He walked through the bedewed morning grass, listening to the running water of the stream that ran a stone's throw away. The air was clean, fresh, and most importantly, untainted. The sky was painted in a beautiful red-orange by the sun, peeking up over the horizon. There were but a few clouds in the sky; it was better that way, to have the diversity of nature in the sky and not just a monochrome sky. That was not to say that the color of the sky was unappealing, for it too had its own attractiveness. Not a universal opinion, but he'd always found a sky with light clouds to be far more interesting than one without.
He could hear the creaks of doors opening, the residents of this sleepy valley town waking up and beginning their daily rituals. There were a few chickens clucking intermittently as they aimlessly wandered around their pen. Overhead, a blue bird played a soft morning tune.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" Alvor said, stopping and inhaling deeply.
"Yeah," Colin whispered, soaking in the serenity. He made sure to truly capture this moment in his mind. They stayed like that for several moments, until Alvor spoke up.
"Well, we better get back. Sigrid's waiting on us," Alvor said.
Colin readjusted the stack of logs he was holding and followed Alvor back to his home. Inside, he could hear the clanging of pans and utensils as Sigrid rummaged through her kitchen cabinets. Alvor set his stack down by the door, and Colin moved to do the same, but Alvor shook his head.
"Bring these one's to the stove. We'll use 'em for breakfast," He said, motioning for Colin to follow him. They made their way over to the wood burning stove, blackened with soot from years of continuous usage.
"Where's Hadvar?" Colin inquired, as he bent down to shove some logs into the open slot.
"Gone to fetch supplies for your journey to Whiterun," Alvor said. He looked at Colin sympathetically. "If there's any information about…well, your home or whatever…it'd be in Whiterun."
Colin stoically nodded his head. There was a plan in place; he was not winging it. At least, not entirely. He and Hadvar would take the two day journey to Whiterun, entering the city and going to the Jarl's palace. They would inform the Jarl of the events that transpired at Helgen, and then Hadvar would link up with the imperial army while Colin would…well. He would find a way to get back to his unit, or at least anything familiar. How exactly he would go about doing just that became a "cross that bridge when we get there" situation.
He almost felt like a kid who had lost his way inside a department store—helpless and afraid. Not that he'd ever admit that. He had to project strength, if only to calm his mind.
Chucking in the last log, he turned to Alvor.
"You got a match or something?" He asked.
Alvor chuckled.
"I never buy matches. Saves money," he explained.
"Then how do you light your fires?" Colin asked, genuinely confused. He'd been feeling that a lot recently.
Alvor just smiled and kneeled down next to Colin, gesturing him aside. He stuck his hand inside, concentrating hard for a second or two. It looked stupid; the kid at school who tried to grab objects "using the force." Was Alvor playing a trick on him? Just yanking his chain? Colin was about to say something when his eyes went wide. In the hatch, Alvor's hand had begun to glow. Not just shine a bit but actually glow as if it were on fire itself. It grew brighter and brighter with each passing second, before finally a flame erupted from his palm. Alvor then turned his hand and gave a flick of his wrist, and all of a sudden the logs inside were engulfed in a bright orange flame.
"That's how," Alvor said with a grin. He looked at Colin for several moments. "You can breathe now."
Colin exhaled a breath he hadn't even realized that he was holding in. He looked at Alvor, then back to the fire, then once more at Alvor again.
"How- What- How the hell did you do that?" He asked, eyes still wide in disbelief.
"I just used my magic. I don't have a lot, but I have enough to light fires," Alvor replied, dusting his hands off. Colin looked at him with a frown.
"Seriously. How'd you do that?" He prodded.
Alvor turned his head slightly sideways.
"I told you. Magic," he said.
"No, really, how did you do that?" Colin asked once more.
"Magic," Alvor replied. There was not an ounce of humor in his demeanor, not even a silent laugh behind his eyes.
"Yeah, right. No such thing. Is it some sort of chemical reaction or something?" Colin prodded, his curiosity thoroughly peaked. "And how'd you not manage to burn your hand?"
"Have you never heard of magic?" Alvor asked slowly.
"No, I have, but it doesn't exist. Only science," Colin replied firmly. Truthfully this game was growing tiresome, though he was still perplexed at how in the world Alvor had pulled it off.
