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]

I think all of your questions will be answered... eventually.

And this post contains A LOT of pictures. I didn't know where exactly to put them all to be honest But I think it turned out pretty good.

Previously on Ekali of the Frozen Heights: Ekali rented a room at the Bannered Mare, and then she was awoken in the middle of the night by her mother whom she hasn't seen for at least 18 years. Her mother gave her a set of armour, and we'll soon see exactly why she did.
In this chapter the going doesn't get tough, no, the going gets hot!

Chapter 3.5 Dragon!

Ekali was in the process of eating a late breakfast when one of the guards burst through the door to the tavern. You could hear the heavy breathing beneath his helmet as his head swung 'round and his eyes landed on her.

"Khajiit, you must come at once. A dragon has been sighted at the western watchtower and the Jarl calls for your help! Irileth is speaking to the guards, you must come!" The man called to her. She almost choked on her food when he uttered the word dragon, but she got to her feet while gesturing for Gladio to follow. The khajiit had already packed her things and equipped her armour in preparation for leaving, so she just had to put on her helmet, strap the great sword over her back, the quiver on her waist next to the short-sword and take hold of the bow.

"Will you take care of my things for me?" she asked of the innkeeper who nodded dumbly and caught her travellers pack when she preceded to throw it. Then Ekali ran after the guard who'd already walked out.

"Down to the farms and then to the right, you can't miss it!" he called after her as she ran past with a hurried thank you. The wolf lengthened his stride until he was next to her, and then he fell into her pace.

Screenshot

Everyone watched the two of them as they rushed down the street. Some merely held surprise in their eyes, while some showed contempt. Nevertheless, all of them kept out of her way, and soon Ekali and her canine friend closed on the city gates.

Two guards were just pushing the gate closed when she came running, so they stopped in their endeavour and instead pushed it open just enough for her to get out. The khajiit nodded to them as she ran through, and then she was on the path leading from the city down to the farms.

Irileth and the guards came within her sight when she reached the stables, and she'd caught up with them by the time they reached the last of the farms before the guard tower. (Pic) Though there was still some distance left for them to traverse, they could see the flames licking the sky from the tower, and part of the ramp leading to it lay in ruins. Aside from that the place looked quiet, yet Ekali knew that it couldn't be the case.

the tower

As they approached the watchtower, a man carefully walked out of the base of it. He had a ragged appearance. The cuirass was charred around the edges, and he'd discarded his helmet, showing a face that was covered in soot. His eyes looked frantic as they scanned the sky and then landed on the people whom were approaching.

“Get back! It'll return any minute now!” he shouted at them, and as if in answer a roar was heard from the mountains just to the south. Then a great shape dislodged from the shadow of the mountain, and they could all see its size as it closed in on them.

Dragon's approach 1. Dragon's approach 2. 3

“Thurri du hin sille ko Sovngarde! Yol Toor Shul!” Fire flew from the dragons maw at the soldiers, and they ducked down behind the ruins of the tower. Ekali drew an arrow from her quiver and nocked it as the dragon came around again, stopping too hover over them. (Pic) She let the arrow loose at the same time as several of the guards fired theirs, and when several of them pierced the skin of the dragon it roared.

“Fus Ro!” the dragon roared and Ekali was thrown of her feet, landing on her back a few paces away. Grunting, she took hold of the bow that had flown from her hand, and pushed herself to her feet. By the time she got up, enough arrows had pierced the beasts wings that he had to land, and it was with a heavy heart that the khajiit watched as Gladio flew at the creature.

Gladio

"You are brave. Balaan hokoron. Your defeat brings me honour." Though the beast snapped his jaws at the wolf, he could not catch him, and soon turned his eyes on the khajiit who was just nocking another arrow. She pulled the string taught, but had no time to release it before the dragon once again opened his mouth to Shout.

