The Sewers

Stepping between my cell and the cave that led to some unknown ruins felt like the first step towards a journey that I was unsure I signed up for. I followed the guards and the Emperor Uriel at a distance, because I did not want to get in the way or a be a burden, forcing them to change their minds about allowing me to live. The damp cavern was a short distance between the prison and the ruins that it connected to. They turned down some stairs into another room before I even got to the steps. As I descended the stairs I heard swords drawn and a commotion in the other room. I quickened my pace only to reach them as one of the guards bent over the leader's body.

She was dead.

There were three other bodies lying on the stone floor, dressed in red hoods and red robes; the Mythic Dawn. They must have been the assassins the Emperor spoke of earlier, the ones that had murdered his sons and were now after him. The older male guard (I believe his was name Glenroy) told the Emperor the grave news of her death. Despite that, they needed to keep going if they wanted to keep him safe. I walked over to them, but Glenroy told me that I could not follow, that I needed to stay behind them. I was disappointed but mostly afraid.

I had never been alone in a dark place before. My nervousness started to arise deep within the pit of my gut. My hands became clammy and started to shake. I had to get a grip as this was a life or die situation and I was not about to die. Despite my fear, I had a weapon. A rusty sword I had picked up from one of the corpses. I had no armor (only my prisoner rags). Nothing to protect myself against anything that wished for my death. I started pacing the musty, dark room I was in. The door they took earlier had locked behind them. From what I could gather that was the only way out. That was my thought until the wall began to crumble. I readied my sword as two rats, the size of small children, came rushing towards me. I wacked at the rats as hard as I could until they lay at my feet, a pool of blood oozing from beneath them. I stepped over their dead bodies and into the room beyond the hole in the wall. Inside was another section of the cave I had been in earlier. The cave apparently surrounded the ruins. I could probably follow the cave and find a way out that way. As I went through the room I came over a skeleton. I pried a bow and a quiver of arrows from the poor soul's grasp, along with some armor to better protect myself with. Nearby I found a key on a goblin's body that luckily opened the door that lead out of that room.

Along my way through more rooms, I found rats and loot. I knew once I got out that I would need to have coin in order to get myself anywhere from here. Which meant that I needed to look for as much as I could, and carry as much more. I fumbled through most of the cave before coming to more frequented area. Frequented by goblins that is. Up to that point there had been only rats. Rats I could fight, goblins however were another story. As I entered the goblin area, I saw one just beyond a stalactite. His back was facing me, which gave me the opportunity to sneak around behind him. I followed behind him until he came to a stop by his camp, in which he had built a fire and was roasting a rat on a spit above it. I positioned myself, readied my bow, took an arrow out of the quiver, aimed, and let my shot loose. The arrow landed in the back of his skull making a satisfying "crunch". His body slumped to the ground as his life left him. I searched his camp area for more loot, coming across some apples and bread. My stomach growled. When was the last time I had eaten?

I slew several more goblins along the way before I reached yet another hole in the wall, this one leading back into the ruins I had been in before. As I climbed over the broken ledge that was once solid stone I heard voices. I crept along the wall as low as I could, hiding from whomever was around the corner. When I peeked around the corner and looked down, I saw the Emperor as well as his two guards. They walked briskly through the room, stopping abruptly near the exit as they heard commotion from a walkway above them. Two more cultists came appeared from a hidden door from up above and attacked the group. I know I could have waited for them to kill the assassins off quickly without getting involved, but I felt that I owed the Emperor for sparing my life. As the two guards used their bodies to shield any attacks against the Emperor, I jumped down from my position and let my arrows fly into the assassins bodies. I did not stop until their corpses fell, lifeless, to the ground. I lowered my bow as the two guards came at me, swords drawn. "Stand down Baurus and Glenroy. We need her" he commanded. His voice sounded full of wisdom; a voice that you cannot help but listen to. After they had lowered their swords and gone to check the perimeter, he approached me. He told me that he believed in the Gods and that they guided him through his life. It was through the stars that he learned of the hour of his death. He asked me what I believe, but I didn't know (and still don't, for that matter). Do they guide us and shape our lives? Have they shaped mine? He did not seemed pleased with my little knowledge in the Gods, but he continued on to tell me that my path was important. He told me, gravely, that I could follow them a little while longer, until the end.

Glenroy took point, the Emperor behind him. Baurus turned to me and told me to make myself useful as he handed me a torch. "Thanks but I have my bow," I said defensively as I dropped the torch. We went through several more hallways and empty rooms with broken stone all along the paths. Twice we ran into the Mythic Dawn, but they proved to be no challenge for two soldiers and my bow.