Alvor sighed.
"Look at my hand. See anything abnormal? Any trinkets or devices?" He asked, raising his hand so Colin could see. There was nothing except bare skin.
"Well no," Colin said.
"If I were to summon a small cube of ice in my hand, would you believe me?" Alvor interrupted.
"I mean, sure, you know what, go ahead," Colin said, throwing his hands up.
Instead of a warm glow, his hand began to radiate a cooler blue glow. Ice crystals began to clump together, floating above the palm of his hand. It grew bigger and bigger, and then abruptly everything stopped. The ice cube fell into Alvor's palm.
"There is such a thing as magic. Mana flows in every living being. Some have more than others, and some learn to utilize it. I have very little and only know those two spells. There are hundreds, if not thousands more; ones that can be used as weapons and ones that can save lives, ones that can enhance your eyesight, rejuvenate you, create invisible shields. Whatever you've heard about magic, the stories, the legends—they're all true. It is this world's reality—and has been since the dawn of time. That you have no idea about it but yet are a well learned adult who claims to have been in combat before; that you know nothing about the region or culture, makes me wonder if you are actually from Mundus," Alvor said.
"Mundus?"
"The plane of existence we reside on. There are other planes of existence; likely more that we have no idea about. Different realities. It is possible, I suppose, for you to have been in a separate reality," Alvor theorized.
Colin shook his head. That couldn't be possible. No such thing had ever been heard of or experienced as far as he knew. And yet…there were so many things about his surroundings that just seemed so…alien. A dragon? Giant spiders? Magic? None of that should exist but yet it did. He'd dismissed the idea of being drugged or dreaming as the world felt way too real. The idea of another reality would make sense of it all. A world where the rules he once knew didn't apply. A fantasy realm, as stupid as it sounded, made more sense than any scientific or logical explanation he could come up with.
He'd heard about the idea of multiple universes from theoretical physicists, but it had just seemed too ludicrous to be believed. Could it truly be that he actually was in a different realm? A different plane of existence? Marooned with no idea of how he got there or how to get home. It was a terrifying thought.
"Let's say that's true," Colin began, his voice slightly shaky. "Then how did I get here? A rift in the spacetime continuum? A glitch in the matrix?"
"I don't know. Only the Gods and the Elder Scrolls possess such power," Alvor said, himself too understanding the gravity of this revelation.
"Honestly, I wouldn't have believed in Gods or whatever these Elder Scrolls are before, but now…now I'm not so sure," Colin said, chewing his lip. "So what, these Gods just pick me up and plop me in this reality for shits and giggles?"
"The Gods are many things, but they are not indiscriminate when it comes to such things as dimensional travel. If you are here, then it is for a reason. One that I do not know," Alvor said.
"Why do you believe in this? For all you know, I'm just some wandering lunatic," Colin asked.
Alvor took a deep breath in, and looked down to the floor.
"You could very well be. But something tells me you are not," Alvor said.
Colin sank down into his chair. Every single time he thought about it, the only answer that made sense was that he truly was in a different realm. It was a terrifying prospect: everyone and everything you once knew simply does not exist anymore. Everything from the simple things in life like the internet to the relationships he built with people ceased to exist. Colin remembered everything vividly. He felt as if there was a weighted blanket was placed on him, its mass slowly increasing until it was suffocating.
Alvor studied Colin. He saw confusion, anger, sorrow, loss, relief, and fear flash across Colin's face, mixing in with each other, creating a whirlwind of emotion. It was a lot to process. He couldn't quite believe it himself, but something inside of him was telling him that it was true. Alvor felt for Colin; it was a lot to process.
"I uh," Alvor said, coughing into a closed fist. "I'll give you some time."
As Colin sat there, a memory crept its way into his mind.
XXX
"Colin! Come see!"
Colin jumped up from his video game and rushed into the living room. He saw Jane standing atop a chair she pulled from the dining room, peering into the outside world. Through the window, he could see the falling of snowflakes. They were coming down harshly, the wind blowing them fiercely into the window.
Colin walked to the windowsill, equally as enraptured by the blizzard outside as his sister. They sat like that for ten minutes, watching as the storm intensified and made everything inside seem so much more comfortable.
