Disclaimer: this fanfiction is based on a game produced by Bethesda Studios called Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.
Therefore, I do not own anything in this story. It’s meant to be fun and a simple, free showcase of my writing style. All dialogue of characters other than Aia is straight from the game. I’ll make note if I ever add dialogue to flesh out a scene.
Setting, characters, and plot will be determined by my playthrough on my Nintendo Switch. The screenshots and clips will be from my game system. My playthrough for this fanfiction is a role-playing challenge run of an Imperial named Aia. I am pausing the game to write what happens as it does. If Aia dies in the game, she will be thrust back in time to my last save to try again in the story, as well (Re: Zero). I am not sponsored. You do not need to be a Skyrim fan to enjoy the story, but you will miss some jokes and references (especially about followers).
Chapter 1: Helgen’s Wake
Chapter 2: Escape Helgen!
Chapter 3: Skyrim is Treacherous and Chatty
As soon as we’re out of the cave, Hadvar calls, “Wait!” The air and earth tremble beneath the weight of the black dragon’s wings as it flies towards a distant mountain, while the two of us crouch behind a boulder, watching. “Looks like he’s gone for good this time. But I don’t think we should stick around to see if he comes back,” he half-heartedly chuckles. “Closest town to here is Riverwood. My uncle’s the blacksmith there. I’m sure he’d help you out.”
He still doesn’t say anything about me being a prisoner. I respond, “Thank you for your generosity.” I finally take a long, deep breath. Looking up to the sky, I release a small laugh of tension. The Divines have my fate tightly wound in their fingers, pulling and tugging in so many directions. Skyrim is a treacherous land. Between the traders dying in the Jerall Mountains and my being captured with the rebels in Darkwater Crossing, I’m not sure what to expect next.
“…without your help today,” I hear faintly. For now, I close my eyes and rub my trembling hands together. If it’s from the chill of the tunnels or fear of the dragon, I’m not really sure. I turn around and Hadvar is patiently waiting.
I bow my head. “I’m sorry.” He says nothing, face blank. When I’m standing beside him, he just politely turns to guide me, stopping each time I lag behind. With my nose in books through most of my life, and only picking up a smithing hammer just before leaving Bravil, I stop a few times to catch my breath.
“Listen,” he says. “You should go to Solitude and join up with the Imperial Legion. We could really use someone like you.” My jaw drops. “And if the rebels have themselves a dragon, General Tullius is the only one who can stop them.”
I stand and blink after him as he jogs a bit farther down the craggy, dirt path. When I realize I’m peckish, I retrieve my half-loaf of bread, munching it slowly as I follow after Hadvar. He’s taken to casually scouting as he waits for me, leading me down a stone path until he stops.
“See that ruin up there? Bleak Falls Barrow. When I was a boy, that place always used to give me nightmares. Draugr creeping down the mountain to climb through my window at night, that kind of thing.” He jogs ahead as I groan. “I admit, I still don’t much like the look of it.” We approach a loud, crashing river and descend down the cliffside trail to find three pillars of some sort. “These are the Guardian Stones, three of the thirteen ancient standing stones dotting Skyrim’s landscape. Go ahead, see for yourself.” I hesitate and he gently nods his head towards the stones. “Come on,” he prods. “I’ll feel better once we’re undercover in Riverwood.”
“I thought dragons were all dead long ago,” I mutter in response.
“So did I! If the damn Stormcloaks somehow found one, or woke it up…the war might be about to take an ugly turn. Hard to believe it was just a coincidence, that the first dragon anyone’s seen in centuries attacks just as Ulfric was about to be executed.” I nod and look at the stones. “We’d better keep moving. I feel like that dragon might be up there watching us right now.”
I step forward, recognizing the symbols on the standing stones, and quickly choose the one that will allow me to learn magicka related skills faster. “Mage, eh? Well, to each his own. It’s not for me to judge.”
“Thank you, Hadvar.”
I’ve heard that Nords typically don’t approve of magic. He simply nods, jogging ahead to scout. “Listen,” he says again. Is he trying to be gentle? Hadvar has protected me so far, but I was bound for execution. I’m not sure how he or his uncle could help. Continuing, he says, “As far as I’m concerned, you’ve already earned your pardon. But until we get that confirmed by General Tullius, just stay clear of other Imperial soldiers and avoid any complications, all right?”
