I am not given much time, Tullis rants on for a while and we are all disturbed by an odd noise. Part scream, part roar in the distance. We are to be given Last Rites by a canting priest...no matter however; death soon comes for a soldier of the rebellion who tires of being lectured. The headsman’s axe is sharp at least as the Captain pushes him down on the block with her boot, the man’s head rolls free. He is at peace now...the village erupts harshly in condemnation or support of this action.

I am called forwards, once more the sound echoes in the heavens and I look up. Nothing, are the gods playing tricks with me. I hope for a miracle that pulls me from the jaws of death, yet nothing comes. So here I am pushed to the block that is slick with the blood of one brave Nord...I can smell the ichor from this morning’s executions still, the fear of men and then I feel the pressure of her boot.

The axe rises before me and before it comes crashing down, the sound returns a third time. There is no mistaking it; an alien sound to these people as a giant creature comes tearing out of the clouds to perch upon the stone tower to my left. A dragon, a real dragon, comes from the myths and legends to devour us all. Now that my friends is a true warrior’s death there between those magnificent jaws. We share a look between us, and the dragon seems to see something in me that I cannot.

He speaks a language that I do not understand but the sky above does; it rips apart in a violent storm and brings fear and ruin to the Empire. Those who I would have supported staunchly in the past, now I smile grimly as the headsman falls to his knees from a thunderous sound that accompanies this sudden storm. Then I am on my feet with Ralof pulling at me, he ushers me forwards and we make a break for it. The gods have given us this chance perhaps, or fate...I care not which one. I take it. I rush into the tower on the right and there Ralof and Ulfric, now unbound share a revelation. The dragon is real and it has come from myth and legend to return. I am eager to escape this doom and rush up the tower; a man clears rocks and is soon smashed to pieces as the dragon breaks through the upper floor. Fire fills the area and the stench of roasting flesh soon follows, I backpedal down the stairs and let it escape, bound as I am...I have no way to fight this damn beast let alone defend myself from a child.

With a gap made though and the dragon gone, I am through it and atop the broken inn opposite. I quickly make my way down and through the rest of the inn until I am outside, fear and chaos rule as the dragon makes short work of defender and prisoner alike. Fire sweeps from the sky and torches buildings. A child makes a run for his father and I recognise the man, he is the one Imperial that reluctantly I have a like for; he is the man who held the list yet did not wish to see me killed.

We join forces for a while, keeping low and avoiding the dragon’s relentless attacks at it sweeps through the village and kills yet more of the Empire’s dogs. Odd isn’t it how a man like me can go from loyalty to hatred in a short time, yet I did not start this campaign against them...and I would have gladly given my life for the Empire a few short days ago. Now they would discover that I had little love for a people who tried to kill me, even if one of them had led me to safety.

Another tower beckoned in Helgen, Ralof blocked the way and warned my saviour that we would be escaping together. Yet did I follow Ralof or the Imperial lapdog, my choice had been made clear. I slammed the door on the dragon and the Empire, choosing to follow Ralof’s lead and help the man escape since he had saved my life. Our fates were interconnected now and my mind was still reeling from the dragon’s relentless attack upon Helgen.

I was finally freed from my bonds thanks to this man, I rubbed my wrists and slipped into the discarded armour that he told me to take. The man who wore it was dead so he did not need it any longer. Now I was at least somewhat protected, though I did not care much for the Nord’s weapons...the hand axe would do until I had something more suitable. This would not take long since the Imperial soldiers found us and that Captain, that woman...strode into the room as though she owned the world.

Our battle was short lived since I was fighting for my life and she was lazy, blood flowed freely as I cut her down in a few strokes. Her body fell limply to the floor and I had at last taken my revenge. I never imagined that it would be so easy to kill someone like her, perhaps in another life she and I might have been friends or more. But this was my life now and my own fate carved from the cold ice of Skyrim lay in my hands.

I turned to see Ralof put down both of her guards and he urged us to escape. I won’t bore you with the details of our flight from the dungeon, our battles with spiders and soldiers as we made our way out of Helgen – the ground shaking as the dragon attacked above relentlessly. I did not think we would make it, but after passing by a sleeping bear we finally emerged into daylight and the beautiful landscape beckoned all around. I was able to catch sight of the dragon as he winged his way over mountains and into the skies above, lost to vision and hopefully gone for good.

I took a moment to gather my wits and followed Ralof, even though he suggested we split up...he proved a useful source of information upon many of the features as we travelled, telling me of an accursed barrow and showing me where magic stones lay. I was able to feel the power of that known as the Warrior, so I surrendered a little of my soul to it knowing that I could easily transfer the bond to another stone if I needed to...it seemed fitting for the journey here I was about to undertake, stranger in a strange land that I am.