When You Give a Man Power
Chapter 1


Brief flashes of light in between the darkness. Occasional thrumming and buzzing of what sounded like vehicles moving around. The sounds of people walking around in large numbers. 


Hearing, seeing, and feeling all of this in-between consciousness and unconsciousness my eyes open for brief moments before closing from the light. A groan escaped me. I didn’t want to get up feeling one hell of a headache.


Smelling the area around me and it was horrible. It smelled like rank gas coming from an open sewer grate and other times it smelled like sweet but far too strong perfume mixed with sweat and other things mixed in.


The pounding in my head started to lessen as time went by. This is not my apartment is the first thing that crossed my mind. Quite certain my apartment didn’t have these smells before, alongside the amount of noise that was overwhelming me.


Feeling the coldness of what seemed to be metal and concrete was enough for me to finally begin to stir and fully wake up with my headache finally fading away. Strange. All the headaches I have ever had don’t just go away like that especially when it was as bad as it felt.


My eyes snapped open, standing up only to close them immediately for how bright it is, like I have been in the dark for longer than what some would consider healthy and finally see the light of the sun. It was bad enough that my arm came up to block it from my eyes.


Sliding back down to the concrete plopping onto my side with a quiet groan. Feelings of confusion flit about in my mind on what was happening right now. I just went to bed at eleven after playing some games, but had to work the next day and proceeded to go to bed early. Wherever I am it was most certainly not my bed in my apartment.


Slowly pulling my arm away, opening my eyes and rapidly blinking them to clear them making it easier to see. After several painful moments of doing this, I can finally see properly. 


And what I see paused any other thoughts for some time. Looking down a rather well-lit alley. It’s even more surprising when no visible lights are around to illuminate it. My sight is better than it’s ever been, far better than even when wearing my glasses.


I looked around in awe. If this was what it was like for people with perfect sight then I had been missing out big time. I could get used to this, though without the sight of this disgusting alley ruining the moment. 


Trash, slime, and dirt mixed with who knows what else in this foul place. Then the realization hit me with a look of disgust directed at this place… I was lying on the ground in this.


That realization just ruined my appreciation for being able to see again. The moment completely ruined I checked myself over to make sure no grime was on me. Thankfully after a brief brushing down, there was none though I did notice how my clothes were not mine. 


Looking at myself and seeing a leather armor outfit with some plates of metal strapped to my chest, forearms, and shins. There were guns on me with two knives. Or would they be daggers?


I’m not necessarily a stranger to guns considering I owned a 9mm pistol but these were unfamiliar and not anything I owned. Yet a feeling in the back of my head told me I knew them. 


The daggers my mind helpfully supplied were in the same boat of being completely unfamiliar yet familiar simultaneously. Pulling the guns out from both holsters on my legs examining them, eyes widening in shock at the sight of a 10mm pistol and a sawed-off double barrel shotgun.


The shotgun was easily recognizable as an iconic weapon in its own right through various media. The pistol on the other hand was a design I was not familiar with yet knew what it was and could list off details that otherwise shouldn’t have been known to me. 


Looking at it more, the realization it looked just like the ones from Fallout hit me harder than anything else by this point. Especially when it was real and not something from a screen. The daggers were just simple iron blades, nothing special about them.


Something drew my attention when a sudden noise broke the silence. Silently standing up and walking over to it. If it’s a person, maybe they can help me. Just a few more steps before rounding the corner of a degraded and rusted dumpster to see someone looking through a black metal box.


However, I have to look again to make sure my eyes were not deceiving me despite my improved vision considering what was right in front of me. It was a hairy rat standing on two legs. A large humanoid rat. 


Any thoughts I had about getting any help ground to a halt when I just stared at it, with its back to me. The only form of clothing it had was brown shorts covering its legs with a hole for its long tail to come out of with a brown leather vest with nothing else to hide its brown-furred body.


I just stood there staring at it not knowing how to comprehend what was even happening by this point. Then it stopped looking at whatever it was, its muscles tensed, seemingly sensing that I was watching it. It whirled around to see me staring at it completely frozen like an idiot.


“You got a problem?” It said to me with its beady black eyes staring into my own. Its large teeth from the lower jaw stuck out but it didn’t stop it from speaking. English at that.


What the hell?! Where am I, and what is this thing? Me not giving it a response seemed to upset it with it starting to take some steps closer to me before it yelled out, “Boys we got ourselves a kriffing tourist here!” 


