The sky was streaked with bloody red lines as we rode on horses to Riverwood. Orange rays of the setting sun reflected by my new armor. It was nothing special, but it was definitely better than the rags I wore before. New, yellowish coat, colour of autumn fit me perfectly. It was fastened with copper clasps on which was incused symbol of Whiterun, horse. Parts of the coat were still further shielded by buckles and protectors on elbows and shoulders, but I was able to move perfectly quickly in it. Color has clashed with my golden brown hair and eyes that were the same color.
Boots were comfortable compared to what I wore before. They were plain black, but made of fine leather. Trousers were narrow and somewhat uncomfortable. All in all, it seems that I got the lightest armor that they had. I wonder was it because they did not want to make it harder for me or they wanted me to be the first to die by dragon fire.
The horse I rode was trained, but fast. In fact, I think it was a mare. Her black hair shone in the twilight and the sun painted it into brown. Horses are very fascinating and magnificent animals.
The landscape was changing. We were already close to Riverwood. It was already dark. In the north you could see the first stars and the contours of Masser. It seemed as though the pink and green curtains could be seen.
The deafening scream yanked me out of my mind. The dragon roared. Thick smoke was stretching high from Riverwood. Are we too late?
Suddenly, at the entrance to Riverwood before us, pops huge greyish silver dragon. His yellow eyes are watching us, full of rage, hunger and evil. He opened his mouth, and the flames rushed toward us. The scream of the two guards was fatal for them. Mare almost ousted me from the saddle while she raised on hers hind legs with shock, but did not run. It seems that in Skyrim even horses have brave hearts as Nords.
Irileth, on her white horse wielded a sword and gave orders about the formation. I ignored her.
I pulled the bow that they gave me. It was made of light, brushed wood, probably pear tree. The ends of it were adorned with silver studs. The handle was wrapped in red leather and was not slippery in the hand. I pulled a couple of arrows from a quiver. I've set one when the rest stayed in my hand which tore the thread to fire. I kicked the mare lightly into the belly and she realized what she had to do. She galloped in the direction of a dragon who was impatiently waiting for the right moment to open its mouth and burn us.
And it did that. It opened wide its jaw, slowly. Or at least so it seemed to me. Everything was frozen in time. I felt my heart beating in my head, the skin on my neck prickled as if someone has hit me with a snowball. Sweat dripped from my forehead together with dirt that was on my face since Helgen. My braid gave in and my greasy hair strands waved in front of my eyes, but I did not see them. I was just waiting for the perfect moment.
It came.
The dragon opened its jaw wide, to the end, and I fired an arrow just before it had melted. It hit dragons taste palates. He screamed so loud that I felt a hum in my ears. I shifted the weight to the side so that the mare turned, not letting us to walk directly into the dragon's stomach.
Suddenly, I felt a hand on my right ankle. Someone pulled me strong and I fell out of the saddle on the ground. Pain shot on the right side of my body and at the moment, everything was dark because I hit my head too.
Therefore, I had the opportunity not to see, but to feel the hot air before my face. Dragon fire has swept over me.
Irileth pulled me sharply on my feet and moved away from the dragon. If she had not pulled me, I would be turned into ashes.
"T-Thank you ..."
I coughed from the smoke and thanked nervously. Irileth glared at me and kept running through the thick grass beside the river. I followed her closely. Dragon's attention was dragged by soldiers. Three soldiers were attacking, but their screams were saying everything.
"We'll hide here, behind the bushes. We have a good view of the dragon, and it won't notice us. Not so easy."
Irileth hissed. She looked at me as if asking me to nod and commend her decision.
"No."
I said. She frowned and looked at me puzzled.
"You dare to question and reject my order? You're here to listen to my commands, I am the commander here! You're going to rot in jail anyway, after all of this, you think that one lucky hit can erase what you did?"
She screamed at me. I clenched my fists, digging my long and filthy nails into a palm. It hurt. But that prevented me from wanting to break her neck.
"It wasn't a lucky hit. I'm trained archer. The best in Skyrim. The decision to stand behind the bush while there is a dragon that breathes fire furiously, is not only stupid, but it is suicidal and cowardly. In addition, reptiles somehow can see through some objects. They have a special vision and can see the movements of prey. If we try to classify dragons into reptiles, then it certainly can see us beyond a few twigs and bake us like pigs."
And yes. Just then, as like it heard us, the dragon burned bush behind which we hid. Hot air lashed my face. The smoke entered in my lungs. I felt my fingers getting baked.
I quickly moved away. I pulled out the bow and began to shoot the dragon. The arrow hit it directly in the eye. Again, the scream filled the air. I threw off the bow and pulled out a steel sword. I ran towards the dragon.
Yellow teeth were waiting for me, reddish-blue fire was already coming out of his throat. I jumped up and escaped the fire as much as I could and I firmly grabed the horn of the dragon.
He tried to shake me off. I used that pathetic try to go up and flung myself on the top of the dragon's head. I did it, but my feet were slipping. The dragon roughly waved its head. I thought that I would tear the horn as I firmly grabbed it. There was no time to waste. It will throw me down eventually. I swung right hand, in which was the sword and slapped the dragon across the face. Blood leaked from the place where the second before the scales were placed. Once again, I swung and hit its other eye. Now it was completely blind and totally furious. The panic is even more waving its body, and it wanted to take off and fly away, but failed. Irileth cut its wings. I've continued to push the sword until I broke its neck. Suddenly, I fell on the ground and rolled forward. Left shoulder hurt me like I broke it. I hope it is not. But it did not matter.
The dragon was dead. I killed the dragon. But even that was not shocking. The body of the dragon began to burn until there was nothing but bones. Purple pink rays flew from his body and filled the air and headed toward me. I felt how they wrapped around me. I felt complete. I felt the power. As someone stored energy in me. I sat up and looked at my fingers. They were not burned. My shoulder did not hurt. What was that? What have I absorbed? Who am I?
