“Anrelios! Your Pa is home. Come say hello!”
Immediately I hopped up from my studies of the Elements of Magic and the Sword. It was a book my dad had written for me to study when I was just a babe. Before he left for the war. I ran past my sister Delphine’s room. It was empty. She had left to join some group called the Blades or the Knights or something like that many moons ago.
“Ah there you are my little Halfling.” My mother said. Her voice was like the softest velvet. She was elven. Her family came from a small island off the coast of Summerset Isle. Next to her stood a man who was clearly of human descent. He was tall, pale and had long black hair. His eyes were an unearthly orange or yellow for a man.
“My son. It’s me.”
“Pa?”
He chuckled. His laugh echoed like a scream in a frozen cave. It was terrifying. “Yes, my Halfling. It is me. You have grown to a fine mature age. How many moons are you now?”
“Seven!” I declared defiantly.
“Haha.” Pa chuckled, “Seven moons and already standing up to his pa. Good lad. You will make an excellent lord. An excellent challenger.”
The hairs on the back of my neck stiffened. “Challenger?”
“Yes. You are of my blood. Though only half of it. You can challenge my right to the throne. I can’t let you do that my Halfling.”
I understood why his eyes bothered me so. My father showed his teeth. His canines were sharp and pointed. He was no more human than my mother. He was a vampire.
“No!” My mother shouted.
My pa leapt at her throat and in moments my mother’s lifeless and colorless body fell to the floor.
“I dare not drain you. Being of my loins, you may survive and grasp this gift.”
“It is no gift.” I spat defiantly.
My father smiled and threw me against the wall of the hearth room. I felt my consciousness slip away. My vision faded to black.
I awoke to smoke. The house around me was ablaze. Coughing and sputtering, I managed to stay low. The doors and windows out where already covered with flame. I was trapped. I crawled to Delphine’s old room. She was always one for secrets…luckily I knew a few. I pulled the unlit torch sconce above her bed, holding my breath as I did so. I did not want the smoke to render me unconscious. A panel slid back from under her bed. It was a secret cellar. Complete with non-perishable food, light (As if the flames above weren’t enough), a small bookshelf of books, and was covered from floor to ceiling with fire wards. Delphine was always the paranoid of the family. I slipped in and closed the hatch. I lit a few sconces and studied Delphine’s little library while listening to my life burn into nothing above my head.
I sputtered awake.
“Hey you. You’re finally awake. Caught you trying to cross the border right?”
I stared at the blonde Nord. “Shut up.” I said.
I was finally in Skyrim. After years of learning the ways of blade, magic, and the forge, I finally made it to Skyrim. My home in southern Cyrodil was a long way from here. And it was gone. It had been for eleven moons. I had hoped to find my sister, but after seeing what had become of Cloud Ruler Temple. I knew that she was dead.
The cart ride finally stopped inside the walls of a small settlement. I thought I heard one of my fellow prisoners call it Helgen. I saw the infamous General Tullius with Elenwen of the Thalmor. Then soon I saw the headsman. I was going to die.
We all climbed out of the cart we gave our names one at a time. A thief tried to run and got arrows in his back for the troubles. I could not help but to laugh.
We lined up for our executions. A redheaded Nord went first. He was defiant and brave, a man I could have gotten along with. It was my turn next. An Imperial bitch put her foot on my back and held my head down on the chopping block.
From here, I don’t know what happened. It could have been the deception of desperation or fear, but I swear by Talos that a dragon had attacked the settlement. I know I now sound crazy and insane, but I tell the truth my friends. And its attack gave me the chance to escape into Skyrim. I took that chance. I got out of that hole in Oblivion.