Tensing up when several steps could be heard with me counting out at least five of them with how each step sounded to me, three coming from behind this thing and two at the other end of this alley behind me.


Wait. How did I know how to do that? 


Never mind that I’m about to get robbed if not worse if I don’t do something. Taking several steps back raising both of my hands placatingly hoping to avoid this fight considering I’m outnumbered.


 “Look, we got off on the wrong foot. I’m lost and don’t know how I got here, and I didn’t mean any offense. Just give me some directions and I will be out of your nice alley here.”


He? I’m assuming it’s a man, who stopped for a moment and seemed to ponder what I had said looking me over for a second or two before coming to a decision. 


“The armor and weapons. Me and the boys will be taking them.” He demanded of me while eyeing my equipment up and down like a piece of meat. 


Surprisingly I am not intimidated at all like I should be. I had no issue fighting when I needed to, just preferring it to be one-on-one and on my terms. If this was the old me from my childhood then I would be scared out of my mind. 


However, after meeting Miguel there is no issue with me fighting them, especially when there was nowhere to run to. A part of me took offense at both the oversized rat ordering me and what he was ordering me to do.


“Keep your hands where I can see them, you so much as move one of those hands your dead.” He ordered me.


The sound of something brushing against fabric could be heard before a weapon was drawn out of his holster. Looking at his hand seeing a weird-looking pistol. A pistol that looked oddly familiar to me.


While trying to figure out what that pistol was, the rat’s friends had fully arrived and were in their positions. Three of them stood behind him and to the surprise of no one they were rats like him. 


They stood shoulder to shoulder with some space between them while the other two came from the direction I heard all the people from.


They were positioned so they wouldn’t hit each other from friendly fire. The other two on the other end helped pincer me in. Showed they had experience having worked together before. 


Not even questioning where all this knowledge and experience was coming from since this may save my life.


“Keegar, go and get his weapons.” The leader of their group told one of them, “And don’t go complaining about it being dangerous considering how many blasters we have on him. He isn’t going anywhere.”


Steps echoed across the alley with Keegar coming from behind me, “Why do I have to do it?” They whined. They still followed the order despite their reluctance and fear. I assumed fear since I could hear the beating of his heart behind me. It sounded like a machine gun to my ears. 


“Because I said so, and Lurch is a better shot than you. I trust him to at least hit this guy, and despite how inexperienced this pretty boy here seemed to be at playing bounty hunter I still wouldn’t trust you.” Their leader told him in a matter of fact tone, getting a laugh out of the others who took amusement at their comrades’ embarrassment.


“Now don’t get any funny ideas here, we wouldn’t want to scar you or worse. After all, we could get a lot of credits for someone like you considering how rare your kind is, and killing you would just be a waste.” The leader addressed me. 


But I was stuck on what he had said and not the implication of them selling me like I was a slave. What did he mean by my kind? Humans are a rarity or something around here?


Keegar mumbled some colorful insults to the leader under his breath, moving closer to me. Once close enough he reached for the shotgun. Feeling slightly nervous with this all happening so fast. 


That familiar heat in my chest of my old friend reared its ugly head again. My anger. But it soon melted away, replaced with a cold calm that enveloped me. Then I reacted just when his hand touched the handle of the shotgun.


Spinning around faster than any of them could react, hand outstretched grabbing him. Seeing it was just another rat like all the others. His expression remained the same like he was still looking at where the gun was at. Almost like he was in slow motion.


Knocking his weapon from his hand sending it flying into the wall followed by a quick punch. He finally started to register what was happening. Grabbing his throat, lifting him into the air, before moving him with his back facing the leader and his three subordinates.


Moving my impromptu shield into position, I casually pulled out the 10mm from its holster with my free hand like it was second nature to me. Without looking at the target yet knowing where he was right behind me. 


He was lining up a shot but it was all too slow. With a pull of the trigger I moved on paying no mind to the enemy behind me hearing the bullet enter his head followed by the sound of bone crunching with blood impacting the walls and floor of the alley.


I don’t even acknowledge what just happened simply walking ahead with my shield moving forward. Glancing over his shoulder at the group, they were now reacting to me. They seemed to hesitate at first but regained their senses when they attempted to stand and fight. 


Opening fire on my shield who is choking from my firm grip on his throat. He tried to pry my arm off his throat gripping my forearm but to no avail. When they pulled the triggers of their weapons, my eyes widened briefly when red energy bolts came out of their weapons.


