II: Dragon Attack

After a few days of numb shock and despair, I had recovered enough to collect everything of value off the bodies and from our trade goods. I kept some weapons, armor and objects of sentimental value and sold the rest. I was able to live off the money until I had recovered from the shock of everything that had happened. After that, I retreated into the woods and lived off the land, never staying in one spot for more than a week at a time. I would find a small village once a month to sell the deer hides, alchemy ingredients and other valuable things I came across, but that was the only contact I had with others.

And that was how my life went for a full two years after my parents were murdered.

The day that changed everything began just like so many others. I rose with the sun, noted that I was almost out of venison, and set off with my bow and arrow to hunt elk.

I climbed a nearby mountain to survey the surrounding forest. From here, I could see that a road cut through the forest off in the distance. Further on, the forest ended at some kind of settlement. I was making a mental note not to go in that direction when I saw several stags near the base of the mountain, heading in that direction.

I cursed them silently, but set out in pursuit anyway. If I remained undetected, I should be able to take one down before they got near that settlement.

Two years of feeding myself through hunting had left me with decent sneaking skills. I quickly caught up to the deer, remaining undetected. They had stopped to browse a patch of mountain flowers.

I silently drew my bow and looked them over. There was one large stag with enormous antlers along with three young harts with small antlers, probably their first set.

The harts would require less chewing, but the big stag's antlers were more valuable. They were in decently high demand by alchemists. I could probably trade them for a cheese wheel or two. It had been two months since I had eaten cheese.

My mind made up, I took aim at the large stag. He was still contentedly chewing a mouthful of blue flowers. Maybe if I aimed properly, I could take him down with one shot, and those flowers would be his last memory, rather than the fear of being pursued while in great pain…

There was a sudden commotion off in the distance, making the elk bolt. Men started shouting, horses started screaming in pain, and I could hear metal weapons clashing.

To my horror, I realized the fighting was heading my way rapidly. I turned and ran in the opposite direction. There had to be a cave around here somewhere I could hide in.

Suddenly a wall of armed men appeared out of the forest in front of me. They wore the armor of Imperial soldiers. Several bows were drawn and aimed at me.

"Drop your weapon, Stormcloak!" one of the men barked.

I dropped my bow and raised my hands above my head. "I don't know what's going on here, but I have nothing to do with it," I insisted. "I was just hunting for food!"

Something behind me drew their attention a few seconds before I heard multiple voices behind me shout, "Victory or Sovngarde!" I spun around to see a wall of soldiers charging at us with weapons drawn. They wore armor noticeably different from the Imperial soldiers.

Oh, Talos, I'm about to die, I thought as the two sides charged to meet each other with me standing unarmed in the middle…

Next thing I knew, I seemed to be sitting down somewhere with my hands bound in front of me. I had a pounding headache, the world was swimming before my eyes and the roaring had returned to my ears, drowning everything out. As reality slowly came into focus, I determined I was seated in the back of a cart, being transported along a bumpy road. There were several others in the cart with me, and several other carts following us, each loaded with bound prisoners. They seemed to be talking, but it took a moment for the roaring in my ears to recede enough to understand them.

Last time I had passed out, I had come awake almost clear-headed. But that time I had been healed, while I had apparently been left on my own now.

One of the prisoners stood out because he had been gagged. As little bits and pieces of the conversation made their way through the ringing in my ears, I determined his name was Ulfric Stormcloak. I wanted to know who he was and why he alone had been gagged, but nothing I picked up from the conversation answered those questions. Just as my hearing finally cleared enough to allow me to hear full sentences again, the cart driver ordered everyone to be silent. So I learned nothing in the last few minutes before we neared the stone walls of a small village.

The townsfolk came out to stare at us. As they pointed and gossiped, I overheard two words that chilled me to the bone: Headsman and execution.

It appeared I was going to die that day, after all.

The carts came to a stop in the village square. An Imperial soldier stepped forward, holding a piece of parchment. "When I call your names, you will step forward," he announced.

I watched as the soldiers stepped out of the carts as their names were called and were directed to proceed to the center of the square, where a man holding a large battleaxe stood beside a chopping block.

"Lokir of Rorikstead," the soldier called.