“Yol Toor Shul!” Fire covered her the next second, and it was all she could do to close her eyes and hold onto the bow. (Pic 1) (Pic 2) It took a few seconds before Ekali realised that the fire was barely hurting her, and she opened her eyes to see her armour glowing a faint orange, the tell-tale sign of the resist fire enchantment. Surprised, she stood there until the fire stopped and she could see the dragon again. Then, having lowered the bow when the fire washed over her, Ekali raised it and released the arrow into the still open jaws of the beast.

It roared in surprise when the arrow met it's target and he could see Ekali's seemingly unharmed form. Then a sword pierced it from the side, and the beast threw it's head up in anguish.

“Dovahkiin, no!” it roared before the last power seeped from it's bones and the head crashed into the ground a few feet from Ekali. Not paying much attention to the creatures words, the khajiit skipped out of the way and bent down to recover her breath.

Then something that she had not expected happened. When the dragon finally lay still, some of its scales started glowing a fiery orange, and it's skin burst into flames just as a flowing light began to swirl around it.

Screenshot

“Stay back!” She could hear one of the soldiers shout, and stumbled backwards to get away from the odd phenomenon. The light flowed towards her, surrounding her until she couldn't see anything of the things around her. (Screenshot) And then the voices began again. The same ones as at the wall, but another as well. Mirmulnir. Suddenly, she knew the name of the dragon they'd slain. But the voices veered from the name until all of them uttered a single word just as the light eased up. Fus. The word seemed to grow within her as the light went out completely, and then her mouth opened of its own accord.

“Fus!” The dragons skeleton shifted away from her slightly when the shock wave escaped her lips, and Ekali clamped her hands over her mouth as she stumbled to her knees, but was forced to put them in front of her for stability.

Gladio was that first to move. He walked up to her after a few minutes, put his head on her shoulder, and then licked her face as if to say that it would be okay. The female moved one of her hands to the fur on his head, and after a while she was able too look him in the eyes. Then she saw one of the Whiterun guards approaching her.

“I... I can't believe it... You... you are dragonborn...” The man managed to get out of his mouth with much stuttering. The other guards moved to stand closer as he spoke, and it took a while for Ekali to find her tongue again.

“Dragonborn? What do you mean, what's that?” she said, finally able to get on her feet with the aid of the wolf who also turned his head to look upon the Nord.

“In the very oldest tales, back from when there still were dragons in Skyrim, the Dragonborn would slay them and steal their power. Isn't that what you did? You absorbed it's power?” he managed to say, though his eyes were still wide with shock. Ekali looked around briefly at the other guards before turning her gaze to him again.

“I... I don't know,” she managed to answer him.

“You must be. You just Shouted, only the dragonborn can do that without training,” the guard said to answer her.

“Dragonborn? What are you talking about?” another guard said and Ekali turned her head to him. He looked confounded, and just as shocked as the rest of them.

“But I don't need a dragonborn. Someone who can put down a dragon is more than enough for me,” Irileth said, causing the khajiit to look at her instead. The dark elf had crossed her arms across her leather clad chest and was looking at the guardsman who'd called Ekali dragonborn.

“You wouldn't understand, housecarl. You ain't a Nord,” the guard said to answer her, at which the dunmer female's eyes narrowed.

“I've been all across Tamriel. I've seen plenty of things just as outlandish as this,” she snapped at him. “I'd advise you all to trust in the strength of your sword arm over tales and legends.” Just as she finished speaking, the earth shook as a word reached their ears.

“Dovahkiin!” Several voices at once, uttering the one word, causing the world to shake like an earthquake had come upon them.

When the ground on which they stood was once again still, Ekali looked up to see that all eyes were on her. Some looked awed while others did not seem to know what to do with the information they'd gained. There were some mutterings, and then Irileth spoke up.

“Whatever this all means, you should go report to the Jarl. We'll stay here and try too clear the area,” she said to Ekali, who nodded and forced her feet to move against the city of Whiterun. All noices could not be kept from her ears though, and so the last thing she heard before arriving in the city was;

“The Greybeards. They're calling the Dragonborn to High Hrothgar!”

This post has been edited by Saquira: May 20 2012, 06:19 PM