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My name is Chamelion. I am... Dragonborn?

The word still sounded strange to me. However, I was standing in front of a skeleton of a large dragon that I and a few soldiers from Whiterun had fell. It still felt strange to absorb the dragon's soul, and yet with it was some knowledge of what people called 'Shouts'.

"That was the hairiest fight I've been in," I heard Irileth, the Dunmer who was head of the small group of guards, say behind me. I turned to look at her as she continued. "And I've been in more than a few. I don't know about this Dragonborn business, but I'm sure glad you're with us."

She began to walk towards the ruins of the tower, as I turned back towards the dragon's skeleton. "You better get back to Whiterun right away. Jarl Balgruuf will want to know what happened here."

I took a long breath, then glanced over at the city in the distance, set on a hill. The Jarl's residence, Dragonsreach, perched on the hill like a... well, a dragon watching its treasures. Eventually, my feet began to move in the direction towards the city, leaving Irileth and the guards to take care of matters.

About halfway to the city, close to the farms, the ground suddenly shook, a loud crack of thunder following, and I braced myself against a rock, looking up into the sky to expect another attack. I didn't see anything in the sky, but I did hear something that echoed throughout the plains.

"DO-VA-KIN!"

I was confused. Do va kin? What did that mean? I gripped my Nettlebane, looking around slowly. While the farmers in the field had noticed the sound as well, I didn't see any immediate threats. I gripped the dagger tighter in my hand, as I slowly approached the path leading into the town.

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However, just outside of the town walls, my eyes fell upon a set of tents, appearing as if they were pitched in a hurry. Four Khajit were at the camp, two of them standing in front of smaller tents, a third tending to a fire, and a fourth sitting under the largest tent's shade, with offers of various wares set on the blanket by his feet.

I approached the last Khajit, an elder-looking grey-furred one, who immediately looked up at me. "Khajit has wares, if you have coin."

I sat down on the ground near him. "I'm curious about your homeland," I started, trying to be friendly. "What's it like?"

I think his ears twitched. It was hard to tell. "The Khajit hail from a distant land called Elsweyr, bordered on the north by Cyrodiil and the south by the glistening blue waters of the sea." He shifted his posture a little as took a breath. "Elsweyr is an arid land of deserts and rocky cantons, where the sun shines warmly, always. There are cities so ancient, the sands have swallowed them whole." His expression softened, and I could even tell it in his eyes. "But now I will say no more, for I miss my home greatly."

I looked through his wares - it was simple items, such as clothing, ingredients, nothing interesting catching my eye. I bowed in respect to him, then stood up, making my way to the city proper.

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Stepping into the city, my eyes fell immediately upon two men, and I could tell they were from another land, as their clothing was nothing like those of the Whiterun villagers, or the nearby region. I began to walk past them, until one of them stopped me.

"Good afternoon," he simply said, turning to me. My eyes immediately fell upon the scimitar that was attached to his side, and recognized them as Alik'r warriors. Redguard mercenaries for hire. This was not a good sign.

"Good afternoon," I softly responded. "What can I help you with?"

"We're looking for someone," he explained." A Woman - a foreigner in these lands. Redguard, like us." My thoughts went immediately to the bar maiden at the tavern. "She is likely not using her true name. We will pay for any information regarding her location. We are not welcome here in Whiterun, so we will be in Rorikstead if you learn from anything."

I eyed the sword again. This was a rather suspicious turn of events, especially when they're apparently not welcome in Whiterun. "Why are you looking for this woman?"

"It's none of your concern," he promptly responded, and I could catch a cold tone in that voice. "All you need to know is that we're paying for information. If that doesn't interest you, feel free to walk away."

I frowned, moving away from them, giving them a bit of a distance before turning around to watch the two Regards leaving. I debated over asking the woman in the Bannered Mare about this strange event, but the report to the Jarl was needed first.

I dashed through the marketplace, and started heading up the stairs, only to see Saadia begin walking down the same steps. I slowed down, flagging her attention as I walked up to her.

"Did you know some Alik'r warriors are looking for a Redguard woman?" I didn't give away that I suspected it to be her, but she tensed from the question.

"Are you sure?" She glanced around. "Oh no! They found me? I need your help!" she leaned close. "Please, come with me. I need to speak to you privately."

I couldn't object; her voice had a sharp tone in it that told me that I should follow, or else. She walked past me, heading towards, and into, the Bannered Mare, across the room and into the kitchen. She approached some stairs that led into another loft, which contained two doors. I assumed one was for the Innkeeper, and the other, which she was heading towards, was Saadia's room.

We both entered, me following her, and the moment I closed the door behind me, I spun around to see that she had drawn a large dagger from her apron. She became aggressive as she spoke to me.

"So, are you working with them?" She pointed the dagger at me; I made no move to draw my own weapons. "You think you can take me? You so much as touch me, and you're going to lose fingers." (Claws, really, but that's a technicality.)

She noticed I hadn't moved, and her dagger wavered. "I mean it! I'll... I'll cut you in half!" She was sounding less convincing the more she spoke. Finally, seeing that I just stood there, frozen, she crossed her arms, still brandishing the dagger.

"So the Alik'r know where I am? What did they offer you? Gold? How many of more of them are coming? Tell me!"

"Woah, woah!" I finally put my hands up, palms towards her, but keeping said hands close to my chest. "Relax, all they did was ask me to find you."

"You can't tell them!" She turned from aggressive to pleading, almost scared. "Please, I need your help and there isn't anyone I can trust here in the city."