"I'm not a Stormcloak!" the last man remaining in the cart with me cried. "I'm just a common thief who picked a terrible spot to try to cross the border into Cyrodiill!" He was dressed in rags like me, not armor like the rest of the Nords.

"Step forward," the soldier barked.

"I'm not a Stormcloak! I'm a loyal citizen of the Empire!" he called desperately.

"I'm not going to say it again," the soldier growled.

Lokir stepped out of the cart, but instead of joining the line of Stormcloak soldiers, he bolted in the opposite direction. "No! This isn't fair! You can't do this to me!"

"Archers!" a commanding female voice shouted, and seconds later Lokir collapsed to the ground with multiple arrows in his back. He gave a strangled cry and then fell silent.

There were no further attempts to escape. The last few men were called, and then the soldier holding the parchment looked up at me, then back at the parchment in confusion. "Legate Rikke, this one's name isn't on the list," he called.

"She was with the Stormcloaks," the woman who had commanded the archers said. "That's incriminating enough for me."

He sighed and ordered, "Step forward and state your name and province."

I slowly climbed out of the cart. My head started swimming again once I stood up and I staggered. One of the Imperial soldiers came forward and helped me down.

"My name is Ra'wati," I said shakily as I swayed slightly on my feet before him. "I have no hometown. I am the daughter of nomadic caravaners who were killed by bandits two years ago. I have been living off the land ever since. I was hunting for food when I was captured."

"Legate Rikke?" the soldier with the parchment asked.

Legate Rikke gave me a scornful look. "She's wearing a Talos amulet."

I looked down at my necklace in confusion. "Is there a law against wearing my dead mother's jewelry?" I asked.

Legate Rikke gave a derisive snort. "She's obviously a Stormcloak spy. She will be executed with the others."

I got the feeling I had failed some test. I bowed my head and obediently went to stand with the other prisoners. I could tell I would get no support here. I would be executed for a crime I did not even understand.

Off in the distance, I heard a strange noise, like an animal roaring, but it was like nothing I had ever heard before. I wondered if I was still hearing things, but then I noticed many of the people around me were looking around in confusion and asking their neighbors if they had heard that sound.

I concentrated, listening for that sound again. I was only dimly aware of the man wearing the gag, Ulfric Stormcloak, as he was called forward and read charges of murdering the high king.

My attention shifted back to the people around me as Ulfric was escorted to the chopping block. The soldiers forced him down on his knees, then shoved his torso down, placing his neck above the chopping block.

The headsman raised his axe above his head. I lost my nerve and looked away just in time to see the arrival of the creature that had made that strange roar.

It was an enormous black dragon, larger than a house. It came gliding out of the sky and landed on top of the nearest stone guard tower, right beside the headsman.

This can't be happening, I thought. Dragons are extinct! Am I still dreaming?

The dragon leaned forward, stretching its serpentine neck down in our direction, opened its mouth and breathed fire over the assembled crown.

The pain was too real to be part of a dream.

Those who had evaded the fire attack fled in all directions. Those of us who had been struck writhed on the ground briefly until the flames went out.

As I lay on the ground, cursing the pain uncontrollably, I noticed that Ulfric Stormcloak had not been beheaded. He was climbing to his feet along with many of the prisoners.

The pain soon receded, all but the burning sensation on my wrists. I started to blow it out, then realized the ropes binding my wrists were burning. I writhed on the ground, begging the Nine to make it stop, reminding myself I could find a healer if I survived, but I was unlikely to survive if my bonds stayed on. The rope binding my wrists finally snapped.

I pushed myself to my feet and took off running just as the dragon began breathing fire for the second time, this time aimed at several buildings beside it. I heard tremendous crashing behind me, but I didn't turn around to look. I headed for the nearest open door.

I dove through the entrance to what appeared to be another guard tower. There were several other prisoners inside, their hands still bound.

"A dragon," one of the prisoners kept saying softly. He appeared to be in shock.

Another prisoner was more level-headed. "How did you cut your bonds?" he asked me.

"They caught on fire," I explained, showing him my burned wrists. I noticed a chest against the wall. "They should have blades around here somewhere…"

Inside the chest I found an iron dagger, a few health and magicka potions and one stamina potion. After downing a health potion and watching my burns vanish, I quickly cut the other prisoners free, then found an old flour sack to put my new gear in. "Any idea on how we can get out of here?" I asked the room in general.