He put his arm around Jane and gave her a quick hug.
"You know what this means, right?" He said with a conspiratorial grin.
His sister looked back with an equally mischievous and excited grin.
"Snow day."
Colin nodded his head. They turned back to the window to watch the falling snow. The silence was punctured by Jane's voice.
"I'm gonna kick your butt at sledding tomorrow, Colly."
"We'll see. We'll see.
XXX
When Hadvar returned with the supplies, he found Colin sitting in a chair, his eyes filled with a faraway look. They were open, but he wasn't seeing. The face that Colin wore now made him seem much older, much more tired, if such a thing was possible. Hadvar shut the door slowly, his eyes not leaving Colin. He set the supplies down on the chair, waiting to see if it would elicit a reaction from Colin.
It didn't.
Hadvar cleared his throat. Colin blinked, shaking his head and rubbing his eyes.
"Sorry 'bout that," he said in a lazy voice. Hadvar frowned.
"You okay?" He asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just…processing some things. Don't worry about me, I'm ready to go," Colin said firmly. Any trace of his internal troubles were gone from his voice, replaced by a determined and awake one.
"Great. We'll head out in about half an hour. No horses, I'm afraid, so we're walking. Should only be a two day walk, if we make good time."
Colin nodded.
"Whiterun, is it? We're going to inform the Jarl," He asked, waiting for confirmation.
"Yes. You should be able to figure out more there. Big place," Hadvar confirmed. "I've got you a pack, nothing big, but it'll hold some food, water, a bandage of two, some healing potions, a set of clothes, and a blanket."
"Oh, shit, thanks," Colin said, surprised by his generosity. "I don't really have anything to give you."
"Gratis. You saved my life yesterday," Hadvar said with a disarming smile.
"Only after you saved mine," Colin replied with a chuckle.
"Right. But you saved me twice. A few septim's worth of goods isn't a whole lot in comparison," Hadvar said. He began to place Colin's equipment on the table, laying it out in an organized manner.
"Septims? Is that the currency?" Colin asked.
"Yes," Came a deeper voice from behind. Colin turned around to find Alvor standing in the doorway, a small pouch in his hand.
"Hey, Uncle. We're just getting ready to depart," Hadvar said. Alvor nodded and walked over to the table.
"I wanted to give a parting gift, to you Colin," Alvor said.
"What, and your favorite nephew is giftless?" Hadvar said with mock indignation. Alvor rolled his eyes.
"Take a drink of your choice, and then shut up," Alvor chuckled before turning back to Colin. "Anyways. A small gift."
He handed the pouch to Colin, who gingerly accepted it. He pulled at the leather string tying off the top of the bag. It loosened, revealing a handful of small coins within.
"It's only thirty-five septims, but it should cover your travel expenses," Alvor explained. Colin looked at him, caught off guard by the excessive generosity that Alvor was showing.
"I…I can't accept this. Don't you need this?" Colin asked.
"That's only a couple of hours worth of work for me. Please, accept. I insist. You need it more than I do," Alvor insisted.
"Then, thank you. Really, thank you so much. You didn't have-"
"Nonsense. You saved Hadvar's life. Twice, as he tells it," Alvor said.
Hadvar re-emerged, clutching a small bottle of what looked to be gin.
"Really, boy? Gin?" Alvor asked incredulously.
"Hey, I don't get anything in the army. I just want to have some simple pleasures before I return," Hadvar said defensively.
"Fair enough."
Hadvar slipped the bottle into his backpack, then turned to Colin.
"Ready to go?"
"Ready."
XXX
The stone bridge was old and decrepit, covered in moss, but had not yet yielded to nature. It stood as proudly as it had the day it was built, well over a millennia ago. Water lazily ran under it, emitting a gentle trickling sound; joined by the rough song of a legion of crickets. It was not an affront to his hearing, no, quite the opposite. Firefly's aimlessly flew around, lighting up for a fraction of a second before being consumed by the night. The air was fresh and cool, creating a temperate atmosphere.