She still had her dagger pointed at me, and honestly, I couldn't blame her for her concern. I carefully lowered my hands. "Maybe. What do you want?"

"I am not the person that the people of Whiterun think I am," Saadia began, she seemed to relax in posture, even lowering her dagger slightly. "My real name is Iman. I am a noble of House Suda in Hammerfell. The men who are looking for me, the Alik'r, they are assassins in the employ of the Aldmeri Dominion. They wish to exchange my blood for gold." I cringed, visibly, as she continued. "I need you to root them out and drive them away before they find me and drag me back to Hammerfell for an execution."

There were a few questions in my head, but with the dagger still in her hands, I thought it wise not to ask anything about her past. "Okay, but... how am I supposed to get rid of them? I can't just walk up to them and ask them to leave you alone...."

"They're mercenaries, only in it for the money." Saadia - er... Iman replied, "They're led by a man named Kematu. Get rid of him, and the rest will scatter. She looked away from me for a moment. "I don't dare show my face, lest they recognize me, so you'll have to find out where they are."

I crossed my arms as Iman relaxed significantly. I could tell she trusted me, and I did not dare betray her. "Okay... any idea where I can find them?"

"I heard one of them was just arrested trying to sneak into the city. If he's locked up in jail, perhaps you can get it out of him," Iman suggested. It wasn't much, but it was a start. Although how much this captured mercenary will talk... well... that's up to him and the guards.

"Please," she added, "I know I'm asking you to do something difficult, maybe even dangerous. I just don't know who else I can trust."

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I gave a small nod, and decided that with her trusting me enough, I decided to ask a few other questions. "Why are the Alik'r after you?"

"I don't know for sure," she responded, waving the dagger around as if she was in casual conversation now (women and knives. Very dangerous combination). "I spoke out against the Aldmeri Dominion publicly; I suspect that's why these men were hired to hunt me down."

I made a face. I didn't know much, or at all, about the Aldmeri Dominion but by what Iman was saying, they have strict rules on keeping their people in line, and any signs of dissent would result in swift... and often deadly, action.

"Why haven't you gone to the guards for help?" I half-heartedly asked. I almost expected the answer she gave.

"You think I'd be in hiding if this was something I trusted town guards to handle?" She had a point. "These men are ruthless. Cunning, deceitful... they'll pay off whoever they can. I can't trust anyone here in Whiterun." I crossed my arms again, thinking as she continued. "Guards and Jarls can be bought. And the Alik'r are close; I'm running out of time so I'm choosing to trust you."

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Iman was taking a risk to trust me. We both knew this. I'm not from Whiterun, yet she has this uncanny feeling to put faith in me to help deal with the mercenaries. But, I could tell she was satisfied in being a servant for the Inn, and I did not want to ruin her by betraying her. My mind was set; I needed to get rid of the Alik'r.

I turned around, opened the doors behind me, and went down the stairs into the kitchen; however, instead of leaving and going into the main room in the center, I left the tavern through a side door in the kitchen, which deposited me off to the side of the tavern, facing the stairway that led from the Plains district to the Wind District. The sun was beginning to set as I stepped down off the ledge and climbed the stairs once more, and into the plaza where the Gildergreen rests. I took a moment to examine the tree; the old tree that was there was completely gone, which surprised me, and in its place was the sapling I had delivered. Amazingly, it was already growing an impressive height from when I first grabbed it, already towering over me, even if I had climbed on the ledge it resided on. Clearly, this was the work of Kynareth's magic.

I turned, looking over to my right, at the large house at the top of some stairs where the Companions apparently lived. It had a bit of an odd shape to it as I looked at it close, the roof resembling one of those coverings from an ancient burial chest, with several wooden sculptures sticking their heads out along the roof. The roof itself certainly needed repair, as I could see a few planks completely missing here and there, revealing the skeleton structure underneath.

But, no. That was not my destination. I need to stay focused. I must visit the Jarl and report back to him. And after that, make a trip to the dungeon to speak with this Alik'r mercenary.

Climbing the stairs once more, ignoring the ramblings of the "prophet" (something about man ruling this land or something, I wasn't' paying attention), and through the grand doors back into the Dragonsreach I went, climbing the stairs of the Great hall to approach the Jarl, who looked very tense as I approached. There was another Nord standing next to him, but upon hearing me approach, he had turned to face me.

"You heard the summons," The Jarl spoke immediately. There was... a tone in his voice I couldn't quite place. "What else could it mean? The Greybeards..." I thought he was speaking to me, but when I opened my mouth respond, I noticed his eyes were on the other Nord instead, who spoke up as he looked at me.

"We were just talking about you. My brother needs a word with you." He stood to the side, before my attention shifted back to the Jarl.

"So what happened at the watchtower?" The Jarl immediately asked. I felt my heart race all of the sudden in nervousness. "Was the dragon there?"

"The Watchtower," I began, my mind rewinding to the events, "was destroyed, but we did kill the dragon."

"I knew I could count on Irileth," he said in pride, but his expression immediately shifted. "But there must be more to it than that."

"Y...yes... Turns out I may be something called... 'Dragonborn'?" My head tilted in one side in confusion, unsure if I was getting the name right. But at the mention of the word, the Jarl sat straight up.

"Dragonborn? What do you know about the Dragonborn?"

I didn't want to tell him what exactly happened. "That's... just what the men called me," I said, trying to keep my voice level, and my tail to stay still.

"Not just the men," The Jarl folded his hands in front of him, eyes never wavering from my gaze. "The Greybeards seem to think the same thing."

There was a bit of a pause between us, so I asked, "Greybeards?"

