Chapter Text
Sovngarde, the afterlife of the Nords who fought to the death, a place for fallen warriors who spent their lives in the glory of battle. Here, the battle that decided the fate of the world and reality itself could be found.
Alduin, the firstborn of Akatosh, the devourer of worlds, the destroyer and creator, who, according to the prophecy, was meant to bring about the new world. But he didn’t count on four Nords fighting to prevent it.
The three heroes of old, who had managed to stop Alduin in his time, fought alongside the most important hero of the present:
The Dovahkiin,
the last Dragonborn,
the leader of the Companions,
a first-class student at the College of Winterhold,
the assassin of the Dark Brotherhood,
the one who restored order to the Thieves Guild,
the champion of Hermaeus Mora.
He fought for Skyrim, for all of Tamriel, and for himself.
—"JOOR ZAH FRUL"—
The dragon shout, made to rival these, was unleashed by the Dovahkiin to finally bring Alduin down.
The dragon tried to escape, but it was useless. The Dovahkiin was in front of him, wearing full armor made of dragon bones and wielding Mehrunes' Razor to finish him off.
—"Filthy Dova, do you really think this will be the end? All you do is postpone the end of this era," said Alduin, trying to move, but his wounds made it nearly impossible.
—"Someone will come who will stop you. By then, you will be banished from this world."
Alduin couldn't allow that, but he couldn't do much. He watched as the other three heroes approached to finish him off, so he had no escape, only one option.
—"It's a shame that you won't be here to enjoy this world."
—"VO FEN FRUL"—
A powerful shout came from Alduin, nearly tearing apart all of Sovngarde. The Dragonborn was the most affected, his armor being torn apart and feeling how his body and soul were being ripped away, enveloped in a white aura, before disappearing into nothingness.
The three heroes watched this from their position, managing to shield themselves. They lunged at Alduin, who only laughed. He was going to die, but at least he would take satisfaction in knowing that the Dovahkiin wouldn’t be able to enjoy his world. It was a word he had learned from Akatosh himself, although he really didn’t know where he was sending him; he only knew that he would never return.
Alduin was stopped, and the dragons disappeared from Skyrim once more, which only meant that the Dragonborn had fulfilled his purpose, giving his life in the process. In Whiterun, a statue was erected in his honor, outside the Companions' area, remembering for centuries the great Dragonborn, the hero of Skyrim.
"Hey, you. You're finally awake."
POV DOVAHKIIN
I woke up feeling quite sore, my vision was recovering, and I was on some kind of cart with a couple of boxes. The sun's rays were faintly coming through, and the sound of the wheels made me react. It was like déjà vu, perhaps...
"Hey, boy , are you listening? You didn’t hit your head on a tree, did you?" the older man driving the cart spoke to me.
"Yeah, I... I can hear you. It’s just... I look around... how did I get here?" I asked, confused.
"Well, I found you on the road, and you seemed to be unconscious. I couldn’t just leave you there for the monsters to eat you. By your appearance, I can guess you're some sort of adventurer, right?" he asked while turning to look at me.
I looked at my outfit. Most of it was almost torn. The chest piece was ripped and had several parts broken. My shield was completely destroyed. The boots could barely cover my feet. And the bracers, surprisingly, were still in pretty good condition.
I looked around, and there was my helmet. It wasn’t a dragonbone plate helm, but a Nordic helmet. I had carried it with me ever since I started my adventure in Helgen, and I’ve worn it ever since. When people asked why I never took it off, I’d just say it was for luck, and it seemed like it wasn’t a lie since I made it this far, still alive.
"Thanks, I guess. Can I know where you're heading? I feel a bit lost," I said as I moved to sit at the front of the cart.
"Well, I’m heading to Orario. I’ve got some goods to deliver to a place, and since I figured you were an adventurer, I gave you a little lift. My name’s Geraldo, by the way," he said, introducing himself.
"Orario? Doesn’t ring a bell..."
"I’m Bjorn, and thanks for the ride. I’m not sure how to pay you, really," I said, rummaging through my bag.
"Oh, don’t worry about it. After all, I was just passing through."
I found about 3 garnets in my bag, gave one to him, and even though in Skyrim they cost 200 septims, I didn’t know their value here, but he still seemed happy.