Colin lay on the grass, eyes closed, letting himself listen and hear it all, relishing in it. It was not new, no, rather a rediscovery. He tried hard to find such moments in Korea, but to no avail. Every time he thought he was on the cusp of relaxing, a rocket would shriek down, a bomb would explode, someone would be shot. Having been deprived of serenity for so long, he refused to take this moment for granted.
He was still somewhat tense, half expecting an explosion to shatter the peace and force him to his feet. The clearing was too exposed. The paranoia of an enemy drone silently hovering over him had receded, but refused to go away. He'd seen firsthand what happened when you got careless like that. The man had not died instantly.
It worried him, though, that he was thinking of this. That he might never fit back into society and pick up the life he'd led previously. He wanted to forget it all. Forget Korea. But how could he? It had been his life for the better part of a year. It had kept him alive.
He was brought back to reality by the loud snap of a branch. Colin opened his eyes, seeing the stars beginning to show themselves in the darkening sky. With a small groan, he turned over and pushed himself upwards. After a quick stretch and roll of his neck, he walked back over to the camp.
The fire was going strong right now, crackling and popping as the flames soared upwards, licking the skinned rabbit. Hadvar was snapping branches, augmenting their small pile of kindling they had collected.
"Need any help?" Colin offered.
"Nah, I'm done anyways," Hadvar said, chucking one more branch into the fire.
"Besides, the rabbit will be ready soon," Hadvar explained.
Colin took a seat next to the fire, hand resting on a raised knee, his other leg tucked in underneath. He hadn't really realized just how juicy and inviting the rabbit looked. He knew how to ration, and ration well. It took a toll on his body, but kept him going through times of scarce supplies. He had trained himself to ignore hunger pangs, push them deep down until he couldn't feel them. Now, however, there was no need to ration. Food was plentiful.
The past few meals he had were nothing special to most people, but to him, they were a luxury. He watched the fat from the rabbit boil and drip down into the fire, sizzling as it plunged into the open flame.
"Give it about another five minutes, and we should be good. Trust me on this, it's the best way to cook rabbit," Hadvar said, rummaging through his bag. He was humming an unfamiliar yet pleasant tune, adding to the relaxed nature of the camp.
A wolf's howl broke the calm atmosphere, causing both men to jump. It sounded close. Way too close. Colin looked to Hadvar. He hadn't had much experience with wolves, so he wasn't sure if he should be worried.
Hadvar silently nodded his head, put a finger to his lip, and motioned for Colin to grab his sword. Getting up with practiced ease, Colin walked carefully over to his sword. He grabbed it cautiously to minimize the noise; the bow he was far better with, but wolves could be deceptively fast. Unlike the spiders, wolves (and dogs, for that matter) could book it when they pleased, tearing down a path like hell on…well…paws. Colin wasn't confident enough in his archery abilities yet. The odds of him using it effectively were high, but wolves never traveled alone .
He joined Hadvar in watching the treeline slowly, watching for a sign of any movement. The darkness was nearly all encompassing, making it quite difficult to make out whether or not it was the wind, a small animal, or a wolf. Hadvar, on the left of the fire, spoke quietly, but didn't take his eyes off the treeline.
"Hopefully they'll just pass. Wolves don't like this area. Too many hunters."
"Then why the hell are they here?" Colin whispered. Hadvar pursed his lips and shook his head.
"No idea. But they-"
Before he could finish, something bolted from the treeline directly at the two men. The firelight was reflecting off the wolf's fangs and eyes, giving it a terrifying look. This wasn't anything like your common dog, no matter how ferocious they try to be. No, this was very much a wild, I domesticated beast. One that, at least in his world, had been man's worst enemy instead of best friend.
Two more wolves ran from the treeline, the fire reflecting off their fangs and eyes. Colin didn't have time to focus on that, as the first wolf pounced, aiming directly at Colin. With quick reflexes, Colin turned his body to the side and took a step back, swinging the sword in a downwards slash. Steel met flesh and fur, causing the wolf to yelp in pain and crash to the ground. It writhed around in pain on the ground but did not get back up.
Hadvar had not been so lucky. He had been rushed by two wolves, only managing to sidestep one. The one that didn't miss and fell down the riverbank hit Hadvar right in the side. The wolf bit down hard on Hadvar's forearm, and the two went crashing to the ground.