"Masters of the Way of the Voice," he said. "They live in seclusion on the slopes of the Throat of the World."

I had heard of this place. It was one of, if not the, highest point in Tamriel, and you could see it in almost the entirety of Skyrim. According to the Nords, it was the location of where Mankind had formed, when the sky breathed into the land.

"What do these Greybeards want with me?" I asked with a shrug of my shoulders. I did not know them at all, and this was the first I had heard of them. The only thing I could figure is that it had something to do with the Dragon.

"The Dragonborn is said to be uniquely gifted in the Voice - the ability to focus your vital essence into a Thu'um, or Shout," he explained. He then leaned forward. "If you really are Dragonborn, they can teach you how to use your gift."

I mused on that thought for a moment. If I really did absorb the dragon's soul, and it allowed me to learn how to Shout, I just might take up that suggestion and visit the Greybeards to learn more about this gift.

"Didn't you hear the thundering sound as you returned to Whiterun?" The new voice snapped me out of my thoughts, and I turned to face the Nord that I had forgotten about. "That was the voice of the Greybeards, summoning you to High Hrothgar!" He crossed his arms. "This hasn't happened in.... centuries, at least. Not since Tiber Septim himself was summoned when he was still Talos of Atmora!"

The name was familiar to me. Tiber Septum was a great Emperor, and even considered one of the Nine Divines. Unfortunately, I had little interest (or patience) to learn about his immense history, so I dismissed the topic.

"Hrongar, calm yourself." I turned, looking over to the Proventus, who had been standing there silently this whole time. "What does any of this Nord nonsense have to do with our friend here?" He motioned to me. "Capable as he may be, I don't see any signs of him being this, what, 'Dragonborn.'"

I was mildly offended, but kept my mouth quiet - especially since I actually could Shout at him, but I didn't know how anyone would act if I just opened my mouth and a force of air knocked everyone off their feet.

Hrongar, on the other hand, did not. "Nord nonsense?! Why you puffed-up ignorant..." He stepped towards the Provencus, and it was then that I noticed the large sword strapped to his back. Fortunately, he did not draw it, most likely due to the Jarl. "These are our sacred traditions that go back to the founding of the First Empire!

The Jarl raised a hand. "Hrongar. Don't be so hard on Avenicci."

"I meant no disrespect, of course," the Proventus added, directed at Hrongar. He then looked to me, and I realized I had a soured expression on my face, which I quickly relaxed. "It's just that... what do these Greybeards want with him?"

The Jarl turned to Avenicci while leaning back in his throne. "That's the Greybeards' business, not ours." He turned to me. "Whatever happened when you killed that dragon, it revealed something in you, and the Greybeards heard it." I felt nervous again, my eyes darting off to the side, staring at a brazier that was sitting a distance away. I swear, the flames shifted briefly to show a dragon in flight as I looked at it. "If they think you're Dragonborn, who are we to argue?

"You'd better get up to High Hrothgar immediately," he added, making me divert my gaze away from the brazier and back at the Jarl. "There's no refusing the summons of the Greybeards. It's a tremendous honor."

My throat tightened. I went from an escaped (though wrongful) prisoner to a Dragonborn in a short few days. It was a bit much for me.

"I envy you, you know," Balgruuf continued. "To climb the 7,000 Steps again... I made the pilgrimage once, did you know that?"

That fact surprised me. I know that several Nords would take a pilgrimage up to the Throat of the World, climbing the 7,000 Steps as it wound around the mountain's passage to its peak.

"High Hrothgar is a very peaceful place, "He continued, a soft tone in his voice. "Very... disconnected from the troubles of this world." He looked away from me, his eyes gazing off into the distance as he stroked his beard. "I wonder what the Greybeards even notice what's going on down here. They haven't seemed to care before." He dismissively waves a hand. "No matter. Go to High Hrothgar. Learn what the Greybeards can teach you.

"You've done a great service for me and my city, Dragonborn," He suddenly spoke, stopping me from moving my feet. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Irileth approaching, only to stop a short distance from me and the Jarl. "By my right as Jarl, I name you Thane of Whiterun. It's the greatest honor that's within my power to grant."

Thane?! I blinked a few times. Indeed, a Thane of the Jarl usually meant that you had to receive the highest of respects from anyone within the kingdom. I stammered a bit, unsure as to why he just... randomly decided to declare me as Thane.

"I assign you Lydia as a personal Housecarl," he continued, then handed me a large axe, "and this weapon from my armory to serve you as your badge of office. I'll also notify my guards of your new title," He concluded, as I examined the heavy axe in my claws. "Wouldn't want them to think you're part of the common rabble, now would we?" He let out a chuckle. "We are honored to have you as Thane of our city, Dragonborn."

I bowed gently, as did Irileth, though she directed it towards me, making me blush a little. The Jarl, meanwhile, turned to Avenicci. "Back to business, Proventus. We still have a city to defend." The Proventus bowed and stepped away from the throne to do his own tasks.

I myself stepped down from the thrones, looking around until I saw a barely visible staircase leading downwards. I remembered that I had to speak to the captured Alik'r, and descended the staircase to what I hoped was the dungeons.

---

And to my luck, I was correct. The dungeons themselves was an immense hallway with a low arched ceiling, chandeliers made of horns hanging from the wooden rafters, providing the only light I could see. Whiterun banners hung from each archway, and aside from a few tattered rugs, and barrels resting on the other side of the room, there was little décor to be seen.