Through several winding corridors and hollow rooms, we finally came to the last room that hosted the end to the ceaseless ruins. Glenroy went ahead to scout out the area, to make sure we would not get ambushed. After searching ahead he waved us on. We reached the gate that was to be our way out only to find it locked and barred from the other side. Despite our efforts we had fallen prey to yet another ambush. Panic began to creep up my spine as we rushed to another door and room that we hoped would lead us away from the inevitable battle. Unfortunately that room was a dead end, we were trapped like rodents. Glenroy told me to stay with the Emperor and protect him with my life. Leaving me, the prisoner, with the Emperor as they rushed off to fight the assassins. A moment passed before the Emperor approached me for the last time. He told me that the Amulet of Kings could not fall into the wrong hands, and that I needed to find someone by the name of Jauffre, that he would know where to find his last heir. I trembled from the very tips of my hair to the last cells in my toes as he handed me the Amulet. His last words to me were for me to "close shut the jaws of Oblivion."

His life ended shortly after uttering those words to me as an assassin came behind him through a concealed door and cut him down. I froze as I watched the Emperor collapse so close to me. His hour had come. The assassin approached me, dagger drawn. I unfroze soon enough to drive three arrows into his heart before he could even attempt a swing at me. I stepped over the body of the murderer and fell to my knees beside the Emperor. I took his hand just as Baurus came into the room. He was sweating profusely and was covered in blood. He stopped abruptly when he saw the Emperor's body. I could see the pain the sight of the dead Emperor caused him. Though we had only known each other for a short time I felt overwhelmed with empathy for him. I wanted to bring the Emperor back if only to never see the pain in Baurus' eyes. Overcoming his shock, Baurus searched the Emperor's body. He asked me what had happened to the Amulet. I told him what the Emperor had told me and instructed me to do. Baurus told me that if anyone knew about another heir that it would be Jauffre. Baurus told me how to find Jauffre, gave me a key, and told me to escape through the hidden door. He stayed behind to watch over the Emperor's body.

As much as I wanted to stay and make sure Baurus went unharmed, considering the fate of Glenroy. I knew I now had a mission. I ran through the sewers as fast as my legs could take me. I snuck past several goblins and rats, but finally I saw the light at the end. Splashing through the sewer I opened the gate to my freedom, the gate that led me out into the world that I knew I had to save. My journey had just begun.

Waking Up

     Do you ever get the feeling, right as you wake up, that you do not know where you are or how you got there? That was the feeling that washed over me as I became aware of my surroundings. They were grim, dirty, and musky. A cell. I lay on a cell floor, dirt coating my worn prisoner garments. Laying there I tried to remember how I got there, but nothing came to me. My memories were a black, looming cloud that was laughing at me as I tried to remember what had happened. Frustrated I clambered to my feet. A window lurked at the back of my cell.

    Turning towards the cell doors I saw chains hanging from the ceiling, they were dirty and unused. I walked, my hands outstretched, to the locked door that kept me from running. As I approached it I heard movement in the cell across from me, another prisoner. I reached the door as he began speaking to me. He spoke of my impending doom, as we heard voices approaching the cells he told me they were coming for me, and that I was going to die.

    I stood, watching the stairs, waiting to see who the people were coming our way. My hands began to tremble, and I broke out into a cold sweat. I didn't want to die in this cell, I wasn't ready. The voices got closer, and I could make out a bit of what they were saying. Something about a 'sire' and about getting this 'sire' to safety. They came around the bend of the stairs, three guards, and someone dressed in expensive clothing. Someone of great importance.

    The female guard turned towards my cell and took a step back in surprise when she saw me, it could not be that I looked intimidating, standing there helplessly in rags. She questioned one of the other guards as to why I was in that cell, mentioning that it was supposed to be off limits. The older of the two men answered that it must have been a mix up with the watch, he seemed unable to give her a clear answer. Frustrated she told them to just get it open. The male who spoke earlier motioned to me and told me to go over by the window. Not wanting to die I complied. I shuffled towards the back of my cell by the window as they opened the cell door. The female came through followed by the older male guard, then the man dressed in royalty's clothing, and the youngest male came through last, closing my cell door behind him. The older male gestured at me and told me to stay put and to not make any sudden moves. He had a long sword sheathed by his side. He would think me crazy to make a move against three well armed, clearly, trained soldiers.

    Suddenly the man dressed royally looked at me; he let out a small gasp. Confused, I met his gaze. He told me to come closer, so I took a hesitant step towards him.

"I have seen your face," he said to me.

 How could he have seen my face if I had never seen his before? As I went to reply, he stated that he had seen me in his dreams and that the stars had spoken to him. He told me that this must be the day, he asked the Gods to be with him, and he warned me that my path would be filled with blood and death.

If I thought I had been frightened beforehand, I was mistaken. The fear overwhelmed me. What had he seen?

"Who are you?" I asked, unsure if I really wanted to know the answer.

"I am your Emperor Uriel Septim," he stated with confidence.

   The female guard interrupted our encounter and told him that if they wanted to leave that they needed to go now. Turning back towards me, Uriel told me to be safe. He then followed the female guard through a secret tunnel that had materialized after she had hit a hidden button to open it. The others followed faithfully.

   I let them go ahead of me for a time before heading after them. I wanted to know what life he had seen me leading. What was he talking about? Why was I there? Following them was the only way I would get any answers to my questions. I fearfully took the first steps toward a journey that I never dreamed I would live.