Colin rushed to help his friend, but out of nowhere the wolf that he had thought had fallen into the river appeared in his peripheral vision. He had just enough time to somersault out of the way, feeling claws graze his clothing.
Standing up, he turned back to the wolf. It had turned around remarkably fast and was readying for another charge. This time, Colin was ready. Taking the initiative, Colin swung his blade far, nicking the wolf on the snout. It howled in pain, eyes looking back at Colin with a primal anger.
He swung again, but the wolf jumped back. The initiative changed to the wolf, who seized in to launch an attack, pouncing at close range. Colin dived out of the way. Before he could pick himself up, the wolf was on top of him. He raised his sword just in time, and the wolf skewered itself on the blade. Warm blood trickled down. Colin kicked the wolf off his blade, then tucked his leg under and righted himself.
Hadvar was still wrestling with the wolf, stabbing in several times in the side, but the wolf refused to let go of his arm. Colin swung down on the wolf, leaving a nasty gash into the wolf's neck. It let go out of shock, and began a clumsy retreat back into the woods. It became more wobbly as it headed for the treeline, collapsing just before, blood pouring from the wound.
Colin turned back to the wolf that was writhing around in the dirt. He drove his blade downward into the wolf's skull, putting it out of his misery. Still filled with adrenaline and panting heavily, Colin looked around the clearing for any more signs of wolves. There were only the sounds of the river and the night, and Hadvar grunting in pain.
Satisfied that there was no immediate threat, Colin jogged over to Hadvar. He tossed his sword down and kneeled next to the sitting man.
The wound was deep, with jagged marks where the wolf's canines had clamped down, blood seeping slowly outwards. His arm looked a little bent, likely due to a fractured bone. All things considered, it wasn't a very serious wound, though it likely did hurt quite a bit.
"Gods," Hadvar said through clenched teeth. "That fucking hurts."
Colin nodded, standing up.
"I'll get the medical supplies. Stay right here," he said.
He jogged to the two backpacks, grabbing the premade medkit and Alvor's vodka. He grabbed a piece of his blanket and ripped it off.
He turned back to Hadvar, and laid the supplies down. Opening the bottle of vodka, he pushed it to Hadvar's lips.
"For the pain," he explained. Hadvar took several gulps, likely more than what was strictly necessary, before moving away to breathe. Colin poured some of the vodka on the sheet of his blanket, took a swig, and began to wipe off the blood, cleaning the wound. Hadvar hissed through his teeth as the alcohol made contact with the wound, but said nothing.
"The wound in of itself isn't serious so long as we clean it to avoid infection, but," Colin said, "it does seem like you fractured a bone."
"Give it to me straight, doc," Hadvar said with a pained chuckle.
"We have to make a splint. You won't be able to use this arm for several weeks."
Hadvar titled his head and shrugged.
"S'pose it could be worse. It's not my dominant arm."
"That's the spirit," Colin said as he rummaged around the medkit for a bandage. Finding it, he wrapped it around the wound. He tied off the bandage and turned to the pile of kindling. He picked out several sturdy, long pieces of wood and a coil of rope from the backpack, quickly fashioning a makeshift splint. He set it onto Hadvar's forearm, taking a step back to appreciate his handiwork.
"It's not perfect, but it'll hold until we can get you professional medical attention," Colin said.
"Why'd you say it like that?" Hadvar asked.
"Say what like what?" Colin asked, confused.
"Professional medical attention instead of a doctor."
"I don't know. Being in the army, I guess."
"Well I can tell you nobody in the imperial army calls it that. We just say doctor, or medical aid, or hospital. Professional is almost always implied in that case."
Colin waved his hand dismissively.
"Whatever, man. You hungry?"
"Yeah. Rabbit should be done by now."
Colin walked to the fire and picked up the wooden skewer with the rabbit on it, inspecting it. Aside from being slightly burnt, it seemed otherwise edible.
The wolves hadn't gotten to it. He breathed a sigh of relief, and began to cut chunks of meat off. It was about the small victories, sometimes.
XXX
His stomach was full and his cheeks warm as he leaned back against the oak, feeling pleasantly buzzed and content. He and Hadvar had spent the better part of an hour laughing and swapping ridiculous stories, such as the time he accidentally slept with his CO's daughter, or the time Hadvar had been attacked by a fish-throwing skooma addict. Now, they were both winding down for the evening, drowsiness beginning to claim them.