The smell of old sewage struck my snout, making me gag and almost retch, but I kept my composure (as best I could) as one of the Nord guards passed me, heading into a room on my left that was separated by a gate. Beyond that room, I could see a seating area, and a door beyond that. I presumed this to be the guards' quarters. I turned my attention back to the dungeon proper, walking down the large room, peeking into each of the unoccupied cells that I could see.

Well, some of them were unoccupied; a few others did have some prisoners, but their state of laying on the stone floor, and a faint odor of decay around them when I approached, told me that they had long perished, and the guards chose to leave them literally rotting in the cells.

As I approached the other end of the dungeon, another Nord guard stood on my right, in front of an open gate, but my attention quickly turned to my left as I saw a man in familiar clothing, pacing in his cell. This must be the Alik'r mercenary that had been captured, and I promptly approached him.

"What are you looking at?" He sneered, once he saw my presence.

I rested one hand on the bars of the cell, slightly wedging my snout between two of them to get a better look. "I need to find Kematu. Where is he hiding?"

He laughed. "You have a death wish, then? If you know that name, you must know to meet him would be to meet your end." His cocky attitude softened, however, as he crossed his arms, studying me. "But it seems we both have needs, friend. Perhaps we can help each other out."

I pulled my face from the bars, tilting my head a little. "What is it that you need?"

He sighed. "I have dishonored my brothers by being captured, and so they have left me here. My life with the Alik'r is over now, but I have no wish to die in this-" he kicked the ground, sending some dirt and loose straw into the air, "- gods-forsaken land." He turned to me. "If I can be released from prison, I may start over. See to that, and I'll tell you what you need to know."

I contemplated that option. He was abandoned by his people due to his capture, which made me understand why there was no effort for his 'brothers', as he put it, to rescue him. I figure lending a helping claw was the best option.

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"And how much is it to pay your fine?" I simply asked.

"100 gold will secure my release," he responded, which I figure was a fair price. "You can afford that, can't you? I suppose you'd better hope you can, if you want the information." There went his cocky attitude again. "Get the money into the hands of one of the guards, and I'll tell you what you want to know."

Inwardly, I smirked. Looting several chests and bandits, and selling some unwanted items, I certainly had the funds.

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I moved away from the cell, just in time to see the Nord guard I saw earlier walking towards me. "I'd like to pay this prisoner's fine," I promptly said to him. I drew out a small pouch of money, counting quietly the mount I needed, and placed the gold in the guard's open palm.

"Done." He clutched the gold as he lowered his arm. "Convince him to stay out of the city while you're at it." He then walked away, back to the direction of the guard room. I waited a few seconds, before facing the cell again.

"Your fine's been paid. Now tell me about Kematu," I promptly said, once the Alik'r stood by the cell.

"Very well," He straightened. "Kematu is west of Whiterun. It's an unassuming little cave called Swindler's Den. You realize if you set foot in there, you're never coming back out. They'll kill you." He shrugged. "But that's your problem, not mine."

I shook my head, stepping back from the cell, as he started shouting out, "Guards! My fine's been paid, now set me free!" I saw the second guard approaching, and I moved out of the way, turning my head to watch.

"Sorry, my ears aren't so good. You say somethin'?" He retorted.

"I said my fine's been paid!" The Alik'r said in a louder tone. "Now let me out!"

"Right, right..." the guard casually reached into his pockets, as if feeling around for something. "Oh, look at that. I seem to have lost my keys. Might take me a while to find them."

Both the Alik'r and I scowled. It didn't take me long to realize that I had been ripped off by the guards in the first place.

"You just sit tight," he continued in a mocking tone, as he turned around to walk back to the guard room, "I'll get around to it. Eventually."

The Alik'r cursed at the guard, and I gritted my teeth in annoyance. I glanced back over to the prisoner, and thought, what the hey, we're both cheated from the same side. So, I decided to use my thieving skills.

As the second guard sat down, my eyes fell on the first one, the one who took my gold, and walked over to him. I slipped into the shadows (which was easy, since the chandeliers did not provide much light in the first place) and waited for the guard to walk past me, before I slipped my hand into the pockets to feel around for what I wanted.

My claws found the key I was looking for, and quickly I slipped it out of the pocket and under my glove, watching the guard continue to walk away. I waited a few seconds, then walked over to the cell where the Alik'r was imprisoned. I waited until he approached the cell, and handed him the key, placing a claw to my snout. He nodded, barely visible under the hood, as he took the key and hid it in his sash. I walked away, heading for the door of the guard room across from him, and stepped back out into Whiterun.

---

There wasn't anything eventful in the city, considering it was nighttime by the time I left the dungeons, so I immediately left the city, making my way down the path, past the Kahjit nomads, and paused at the crossroads, examining my map. To my mild surprise, the Swindler's Den was a fair distance away, but it was the fact that it was past the outpost where the dragon attacked, that took me by surprise. I headed west, towards the dragon attack, and slowed down as I passed by the Dragon's bones, still laying along the road. There were no Whiterun guards surrounding it, or nearby, most likely having fled the scene by Irileth's orders.

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A bit farther down the road, some voices caused me to stop. I turned around, puzzled, seeing no one, but when I turned back to the path, I noticed the source of the voices: a few drunkards seemed to be enjoying themselves, laughing and chattering about useless topics. One of the drunkards - who seemed less drunk than his companions - spotted and walked towards me.

"Hail, friend!" He said in a cheery tone, though his breath smelled strongly of ale. "It's good to see another merry soul enjoying this fine day. Ah, but you look tired. Come, share a bottle of Honningbrew Mead with me!"