The level-headed prisoner said, "I used to be stationed here before I joined the Stormcloaks. I heard there were underground tunnels everywhere. There should be one accessible through the barracks. It's a stone's throw from here."

I frowned. "I suppose our alternatives are stay here and get roasted alive, or flee above ground and risk that creature noticing us."

"I'm afraid so… Ra'wati, was it? I'm Ralof." He peered out the doorway of the tower. "Looks like that beast is distracted. Everybody ready? Follow me!"

He darted out the doorway and ran across the open ground like a terrified deer. The other prisoners and I followed.

The heat was overpowering outside. Every building around the town square seemed to be on fire. I could hear the dragon roaring, people screaming in pain and terror, fire crackling, and the crashing of houses collapsing off in the distance, but I didn't stop to look. There was nothing I could do.

Halfway to our destination, the body of the prisoner shot down by archers lay facedown in the dirt. I glanced at it as I passed, cursing the fool for trying to run. He could still be alive, if he had done as the soldiers ordered.

I looked at him just in time to see him try to raise his head.

I don't know him. I don't owe him anything, I thought, but I still darted across open ground to reach him. I heaved him up across my shoulders just as the dragon noticed me. It breathed fire down at me and I fled, feeling the heat from the fire the whole time as it struck the ground just behind me. Ralof was standing in the doorway, desperately waving me on. I dove through the entrance and he slammed the heavy doors behind me right before the flames struck us. I followed him down the stairs to the basement. The other prisoners were waiting for us inside. They had found several storage crates of weapons and armor and were hastily dividing it up.

"You idiot!" Ralof shouted as he helped me lower Lokir to the ground. "That dragon almost killed you!"

"Shut up and tell me you know Healing Hands," I snarled as I cut Lokir's bonds.

"We all do," one of the others said. "All recruits are required to know it."

"I wish I knew it," I sighed.

I could only pull out the arrows and wait as everyone else put their hands on Lokir's back to heal the damage. Slowly he picked his head up and looked around blearily, then pushed himself up to a sitting position as the soldiers finished the healing and backed away.

"I… I don't know which of you to thank first," Lokir said weakly. "Maybe you should all line up…"

"There's no time for that now," Ralof interrupted. "Let's get to safety first. Did any of you see where Jarl Ulfric went?"

Everyone else shook their heads. "We should split up and look for him," one suggested.

"We should be able to get to other parts of the city through the tunnels," Ralof said. "That will be safer than going back out in the open."

I knelt beside Lokir and took him by one arm. "Can you stand?" I asked.

"I… I think so," he said shakily. Ralof took his other arm and we pulled him up to his feet. He wobbled briefly, then got his footing.

"Here," one of the others said, tossing me two sets of Imperial light armor and two Imperial swords from a nearly crate. "I don't know if either of you know how to fight, but this might still keep you alive."

I quickly donned the Imperial cuirass, helmet, bracers and boots. Lokir was still unsteady on his feet, but he was able to don his armor without assistance.

"I don't have any real experience with healing spells. Shouldn't you be recovered by now?" I asked Lokir.

"Mortal wounds have lingering effects on your stamina regeneration. I'll be back to normal if I live to sleep it off."

I rummaged in my sack and pulled out a green potion. "Here, maybe this will hold you for a little while."

Once Lokir drank the potion, he seemed a little steadier. We followed Ralof through a trapdoor down another flight of stairs. Ralof took a torch out of a wall sconce and led us deeper into the cave.

Far ahead, we heard the sound of a fight suddenly break out. The Stormcloaks charged ahead, while Lokir and I hung back apprehensively.

"What's wrong? Never been in a real battle?" Lokir asked.

I shook my head. "I've killed two bandits, but I caught one of them off guard, and the other was badly injured. They had just killed my parents and were about to rape me," I added defensively.

"If we make it out of here… maybe I can give you some lessons in how to fight with a blade. It's about all I can do to repay you."

I nodded. "I have a feeling I won't be going back to live in the woods after we get out of here. I need to learn how to fight. Anything you could teach me would be helpful."

