The Dragonborn Arrives (Skyrim)

Unbound pt 2

I follow Ralof through the chaos that's unfolding around Helgen, with meteors falling and that damned dragon flapping about and burning things. We take shelter inside one of the towers that Helgen has and there are other Stormcloaks there and Ulfric Stormcloak, unbound and ungagged with a sword in his hand. 

"Jarl Ulfric! What is that thing? Could the legends be true?" Ralof asks Ulfric. My eyes wander to the Stormcloaks that are crouched by the wall, bleeding and broken. They aren't getting out of here alive, but maybe me, Ulfric and Ralof stand a chance if we stick together. Whatever qualms I have about the ideology of the Stormcloaks can wait - I want to get out of this alive. 

"Legends don't burn down villages," Ulfric remarks, his deep voice making me shiver. Really Skylar? There's a dragon killing people and you're thinking about Ulfric's voice? "We need to move. Now!"

"Up through the tower, let's go!" Ralof suggests. 

"Is that really the smartest of ideas?" I shout as I follow him up the stairs. "You know, with that dragon out there!? Shouldn't we run-"

I'm cut off  when the dragon bashes through the wall, rearing his ugly head. I let out a small scream and jump back, barely stopping myself from falling down the stairs. Ralof curses and also slips, but catches his balance. 

"Yol...toor SHUL!" the dragon says and a jet of fire steams out from his mouth and I can feel the heat on my face. The dragon mercifully flies away seconds after this and I try not to notice the burnt corpses, or the smell they give of. I thought the ash spawn creatures were bad but this...this is awful. 

"This tower is going to come crashing down!" I shout. "He's melted the structure!"

"See the inn on the other side?" Ralof points at what was once the inn. "Jump through the roof and keep going! Go! I have to help the injured soldiers here...we'll follow when we can!"

Ralof barely gives me a chance to register what's happening before my body takes over and leaps from the tower, through the inn roof and onto the hard floor. It hurts and briefly knocks the wind out of me, but I recover and keep going. Not easy when my hands are still bound. I don't know why Ralof didn't cut them off for me when we were inside the tower. 

I don't have time to think about that right now. I need to focus. Keep moving Skylar. You stop moving and you die. Move. I stumble out of the inn and I'm back into the chaos. The dragon lands and I see Hadvar yelling instructions to the townspeople. 

"Haming, you need to get over here. Now! Torolf!"

The dragon snaps his jaws and the man Hadvar called Torolf gets caught and immediately dies. My stomach lurches. Somehow I think execution would have been better than this. 

"Papa!" a little boy shrieks and my heart breaks for him. 

"Gods, everyone get back!" Hadvar roars and I follow his instructions, even though his side wanted me dead a few moments ago. Hadvar joins us and the dragon flies away, looking for new targets. "Still alive prisoner? Keep close to me if you want to say that way. Gunnar, take care of the boy. I have to find General Tullius and join their defence,"

"Are you talking to me?" I trail off when I realise I'm the only one in the group dressed as a prisoner. Nice going, Skylar. 

"Gods guide you, Hadvar," says the man Hadvar addressed. 

I follow after Hadvar, feeling that it's not an ideal or smart move to make. 

"Stay close to the wall!" Hadvar commands and I press myself against the wall of the house that we're passing by.