While I admitted this was a nice night to have a bit of revelry, I also knew that I had a task to do. However, the drink was not familiar. I tilted my head in confusion. "Ah, Honningbrew Mead?"

"You've never had a taste of sweet Honningbrew?" The reveler looked shocked - as shocked as a drunkard can look, at least. "Why, it's only the finest mead outside of Sovngarde!" He then stated going into a long, dreamy stance as he spoke. "Its sweetness is like a fair maiden's kiss on a starry night. And it's got enough kick to put a frost troll on its hind quarters!" He burst out a laugh, probably bit louder than intended.

"But enough talk," He waved it off, and held up a mug towards me. "Come! Won't you share a drink with me and my companions?"

I remembered finding several bottles of the Mead while looting, though I would never drink them, and held out one of the bottles I was carrying. "Why only have one bottle when you can have two?"

"Ysmir's beard!" He exclaimed, "You're one after my own heart. I would love another bottle." He took the bottle, but then handed something in return - a necklace. "This good deed should not go unrewarded. Here, take this!"

I took the necklace, looking it over as he continued. "Cheers, my friend! May your adventures find you fame and fortune!" He returned to his companions, and I put the necklace away as I continued my journey.

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Farther down the path, I spotted the remains of an outpost of some kind, and the path split in two directions around it. I paused, a frown on my face, before I took out my map to consult it. It still showed I was a fair distance away, so I decided to head left, following the path as it branched briefly once more, with one path leading up to the outpost. However, I also noticed that the path to it was barricaded, with several training dummies positioned on the walls, telling me that whoever was there was being very defensive for some reason or another.

I ignored it, continuing down the other path as it approached the mountains. I felt a pang of worry as I may have chosen the wrong path, but another conversation distracted me from my thoughts. I look a glance over, and I saw a few Redguard people - two men and one woman - talking to each other.

"I don't know who you think I am, and I don't care. Leave me alone!" The woman sounded frustrated, and I paused along the road, watching the three of them.

"I don't have time for this foolishness," said one of the men; I realized, once I saw what he was wearing, that it was an Alik'r, and they assumed the woman in front of them was Iman. "Now come along quietly and we won't have to get rough."

"Brother," said the second Alik'r, "I think she's telling the truth..."

"I'm not going anywhere," the woman cut in. "Now back off before I do something drastic."

The second Alik'r leaned over to the first. "She doesn't have the scar."

"What?" The first one looked the woman over, his stance softening. "Oh... you're right." He turned back to the woman, his posture stiffening once more. "We've made a mistake. Now move along before that mouth of yours gets you into trouble."

The woman grumbled, "Next time you're looking to pester someone, make sure it's the right person!" The two men quietly walked away, and I resumed along the path, relieved that no physical conflict was involved.

A further distance down the road, and an encounter with wolves later, I noticed something odd off the path. It looked like a formation in the land that hinted at a cave, so I left the path to approach it, only to find out that it was just a natural formation, with no cave whatsoever. Consulting my map, I also realized that the path I was taking was putting me farther away from the Swindler's Den, so I continued crossing through the wilderness to locate any signs of a hideout.

There was a small area resembling an altar of some sort, hiding in the wilderness during my hunt, although there was nothing of interest. I still took the small items that were on the altar, and checked my map, noticing that I was close to the hideout.

Eventually, even in the dark, I was able to spot a banner flying on a post, in the middle of the wilderness. Using that as I guide, I came to what had to be the Swindler's den, as there was a guard standing next to an opening into a rocky hill.

The guard spotted me and, not surprisingly, attacked me without warning. Not equally surprisingly, he fell quickly to my blade, and I entered the den.

---

The cave was dark, cold. I could faintly smell water in the air, and I ran my hand along one of the rocky walls. The entrance was a tunnel, and I could feel the ground dipping down, an indication that I was descending into something. It went several feet going down before I felt the path even out, and I could see some faint light - and hear voices.

"I'm not sure I like these Alik'r warriors hiding out here," said a male. "They seem like trouble."

"Keep it to yourself," said a second. "They're not paying us to talk. They'll be gone as soon as they've found whoever they're looking for. And we'll have all the more coin."

I readied my bow, staying near the entrance to the cave as I could sense it opening out to a large room where the two men stood. I also could see the source of one of the lights - a torch, on a high ledge, the light flickering enough into the room to show that one of the men - I assumed bandits - was sitting down. I could not see where ethe second man was, so I steadied my bow, and loosed an arrow.

It struck, but not felled, the bandit, and he sprung to his feet, drawing his weapon as he looked around in confusion. I darted my way back up the tunnel, turning around and preparing my bow for if, and when, the bandits would appear. However, a few tense moments later and no one showed up, so I snuck back down to take a peek, watching one the bandits scurry around in confusion, trying to figure out what hit one of them. The other one, the one I had struck, was still by his chair, so I loosed a second arrow.

This one struck, and I could see the body go limp and slide off the chair, the second bandit whirling around to inspect his fallen partner. I loosed yet another arrow as his back was turned, and I could see that body fall as well, the two laying dead next to each other. I waited a few minutes to make sure it was clear, before I walked in to inspect my surroundings.

Another source of light I saw earlier was that of a brazier, yet it was sitting on a high ledge, out of my reach, the walls too wet for me to climb. Across the cave was a natural light source, a hole in the ceiling of the cave, letting the moonlight shine down in that corner of the cave. I was able to spy an opening of a tunnel near the natural light. I kept my bow in claws as I entered the tunnel.