All the shots were absorbed by my shield making them writhe in pain for a few seconds before the third shot ended their suffering. A few had looks of remorse on their faces at what they had done. 


It was ignored simply pushing on making steady progress moving closer while they continuously fired a wall of red bolts at me. Besides the shield keeping me alive it was also an attempt to make them use up their ammunition.


Step after step I strode forward with them shuffling back looking more and more unnerved. One of them started to panic taking the occasional glance over his shoulder. 


Making a change of plans noting that several of them had already fired off enough shots that normal ballistic and energy weapons would have run out by now. 


His nerve finally broke when he immediately turned around and tried to run causing another rat to turn and yell out to them. Taking advantage of the distraction with a shot to the side of their head right through their temple. They crumbled to the ground like a doll dropped from a child’s hand. 


The runner was given no mercy with a shot in the back right where I could hear the heart beating before silence replaced it, sending them sprawling across the alley floor unmoving and silent as a grave.


Their leader with his last remaining friends looked more and more deranged and panicked with so many emotions flitting across his face, especially his eyes. I give them this, they haven’t stopped firing their weapons this entire time. 


Each shot from them was now aimed at my feet since my shield wasn’t big enough to cover them. Despite this, they were avoided just as they shot ahead of my steps.


The leader of the group on the other hand had constantly shot the same spot around the neck of his dead comrade. Realizing that he was trying to sever the head from the rest of the body.


Taking my impromptu shield, adjusting it in hand before tossing it at the two remaining rats. 


The leader was hit face first with the remains of his fallen comrade’s body. The other remaining rat had to duck to avoid it, but that momentary lapse of shooting was all I needed.


With a quickdraw that was far too smooth the shotgun was drawn and aimed right at him before he had any chance to pull the trigger. A boom with the sight of the rat struck right in the chest followed by a spray of blood splattering the alley snuffing his life out. 


Running forward far faster than I ever could before the leader was still getting the body off himself by the time I had reached him. Bringing the shotgun up and aiming at the rat who was still struggling with the body.


“Don’t move,” I ordered him in a cold voice that even made me hesitate at the sheer coldness from it. 


The rat stopped struggling and looked up at me with fear-filled eyes. Breath came out in ragged gasps as he stayed like this for a moment before I looked down at his pistol still in his hand. “The weapon, slide it over to me. Slowly.”


Doing as told he took his gun, put it on the concrete, and slid it over to me where it stopped resting at my foot. “Look, we weren’t going to kill you-”


“Shut. Up.” Not having none of his shit right now, and I’m certain he could tell since he clammed up immediately. I don’t know what was happening to me or how I became so scary. 


I had never fired a gun before despite owning a 9mm pistol. Aimed it at someone to get them to back down but never shot anyone or anything. And I just killed five people. Without batting an eye and feeling nothing about it. 


Sure they were going to steal from me and who knows what after that but emotions especially ones after a traumatic event are never logical especially when you killed somebody.


I don’t know how I have this armor on me or the weapons nor why they all felt so familiar to me. Having no clue what is even happening anymore. It frustrated and confused me so much.


Feeling another headache coming over me again, and wanting to get this over with since the rat was still staring up at me with fear of what I was going to do. 


A long sigh escaped me, helping me settle down, and the coldness that had overcome my mind lessened but only slightly. “Here is what’s going to happen.”  He focused on every word as if it was a lifeline.


“You are going to get up and run down that alley and not look back. You will not do anything other than that. If you do, I will end you. If I ever see you again, I will put you down. Do you understand me?” My words were short and clipped straight to the point with that coldness leaking into my voice.


“Yes, I d-” He stopped speaking when the shotgun barrel was leveled right at his face forcing him to put the side of his head against the ground of the alley. The end of its barrel brushed the side of his head, his one eye looking at me while he shook like a leaf with ragged breaths escaping him.


“I want you to repeat what I said,” I said quietly to him.


He managed to stammer out what I wanted to hear, “I-I-I’m g-going to get u-up and run down the a-alley.” He gulped and got some control of himself before closing one eye for a moment before opening it, “And if you ever see me again, you will kill me. I understand and will follow everything you told me to do.”


“Good,” Raising my shotgun up and away from his head relaxing a little while taking my finger off the trigger knowing that it’s over. He wasted no time scrambling to get up, shoving the body off him. He slipped and fell to the ground when first tried to run courtesy of the blood across the alley. 


