Skyrim: Tales of a Redguard

Chapter 1: The Incident at Helgen

(What's up, everybody? I'm sure you guys know exactly what's gonna happen in this chapter, but we all have to start somewhere. Since this is a story based on the game, that place is definitely Helgen. Hope you enjoy.)

How had it come to this? It seemed one moment I was peacefully walking across the border into Skyrim, ready to finally explore the land that started it all in Tamriel. Next moment, I was stripped of all my gear, forced to wear rags and being sent to gods-know-where by Imperial Soldiers. The others in the back of the carriage with me had begun speaking amngst themselves, but I didn't care about what they were saying. Before we knew it, the carriage had stopped. In the center of an imperial fort no less. Were we to be executed?

One of the soldiers had started calling out names. Two of them had followed orders and walked themselves to a group of prisoners, no doubt waiting for the block themselves. One tried to run... poor sap took an arrow to the back of his neck. Looks like he gets an early trip to...what did the Nords call it? Sovngarde? Yeah, that was it.

All of a sudden, the man who was calling out people's names paused for a second.

"Wait... Who are you?"

I looked up at him to see that he was looking at me.

Before I continue I think it's in order that you get a good idea about what I look like. I'm of average height, no taller than most other Redguards. I'm rather well-muscled, used to carrying around heavy weapons like war hammers. My complexion is rather dark, even for people of Hemmerfell. I have short black hair that is more like fuzz than hair. I know that it's hard to imagine what that looks like but that is the best I know how to explain it. My beard is also black, and reaches down to at least the top of my chest. My eyes are completely black. I guess it would be pointless to tell you of my clothes, for as I said before they were nothing but a ragged and torn tunic and pants.

"Razhaa. My name is Razhaa."

The Soldier checked his clipboard again.

"What should we do with him, Captain? He isn't on the list."

The Captain sighed.

"Forget the list. He goes to the block."

"By your orders, Captain."

He looked at me again.

"We'll make sure your remains are returned to Hammerfell."

I sighed and followe the Captain into the crowd of other prisoners. As I took a look to my left I noticed a face from the Empire that I wouldn't think to see here. General Tullius, a high-ranking Imperial Soldier was talking down to some Nord wearing all black.

"Ulfric Stormcloak... Some people here in Helgen call you a hero. But a hero doesn't use a power like The Voice to murder the king and usurp his throne."

Okay... that guy sounded like bad news...

Ulfric tried to speak, but he had his mouth tightly bound.

"You started this war, plunged Skyrim into chaos, and now the Empire is going to put you down and restore the peace."

An ominous roar was then heard. It didn't sound like any animal I've ever encountered...

This roar caused some minor confusion among the Imperials as well, but they shook it off and began the executions. I really didn't want to watch as one guy got his head cut off, so I closed my eyes, wincing as I heard the sound of the axe driving through his neck.

What I heard next was one f the most terrifying things I've heard in my life.

"Next, the Redguard!"

I frantically looked around to see if there were any other Redguards there, but to my terror there were not. I took a deep breath and started walking forward. Another roar was heard, much louder this time. This was starting to become easily the most terrifying day of my life. But nonetheless, I had to be brave in death. I wouldn't want fear to be the last thing I felt, now would I?

As I knelt there, I felt a foot force me to bend forward by pressing hard on my back, my head now laying right on the chopping block. Well, this was the end, it seemed...until something miraculous happened. Though... miracle was far from the word to describe it. I giant, black reptilian...creature landed on the roof of a nearby tower. My eyes widened at the sight of it.

"Dragon!"

So this was a dragon... weren't they supposed to be extinct? Nonetheless the thing was terrifying.

The dragon opened it's mouth and what seemed to be a blast of force came out, utterly wreck9ing everyhting in sight and knocking me to the ground for a couple seconds. As soon as I could move I found myself running towards the open door of a tower, people shouting and fire raining from the sky... what the hell was going on here?

Once in the tower I stopped for a second to catch my breath. I guessed that it wouldn't be good to stay in one place for too long, so I started making my way up the tower. Just in time to see the dragon burst through an upper wall and roast a soldier with it's fire breath. I was relieved to see it fly off though.

"Keep moving, prisoner! Jump through the roof of the inn!"

Though it sounded insane, I wasn't really in my right mind anyway. After a painful jump and some careful maneuvering through the destroyed town all while avoiding the dragon with the Imperial Soldier that had asked for my name, having met him on the way, I found myself to be relatively safe at last.

The soldier, named Hadvar, and I were panting pretty hard as we entered the keep.

"Still alive, Prisoner?"

"Yes, I'm holding together," I replied.

"Good... was that really a dragon? The Bringers of the End Times?"

"Your guess is as good as mine. Hadvar, was it?"

Hadvar nodded.

"We should keep moving. Come here, let me see if I can get those bindings off."

He took out a knife as I held out my hands for him.

"Try not to cut me," I joked.

"Very funny," Hadvar replied with a smirk as he cut my bindings. I rubbed my wrists a little before sighing.

"Well, good to be free at last. Is it alright if I rummage around for anything I can use to defend myself?"

"Go ahead. I don't think the other soldiers will be needing this stuff anymore..."

I took a look through the chests in the room, finding a full suit of Imperial Light Armor and an Iron sword. I gave the sword a couple swings, giving a sigh.

"This type of weapon is really not what I'm used to, but I guess I have no choice."

After changing into the armor I sheathed the sword.

"Lead the way then."

A hallway later we opened the door to see a couple people wearing blue armor.

"Stormcloaks," Hadvar comented, "Maybe we could reason with them..."

Long story short, we couldn't. After both of the Stormcloak soldiers were dead, I noticed that one of them had been using a war hammer.

"I don't think they'll mind... I stated as I picked the heavy hunk of iron up. I undid the sword's scabbard and dropped it near one of the Stormcloaks' bodies. It had served its purpose.

A lot of running and more dead Stormcloaks later we found our way to the entrance to a cave.

"...And why is this here?" I asked.

"In case of emergency," Hadvar replied.

Not too long after we entered the cave we saw a sleeping bear.

"Maybe we shouldn't-"

But Hadvar had spoken too late. I had already ran up to the bear and bashed it's skull in with my hammer.

"Let's keep going," I said, seeing light at the end of the tunnel we were in. Good grief... What a way to enter Skyrim this had turned out to be.