This tunnel made a slight turn, past another natural light source, before steeply dropping itself down just before another large room, which was much more lit by lanterns and fire sources than the previous. This allowed me to see that it deposited me on an overlook, as well as being able to see at least two bandits on patrol at the lower level of this room. I took a chance and shot an arrow at one, but the distance from me, at the tunnel exit, to the bandit, almost across the room, was too great, and all it did was alert the bandits that there was someone there.

I backpedaled away from the room, and stopped around the corner, before spinning around, drawing out my bow in case one of the bandits heard me. However, neither of the bandits showed up, apparently dismissing the sound, so I crept back up to the tunnel exit. I could see one of the two bandits, an orc, a little closer to the exit, so I fired another arrow at him.

This got his attention, and he drew a large battle axe as he ran at me, and I backed up into the tunnel, using the narrow walls as an advantage as the orc wouldn't be able to swing his weapon in such close quarters. I drew out my dagger as he charged at me, and I decided to use my new power to see what it would do.

"FUS!"

The shockwave startled the orc, making him stumble back against the wall, almost dropping his axe, but before he could recover I charged in and thrust the dagger into his chest, feeling it slide in easily as it went between his ribs, and I could see the life in his eyes going out of him before I withdrew the dagger, then whirled around to prepare myself for the second bandit.

The second, a female Redguard, fired an arrow at me, and despite it hitting my side, I ran at her, letting out another shout to stun her before my dagger swung in the air. She was able to recover faster than the orc, and shot me with another arrow, before my dagger struck true, and she collapsed to the ground.

I inspected the two bodies before examining the room a bit better. The bandits had set up a small camping area, which I couldn't see from the upper half of the cave. Off to one side was a small alcove; neither of these areas held some particular interest (maybe a bit of food and gold), so I ignored the camp and headed into another opening near the campsite, venturing deeper into the den.

The tunnel went up a slope, but I paused before I turned the corner as I could hear footsteps. I waited until the footsteps sounded like it was going away from my location, before I peeked around the corner, and noted the large room that I had arrived at.

I assumed this was the commons room, seeing that there were a few tables and chairs laid out, and one corner containing kegs of mead, and barrels of assorted food sitting either on or flowing out of them. There were also a number of bandits in the room, either sitting down or patrolling, and I could see one or two more of them on a ledge that was overlooking the room itself.

I held my breath, notching an arrow, and fired it at one of the bandits that was sitting down. To my disappointment I was unable to fell him in one shot, so I quickly ducked back down the tunnel, waiting to see if anyone chased me. Fortunately, no one did, and I let out a sigh.

I returned to the same spot, and noticed the bandit moved to a different seat. I released another arrow but, knowing that I might get their attention again, I quickly ducked down the tunnel without waiting to see if I managed to strike the bandit again. I could hear a bit of commotion behind me, and I hid myself around the wall in the previous room. I waited for what felt like several hours, when in fact it was just mere seconds, and yet no one came out of the tunnel. I let out a slow breath and, for the third time, made my way back to the commons room.

This time, I could see two bandits patrolling the lower area, but there was another one, dressed differently than the others, walking around the upper area. I decided to fire an arrow at that one, but I knew the distance was too far for me to get a clear shot, so I ran back down the tunnel once again.

Fourth try, I decided to do something different, and focused on summoning the familiar I tried to use against the dragon. I had no idea how this would work, so I released my focus just short of the common room entrance, and watched as a spectre of a wolf appeared in front of me. This caught me off-guard. I did not know that's what my familiar would have been, and understood why I didn't see it during the fight with the dragon.

The wolf dove into the room, and I ran back down the tunnel, listening to the sounds of it attacking one of the bandits; however, and I expected this as I was still new to the summoning, the wolf didn't last long, and dispersed from the attacks of the bandit.

I went back to my tactic of "snipe and hide" but also added in the wolf as I hid in the previous room, the wolf diving into the tunnel and managing to deal a few hits on my unseen quarry before it had fallen. I drew out both my orcish sword and my nettle bane, clutching both in my hands as I waited for one of the bandits to emerge from the tunnel... but after a few tense minutes, nothing happened, and I exhaled sharply. Apparently, the bandits aren't brilliant enough to venture far from their posts.

I kept repeating my sniping tactic, keeping myself hidden after each shot, nailing another in the head hard enough to make him collapse, but not die. At least not to that arrow. A second one through the throat silenced him for good.

I was cautious, waiting for signs of any more bandit activity, before peeking my head into the common room. Aside from the bodies of those I had slain, there was no one else in the room. Off to one wall, next to a crude bar counter that I couldn't see from the doorway, was another entryway.

I stated to approach the doorway until I heard the voice of an Argonian bandit, and quickly ducked back into the tunnel, as the Argonian stepped out into the overlook ledge. He was patrolling, I noticed, and decided that he needed to be taken down as well. I prepared another arrow, until I saw a shield aura surrounding him, and hissed very low. This one knew magic. Something I knew I was going to be unprepared for in a confrontational fight. I waited until he dropped the shield before shooting another arrow, but to my dismay he disappeared before I could launch a third arrow.

This wasn't good. I didn't know how long it would take before he would inspect the lower area, so I rushed around the room while it was clear, collecting anything I considered useful from the bodies and the tables, keeping an ear out for anyone.

I could hear voices not too far off, but they were faint, yet the echoing of the walls made it difficult for me to tell which way they were going. I just happened to turn around and spot the same Arognian from earlier, up on the ledge again, with his back turned to me. Without hesitation, another arrow was impaled into his head, and he collapsed instantly.