"Oh, thanks, kid. This little one can get me a little extra when I sell it," said Geraldo while still looking at the garnet. I think I’ll try the same. After all, I don’t have any money.
I kept looking around. It was something similar to Skyrim, only it seemed... quieter. I looked up at the sky, like any moment a dragon could come. I looked around to see if any mercenaries were coming, and I listened closely to see if any wolves or bears were nearby... but there was nothing.
"If I may ask, did you belong to a family? That armor looks like high quality, seriously. I was an adventurer like you until I got shot with an arrow in the knee, so now I’m a merchant," hmmm, definitely feels like déjà vu...
"Family? You mean something like the Companions?"
"Never heard of them. And who was their god?"
"God?" I asked, confused.
"You know, the god who gave them the falna... or did they not have one?"
"Falna? Is that some kind of mark or something?"
"No, really..."
"Hmm, they really seem like they were special. Here in Orario, there are many gods. Maybe you can finally join a family."
I didn’t know what to say, gods living with humans? It was something I didn’t expect to see in Tamriel, and the closest case was the Thalmor. Though, I think it would be interesting to see how things go.
"So... can you tell me about Orario? It’s my first time there," I asked Geraldo. I had many questions about it, and it would be good to have someone with experience answer them.
"Ah, Orario, the city of dungeons, the city of the gods. It’s the perfect place to become a first-class adventurer. I made it to the second level, but after my accident, I had to abandon it," he said with a nostalgic tone while looking at the road.
"What are these dungeons?"
"Seriously, you were a mercenary? Don’t you know about the dungeons? Alright, I’ll explain. It’s the monster’s den, where adventurers go to hunt them down and become stronger and richer. It’s been around for centuries, even before the gods came down, it’s always been there," he said as he tried to imagine what it was like: a place full of monsters that constantly come out to be killed by adventurers.
"Aren’t there more dungeons in other places?"
"No, just in Orario. Outside the city, there are weak monsters and the occasional strong one, though they’re rare."
"What about the dragons?" I asked almost automatically. It was a question I couldn’t shake off.
"Well, they’re in the dungeons, although there’s one in particular."
"Which one?"
"The black dragon. It escaped from the dungeon a long time ago, it’s as big as a mountain, with scales as dark as the abyss and a single red eye, which seems to stare into your soul. It wiped out the entire Zeus and Hera family, who were the strongest, though no one knows where it is now."
The black dragon... a rather simple name for such a tremendous creature. Though I’d never heard of a dragon that big. Could it use a Thu'um? Does it have anything to do with Alduin?
"Hey, Bjorn, we're here," Geraldo said as I snapped out of my thoughts. Great walls could be seen from a distance as we got closer.
I had never seen a city so large. The great tower could be seen from kilometers away. Even Solitude, Windhelm, and Whiterun weren't this big.
"Let me do the talking, kid. They know me," Geraldo said as we approached some guards wearing some sort of masks.
"Hey, Geraldo! How's it going? Bringing another cart of vegetables?" one of the guards said as he came closer to take a look. The other guard noticed my presence and became a bit alert. It's normal, after all, someone with nearly destroyed armor doesn't leave a good impression.
"Who's your friend? He looks a bit suspicious," the other guard said as he came closer to examine.
"Oh, this man here is Bjorn, I found him on the road, he wants to be an adventurer, and I gave him a ride here," Geraldo said while calming the guards down a bit.
"Hmmm, still looks suspicious... What do you think, partner?"
"Let him pass, but we’ll write down his physical description to recognize him if he does anything." He took out a sheet of paper and began writing. "Alright, let’s see... Young man, 25 years old, 1.85 meters tall, long light brownish blonde hair, toned musculature, light blue eyes, tanned skin, and mmmh, I think that's all. Welcome to Orario, outsider."
Once inside, I followed him to where he made the delivery, a kind of bar. I ignored that and helped Geraldo unload the things. Once that was done, while Geraldo talked to the owner of the place, I checked the cart and there it was: my backpack. It seemed to still be full, so that was a good sign. Geraldo came up, and I figured it was time to say goodbye.