He got back up and ran covered from head to toe in blood. Further and further down the alley he went until he finally got to the other end and out of my sight when he turned the corner.


Taking the shotgun, opening it up, and popping the spent shell out of it like I had done this numerous times before I looked for a replacement shell on me. After a few seconds of searching, I found three of them. 


Realizing I should check for spare ammo for the pistol, finding that there was no extra magazine or bullets to replace what was used. Well, looks like I need to make every shot count. That or just use some of the new weapons I just got from these guys.


After that last morbid thought, holstering the weapons back where I got them I walked to one of the alley's walls and put my arm against lowering my head pondering what the hell all of that was. 


Why do I feel nothing about killing those people? I know full well I’m not a psychopath or a sociopath, I had plenty of empathy for other living things. I would go out of my way to avoid hitting squirrels on my way to work for crying out loud. So why do I feel nothing now?


Sinking into a sitting position and turning around to sit down with my back pressed against the wall not caring anymore about all the grime on the walls. Between my personal crisis and my being partly covered in blood had numbed me to the filth. The headache was getting worse and worse as it pulsed behind my eyes and temple. 


I bring my gloved hands up to my face, rubbing circles across my temples in a vain attempt to make the pain go away because I don’t like sitting here in an alley at the scene of some murders that I just committed, and I needed to find help. 


Getting up after giving up on easing the pain, I took two steps before the pain amplified enough to bring me to my knees. It felt like someone was pouring molten metal into my head. My hands dug into the concrete making it crack and splinter while tears streamed down my face.


As quickly as the pain had come, it faded away leaving an odd sense of clarity along with relief. Slumping over onto my side taking ragged breaths relieved at it being over.


But what helped put me more at ease was getting some answers to some of my questions. Feeling all the memories pouring into my head. Memories that were mine yet not.


The memories played out before my eyes, showing two lives I lived with the first being a survivor. Searching for my son across the Boston Commonwealth after the end of my world had taken place. 


At first bringing peace and prosperity to the Commonwealth helping anyone I came across if I had the time. Eventually retaking the Castle as General of the Minutemen.


But as time went on I witnessed how despite killing many raiders over the course of my journey before and after the Minutemen were at my command it was never enough. Raiders always popped up in some form or another endlessly no matter how many we cut down.


Feeling despair at everything being for nothing with the fighting never ending, a creeping realization started to form while I journeyed to Nuka World. That is when I could put words to this revelation. 


The criminal element will always exist no matter what. But it could be controlled. Channeled and kept in check. 


So I abandoned my old ideals and made a deal with the devil becoming the very thing I had once grown to hate to bring about a better world. A raider with a small band backed me then we proceeded to attack and take over some of the very settlements I had helped build and made them into what they were. 


Not all of them but enough to keep the raiders under my command content and make them into a force to keep other raider groups in check. I however will always be haunted by the look of betrayal Preston gave me when he saw what I had become. 


The Minutemen were not oblivious to a new group of raiders becoming a force to be reckoned with within the Commonwealth. 


This is why they gathered a sizable group of men that made me both proud and saddened knowing what was going to happen. I sent some of the raiders I had personally trained to harass them and lure them where I wanted them. They came despite knowing it was a trap and made us work for it fighting like hell. 


Preston of all people was leading these men and women. By the end of it with most of my former soldiers dead along with no small amount of my raiders I had Preston brought before me. He immediately recognized me.


For some time everyone had believed I died in Nuka World when they lost all contact with me. He took control of the Minutemen refusing to let it fall apart like it had before my time as General. 


Most of the Minutemen lying dead on the ground with their weapons and ammo taken as our own he gazed up at me with sorrow-filled eyes with a simmering rage building beneath it. I had my men not harm him as I talked to him. Telling him this was the only way. Explaining everything to him.


He just stood in silent fury for a time until he broke the silence. He told me I had betrayed everything we had stood for. Tarnishing what I represented to the people and to him.


 I told him this was the only way. That I was sorry but I can’t and won’t stop. I have come too far now after losing my wife and son. Shaun becoming what he did and seeing all my efforts in vain after all this time and loss. 


He swore that he wouldn’t stop coming for me and he would bring an end to me. I calmly stared back as my raiders brought their weapons up after the declared threat, not shooting without my order courtesy of the discipline I had drilled into them. 


I promised him I wouldn’t kill him no matter what and that I was proud of the man he had become. My last orders to him were to lead the Minutemen without me. 