The fighting up ahead ceased right before we arrived. We came upon a torture chamber. There was a dead man in a cage and a large amount of old blood splattered on the floor, but otherwise no sign I could see of recent use. The torturer and his assistant were lying on the floor, gagging on their own blood as they gasped out their last breaths. A few Imperial soldiers were also lying dead on the floor. But Ralof and his companions had survived the battle, along with several other Stormcloaks who had started it.

I looked down at the torturer and his assistant, then turned away. Unlike Lokir, I knew these two had devoted their lives to causing misery and despair. They deserved no help, not even to end their suffering.

Ralof and the others were discussing their search for Ulfric. There were numerous passageways leading off from this room, so they decided to split up from here.

Ralof came back over to us. "The others are going to look for Ulfric. I'll help you two find the way out."

"Don't you want to search for your Jarl?" Lokir asked.

"Yes, but some of us need to try to escape and warn the other Jarls. I'll see you two to safety, then come back to look for Jarl Ulfric." He looked around the room. "You two don't seem to have many supplies. There are some healing potions and other things you might need in this room."

"We'll need something to carry them in," Lokir pointed out.

Ralof knelt beside one of the Imperial soldier corpses and picked up the dead man's knapsack. He tossed it to me. "These are enchanted to hold much more than you ought to be able to fit in them."

I caught the bag and turned it over curiously. "How much more?"

He shrugged. "A lot. But it doesn't make your gear any lighter, so you'll have to be selective on what you bring along." He took another from a different soldier and tossed it to Lokir.

I hurried around the room and searched the barrels and crates. I found half a dozen health and magicka potions, a few lockpicks and a small amount of gold, along with potatoes, cabbages, apples and carrots. Meanwhile Lokir set about removing the gear from the dead bodies and putting it in his pack.

Once we had cleared out the room, we followed Ralof down another tunnel leading off the room. It descended from the barracks into a natural cave beneath. We passed a few empty prison cells carved out of the cave wall, which were the last signs of human use of the caves other than candles and torches placed at intervals along the walls. After that, the walls and floor of the cave became covered with various types of fungus and we could hear animals scuttling around.

Ralof looked around at the tunnel walls lit by goat-horn sconces. "This should be one of the tunnels leading outside. They were planning on clearing these out last time I was here. Looks like they never got around to it."

"That means we won't run into any Imperials, right?" I asked hopefully.

"Not likely, but you might run into some frostbite spiders or skeevers."

I gritted my teeth. "I hate frostbite spiders…"

Far above us, a thunderous crashing began. The ground beneath us started shaking and the crashing grew louder and closer. The roof of the cave behind us suddenly collapsed. We were thrown off our feet, fortunately landing in a mound of soft fungus on the cave floor.

I scrambled to my feet and turned to assess the situation. The tunnel we had come down was completely blocked by fallen rocks, but the path we had been about to take was still clear.

I took Lokir by the wrist and helped him to his feet. He looked dizzy, but didn't appear to have taken any damage from the fall.

Ralof pushed himself up more slowly and looked at the mass of fallen rocks. He wearily picked up the torch from where it had landed on a bare patch of the cave floor. "Looks like I'll be coming with you two after all," he sighed.

SOUNDTRACK: "Cold" by Five Finger Death Punch, "I Will Not Bow" by Breaking Benjamin, "Reborn" by Stone Sour, "Into the Fire" by Sabaton, "I'm Alive" by Shinedown (from the Avengers soundtrack), "The Change" by Garth Brooks, "Not Gonna Die" by Skillet, "Not Gonna Get Us" by T.A.T.U.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Lokir was supposed to die in the first cut scene. I decided to spare him and make him a main character of Ra'wati's story because I'm just that kind of person. (Not a love interest, though.)

For the purpose of writer feels, I have decided mortal wounds destroy the victim's ability to regenerate stamina until they have had a full night's rest. (Basically Ra'wati may still have to carry people to safety even after she has healed them. I'm a sucker for that kind of thing.)

I've never seen the issue of how you carry so much gear addressed (never bothered to read the manuals, though), so I've decided they have knapsacks with TARDIS bigger-on-the-inside enchantments.

While I will try to keep the important aspects of the various labyrinths/dungeons, they will be shortened and modified. I'm not very good at describing scenery and having to do so bores me. I'll do my best, but I would rather focus on what the characters are doing.