With the mage specialist down, I snuck my way to the other entryway. The small tunnel led upwards, into another large room, my snout immediately picking up the scent of cooking food. Sure enough, a large fire pit was in the center of the room, with assorted fish drying and roasting above it on pikes, with an orc pacing back and forth.

Another arrow struck him in the chest, instantly felling him before he could say a word.

This did, however, alert another bandit, who rushed over to examine the body, his back towards me as he muttered something. I shot an arrow into his back, though he didn't fall like his comrade; he whirled around, bow drawn, looking around to see where the attacker was. Fortunately, he didn't see me duck back around the corner, though I could tell he was on alert now.

"Mind's playing tricks on me," he said with a thick accent, and I peeked my head around, trying to locate him again. The fire was causing quite a bit of smoke, making the cave a bit hazy (even with the hole in the ceiling to allow said smoke to escape) but after seeing some movement, I blind-fired another arrow. I could hear him grunt, indicating he was hit, and I ducked back into the tunnel once more.

I grumbled. It felt like this one was going to be much more difficult to deal with, but persistence pays off, I figure. I snuck back out into the room, firing another arrow at the bandit as best as I could, then running back into the tunnel. I was able to fire one more shot before he finally noticed me, and I knew my tactics had to change. Luckily, something told me this was the last one of the bandits, and that I wouldn't have to worry about more coming. I did see him ready his own bow, so I drew out my daggers.

"FUS!"

A blast of wind (or something?) erupted from my mouth, striking the bandit, making him stumble and trip over the rocks surrounding the fire pit. I hit him once with the hilt of my blade, then drew the pointed end of it down the back of his neck as he crumpled, the body falling partially against the fire pit.

I panted, recovering my breath, then started gathering a few of the ingredients around the room, including a few pieces of the salmon, before finding a tunnel - a smaller and thinner one than the others - snaking its way back into the main room, this time with me on the upper platform, overlooking the commons room.

Immediately, I saw another entryway, one not guarded by any bandits, so I carefully made my way towards the entryway -

*SNAP*

-And promptly felt a sharp jolt of pain on my leg. I looked down, and cursed under my breath. They had set bear traps. More than one. And I wasn't aware of them until I stepped on one. Fortunately, the bear traps were not too difficult to reset, and I was able to free my leg, and stepped around both of the traps as I went into the tunnel.

The tunnel sloped down a few feet, before it opened out into a tunnel that was wider, but with a lower ceiling; however, it was flooded up to my hips. I waded my way through the tunnel, almost diving in at one point, until I could see a waterfall basin, with me at the back of the falls.

"Alik'r, hold!"

I paused as well, realizing that I would have walked into an ambush, though it was odd that they were being commanded to hold back by... someone.

"You've proven your strength, warrior. Let's avoid any more bloodshed. I think you and I have some things to talk about."

I knew he was talking to me, however I could not see him. I mustered my courage, preparing a spell just in case, and waded my way through the waterfall, and looked around the large room I was in. The walls were high, making me feel like I was in a well, and while my eyes adjusted to get the water away from them, I could see a ramp of sorts, leading from the water up to the upper area of this well, where I could see several Redguard in odd clothing. One of them, dressed more extravagantly than the rest, was speaking to me.

"Stay your hand, warrior!" (Thief, thank you...) "It's no secret why you're here and you have proven your skill in combat. Let us talk a moment, and no one else needs to die."

This was apparently the leader of the group, Kematu, judging by his words. I narrowed my eyes a little, though I still kept one hand up, a spell at the ready.

"I think we can all profit from the situation in which we find ourselves," he continued, then motioned to the others in the area with him. "My men will not attack you, if you will lower your weapons." Naturally, I didn't.

"Why are you after Saadia?" I promptly asked. If he knew why I was here in the first place, I didn't see a point to keep that information to myself.

Kematu crossed his arms. "She sold the city out to the Aldmeri Dominion. Were it not for her betrayal, Taneth could have held its ground in the war. The other noble houses discovered her betrayal and she fled. They want her brought back alive. The resistance against the Dominion is alive and well in Hammerfell, and they want justice."

I had no knowledge about this war he was talking about, considering I try my best to avoid these wars in the first place, or about any resistances. I wasn't sure which side of the coin I was in favor of, but I kept my composure. "I've been sent here to kill you," I flatly stated.

"Of course, sent by... what is it that she's calling herself these days? Saadia?" He chuckled, "Did she appeal to your sense of honor? Your greed? A more... base need, perhaps? It doesn't matter."

I resisted the urge to let out a hiss at his implications, since I knew it was never for money, nor for... well...

"No doubt she's convinced you that she's the victim. But, do you know why we pursue her?"

"Saadia told me - you're assassins," was my blunt response.

"Assassins?" Kematu laughed, his echo sounding rather arrogant in the room. "No, nothing so crass. 'Saadia', as you know her, is wanted by the noble houses of Taneth for treason. We were hired to see her returned to Hammerfell for her crimes." He suddenly pointed at me. "You can help us with that, and make sure no one else gets hurt."

Granted, she never did tell me she had done any crime, just that she had fled. And even then, I thought, she seemed to enjoy making a new life here in Whiterun. No, that made up my mind right there.

"I was hired to kill you, and that's what I intend to do."

Kematu sighed. "I'd hoped we could work something out, that you would see reason." He drew his blade, the other Alik'r following suit. "That we could avoid having to kill you. Very well then." He drew a second blade, "if that's the way you want to play it, we will."

