Brother and Sister

The night was alive. The air was so thick with lights and smoke Madi, his colleagues, and other party goers could have been underwater, if not for the roar of the crowd and music that thrummed straight through the bodies surrounding them and into their eardrums. Sweat flicked up into the air with the start of every dance move, and wet hair bounced back down with its completion. It would have been beautiful, perfect even for Madi, if not for one thing. A girl, pushing into Madi, grinding, forcing him into movements this way and that. Madi's voice pushed out into her ear, low but firm, "In the middle of the party bitch? Get off of me." Madi was a workaholic mid-20s person, and he wants this party as a way to release his mind from the prison cell with steel bars made out of four words, work.

Madi was so happy that for once, he got to attend an office meeting, not because of work, but because to celebrate the company's success.

As Madi was enjoying himself, he saw JC and his younger sister talking to each other. The looks in their eyes are not of that two people just talking out of the blue, it was of people intimately connected with one another.

'No no no, not with my sister, you Asshole' Madi knows JC well. JC is known as the fuck boy in their group. Why does he know it? He was his friend of course.

As Madi approaches them, something suddenly exploded. Madi was thrown away with a strong force. He fell down near a gas tank. Beside him was his friend JC and his little sister, both unconscious. The gas tank near him was making a fizzy sound.

Fizz~

"No!" Madi woke up from a nightmare. Gerdur who was cooking an egg, and the others who was already seated at the dining table looked at him.

"Having nightmares?" Ralof asked Madi. Madi nodded and put a palm in his face.

"Help yourself with breakfast." Gerdur said to Madi, inviting him to seat with them at the table, and continue cooking the eggs.

Fizz~

Madi felt the urge to return back to the real world. The dream seems so real, but this urge suddenly calms down because he doesn't know a way to return to the real world. He needs to gather information and learn things about Skyrim.

Finally, Gerdur finished cooking. And they began their morning feast.

Madi took this chance to learn more by asking them for some information. If he wants to stay alive and get out of this game, he better learns things about this world he is in right now.

While eating, Madi and Hod catches the eyes of one another.

"So you saw a dragon, did you? Tell me, what was it like? As big as a house?" Hod said, as he took a bite on his bread.

Madi was traumatized of what had happened, "I really don't want to talk about it."

"Sure, sure. It's just, you know, not every day I meet someone who's laid eyes on a dragon." Says Hod, Gerdur saw Madi was shivering. Madi remember what he got to experience yesterday. First, he was about to get publicly executed by beheading him along with Ralof and the other stormcloaks, and second, a Dragon suddenly appeared, and it was as if trying to chase after him.

'Was it really chasing after me, or am I thinking things? Madi thought to himself. But if it really was chasing after me, why?' Madi suddenly felt a chill in his spines when the thought of the Dragon re-appearing again to go after him came to mind.

"We're so sorry that you had to experience that." Gerdur said, trying to calm Madi down.

"It's okay." Madi smiled and tried to act natural. He doesn't want Hod to think it was his fault for making him feel this way. "So, this place is called Riverwood?"

"It's my mill. Some folks think it's my town too, but it ain't. The Jarl in Whiterun owns the land and the town. I just pay the taxes." Gerdur said in reply, and they continue to bite on their meal.

"What's the business between the Imperials and Stormcloaks?

"The Empire may have been good for Skyrim once upon a time, but those days are long past." Ralof nodded, agreeing to what Gerdur had said.

"Banning the worship of Talos was the last straw. Thalmor everywhere, dragging people off for honoring our own gods!" 'So Talos the one they worship in this world' Madi thought to what Gerdur just said.

"I'm glad Ralof is helping drive them out of here. If I was a bit younger, I might have joined the fight myself." Madi just nodded and continue eating, not knowing what to say next.

'So the Stormcloaks are fighting for the rights of everyone in Skyrim, which is unbanning the worship of their gods.' Madi thought as he continues eating.