I let him go and true to his word he came for me multiple times as my raiders and the Minutemen clashed over numerous battles and skirmishes it became a stalemate between our two groups. 


We had won some and lost some, but never truly wiped the other out. I could have, but that wasn’t what I wanted. There needed to be balance. 


Leading up to another massive battle, this time my men wanted to attack Hangman’s Alley. Several scouts brought us intel on what to expect as we prepared our forces to attack. Most of my forces were ready to charge the only entrance into it. Then it all went dark just before my order to attack.


The next thing I saw was a land of snow and ice, when I was about to be decapitated only to be saved by a dragon of all things. Alduin the world eater no less. I realized it when I saw him in the memories. I never got to face him or any dragons for that matter.


Instead, I journeyed across Skyrim growing stronger throughout it, especially when I found myself in the Thieves Guild going on to collect all of the stones of barenziah when I learned of what they were. 


I accomplished that along with taking care of Mercer Frey getting the Skeleton Key from him. Kept my original uniform after joining the Guild and forgoing the Nightingale armor despite loving its design feeling it was too eye-catching and unique to use in public areas. 


Plus my old uniform had more sentimental value in it considering all it went through alongside me.


Much like him how I saw the value in it and kept it despite knowing the consequences that would come from it. Even knowing my betrayal of Nocturnal knowing Karliah would one day come for me but it was too valuable to pass up. 


I accepted that one day I would be rewarded for my deeds but until then I would live my life how I wanted to before that time came. That and make it difficult for whoever would be my executioner when that time had come.


With that chapter of my life finished bringing the Thieves Guild back to its former glory of course without Nocturnal's treasure being returned to her. 


I didn’t use it like Mercer Frey had out of fear that she would sense it and my former colleagues would have an easier time finding me. Save for the occasional lock that needed a special touch.


With the key in my possession, I felt restless and pondered on what I should do next. Then it came to me when I was staying at an inn in Markarth after dealing with a guy almost murdering a woman as soon as I walked in through the gates. 


Managed to save her and she later showed her gratitude that evening in her home.


After that, I got myself a room at one of the many inns in the city with the innkeeper helpfully supplying me with information of a boy attempting to summon The Dark Brotherhood when asked about any interesting gossip. 


The decision now made to go check it out and maybe make some coin while helping the kid out. The only downside was that it was in Windhelm. 


However, that became irrelevant when the adventure ended up taking some interesting twists and turns with it all ending with me as The Dark Brotherhood’s Listener of all things.


I learned a great deal along that adventure. Like how to assassinate someone more efficiently and effectively while in broad daylight, tracking and gathering information, or how to run an organization like the Brotherhood which was different compared to the Thieves Guild. 


Many more things that I would come to learn but those were insignificant compared to the bigger stuff in the grand scheme of things.


I would occasionally go out to the Mages guild in between contracts and adventures, but only to acquire spells I thought were of some use when I had reached high enough in my skills and thought myself ready to get something more useful. 


The memories go on of me going across Skyrim from adventure to adventure with the occasional bedding of certain women that caught my interest. Eventually they came to an end just as I made one final journey to Castle Volkihar when rumors had reached my pointed ears of the Dawnguard being formed. 


The last memory being me taking Serana back to her father and home. Despite being an Altmer and being capable of living around a thousand years I still felt fear of that ticking clock counting down to me dying of old age. 


After all, I had become so powerful for the express purpose of ensuring nothing killed me. Albeit in ways aside from brute strength and skills with weapons despite having the potential to do so never felt the need nor want to do so. 


Why swing a pointy metal stick slightly better when I could just sneak up and slit their throat or shoot an arrow or just throw lightning at them if all else failed? By that point just swinging a sword around seemed more dangerous and put me at far greater risk.


No, I became powerful initially to enjoy life but as time went on across my journey and that one defining moment of helping Azura with her artifact I saw what Malyn was trying to do to live just a little longer. 


It made me realize the true reason I did all of this. I didn’t realize it at first and only until now after stopping the man I pondered on it.


The realization hit me harder than any draugr or bandit ever could. I was becoming stronger because I didn’t want to die. Wanting to enjoy life was just a part of that greater desire. To keep living my life and enjoy it eternally without anything being able to stop it and halt the fun.


A chance to easily stop the death toll of time itself? Then gain some added benefits that would come at a cost but one that I could one day weasel my way out of just like I would do with Nocturnal? 


Of course!


