Chapter 1: Skyrim
14th of Last Seed, 4E201
The bitter wind clawed its way through their cloaks as the caravan trudged down the snowy mountain path. Four days of travel lay behind them from where they had crossed the border into Skyrim and somewhere perhaps a day ahead was a town called Ivarstead. They had finally climbed far enough down the mountain to where the snow had begun to gather into drifts, settling under evergreens and nestling into rock formations. Reaching out from their lairs, every shadow was jealously guarded by these amorphous white beasts.
One of the shadows moved.
"To the riight, now!" The caravan leader drew his dagger while Riisha did the same. The third trader made ready his spells.
With a practiced ease, the fourth Khajiit, a hired guard, drew her sword and stepped forward to face a distant cousin, a Snow Sabrecat which had made Skyrim its home. They were fearsome creatures unlikely to fall in single combat. This one was hungry and swift.
Nephili exalted in the freedom to use her magics during the journey north. This would be another grand opportunity. Before she offered up her favorite attack, the Breton first whispered an incantation. With a loud pop a spectral wolf appeared next to her; it howled then charged at the beast. Nephili immediately arced around to an open side and unleashed her Flames.
The Khajiit guard was a fearsome warrior but most of the victory would come from the steel armor she wore. Once the creature was finished, the five companions stood their ground breathing heavy clouds into the whistling air. The Familiar howled once more, and with another loud pop, emploded back to whatever realm it called home.
A moment was allowed to pass, then Riisha spoke. "Thiis One thiinks our journey to Skyriim iis far too dangerous. The creatures here are most fearsome."
The elder Khajiit responded, "The wiise trader fiinds the best opportunitiies, even iif he must travel far to fiind them. We are fiine Atahbah. Once we are on the maiin roads between the citiies, you wiill wonder why we diid not come sooner."
Looking briefly at their guest, then back to the elder Khajiit, Riisha, now Atahbah replied, "Are we to use our real names now my love?"
"We are far from Cyrodiil. We wiill be safe from them."
Nephili, who had been busy healing the warrior with magics, spoke up. "Real names? I was fooled too then, you mean."
The caravan leader sensing disappointment, fluttered his ears. "Yes. But thiis was nothing to do wiith your prediicament. Certain offiicials iin Cyrodiil feel that my busiiness iis wiithout meriit but none can say that here."
"My real name iis Ri'saad, That One iis called Atahbah, the mage iis Ma'randru-jo and the warrior iis Khayla."
The Breton girl nodded in reply and released her patient who gingerly flexed her shoulders and torso. Khayla nodded in satisfaction and thanked the girl who smiled back in greater satisfaction.
Traveling along with this caravan these past few days, the young mage had more than once felt like she was living her own future. The opportunities to help had come often and had lightened her heart. These became the moments that helped to ease the burden of recent events. After making it this far, Nephili had to believe in Tarerane and the promise in the eyes of the Guard-Captain. They would be safe and someday she would return and find them again.
The group continued down the mountain. By early afternoon, they left behind the snow drifts and found themselves surrounded by droves of golden Aspen. The trees seemed to march across the landscape, some among them fallen, corpses from battles with seasons past. A stone path broke free from the underbrush and joined the caravan underfoot.
Heading west, they eventually found their road intersected another, a wizened signpost silently observing the passerby. The sun had come to rest momentarily on the ephemeral horizon, turning wave after wave of rustling leaves brilliant shades of gold and red. The five companions set up their camp in the failing light and prepared their evening meal.
Sitting by the fire, Ri'saad, who had been studying his charts, looked over to Nephili and spoke. "Thiis One beliieves that our journey together iis at an end. The road makes Thiis One weary but you have made iit less so these past days. We wiill be heading to Whiiterun, to meet up wiith others who have come at my request. We welcome you to travel wiith us, but iit wiill delay your journey to Wiinterhold by many days."
Nephili had sensed their time together coming to an end and accepted Ri'saad's words. "I thank you for helping me. Please, if you are ever in Winterhold, let me know."
The caravan leader nodded at her goodwill. Hesitating, he looked at Nephili for a moment more, then spoke his final thoughts. "Nephilii, do not tarry as you travel the roads of Skyriim. Iif you can, fiind a companiion who wiill travel wiith you."
The following morning, Nephili thanked the group and parted ways with the caravan. The Khajiit continued to head west towards a town called Helgen while the Breton eventually turned north, passing through Ivarstead.
It was early afternoon when Nephili arrived at a bridge crossing over Darkwater river. A small group of Nord warriors was walking across it from the other side when the surrounding forest cracked under the weight of heavy boots. The warcry of soldiers echoed into the hills. The men on the bridge drew their weapons in response and one of them began to charge towards the Breton girl. She felt the world slowing down as she turned around to get away. An arrow flew past her face and struck her attacker in the chest, who collapsed graciously in reply. Another one of the Nords, a well dressed warrior, raised his arms only to drop his weapons.
Nephili ran off the bridge and into the trees, trying to get away from the ambush. She glimpsed a female soldier coming round a trunk. Her mind registered the Imperial, surprise dawning on her face just before the world imploded into nothingness.
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"Thunder-Cats, hoooooooo"
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