"Can I ask you for a favor?" Gerdur asked Madi.

'Hmm… I wonder what is it.' "Sure mam."

"For all of us here. The Jarl needs to know if there's a dragon on the loose. Riverwood is defenseless... We need to get word to Jarl Balgruuf in Whiterun to send whatever soldiers he can. If you'll do that for me, I'll be in your debt."

"Sure, I'll do it." Madi sees no harm in sending a word to the Jarl, unless there are imperials around. But, there is a major concern.

"Uh… how do I get to Whiterun?" Madi asked.

"Cross the river and then head north. You'll see Whiterun on its hill as you pass the falls."

"I hope the Jarl is a welcoming man." Madi said to himself, and Gerdur heard him.

"Well, Jarl Balgruuf is a welcoming man especially with business this important. However, I don't mean to be disrespectful, as he's ruled Whiterun Hold well for years, but he seems in over his head now. He's been trying to stay out of the war, but it can't last. He's going to have to pick a side. I'm afraid he's going to make the wrong choice." 'Wrong choice? Does she mean, the Jarl will tend to side the Empire?'

"Why, is Jarl Balgruuf loyal to the Empire?"

"I wouldn't say that. But he and Ulfric have been at odds for years, and I'm afraid Balgruuf will end up siding with the Empire because of it." 'I see, there was something between them, as usual, personal relationships make a huge impact when it comes to choosing sides.'

"But it's hard to believe that even Balgruuf would choose Elisif over Ulfric."

"I'm sorry, but, Who's Elisif?" Madi asked.

Ralof joined the conversation, ""I suppose she's Jarl Elisif now."

"Yes," Gerdur said, and continue explaining to Madi. "She married High King Torygg just before Ulfric killed him. The Empire supports her claim to be High Queen. I don't really have anything against her - not her fault that her husband Torygg was bought and paid for by the Empire. But she's nothing but a puppet for the Empire now, with her husband Torygg dead. Ulfric will make sure she never takes the throne as High Queen." Ralof just nodded.

'Wait, did I heard it right?' "Ulfric killed the High King?!" Madi asked in surprise.

"Some say murdered, but it was a lawful challenge in the old way." 'Ahh… the old fashioned duel' "Ulfric called him out as a traitor to Skyrim, and killed him in single combat. If Torygg couldn't defend his throne, he had no business being High King." 'Well, that's reasonable then.'

"So there's no High King now?" Madi said and took a bite on his meal.

"No, not until the Moot meets to choose another. And it won't meet until one side or the other wins the war. Don't worry, though. Ulfric is our rightful High King. He'll drive out the Empire and Skyrim will have peace at last." Madi then laid his final question, he must know this before he say something stupid to them and end up, throwing him away.

"Do you support the Stormcloaks?"

"Of course. Ulfric's cause is just. It's time for Skyrim to rid itself of the Empire." 'So they want freedom.'

Madi reached the dead end of his thought and now, he doesn't know what to say.

"So, where can I buy armors and weapons?" Madi asked and, everyone is finally finished eating.

"If you want armors and weapons, go ask Alvor.

"Alvor huh? Where can I find him?"

Gerdur told Madi where to find Alvor, and Madi went to Alvor.

Madi saw Alvor. Alvor is a Nord blacksmith, he is a masculine blonde man. His facial hair is all over his chin and around his mouth.

He approached him and had a word with him.

"You lookin' for a new blade?" Alvor asked Madi.

"Is there a way for me to make my own weapons and armor?" Madi asked.

"Oh, you mean smithing your own equipment and weapons. Hmm…" Alvor walked into his workshop. "I hope Oliver was here so I could ask him to teach you." Alvor said.

"But I guess I'll be the one to teach you the basics my friend." Alvor said.

"Wow! Really?" Madi's face brighten "Thank you so much sir."

Alvor taught Madi the basics of smithing.

He made Madi Craft an iron dagger, Temper the iron dagger, Craft some leather, Craft a hide helmet, and Temper the hide helmet.

