User blog:Pickleseller/The Journal of Batum gra-Largashbur: Entry 1

17th of Last Seed, Sundas

I woke up in a cart with several Nords. One turned to me and said, "Good. You're finally awake. You were trying to cross the border right? Same as us, and that thief over there." He gestured to another man, wearing rags and brown hair. I tried to say something, but I realized I was gagged, same as another person next to me.

"Damn you Stormcloaks. Skyrim was fine until you came along; the Empire was nice and lazy. If they hadn't been looking for you, I could've stolen that horse and been half way to Hammerfell," the thief said. They then began arguing about pointless things, like Ulfric, the Stormcloaks, and other things, but I wasn't paying attention. I was awaiting for my eventual execution.

After a short ride, we stopped in a town square in a little town seemingly named "Helgen." We were lined up and slowly the Imperials called our names from a list. "Ulfric Stormcloak, Jarl of Windhelm." A blonde, brute of a Nord who was gagged, same as me, walked up. "Ralof of Riverwood." The man who had argued with the thief walked up. "Lokir of Rorikstead." The thief walked up, frightened. He then ran. "You're not going to kill me!" he yelled.

An Imperial captain called the archers to shoot him. Then, Lokir fell, several arrows in his back. "Anyone else feel like running?" the captain asked. No one spoke up. The Imperial who was calling the names looked back at his list. He looked at me, then back at the list. He seemed puzzled. "You there, step forward," he commanded. I did so. "Who are you?"

A guard behind me ripped off my gag. "Batum gra-Largashbur," I said. He seemed even more puzzled.

"Uh... what should we do, captain? She's not on the list," he said.

"Forget the list. She goes to the block," the captain said aptly.

"Er..." the list reader seemed uncomfortable. "Okay. Sorry," he said to me. "We'll make sure your remains are returned to Orsinium." I was then ushered to join the group surrounding the executor. A priestess was giving her sermons when  a disgruntled Nord told her to shut up and just get on with it. He stepped up to the chopping block and the captain forced him to kneel. The executioner raised his axe and chopped his head clean off, without any sign of being slightly phased. The captain kicked the body to the side. "Next, the Orc!" she said.

Then, a roar was heard. The crowd was murmurring. The captain told everyone to shut up and that I was to be executed. I sighed. Maybe Burguk was right, I thought. Maybe I had to stay in the stronghold. I went to the block, and the captain made me kneel. Another roar was heard. The executioner raised his axe. Then, I saw it. It was the size of Largashbur's longhouse, and as long as it too. It flew behind the tower. Other people must have seen it also, because there were more murmurs. The executioner kept bringing up his axe. Then, the beast landed on the tower. It was a dragon. Black as night, with glowing red eyes and spikes all over. The force of the landing made the executioner fall down. He tried to get up, but the dragon released a mighty roar, incapitating him. Then, the sky became red, and flaming rocks fell from the air. I stumbled up to my feet and ran to another tower for refuge. There, Stormcloaks were gathered. I saw Ulfric and Ralof from before. Ralof ordered me to follow him up the tower, and I did so. There, another Stormcloak was clearing some rocks from the stairwell. Suddenly, the dragon broke the wall next to us and engulfed the poor man in flames. Ralof and I were lucky enough to get out before. Then, he told me to jump through the roof of a building next to us.

"Are you crazy?" I asked, not wanting the jump onto the top floor of a burning wooden building.

"Just go!" he said. I got a running start and jumped off the tower. I landed in the building and continued downwards. The Imperial list reader and an old man were taking cover. A young child was in the middle of the road, next to the wounded body of a man, presumably his father. The list reader managed to get the kid to safety. And the old man thanked him for it, said the list reader's name was "Hadvar." Hadvar turned to me. "Still alive, prisoner? Stay close to me if you want to stay that way." Then he talked to the old man. "Gunnar, take care of the boy, I have to join the defence." The man thanked him. Hadvar waled across the road, and I followed him. He led me through burning buildings, all the while Imperial soldiers fought a losing battle against the dragon. He led me into the streets, then into a building.

He cut my bonds. "There should be some weapons and armor in a chest around here. Go see what you can find." I thanked him for his generosity, but declined, saying that succumbing to armor makes me weak. I unlocked a gate with a key I found and continued in my rags. I readied a flame spell and a healing spell. We came across some Stormcloaks, which we dispatched of. We ventured through, killing Stormcloaks we came across. Then we entered a torture chamber. We killed the Stormcloaks in it and Hadvar and a torturer conversed. It sickened me, him being so casual with a man who made a living causing suffering to other people. He unlocked a cell, and in there were the most beautiful mage robes I have ever seen. I put them over my rags and continued.

Finally we left the cave. I had lost Hadvar somewhere in the caves, so I just continued down the road. I could see the dragon fly around, towards Whiterun it seems. I continued, when I came across three stones. I touched the one in the middle, and a blue light appeared in a hole in the center and shot into the sky. Nothing else happened. I continued walking.

I now sit in an inn in a quaint little town I found called Riverwood. Tomorrow I will try seeing if I can find any work and where I can learn about magic. Now though, I sit at a table writing this with my ale and carrots on a plate. Today was absolutely chaotic. Hopefully tomorrow is better.