Head in the Game

Stuck

Austin sighed as he and his boyfriend, Jacob, got home from work.  A few weeks ago, Austin was bored and asked Jacob for something to do.  Immediately, he suggested some video games.  Austin reluctantly agreed, seeing as though he had never played one.  Jacob walked to his shelf full of games and flicked through them.  After a few minutes, he pulled out a case with  a silver dragon symbol on the front.  Austin asked what it was and Jacob replied, "Skyrim obviously.  One of best games ever!"  Austin nodded slowly and Jacob scurried to the computer and it began to whir to life. 

        Jacob sat down and with a few mouse clicks, the game was up and running.  He got out of the chair, "Austin, your turn.  I'll guide you through it."  Austin sat and put on the headphones, "This doesn't seem too hard."  Jacob chuckled and began a New Game.   Austin heard the clicking of horse hooves and the metallic jangle of shackles.  The screen faded from black into "reality" and he was able to look around.  Jacob pointed to the people in his wagon, "Listen closely to them.  It's all part of the story."  Austin nodded and waited.  They began to talk and he listened.  One of the characters, Ralof, introduced one of the characters as some type of king.  He said that he High King of Skyrim and leader of the Stormcloaks, whatever they are.  The character, Ulfric Stormcloak, was gagged and only grunted in reply.

Austin's wagon began to cross under a gate with porticullis and into a town. Soldiers clad in leather and red accents stood around with weapons in hand. All the children were running away into their homes, confusing Austin even more. Austin needed clarity, "Jacob why are they all running?" Jacob chuckled, "You'll see." The wagon continued forward until it stopped near a group of soldiers and a tower. As his wagon-mates got off, Austin looked around. A box was off to the side with a burly man next to it, pole arm in hand.

Jacob left to go to the bathroom and told Austin to pause. When Jacob went out of sight, Austin continued playing. The burly man seemed to get bigger and bigger, almost filling up Austin's vision somehow. Suddenly, his vision went black. When Austin regained consciousness, the game was all he could see. He moved his head to try and look for Jacob. The games view turned. Austin looked down. He was furry and had claws. He had become a part of the game!

Worrying that he had lost Jacob forever, Austin wept. His feline body began to shake and tears matted his fur. Ralof firmly grasped his shoulder and shook it slightly, "To die at Imperial hands is certaintantly depressing, my friend. Especially at the end of a pole." Austin turned to him, "What about Jacob? I lost him!" Ralof looked thouroughly confused and asked, "Is Jacob your brother?" Austin shook his head and only shed tears faster, his voice beginning to waver, "No! Jacob was my boyfriend! The best ever. And now he's gone. And I'm stuck!"

Ralof furrowed his brow, "We don't have 'boyfriends' here. We marry. I didn't know how Elsweyr tradition went along." Austin shook his head again and mouthed a silent "No!". Austin was grabbed by the shirt and pulled forward. A soldier was on the other end and looked very frustrated, "Pay attention and your death will be quicker!" He stalked away and fumed near the tower. The man now in front of him seemed like a messenger, short and scrawny with a higher pitched voice. He held a scroll and quill which was constantly scrawling notes. He hummed for a moment as Austin composed himself and then asked, "Are you Dro'marash?" Austin looked up, "No! I'm Austin!"

The frustrated soldier returned and chuckled darkly, "No, no, no. We aren't falling for your tricks again, Khajiit scum. Take him off the list. He's going straight to the block." Austin began to panic and stuttered words as he was pulled over to the man with the massive axe. The soldier made a show of throwing him down on the ground and announced his name and crimes, "Dro'marash has commuted treason against the Empire, thievery, murder, arsony, and forgery. He has been sentenced to death!"

Austin cried more and more as his head was pushed into the wood block. He pleaded and pleaded and tried to escape. One of his wagon-mates had tried to run but was shot by the numerous archers stationed. Then the whole procession was silenced by a single mighty roar. Many of the soldiers began whispering of a dragon. A few deemed it a simple forest animal. Soon the executioner standing above him raised the axe. Ralof grimaced but still watched, rigid as stone. Ulfric had his eyes down, kicking the dirt. The soldiers watchedm with glee as they asserted their power. Until the roar became a reality.