Choi Ha-neul and I were currently facing Savos Aren in the Arch-Mage's quarters. Unlike in the game, he radiated the pressure and dignity of a truly powerful mage.
"Not only are you leaving immediately after enrolling, but you're asking to take another student with you?"
"Arch-Mage, sir. Please, I'm begging you!"
To be honest, I just wanted to bolt, but—
I figured taking a student away without a word would be bad form, so I decided to pay him a visit.
However, Savos had already realized that Choi Ha-neul was the Dragonborn.
Shouts are, in a broad sense, a form of Destruction magic. His keen senses must have detected Ha-neul's Thu'um yesterday.
"Miss Meriden is a quiet but diligent student. She is a precious resource to this College and a cherished pupil."
I couldn't argue with that. I'd finally managed to secure a healer, only for it to fall through at the finish line. On top of that, I was terrified of the repercussions if I decided to just ignore the head of the College.
"Very well. I shall allow it."
"Wait, really?"
I was caught off guard by how easily he gave in. But then—
"It is for the sake of the world, after all."
Savos gave a light smile and a nod. I realized right then that he knew our party's secret.
"Whew—what a relief! Right?"
Choi Ha-neul spoke as we exited the College with Eloise in tow.
"I guess. But don't you think you're throwing your identity around a bit too much?"
When I snapped at her, Choi Ha-neul scratched the back of her head and chuckled.
"Haha. Well, it's all for the sake of the world, isn't it?"
"Fine. I'll let it slide this time."
Since we successfully secured a healer, I decided to drop it.
With our business at Winterhold Community College finished, the four of us paired up on two horses: Lydia with Eloise, and myself with Choi Ha-neul.
Our destination was, naturally, High Hrothgar. We had to move the main quest forward.
The horse I was on took the lead. To avoid any collisions at high speed, we kept a distance of about ten meters between the horses.
During the ride, I peppered Choi Ha-neul with questions. Did she see quest windows like I did? Did she have any special protagonist powers?
She told me she wanted to start from the beginning and began describing the day she first fell into this world.
"So, when I first opened my eyes..."
Choi Ha-neul had merely tried to use the computer her brother had left behind when he moved out to live on his own.
As soon as she turned it on, a mysterious light emanated from the monitor, knocking her unconscious on the spot.
When she regained her senses...
—Rumble, clatter.
"Ugh... my head."
"Hey, you. You're finally awake."
Startled by the voice of a strange man, Choi Ha-neul blurted out a question.
"Who are you, Mister? Wait! Where is this!?"
She was more shocked by her surroundings than the man himself. Instead of her bedroom, she was in a horse-drawn carriage filled with prisoners.
"Calm down. You look like you're still a bit dazed from the blow to your head."
Ralof continued, trying to soothe her.
"You were trying to cross the border, right? Walked right into that Imperial ambush, same as us, and that horse thief over there."
The young man referred to as the horse thief spoke up. Like Choi Ha-neul and Ralof, his hands were bound.
"Damn you Stormcloaks. Skyrim was fine until you came along."
'Skyrim? Stormcloaks? What is he talking about?!'
Choi Ha-neul was utterly confused. Yet, strangely, she felt an overwhelming urge to adapt to the situation.
"Damn it. If it wasn't for you, I could've stolen that horse and been halfway to Hammerfell by now!"
"Shut up back there!"
"Tch."
The horse thief grumbled, silenced by the warning of the soldier leading the way.
Lokir, the thief, looked at the man sitting opposite him and asked a question, noticing he was the only one gagged.
"And who's this? Why's he gagged?"
Choi Ha-neul looked at the man Lokir was pointing to. He was a middle-aged blonde man with a sturdy build, wearing thick fur armor.
"Watch your tongue! You're speaking to Ulfric Stormcloak, the true High King of Skyrim!"
"Ulfric? The Jarl of Windhelm? Wait, if I'm in the same cart as him... then where are we going!?"
Lokir spiraled into despair at the realization that he was being transported with a war criminal.
"I don't know. But Sovngarde awaits..."
Ralof murmured quietly.
While trying to grasp the situation through the conversation, a voice suddenly echoed in her head.
'Close your eyes and focus your mind.'
"Huh? What was that?"
As Choi Ha-neul jumped in surprise, Ralof answered.
"I didn't hear anything. You really must be in bad shape."
With no other options, Choi Ha-neul closed her eyes and did as the voice commanded. Suddenly, a blue screen, like something out of a comic book, appeared before her.
[Quest 'Unbound' Started!]
ㄴ Objective: Escape Helgen.
ㄴ Failure: Death
[A Gift Has Arrived!]
ㄴ Blood of the Dragonborn: You possess an innately powerful constitution. You adapt rapidly to your environment.
ㄴ Blessing of the Dragonborn: Growth rate for all skills increased by 70%. Thu'um potency and physical capabilities strengthen as you absorb Dragon Souls.
"Quest? Gift...?"
Choi Ha-neul whispered to herself as the carriage rattled through the main gates of Helgen.
"General Tullius, sir! We've arrived!"
"Good. Let's get this over with."
The soldier at the front and a man in golden-ornamented armor—presumably the commander—exchanged words.
'Get this over with? Get what over with?'