"Oh, you're leaving already? Well, it makes sense, it might get late for you to go register at the guild," he said as he raised his hand to shake mine, which I did.
"Thanks for everything, I hope your travels are prosperous."
"Same for your adventures, bjorn," and Geraldo left with his cart.
I checked my Dwemer watch, which I got in one of the ruins. It was mechanical, with bronze gears, intricate engravings, and small runes that spun to show the time. I wasn’t sure if it was properly calibrated, but when I checked the time on one of the clocks at a house, it seemed to be right. It was 10 in the morning, so now I just had to find that famous guild.
I walked straight to where a man had pointed. I was inspecting the city, taking in every element I could capture; without a doubt, it was huge and reminded me a bit of Solitude, though of course, it looked much larger here. That great tower, which they called the Tower of Babel, was even more imposing up close. From what I had been hearing, that's where the Freya family lived, one of the two most powerful families in Orario and the world in general. It was surprising how something like that existed.
I arrived at the guild, and it looked a lot like the houses in Solitude. I entered, and it was a place much larger than it seemed from the outside. I looked at the different workers there and noticed one who seemed available, so I approached.
POV ???
Thank the gods, I finally finished these reports, now I can go on my break—
—"Hey Eina, you've got a customer!"—said my friend Misha beside me as she went off for her break.
I sighed a bit and turned to see who she was talking about. It was a strange guy, tall and somewhat muscular, with armor that looked a bit damaged. Could he be an adventurer? Hmm, I don’t remember seeing him before—he must be new.
—"Oh, good morning. Welcome to the guild, I'm Eina Tulle, an employee here. How can I assist you?"—I asked politely. He didn’t seem like a jerk (yet), so I had no reason to give him a bad look.
—"I’m here to register as an adventurer."—he said rather seriously. So he’s new? From his appearance, I’d say so. Maybe he has a family or something... I pulled out the registration sheet; I had a few questions to ask him.
—"Name?"
—"Bjorn Sil-Dovah."
What kind of surname is that?
—"Are you from out of town?"—I asked, curious.
—"I'm Nordic."—he replied naturally. Personally, I had never heard of that before.
—"Age?"
—"25."
—"Previous profession?"
He thought for a moment before answering.
—"Mercenary."
—"What kind?"
—"I killed monsters and hunted animals."
—"Do you have a letter of recommendation or something?"—I asked, but he remained silent.
—"Family?"—I asked, though he didn’t respond. There was no point in continuing the registration process. Without a family, I couldn’t let him in.
—"Hey, what's the deal? Does not having a family mean I can’t enter?"—he said, a little more seriously. He wasn’t the first idiot to come in thinking they could go into the dungeon without a falna.
—"Look, I'm sorry, but it’s too dangerous to enter without a falna. Here’s the deal: find a falna, and then I’ll register you and you can go in, okay?"—I said in a friendly tone, but he didn’t seem to want to listen... typical.
—"I’ve heard it’s dangerous even for the most experienced."
—"Yes, but they have a falna."
—"What’s the difference? The experience I have should be enough."—he said with confidence. There was arrogance, but this time he seemed to be reflecting on it.
—"Look, a falna helps improve your being. It makes you stronger, and you keep getting stronger, unlocking your limits. You may be strong for a normal person, but you couldn’t beat a level 1 adventurer if you wanted to,"—I said, trying to dissuade him. It wasn’t to kill his dream, but for his own good. At least, that’s how it went with that other guy.
—"Do you think this is the first time I’ve killed a monster? I’ve faced many in my life. I have enough experience to fight these, maybe even better than a regular adventurer would."—he said with more certainty. He looked confident, and I guess he might be right. I mean, that armor looks really good, but...
—"Uh-huh, yeah... and your weapon? Are you planning to use just your hands?"
—"I can use magic. It’s not that strong, but it’ll do."—Strange, he didn’t seem to carry any staff, so maybe it’s chantless magic? That’s better, I guess.
—"Could you make an exception? I’m new and need some money."—he said, sounding a little calmer.
I was still thinking. It wasn’t illegal to let someone in the dungeon without a falna, since my colleagues had done it many times. But that’s not how I operate. I’ve seen many adventurers I’ve advised die in there, and the idea of letting someone in without proper preparation doesn’t seem right to me. But, judging by his confidence and appearance, he looks more prepared than even a regular adventurer... I think I’ll have to interview him more thoroughly.
