This is Our Home: A Collection of Skyrim Short Stories

Escaping Hell: Part One (Ylva)

17th of Last Seed, 4E 201

How could this be? I had just witnessed a beast as dark as Oblivion with eyes like molten ebony crash to the earth and call down the fury of the gods. When that... that thing's eyes fell on me, I swore I heard an ethereal voice whispering malice in my ear. I had screamed in fear and bolted towards the nearest open door, where a Stormcloak man—Ralof—was waiting to pull me into the safety of the guard tower.

As soon as I got inside, I fell to my knees. Moisture covered my cheeks, and I realized after a moment that the moisture was shed tears.

"Jarl Ulfric, could the legends be true?" asked Ralof behind me. I looked over my shoulder to see him addressing Ulfric.

"Legends don't burn down villages," said Ulfric, voice deep and somehow calm. Just the way I had remembered.

I got to my feet—not an easy task with my hands still bound. Around me were three other Stormcloaks, two on the floor and one kneeling beside them. They must have been injured by one of the falling rocks. From outside the doors came screams and roars and other horrific sounds. I wanted to block up my ears, bury myself in the earth, and escape it all.

"Prisoner!" said Ralof, grabbing me by the elbow. "Come on! Up through the tower." He started to pull me, but my legs were shaking so badly, I nearly lost my footing.

"Look at me, girl." To make sure I was looking at him, he cupped his free hand to my cheek. "We're getting out of here. Come with me."

I followed him up the stone stairs to the next level. Part of the structure had caved in, blocking us from the top. Another Stormcloak was trying to clear the stones away. He motioned for us to join him. "Come on! Help me move these rocks!"

Just as we stepped forward to help, the wall was blown open, and I was knocked off my feet. I rolled down the stairs, hitting my head only a few steps down. I cried out, vision swirling, as a rough hand grabbed my arm and pulled me back to my feet.

"You all right?" asked the man who had helped me up. I could only guess the man was Ralof.

After blinking to clear my vision, I nodded, seeing that it was indeed Ralof who had helped me.

We hurried back up the stairs again. Ralof pushed me closer to the gaping hole in the wall. I peered over the edge, seeing nothing but death and destruction consuming the town. By the gods, how could this happen?

"Do you see that roof down there?" asked Ralof, jarring me from my stupor. I followed his gaze to the burning building several feet below us. "Jump down to it and hurry to the Keep! We'll catch up with you as soon as we can!"

"Jump?!" I turned back to him. "But what are you going to do?!"

"Don't worry about us! Just go!"

I looked back to the rooftop, my stomach sinking into my toes. If I had anything in my stomach, I would have thrown up.

You jumped off Bard's Leap Summit and survived. This is nothing, Ylva.

I steeled myself, bent my knees, then jumped. I fell through the hot air, crashing through the burning straw roof and landing hard onto the wooden floor. Something in my right ankle snapped, and I rolled to absorb the rest of my momentum. It took me a moment to see anything past the pain shooting up my leg. Pushing myself upright, I tested my wounded ankle, finding it hard to stand on it. But I could stand on it, so at least I had not broken anything.

I limped towards a hole in the floor, then gingerly hopped down to the first floor. I took special care not to land too hard on my feet, so I would not damage both ankles. Once I got my bearings, I pushed my way through the crumbling wall and into the chaos outside.