I could feel myself drifting alone through the darkness, cold, colder, colder still.  My body's aches gradually faded the colder I felt, until I could feel a light breeze on my face that gradually became stronger.  What else?  My wrists, they felt restricted, as if they were bound...  Then suddenly, I heard it, a voice ringing out, clear as day.  A voice I knew well.

I waited for the horse thief Lokir's reply as I attempted to open my eyes.  Ah! There was Ralof, Ulfric and... Some other Nord...  And Lokir was?  He wasn't anywhere.  I tried to refocus my vision, which was a little blurry when I noticed Ralof looking at me expectantly for a reply.  I looked at the other Nord, trying to work out what their deal was too, then it dawned on me!  I was LOKIR!

An Imperial Soldier yelled from up front "Shut up back there!"

I turn to stare at Ulfric Stormcloak, a mountain of a man dressed in ornate black furs.  He is bound and gagged, the gag, I know is because he is capable of using the voice.

"Watch your tongue around the true High King." Ralof replies sternly.

"Sorry", I reply to Ralof.  I knew the actual dialogue Lokir was meant to say, but he was angry at the Stormcloaks after recently being caught and blamed them for the Empire increasing security levels.  He also assumed he had no chance of surviving execution.  But maybe, just maybe.

Maybe it was my apology, or maybe the softening in my face as I started contemplating, but Ralof's voice became gentler as he asked his next question.  Not everything was proceeding as it did in the game, but I knew roughly what he was going to say next.  The question was whether my death was set in stone too.

I sighed, knowing the answer, but I added some of my own truth to it.  "Rorickstead, but, my family are not in Skyrim, that's why I tried to leave."

Ralof paused a moment "I see, home is where you're family is.  Perhaps I misjudged you."  As he stated this, I heard a short familiar rumbling, 4 drumbeats, indicating the levelling up of a skill.

No way...  I could actually see the writing and numbering you normally see in the game.  It appeared briefly in my vision, then faded.  Ok, so I can track my progress, that could work... This could work.  Hopefully I can choose my perks and so on too, but survival comes first...

The silence that followed his words really echoed in my mind.  This response was totally different to the game and that was good, but I was nervous about what was coming next.  I didn't really have a chance to process my situation as the wagon began to pull into our destination, Helgen.

I held my breath and carefully stepped forward.  This is it, normally Lokir would panic and run, only to be shot in the back, but instead I stayed silent, waiting for further instruction.  The Captain looked at me strangely, almost in a trance for a moment, before looking to the cart again as I breathed a sigh of relief.

I turned about to watch the person meant to be the Dragonborn, the main character of the game.  When he spoke, his voice was deep and commanding, yet smooth as silk.  The sound of his voice, it reminded me in a way of the dragons themselves, without whatever distortion those voices were put through.

"Alkar of Cyrodil".  I froze, that was the name I had given him on my new playthrough.  So was I to run alongside him as a companion.  No, no way, I didn't want to risk it.  Becoming his companion, it could have deadly consequences... But, following him right now, here in Helgen, that almost guranteed my survival if I was careful.

I faced forward when he came to stand beside us, turning away as the first stormcloak had their head removed.  Right now, I was terrified, because if I was to be called forward before the Dragonborn, I may very well die.  In the games, Alduin would only appear just before the Dragonborn would be beheaded.  As Ulfric Stormcloak was admonished by General Tullius, I waited with bated breath for it... The roar of the dragon.  Breathing out in relief as well as a new fear, I knew, Alduin was coming.

"Next, the horse thief".  I began to shake in fear.  all I could think of was to delay them a little longer.  Desperate as I approached the block, I saw the head of the stormcloak who had come before me.  As sick as it made me to see it, it gave me an idea.

The Captain sighs in frustration, putting her hand to her face "Uuughh, we'll execute you last then, I haven't got all day, NEXT, the other nord prisoner."

Huh?!  Another increase.  I guess the fact that it was happeneing during what was originally a cutscene doesn't matter.

That's when I saw him.  Alduin flying forward.  The dragonborn didn't get to the point where he had to kneel, instead, he was one of the first to see the World-Eater.  With a mighty thud, he landed atop the tower in front of us and shouted in a deep rumbling voice, summoning before him a great and terrible storm.