Ralof III
What happened that day changed the world as we knew it. It seems odd to say that when we were living in a day when our emperor was uncrowned fighting a war against his own brother and one in Skyrim, against us. We had lived through the assassination of the previous Emperor, and our High King. Now no one ruled Skyrim, and High Elves walked our streets hunting the Nordic sons of Skyrim down. What happened on that hellish day at Helgen had never happened before. It was not someone being born or someone dying. It was not an impassioned speech or the triumphant stand.
It was dragons.
Dragons had not been seen in Tamriel in centuries. A scattered few were still rarely seen two hundred years ago, but none really since then. They had become like a thing of fiction, a mere myth. Soon after that day the dragons would be back in large numbers, like they had been before the Dragon War. The last time anyone had seen dragons in these large of numbers it was the Merethic age.
A dragon, I would later learn it was no ordinary dragon, arrived at Helgen shortly before several of my Stormcloak brothers and I were to be executed. One man was killed before the Imperials knew the dragon was there. We had been hearing it roar since we were still in the wagon, but none of us knew what it was. We thought it was a mountain troll echoing down from the Throat of the World.
It's funny how the end of the world can bring people back together. I had not seen Hadvar since right before he left Riverwood months ago. I had left to join the Stormcloaks soon after, but sure enough he was the one calling out our names when we got off the wagon.
When the dragon first attacked and meteors fell from the sky, the city crashed down around us and we became boys running into bandits in the woods together again. We ran through the city as it burned down. He was doing his best to stop the villagers from dying but could do little to help the people of the town. We rescued a child, but watched as his father was charred to a crisp. I met General Tullius for a brief moment when we split to go into Helgen's keep. He went with his allies and I went with a few of mine.
Pretty dumb decision.
It would have been far smarter to stay together. It would have been logical to set aside our differences and escape the dragon to fight it out later. However, when Ulfric Stormcloak tells you to follow him you do as you're told.
We fought off any Imperial soldiers we met with inside the keep. I am sure Hadvar did the same with any of my rebellious brothers he met on the way. We found a supply room deep beneath the keep where a captain was trying to sort out if they had the supplies to just wait out the dragon. After we killed him, Ulfric stopped to catch our breath and to take their supplies.
"Ralof, who would have thought a dragon would be what saved us from certain death?" Ulfric laughed as he drank the stolen stamina potion.
"So this is really happening? I am not having some terrible nightmare. Dragons… Harbingers of the end times. They are supposed to be legends…" I began to panic.
"Legends don't burn down villages, Ralof." Ulfric glared at me.
As we were talking a roar shook the keep and the way we had come from caved in.
"Well let's hope there's another way out," Ulfric shook his head at the few remaining Stormcloaks. Our numbers would cut down when we ran into the torture chamber. After killing the Imperials in that room and losing two of our own I found a book that seemed to be a mighty strong coincidence.
"Hey, Jarl Ulfric look at this." As he turned I threw him the book."
"Pht. Dragonborn. One hasn't been seen since Martin Septim." He threw the book back down. "Best not to believe in that kind of stuff, Ralof."
"All due respect, my Jarl, but 'that kind of stuff' is tearing through the strongest Imperial presence in Skyrim right now. We need someone like the Dragonborn."
He never gave me a response. He just turned and strode into the next room. It was full of Imperials and Hadvar.
"Ralof, you're alive. By the Gods." Hadvar smiled as we walked into the cave.
"Ralof, you know this Imperial?" Ulfric turned to look at me. His face held nothing but disgust for Hadvar. It did not pass over me that Ulfric was formerly a Legionnaire.
"Yes, my Jarl. This is my childhood friend Hadvar."
The other Imperial soldiers were in edge like the Stormcloaks next to me. Weapons were already drawn from previous fights when Hadvar and I welcome each other.
"Jarl Ulfric, what say you to us not fighting them until we get out of here." I look to my commander.
"Why in the name of Talos would I do that?" He shouted.
"Talos name is why!" I knew I was treading a thin line. "Hadvar believes in Talos, as do most of the Nords in that armor. Ulfric they don't want to fight you. They want to fight the damn elves. Can we please just make it out of here before we start this fighting again?"
Ulfric looked at me for a few moments before deciding to work with the Imperials until we left the caves. If we make it out that is. What no one expected when we left the caves, after fighting together to kill spiders and a bear, was for Stormcloak soldiers to be waiting on us.
"Edric, how did you know where we were?" Ulfric shouted to his illegitimate son.
"I followed the tracks, sir." Edric smiled from atop his horse. "We were ambushed too. Only my men actually won their fight." He dismounted and walked up to hug his father. The two had grown close since the wars start according to all the camp rumors.
"Ralof, it is good seeing you. Horrible circumstances but good to see you. I hope I don't have to unless this war is over or we are drinking in Shor's Hall together." Hadvar warmly hugged me. "Jarl Ulfric, under regular circumstances I know we would be in a fight, but for today I hope we can part as allies. We helped each other live through the first dragon attack since what the Tiber Wars."
"Aye, kinsman. You have earned a break, but know I won't forget you were one of the men who brought me to Helgen." Ulfric looked at Hadvar.
"Let that be a reminder then, Ulfric, whose army is better." And the Imperials left.