A sense of dread washed over Choi Ha-neul. She kept telling herself it couldn't be what she thought it was. It couldn't be.
"Shor, Dibella, Kynareth, Akatosh. Gods, please help me!"
Lokir prayed to gods she had never heard of in her life. But the carriage continued its heartless advance.
The man called the General turned his horse toward an elf with blonde hair and pointed ears.
"An elf!?"
"Why so surprised? You're an elf yourself."
"Excuse me?"
She immediately touched her ears and realized they were much longer and sharper than usual.
"Wh-what...?"
"Wait, you're not some Thalmor spy, are you?"
Ralof said something beside her, but she couldn't hear him, shocked as she was by the change in her own body. Today was a non-stop parade of shock and horror.
Unfortunately, there was much more of it to come.
—Neigh!
"We're here. All prisoners, out of the carts!"
A female officer shouted.
"Wait, why are we stopping?"
"Why else? You've reached the end of the line."
The carriages stopped inside Helgen, and the prisoners filed out one by one.
Choi Ha-neul saw it. Right next to where the carriage had stopped was a stone block perfectly shaped for resting a head, with a basket placed right in front of it.
And beside it stood a hulking man holding a greataxe that was taller than a person.
"N-no way—"
Before Choi Ha-neul could say more, Lokir screamed.
"Wait! There's been a mistake! I'm not with these rebels!"
Ignoring Lokir completely, the female officer in heavy armor shouted.
"Step forward as your names are called!"
"The Empire loves their damn lists."
An Imperial soldier began calling out names.
"Ulfric Stormcloak, Jarl of Windhelm."
The gagged man from earlier stepped forward.
"Jarl Ulfric. It has been an honor."
Ralof spoke solemnly as Ulfric was led away.
Ralof was called next, and then came Lokir's turn.
"Lokir of Rorikstead."
"I'm not a rebel!"
With his hands still bound, the horse thief bolted toward the town gates with everything he had. The Captain ordered him to stop, but he didn't care and kept running at full speed.
"Archers!!"
At the Captain's command, a soldier with a bow took aim at Lokir.
Twang—
"Augh!"
Lokir died instantly as an arrow pierced the back of his head.
Thud.
Witnessing someone die for the first time, Choi Ha-neul collapsed in despair, knowing she was next.
"Sniff, hmph—"
"Get up. Don't cry. What's your name?"
Choi Ha-neul managed to speak through her tears.
"Ugh... Choi Ha-neul."
The Imperial soldier, Hadvar, checked his list but, naturally, couldn't find her name.
Being an Altmer, she didn't look like someone who would be in league with the Stormcloaks in the first place.
"Captain, what should we do? She's not on the list."
Ever since Choi Ha-neul had arrived in Skyrim, her unintentional, small actions had begun to trigger a butterfly effect, slightly altering the original course of events.
"Hmm... and a High Elf female at that. She doesn't look like a Stormcloak..."
Just then, a blonde High Elf woman approached. It was Elenwen, First Emissary of the Aldmeri Dominion.
She had come to check if a Thalmor spy had been captured by mistake.
"Step aside. I need to check something. What is your affiliation?"
"Affiliation? Uh... that is..."
"Hmm. You have peculiar blue hair, and you don't look like Thalmor. Do with her as you wish."
For a split second, Ha-neul had felt a glimmer of hope that she was being saved.
Hearing the irresponsible remark and realizing she was doomed to die anyway, fury boiled up inside her, and she let out a string of curses.
"You irresponsible bitch! We're the same race!! Save me!"
But the woman walked away without a second glance.
Having received Elenwen's notification, the Captain gave Hadvar an order.
"Forget the list. She goes to the block."
"Understood, Captain. I'm sorry, friend. I'll make sure your remains are returned to your homeland."
She was ultimately doomed. She considered running, but she was still far too weak. She'd surely be cut down.
Maybe having her head cleanly severed was the most painless way to go.
But witnessing the scene right in front of her only intensified her fear.
—Thwack!
The head of the Stormcloak soldier who had been called before her was cleanly cut off. It rolled across the stone and landed perfectly in the basket.
She was forced to witness the gruesome sight of blood spraying like a hose from the pressure in his veins.
'I can't do this... I didn't even do anything wrong!!'
Despairingly, Choi Ha-neul was next.
"Next! The High Elf!"
The Captain called for her.
She considered one last desperate attempt to flee, but Hadvar spoke in a gentle voice.
"Calm down and go quietly. Please."
"Ugh..."
Left with no choice, Choi Ha-neul stepped onto the execution platform. As she knelt before the block, the Captain stepped on her back to hold her down.
'Mom!'
Choi Ha-neul squeezed her eyes shut as the headsman raised his axe high into the air.
And then—
"By the gods! What is that?"
"Sentry, what do you see?"
"It can't be! Dragon!!"
A black dragon appeared in the sky from behind the mountains. The beast landed on top of the tower near the execution block.
"Fus Ro Dah!"
—KBOOM!
A thunderous Shout erupted. It was so loud that even the soldiers standing far away were momentarily deafened.
Fire began to rain from the sky.
"Yol Toor Shul!"
—ROAR!!
Alduin the World-Eater announced his return to the world.
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