So, I’m a fugitive until Hadvar talks to General Tullius. Wonderful. I’m drained, more so after hearing this. A wolf bursts out from the rocks to our right. I flinch before slamming my shield into its side. Hadvar cuts it down, but then, he jogs away! What about the pelt? I won’t loot people, but wasting an animal’s coat when there are children freezing in the winter seems wrong. The wolf’s meat is too gamey and tough, but its fur and leather could make for a good backpack and sleeping roll. I don’t have a skinning knife, though. I’ll need to come back for them.
My companion leaves me behind when he sees the town gate, birds chirping. It’s surreal that a dragon just destroyed a town nearby, and this town is untouched. Hadvar says, “Things look quiet enough here. Come on. There’s my uncle.” He marches over to the blacksmith. “Uncle Alvor, hello!”
“Hadvar?” Alvor the blacksmith asks, “What are you doing here? Are you on leave from…Shor’s bones, what happened to you, boy?” I chuckle quietly at ‘boy.’ That invincible man is hardly a boy.
“Shh…Uncle, please. Keep your voice down. I’m fine. But we should go inside to talk.”
“What’s going on? And who’s this?”
“She’s a friend. Saved my life in fact. Come on, I’ll explain everything, but we need to go inside.”
“Okay, okay. Come inside, then. Sigrid will get you something to eat and you can tell me all about it.”
As I’m about to head inside, I hear an elderly woman behind me. “A dragon! I saw a dragon!”
I turn around to see her on her front porch. A blonde Nord responds, “What? What is it now, mother?”
She trembles with her words. “It was as big as the mountain, and black as night. It flew right over the barrow.”
“Dragons, now, is it?” I don’t like the tone of his voice. “Please, mother. If you keep on like this everyone in town will think you’re crazy.” He starts to walk away, in my direction. “And I’ve got better things to do than listen to more of your fantasies.”
“You’ll see! It was a dragon! It’ll kill us all and then you’ll believe me!”
Seeing a dragon is difficult to believe, but that is no way to speak to a mother. The Nord barely takes a step before he turns to me and says, “Faendal thinks he can woo Camilla Valerius away from me. She’s already mine, I keep telling him.” He looks me up and down. “You look like a traveler. Someone that has seen faraway places and heard new stories.”
I frown. “I saw a dragon in Helgen.”
Truly? So maybe my mother isn’t crazy after all. You had best tell the Jarl in Whiterun. He needs to know about this.” At least, he listens. I still move to walk away. “Until next time.”
Maybe he isn’t a bad man. As an orphan, it’s just hard to look beyond his attitude problem. Right before I go to follow Hadvar and Alvor into the house, an elf nods to me in passing with a smile. “Riverwood’s agreeable enough, I suppose. For a Nord village.” He keeps walking, and I go inside the house. Skyrim’s people certainly are chatty.
Chapter 4 coming Wed, June 18! NEW chapter every Wednesday!
Character: Aia
Current Level: 1
Current Perks: none
Age: Unknown, Young Adult
Race: Imperial
History: An orphan raised by the Great Chapel of Mara in Bravil of Cyrodil, Aia has always been fascinated with love and restoration magic. The priest there encouraged her to travel to Skyrim to help the Legion in the civil war there…
Level of 3 Primary Skills: Restoration (25), Block (21), Alteration (15)
Level of 2 Secondary Skills: Smithing (15), Enchanting (20)
Days Past: 0
Dungeons Cleared: 0
Challenge Run Rules:
- No offense outside of shield bash and dragon shouts.
- 5 perk skill limit: 3 mage, 2 warrior
- Difficulty: Master. Anniversary Edition: Survival mode on, all DLC installed.
- Character Death results in resetting to the last time she has slept.
- Morally Good: does not commit crime, lie, or associate with Daedra
- Legion Loyalty: a loyal Imperial, she fundamentally opposes the Stormcloak rebellion.
#Skyrim #Fanfiction #SkyrimFanfic #ChallengeRun #FantasyWriter #Blogging