They had been silent for several moments when Colin spoke up.
"You know there's magic in this world," Colin said absentmindedly.
Hadvar gave him an odd look.
"Yes, of course. Everyone knows that," He said slowly, wondering if this was a wordplay or something else. Colin nodded his head and hummed.
"I didn't know that," Colin said, eyes fixated on the dying fire. "Never believed in such things. Where I came from, magic wasn't real. It didn't exist. We had science, but nothing more."
Hadvar regarded him curiously.
"You never knew about magic?" He asked.
"No," Colin replied. "Nobody I knew or ever heard of knew about it. I'd gone my whole life without seeing such a thing, something that would completely flip everything I knew. A person who could bend logic at their will seemed ridiculous. Impossible. When I woke up here, I had, and still have no idea where I was. But I was convinced there was an explanation I could comprehend. It felt like perhaps I'd gone back in time, until I saw the dragon. Then I began to really question everything. My world never had such things. I didn't want to believe it, didn't want to even think about it, but my doubt was there."
Colin paused and took a swig of the bottle, then passed it to Hadvar who replicated the action.
"This morning, Alvor lit a fire out of thin air. He then pulled an ice cube out of thin air; both could be summoned whenever he pleased. That's what broke the dam for me," Colin said.
"What do you mean?"
"I'm not, at least, I'm pretty sure I'm no longer in the same world as I lived in. Hell, I don't think it's even the same dimension. Alvor was talking about these crazy concepts of gods and some sort of scroll that could have somehow picked me up and plucked me in Skyrim. I don't know if that's true, but I do know that everything around me is…is…new. Alien, almost. There's a lot that's familiar and recognizable, but at the same time there's so much that isn't. From small things like customs and politics to large things like fucking magic, dragons, and spiders bigger than a horse. I'm in a new and unfamiliar world, and I have no idea what to do. No idea how to get back to my unit. I feel stranded," Colin ranted, gesturing weakly at numerous points.
Hadvar looked at him thoughtfully.
"Do you want to go back?" He asked.
"What?" Colin said, looking to Hadvar with a mix of surprise and confusion.
"Do you want to go back? Back to your world?" Hadvar asked.
"Of course. Why wouldn't I?" Colin immediately said, though there was doubt in his mind. His world had practically destroyed him.
Hadvar shrugged, and took another swig of the bottle, finishing it off.
"I can tell from your tone that you're conflicted about it. And from what you've told me, it sounds like whatever war you were in was getting to you. Only a matter of time before you died, no? If I were you, I'd seize this opportunity," Hadvar said sagely. Colin frowned and looked back to the fire.
"What do you mean?" He asked.
"You said it yourself: you're in a new world. Your past sins, debts, and troubles left behind. Convinced you were going to die, only to be given another chance. Seize it. Forge a new path. You don't have to stop your search for your home, but when you've not a clue as to where to start, might as well make the best of it. Wipe the slate clean and start again," Hadvar said.
Colin stared into the fire, letting Hadvar's words wash over him. After a minute or so, he nodded.
"I'll think about it," Colin said.
Colin removed his watch and put it into his bag. He still had yet to calibrate it.
"I think I'm ready for bed," Hadvar said with a yawn.
"Yeah, me too," Colin echoed. He grabbed the blanket, throwing it over himself and propped his head up on his backpack. Hadvar did the same.
"Goodnight, Colin," Hadvar said, closing his eyes.
"Night, Hadvar," Colin mumbled, rapidly falling asleep.
He did not dream that night.
XXX
Heyo!
Wow, this is getting more attention than I thought. I live off of feedback, so keep it coming!
I've got this story mapped out and Serana won't show up for another six chapters or so, but I promise I'll make it interesting. This won't be something where Serana comes in halfway through the story, because that would just be super lame. I'd argue that I'm more impatient about getting to the Colin/Serana part. Drem, as they say in dovahzuul. (Patience).
On another note, I kinda do want a beta reader. So if anyone would like to betaread, please let me know.
There will be frequent updates, people!
Yours,
amc555
