Female Breton

"Fleeing some court intrigue?" Asked a familiar voice.

You suddenly snap out of your haze and the reality of the situation hits you hard. This isn't a dream. You are actually about to be executed in the town of Helgen.

"Captain, she's not on the list," Hadvar says in confusion.

"She goes to the block with the rest!"

"I'm sorry stranger. We'll send your body back to High Rock."

With that, one of the soldiers grabs you by the arm and forces you in line with the others. You let out a cry of pain, unprepared to actually feel the mans strong grip against your bare skin. You want to protest, to scream and shout to the surrounding mountains that this is all wrong, and that you shouldn't be here, but you're still in shock.

A number of Imperial guards, in their grey armor and brown uniforms, surround you and the Stormcloaks.

General Tullius, leader of the Empire's forces in Skyrim, stated that Ulfric Stormcloak and his subordinates here would be executed for the murder of the High King. You've heard this speach countless times before, but to actually hear the words in the flesh was something else. The game didn't prepare you for how cold and windy this scene actually was, or the bone chilling dread of seeing that blood stained axe up cloee, but then you didn't expect to be here at all.

The part were the Stormcloak interrupted the final rites performed by the priest, happened as usual, churning the bile in your stomach as you get front row seat to someone's death. He knelt down on the chopping block, said his final line about his ancestors, then headsman's axe came down and suddenly...

"Next prisoner!" Those two words don't seem real. You refused to believe this was happening. Kneeling down, you feel compelled to play your part and turn your head to face the massive tower that would soon become the perch of Alduin the World Eater. The pungent smell of blood and steel fill you nostrils as tears being to form. This is no game. You are actually going to die here.

But just as it seemed the axe would fall once more, a roar split the air as you lay there, causing confused whispers through the people standing around you.

Another even louder roar echoed, followed by the sound of huge wings announcing the arrival of the massive black dragon, Alduin.

He landed atop the tower, the force of his wings making the headsman topple over. You had a brief moment to take in the black dragon's fearsome beauty, his shiny black scales, how sharply pointed his scales were, and his sheer size, before he roared, and meteors began to rain from the sky.

"Right! Bad guy, not saviour!" You are on your feet and scrambling to the tower before you even realised it, hands still bound, as the guards tried to fight against the dragon.

Instincts and memory kick in as you to run up the stone stairs, ignoring Ulfric but stopping in time for Alduin to burst his head through the wall of the tower and blasted one of the Stormcloaks with fire. The man screamed briefly before vanishing, saving you the worst of his grisly death.

Thankfully, Alduin turned its attention elsewhere, and flew off.

Looking through the hole in the tower, you see the damaged building that the player would normally jump into. Actually making this jump in real life suddenly didn't seem like such a hot idea but given your limited options...

"Fuck my life!" You shout as you make the jump, land on the hard wooden floor. Luckily the only thing that broke was your pride. You pick yourself up and make your way down the stairs and out of the burning inn.

"Oh shit!" You almost fall as you immediately back up from the sight of Alduin before you, blocking the path. Another set of strong hands grab you and pull you out of the way, behind the adjacent building.

"Everyone get back!" Screams Hadvar, placing himself infront of you. You can see the old man and little boy huddled next to you, then the heat from Alduin's fire hits. The temperature radiating past you feels like it could burn on its own. Mercifully, the dragon is distracted by the hail of arrow loosed against him, and just like the game, leaves to face the brave archers.

"Gunnar, take care of the boy! I need to regroup with General Tullius and the others!"

"Gods guide you Hadvar!"

"You still alive back there, prisoner? Stay close to me if you want to stay that way!"

Not in any real mood to argue given the circumstances, you do as Hadvar says and follow closely behind him.

"Stick to the walls!"

No sooner had he said that, Alduin on que stood above you, perched over the wall, breathing fire on the defending soldiers and fleeing residents before taking flight once more. The air was rancid with the smell of blood and charred bodies. As you both emerge from an alleyway you see Helgen becoming engulfed in flame.

"It's you and me prisoner, stay close!"

You both run towards what looks like the town garrison, as fire continues to rain down from the sky. You know what comes next, and you don't have long to make your choice before everything goes to hell.

"Ralof you damn traitor, out of my way!"

"We're leaving Hadvar. You're not stopping us this time!"

"Fine! I hope that dragon takes you all to Sovngarde!"