We moved to one of the meeting rooms to talk better. He sat in front of me, and I just cleared my throat.
"Okay, I'll ask you a series of questions, and this will determine if I approve your entry, alright?" - I said, and he just nodded.
"What kind of weapons do you use?" -
"One-handed weapons, shields, two-handed weapons, bows, destruction magic, healing magic, and conjuration, I pretty much dabble in everything" - he said, confident and sure. A man of many talents... he's lucky I can't test him to see if it's true.
"You mentioned you were a mercenary, right?" - he nodded. "Tell me, what kind of monsters have you fought?" - I asked, somewhat seriously. This will help me determine if I might let him enter, even just to floor 1.
"Well, let's see, wolves, bears, saber-toothed tigers, skeletons, draugr, giants, insects, and above all, dragons" - the man said while counting on his fingers.
¿Cómo puede ser tan audaz? Does he really think I’m going to believe that? Well, he does have armor that looks like dragon bones, and the monsters he mentioned aren’t too far-fetched, but still, this guy seems strange.
"Where did you get that armor?" -
"I made it with a blacksmith friend, it's made of dragon bones, although it got a bit damaged due to a fight" - "A bit damaged," it was almost falling apart... I moved closer to inspect it, and when I touched it, I felt it was hard. It looked heavy and seemed like it could resist steel without problems.
"Mmmh, alright, and tell me a reason to let you in?" - I said, as my last question.
"I’m good at this, I need money, and this is the best way to get it for me" -
"You know it's dangerous, right?" -
"Perfectly" -
...
"I guess I can't stop you now. I'll let you in, but only to floor 1, and prioritize getting a family as soon as possible" - I said, and he gave me a victorious smile. I hope I don’t regret this.
POV BJORN
Finally, she let me in. I was thinking of just waiting for her break to go to another advisor and have them sign my entry, but it’s noble to see how she cares about people. I was about to leave, but she grabbed my wrist.
-
"Is something wrong?" - I asked as I sat back down.
-
"You’re not leaving here until I tell you everything you need to know about the dungeon," - said Eina, pulling out a huge book titled "Everything You Need to Know About the Dungeon."
Time skip: 2 hours later
It was twelve in the afternoon, and she finally let me go. She practically gave me a lecture about the dungeon, a lecture I can’t deny was practical.
I learned about the floors, monsters in the areas, evacuation routes in case of an emergency, tips for fighting certain monsters, and more. I asked her several questions during that time.
Question 1
—"Why can't I go down to the lower floors?"
—"It's dangerous. The deeper you go, the more aggressive and stronger the monsters become. Try to get a family, and I'll let you go down to floor 3."
Question 2
—"You mentioned I need to collect magic stones to sell, right?"
—"Yes, that's right. Bring them here, and we'll give you the money."
—"What if other adventurers try to steal them from me?"
—"Report it to the guild. It’s not worth fighting against a family, especially in your state. Promise me that if it happens, you’ll notify us," - said Eina, looking more concerned.
—"Sure," - it was a given that I lied.
Question 3
—"Where can I find a family?"
—"There are many families around Orario that need members. If you're as experienced as you say, you could join one without problems."
—"Wouldn't it be easier to put up a board with family announcements? That way, people wouldn't have to search so much, and it would help newcomers settle in faster."
She didn't answer. In fact, she thought about it and just stayed silent, meditating on it.
Question 4
—"What about the dragons?"
—"Seems like you’re obsessed with them."
—"Just answer the question."
—"They appear on lower floors, you still have a long way to go to reach them."
Question 5
—"What time does the dungeon close?"
—"It doesn’t have a closing time, but please, don’t go out too late."
...
And with that, I had everything I needed.
Time skip
I was walking straight toward the dungeon. Eina gave me some gear before I left: light armor and a dagger.
The armor was trash, but at least it covered the holes in mine. As for the dagger... I had used one here and there on my adventures, but this one looked pretty bad, though I’d have to make do.
I’m at the entrance of the dungeon. Before crossing it, I put on my Nordic helmet.
It was time to enter the dungeon.