeing the worried look on her face.

"Don't worry, just get back to the village before Lucan starts looking for you." I get a chuckle at that from this distance, as I could see her walk away. A lot of memories, of all of us; Camilla, Lucan, Ralof, Gerdur, Hod, Sven. I turn to see Connor still smiling.

"And what in Oblivion are you smiling about?" He turned as if, he heard me, understood me.

"Thu'um, Dovah speak." My eyes widen, as I could start to hear him, the words he were using. He picked up a rock from the floor, "We'll go after the Dovah Stone, before Dovahkiin. I will not allow the events to start yet…"

My eyes widen, and for the first time, I could understand the little foreigner. My ears didn't deceive me, and I don't understand how or why it's happening. But I was correct about one thing, his presence was ominous.

I have to keep an eye on him...


A/N: Now please don't hate me for throwing an unexpected twist on yeah or think Connor has magical powers. Jut letting you know, there's nothing special about Connor, in a matter of fact, he's as special as you and me. Knows how to use weapons once trained, or if has previous training, and can sneak around. Like I said earlier, will be editing this one up and will be making the next chapter.

If you know any good Beta's, please let me know. Hope you guys like it, and whatever comments you know please read and review. If you like the story, thank you and Fav/Follow for more. Free internet cheese will be given.