Ekali of the Frozen Heights, Book one Options

[Saquira]

So, I've been working on this since before Skyrim came out now and I think it's about time I publish it. I'm still working on Felisas Memoires, I actually got really inspired yesterday and wrote up the ending so now I know exactly where I want to go with it. I just wanted to get started on publishing this story as well.

I'm no longer working on A Strange Love, you'll probably have gotten it by now but I just wanted to get it out. I might go back to it and continue sometime, but then I'll make a completely new version and it probably won't happen for a very long time.

I change a lot of the things in the main quest in this story, because the dragons really should be able to use all the shouts(it's their language after all) and a lot of other reasons. Ekali won't only follow the main quest though, not like Felisa did. And I'll also have this story be much more orderly, in that I'll divide every chapter in numbered parts and will be writing a "what came before" paragraph at the start of each update.

Anyway, this is the story of the khajiit Ekali, and her journey through Skyrim.

Ekali of the Frozen Heights
Book one

Prologue

The female threw herself across the cold stone just as fire lit the sky, melting the snow of her former location. The beast roared out his rage as he turned after the khajiit, pale fangs still hot from the fire. She thought up the words when its jaws clamped shut above her, forcing Ekali to roll out of the way as it brought its head down again.

“Fo Krah!” The shout was loud, and covered the beast in frost as he lifted his muzzle towards the sky in rage. He flapped his wings, unleashing more fire in her direction, and took to the air.

Getting up from her crouch, the khajiit sprinted across the ice crusted stone, coming to a stop at her pack from which she drew a bow and quiver. The bow was already strung in anticipation for an event just like this, and she put an arrow to it just as the beast came around for another go. Her hands wouldn't be still as she aimed for the creature, and it was by chance that the arrow stuck in its throat. She sprinted again as he roared in fury, black eyes intent on her body.

“Dovahkiin! Zun Haal Viik!” His powerful voice was triumphant as the bow flew out of the woman’s grasp, and she cursed, barely avoiding the swipe from his tail when he flew past. As it was the blast of wind knocked her of her feet, and she pictured a fireball in her mind as she got up again. The dragon was wrapped in flames mere moments before his feet connected with her shoulders and threw her backwards.

Her feline claws where out before she had time to process the empty space beneath her feet, clinging like picks to the ice encrusting the rocky mountain. The stone shuddered as the dragon landed and made his way towards the precipice on which she was hanging.

“Dovahkiin.” The beast smiled at her as he lowered his head, looking over her white body.

The tension on her claws was causing a numbness in her hands when she hung there, and the khajiit grunted when she tried to get a better grip on the cliff side as well as getting her legs up. She'd be damned if she didn't get up, she knew that all to well.

“Trouble, Dovahkiin? Perhaps you should have practised your claws before coming, they often make a lot of difference.” He smiled again as he reached one of his feet out, extending a claw. He looked at it briefly before turning back at her. “How is it you say... oh yes, any last words?” Ekali kept quiet and he smiled again, edging further out on the edge to get to her.

The light of the blue green aurora reflected on his scales when he got closer, making him look even more majestic than before. His head had the shape of an arrowhead with spikes that were angled backwards from his face. His eyes were dark, and the scales had a soft brown colour to them.

She narrowed her eyes at the dragon as she tried to get a better grip on the ice, and clung tighter when the wind picked up, tousling her fur. The ice was mixed with snow, and her hands were barely noticeable because she didn't wear any gauntlets at the time.

The beast crept closer still, and put his foot on her paw to be able to break her grip. With a last smile that caused the blue light to be reflected by his teeth, he tore her away from the cliff, and opened his mouth to shout.

“Fus Ro Dah!” The shout threw her further away from the ledge, away from any hope of survival, and caused her to yell out in shock.

Oh hellfire, was the one thought that went through her head as she looked down at the ground far beneath her, the wind wining past her ears.

* * *

End note: So, there's the prologue. You don't get to find out what happened for a long time though as the prologue takes place long after the first chapter, which I intend to post the first part of on Tuesday. And I really like constructive criticism.

[Saquira]

McBadgere: ^^ thank you

King Coin: The first chapter certainly doesn't contain many bright spots for Ekali, if any at all.

Previously on Ekali of the Frozen Heights: Ekali met her friends at the Spotted Snow-bear after arriving in Bruma and told them about her trip into the mountains. They told her what had happened in town, a prophet speaking about someone who's going to "eat the world", and a newly arrived centurion. Hearing the name of the centurion, Ekali preceded to get drunk. Next, she wakes up.