I backed away into the waterfall, heading down the tunnel as I focused on my Familiar spell, releasing it into the water before I drew out my dagger, and switched my focus on my Lightning spell. While the Warriors were distracted with the wolf, I approached, letting out a chain of lightning from my hand at the warriors, backing away while they were approaching me, unfazed by the electric shocks in their system. Once I felt my mana drained away, I swung my dagger at the closest warrior, forcing him back, and ran up the tunnel. I exited out to the commons room, jumping over the traps, and spun around time to see Kematu step on one of them, but break it almost immediately as he charged at me.

I brought my shield up to block his wild attacks, swinging my dagger every so often, letting out a shout to knock back the warriors as they approached, before I finally jumped down to the lower area of the commons. The Alik'r, oddly, did not follow me in the same manner, instead deciding to take the long way around. This gave me time to heal myself, and to grab the mace that I had forgotten I was in possession of (I don't even remember where I got it.) The mace felt heavy in my hand, but I held it tight as I ran into the tunnel towards the fire pit.

I encountered Kematu and two of the warriors in that tunnel, and I swung my mace at Kematu, who had trouble trying to swing his scimitars at me due to the tight tunnel, but I was smarter, going for overhead blows instead of sideways ones. Kematu eventually fell back, letting one of the warriors take his place, but the warrior fell instantly when the mace crushed his skull. The second one was not too far behind to fall with him, leaving just myself and Kematu. I let out a Shout, knocking Kematu back, and tripping over his own warriors, allowing me enough time to strike him with the mace, crushing his head against the rocky tunnel walls.

I let out a heavy pant as Kematu's body collapsed, joining the other corpses. I reached down and grabbed both of his Scimitars, deciding that they would make good use as my own weapons, or for coin. I made my way back to the waterfall, hearing voices along the way.

The remaining Warriors - I counted four more - were waiting in the tunnels. However, much like Kematu, they had a hard time swinging their scimitars at me, and it made it easy for me to swing my dagger around, felling all three of them, one at a time, though not without difficulty, I will admit.

The last of them having fallen, I began to heal myself as I waded out into the waterfall basin, climbing up the ramp, then investigated my surroundings at the upper part of the basin. There was a chest that contained an ornate Orcish sword, but other than that I saw nothing of interest. I followed a tunnel out of the waterfall basin, following its twisting path before I finally emerged at an overhang, in the very first room I was in.

Seeing that my business was done, I hopped down, and left the Den, making a path directly back to Whiterun.

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

On the way back, a strange man, almost naked except for a fur kilt, ran up to me. Without letting me say anything, he thrust a helmet into my hand.

"Take this and hold onto it. I'll be back for it later. I'll pay you good. Don't' lose it." Before I could get in a word, he dashed off, leaving me a bit dumbfounded.

A few minutes later, a Nord ran up to me, looking at me. "Hey, you!" I snapped my mind out of what happened and looked at him. "Did you see someone run past just now?"

"Uh, whuh... no, I didn't see anyone," I lie-stammered, my mind still trying to register what was going on.

"Well, if you do, grab him and yell. Bastard stole from me." And he ran off, unknowingly in the same direction the "bastard thief" had gone.

...and then I remember I was holding the helmet. I was surprised he never noticed it, but I quickly put it away, and ran off to Whiterun.

*************************************************************************************

Nothing (else) happened on my way back, and the moment I entered Whiterun's doors, I exhaled some relief. I walked towards the Bannered Mare, my immediate intention to inform Saadia - er, Iman - of my success.

My immediate instinct was to check her room, and sure enough, I was correct. She was sitting at her table, sipping from a cup, when I appeared. She looked startled for a moment, but then relaxed, as I entered the room.

"Any news of the Alik'r?"

"They won't trouble you anymore," I smiled.

She looked more relieved than before. "At last, I can rest safely. You have done me a great service, warrior. I cannot thank you enough." She handed me a pouch. "Take this reward. I managed to sneak some of my wealth out of Hammerfell when I left. It's the least I can do." She lifted her mug, and I noticed her demeanor shifting a little. "For now, I will maintain my ruse here. You are always welcome in the Bannered Mare."

I bowed, taking the gold, and left the room, then the Bannered Mare itself. I then made my way back to Dragonsreach, heading into Farengar's room to speak with him.

He was busy studying another tome until I approached, and he looked up at me with a smile.

"What's it mean to be a Dragonborn, exactly?" Was the first question that came out of my mouth. This sparked his interest and he straightened up.

"I don't know much. Only the old tales about the ancient heroes who would use the Voice to defeat the enemies of Skyrim. They say the Emperors used to be Dragonborn, but that all ended when Martin died during the Oblivion Crisis." He shrugged. "The Greybeards can tell you much more than I can. They're the masters of the Way of the Voice and taught Tiber Septim himself."

I tilted my head, thinking back on something. "What can you tell me about Shouts?"

"Well," he began, his scholarly appearance starting to vanish, "I only know what I've heard in the old tales. Shouting is an ancient form of magic - the use of one's voice to project their power." He pointed at me. "If you can shout, you need to go see the Greybeards. They'll know what to do."

I nodded. While he was intently studying Dragons, he apparently knew very little about the Dragonborns or Shouts, yet I wondered if they were connected somehow. I borrowed his Enchantment table to disenchant several of the weapons and armor I had collected, then left Dragonsreach.

Along the way back down, I started passing by the Companions' Guild, and thought about their invitation for me to join them. Their house was also within view of the mountainous peak that was home to the Greybeards. I frowned. I could go to them instead to learn more about shouting, as well.

...My name is Chamelion.

And I have a choice to make.