just another day...

It was your ordinary day. You woke up feeling well rested and decided to take a leisurely walk by the river banks, just a stone throw away by the shrine of Talos. Minutes later, after having a hearty breakfast of venison chop and mixing up some healing potions for the day, you were out of the city gates and admiring the beautiful, sunny grasslands that lay ahead. You find the dirt path leading out to the river and follow it until you smell the misty cold air. Weirdly, the sun decided to stay away from this spot and a group of gloomy clouds have taken its place in the sky.

As you were deciding whether to cross the river or shoot an arrow at the two stags grazing up stream, a mammoth suddenly crosses the rugged path just a few feet ahead of you. It was slowly making its way through the waters, finding a safe route to take to get to the other side. You feel the ground rumbling under your feet and you hurriedly sneak your way to the mossy boulder just by the side of the dirt path, taking care not to be seen by the enormous beast. The animal was quite gentle for its size.. even quiet enough not to disturb the stags just an earshot away. You take out your bow and aimed, imagining how much the city trader will pay for those pretty ivory tusks. Before you could fire a sneak attack, a heavy breathing sound caught your attention and it was only then that you realize that the rumbling ground was not caused by the mammoth's gentle steps.

Step by heavy step, a big club materialized from the top of the hill just beside you. When you see the enormous hand holding it, you quickly decided that the tusks weren't worth it and you slowly back away into the shadow of the nearby trees. Just seconds later, the mammoth herder appears and you could finally see the entirety of its size. With the mammoth just up to the giant's waistline, they almost look like a herder and his sheep crossing a stream. The giant's heavy wool boots shook the earth every time it made a step. And with just two quick paces, it crossed the river and led its mammoth away into the mountain trail.

Disappointed, you looked up river hoping to at least get some stag pelts from the morning stroll, but the two were way gone by now, probably scared away by the noisy giant herder. Packing up your bow and dwarven arrow (that could've put the mammoth down in one shot), you head back up the path wishing that some mead will somehow make up for the morning's letdown.

You were already imagining the taste of black-briar mead in your throat when you hear a sound that was quite familiar. It was faint but definite. You've heard that sound before, and it was something you were hoping to never hear again... at least not for another whole week. You look up at the sky and saw nothing. A gush of relief came on you when you saw a clear sky above, but then there it was again. You realize where it was coming from and you ran towards the top of the hill to get a better look.

The stables just outside the city walls were on fire and the horses were running around, crazy. The city guards are already shooting arrows at the fierce wings hoping to take it down and fight it on the ground. You ran straight towards the fighting at full speed, not minding the stamina drain. Almost short of breath you arrive within firing range and took out your bow. The dragon was still in the air, busy breathing fire on a windmill farm. You take careful aim and with one quick release you hit it square in its nostrils. It puffed a little cloud of smoke before flying away, clearly shocked by the hit. But the battle was just beginning. As it circles in the air, making its way back to its attacker, it finds you among the crowd of bowmen and instantly isolates you from the rest. It has you in it's sights, you knew. It can feel you're not like the others.

You take another arrow from your quiver and take aim once again, this time determined to hit a wing. You know you cannot defeat it on air. Closer and closer it came staring right at you. You can feel the flap of its strong wings almost blowing you away. You were aiming for the right wing when it suddenly slows down and inhales a big deep breath. You knew what was coming next, but before you could get behind cover, away from the line of fire, it was there right in front of you enveloping you in brightness and heat.

It was hot and painful, but nothing that you couldn't take (thanks to your natural resistance to fire). Still your health was taking a beating from the blast but you pay it no mind. Engulfed in flames you can see nothing but brightness. But from the gravity of the heat you can tell the direction of its source. Desperate to get a shot off you aim in the general direction and let go. You hear a deafening screech and then the brightness stopped and all was black. Your eyes were still adjusting to the normal sunlight. You quickly equipped a healing spell on your left hand and an elven sword on your right. Activating the healing spell, you drain half your magika to restore yourself to full health. As your sight returns to normal you saw the dragon on its back slayed, a dwarven arrow in its left eye. It certainly was not enough to kill it, but it was enough to put it down. And as soon as it dropped, you knew everyone around made sure it was never getting up again.

You made your way to the beast feeling its power. As you get closer, you can feel its life force making its way to you. The raw power almost knocks you off your feet but you endured and not long after, it was yours. A dragon soul.

To finish the task, you collect the remains; dragon scale and bones. It turned out to be a good morning after all. The city trader will pay a great deal of septims for this haul. ;p

skyrim thief, originally uploaded by bR!@n.