Chapter 1.4 Crude Awakening

It was with an aching head that she awoke the following morning. Trying to get up into a sitting position, Ekali pushed the arm lying around her waist away. Clothing littered the floor, and she stood up to get hers, but necessity brought her to a bucket in the corner where she emptied her stomach of yesterdays meal.

When she was finished she looked around again, avoiding the bed and the person in it. Horror came upon her face when she spotted the small blue potion next to a pitcher on a small table and she gulped it down, barely stopping for breath before downing the water in the pitcher. Ekali then quickly gathered up her clothes and put them on before heading for the door.

A groan from the bed only got her feet moving faster when getting out through the door. She avoided looking back, and was momentarily blinded by the light in the corridor at the abrupt change. She did not face any further difficulties in getting down the stairs to the common room where a middle-aged man stood behind the counter, smiling as she approached him.

“Did you have fun?” He said with a wink.

“I've no idea.” Was the khajiits mumbled response as she groaned inwardly, knowing that if the innkeeper knew what had happened, so did her friends. She rubbed her forehead in pain, and grimaced. “You don't sell any cure potions do you?”

“No, you'll have to see an alchemist for that,” he said, still smiling. Ekali simply nodded before leaving the Spotted Snow-bear. The roads outside the inn were busy, and she had to weave through the crowd to get to the alchemists shop. The sun was shining, and the khajiit put her hand up to shield her eyes.

The alchemists shop lay only a bit further down the road from the Spotted Snow-bear, and though it was built from wood it truly stood out from the crowd. No one passed it without looking up at the building, which had given the owner a very good income.

The walls held an illusion that made them look like they were bending inwards, and the door frame was made of solid stone. The sign hanging above the door depicted a cauldron with the words “Concoctions to fulfil every need” in green coming out of it. It was a private shop, and according to legion files the owner had received training at the Synods' facilities in the Imperial City.

Ekali stepped up on the stairs and opened the door, producing a creaking sound. Inside the walls where straight and ingredients and potions where scattered everywhere. A male Altmer stood at an alchemy station behind the counter.

“Coming in a bit! Just have to finish this next step!” The man called out hurriedly in a shrill voice. The khajiit rubbed her forehead again, wincing at the high volume in which he spoke and sought out a place on the counter where it would be safe to lean as she looked around the room. The Altmer continued to fiddle some ingredients before pouring them into the boiling water he'd set up and checking the correct amount. He then wiped his hands on an already dirty cloth, and turned to the counter and the female khajiit.

“So, what may I do for you today? The restore stamina potions have been selling like mad lately, but perhaps you require something more specific. Something to increase the weight you can carry or perhaps even a weak poison to get back at a friend hmm? There is this remarkable potion made from blisterworth and troll fat that puts those afflicted into a...” When the Altmer started speaking he barely paused for breath, and the khajiit held her hand up to get him to stop.

“Sorry, but I just want a potion of cure poison,” she said and smiled apologetically.

“Oh, a hangover then? Wouldn't have picked you for one of those who drank to much.” The altmer bent down beneath the counter and soon came back up with a potion in a brown bottle. “That's 60 drakes please.”

“I don't usually drink that much,” she answered and took out her money pouch, collecting sixty drakes into her hand and handing them over. They were small coins made of copper with a small dragon printed on one side.

“Most people say that,” the Altmer answered and handed her the potion, thanking her for the business.

“I suppose most people would.” She smiled and said good bye before heading out the door and drinking the potion. The change was immediate as she relaxed and smiled up at the sun instead of covering her eyes.

As Ekali walked back to the barracks the people of Bruma continued on their way, hurrying to deliver something or simply taking a stroll. She didn't pay much attention to others, and upon reaching the barracks she scraped the snow of her boots and went inside.

A couple of off duty guards were sparring with each other, going through the fundamental motions at a high pace. Aside from them, barely anyone was on the ground floor except a Nord whom was taking a cup of mead, probably just having come back from his shift.

Ekali glanced at the men briefly before heading up the stairs, taking the steps two at a time. Several men where lying in bed sleeping when she came up the stairs and went over to her little space. It wasn't much, simply a bed and chest, but anything else would have been superfluous as she spent so little time in town.

She stripped of clothing and wrapped a tallow around her body, heading over to the water pump and the shower stalls. Grabbing three buckets, she then filled them with water and heated the water using her flame spell before stepping into one of the stalls.