This is where Madi learned about three important things.

One, he needed materials to craft an equipment. Two, once you have the materials, you can craft the desired equipment. Three, you can improve equipment by tempering it.

"Alvor sir! Thank you so much, here are the equipment I crafted." Madi said.

"Why don't you keep that dagger and helmet? Maybe you'll remember me when you're making Skyforge Steel, huh?" Madi was so happy. He changed his gears, and decided to sell his old equipment.

"Alvor sir, where can I sell some of my items."

"Well, if you're selling some of your items, you must go in shops of course."

"Is there a shop near Riverwood?"

Alvor told Madi about Lucan's shop, and Madi went to Lucan's shop which was right in-front of Alvor's house.

Madi went to Lucan's shop to sell his old item.

As he entered the shop, he saw a man in fine clothing, he has a fair height, he has a mustache around his mouth. This is Lucan.

Lucan was having an argument with a woman, also wearing a fine clothes. Around her waist was a leather belt, a satchel and a dagger is hanging on it. The woman is Lucan's sister, Camilla.

"Well one of us has to do something!" Camilla shouted to Lucan.

"I said no! No adventures, no theatrics, no thief-chasing!" Lucan yelled in reply.

"Well what are you going to do then, huh? Let's hear it!" Camilla said.

"We are done talking about this!" Lucan then noticed Madi, "Oh." Lucan clears his throat "A customer. Sorry you had to hear that." Lucan said, Camilla walked away from Lucan and sat on a chair beside the hearth.

"Did something happen?" Madi asked, although he knows that there's some kind of robbery that had happen before he arrived.

"Yes, we did have a bit of a... break-in. But we still have plenty to sell. Robbers were only after one thing. An ornament, solid gold. In the shape of a dragon's claw." 'That's weird, they only took that item, but in fact, there are other things worthy of stealing in this shop.' Madi thought so.

He suddenly remembers his sister after seeing them argue earlier. Madi felt sorry for the both of them so, "I could help you get the claw back."

Lucan's face brightens up. "You could?" Lucan asked, and Madi nodded in response.

"I've got some coin coming in from my last shipment. It's yours if you bring my claw back. If you're going after those thieves, you should head to Bleak Falls Barrow, northeast of town." 'Yes! Money' Madi cheered in his mind.

"So, this is your plan, Lucan?" Camilla retorted.

"Yes. So now you don't have to go, do you?" 'I see, this woman wants to go after the thief, but his brother Lucan is a protective brother.' Madi thought. Even Madi would do the same.

"Oh really? Well, I think your new helper here needs a guide."

"Wh...no...I...Oh, by the Eight, fine! But only to the edge of town!" Madi chuckled and went out of the shop with Camilla.

As the two went out. Camilla started to tell Madi everything she knows on how to get to Bleak Falls Barrow.

"We have to go through town and across the bridge to get to Bleak Falls Barrow." Camilla said as she looks at the ruins which is at the top of the mountain near Riverwood.

As they are walking through town. Camilla converse with Madi.

"Those thieves must be mad, hiding out there. Those old crypts are filled with nothing but traps, trolls, and who knows what else!" Madi swallowed his dried saliva after hearing that there are different creatures in Bleak Falls Barrow.

"I wonder why they only stole Lucan's golden claw. I mean, we have plenty of things in the shop that are worth just as much coin."

"Maybe there's something really special with that claw." Madi said and thought to himself, 'That's what I want to find out too.'

Madi and Camilla reached the bridge out of town.

"This is the bridge out of town. The path up the mountain to the northwest leads to Bleak Falls Barrow."

"Got that mam Camilla, thanks!"

"I guess I should get back to my brother. He'll throw a fit if I take too long. Such a child…" Madi smiled to the fact that Lucan was so protective over his sister.

"Mara bless you for agreeing to help us." 'Mara? I suppose one of the gods they worship.'