Sure if I die I will go to Coldharbour. But that is unlikely considering how powerful becoming not just a vampire, but a Vampire Lord would make me. 


Screw the Dawnguard, they wouldn’t be capable of granting me a better reward than what Harkon could. Once I had what I needed, if I needed to kill Lord Harkon then so be it. Which will become a great deal easier after getting my reward for returning his daughter. 


I didn’t like my odds of fighting him when normal vampires were bad enough. The few times I battled them were some of the closest fights I had ever had as a simple Altmer. 


So with that, I walked in and claimed my reward as I ogled Serana a few times when I thought she wouldn’t notice before Harkon bestowed the gift to me as he took on his vampiric form. After that, the memory ended.


Despite it sounding so simple, it was anything but that. The memories of both those lives played out before me every detail was so vivid almost like I had lived it for both of them. My memories supply some answers. 


The Skyrim character I had done that playthrough with was a newer one that I never got any dragon shouts or killed any dragons because they never spawned. They only spawn in the game after you do Bleak Falls Barrow with the following questline.


I was attempting to get all of the stones of barenziah for the first time and after hours managed to do it. Kept the skeleton key after almost finishing the Thieves Guikd like I always do since it’s nice not having to break a lock pick and make grinding lockpicking easier. 


That and getting one of the most basic necessities in the game. The Black Star since free grand soul gems near the beginning of the game are a must. Besides that, I just role-played a character I had made which was a High Elf. 


Same with my Fallout character, I just tried to focus mainly on getting Shaun while killing most of anything that got in my way while helping those that I could then becoming the General in the process. Only to betray everyone and become a raider once I got to Nuka World. 


After all of that, I got up realizing I still don’t know where I am. Figuring out where I am was a priority, though I stopped and looked over at the dead bodies, particularly eyeing the weapons. 


Walking over to examine the weapons immediately the smell of something sweet and enticing in the air greeted me. 


It smelled so sweet, almost like pollen from plants in a store's garden section. Stopping when the sudden realization hit me. It was wafting off of me. 


Holding up one of my fingers sliding it along my other forearm before drawing them back with crimson blood on the tips. My eyes zero in on the oh-so-sweet nectar.


Opening my mouth with my tongue about to lap it up to get a taste before stopping myself. Realizing what I was about to do, I closed my mouth while taking the offending finger, giving it a disgusted look before wiping it on the shirt of one of the rats.


Okay, that almost happened. So safe to say it confirmed that I am a vampire now. Would explain my enhanced senses and me about to drink the blood of one of these things. 


Who knows what diseases I could get from that. Wait… I don’t get diseases anymore. I can’t even be poisoned. 


Heck, last I checked I don’t even age anymore. Guess besides the whole blood thing being a vampire wasn’t so bad.


Finding something to at least be happy about, considering this whole situation I was in something had to be used to ease the tension. 


Walking over grabbing a robe from one of the rats making a makeshift sack to put most of the weapons in while looking them over. 


Some looked unfamiliar while the leader's pistol looked the most familiar, yet I still can’t place it. Each weapon was haphazardly placed in the sack, ideas started going through my head on how they worked and what modifications I could do to them.


This made me pause hoisting the sack over one arm, realizing that yes my intelligence compared to other kids from school and long after leaving high school was well above them. But it wasn’t enough to have all the ideas and theories running through my head with all kinds of complicated science and math. 


Just more to unpack. My thoughts drifted to the special attribute system from Fallout. I may have gained that along with the correlating skill number values and ‘perks’ that my two characters had. 


Well… That’s something I suppose?


Walking over to grab a rifle left on the ground looking over the ground and my reflection greeted me in a puddle of blood. 


What looked back at me made me pause. Long golden strands of hair cascading past my shoulder with sun-kissed golden skin. Eyes like sapphires stared back at me. All this with a neatly trimmed dirty blond goatee.


This… was my Altmer character. Even looking at the armor it’s a mix mash between my old Thieves Guild outfit with elements of my Fallout outfit sprinkled in. 


All of it was worn and well used but taken care of.  Holding my arms up properly looking at the outfit. A part of me felt fondness and nostalgic looking at some of the parts.


Each one a phantom memory flashed in my mind of each battle or fight where I took a hit both early on and later in my career. Rare as the latter was, it did happen from time to time. 


Lowering my hands down I looked at my new face, “Guess this is my life now.” Speaking only to myself and the dead in this alley hearing a warm unfamiliar charismatic voice greet my ears. 


Done with checking out my reflection, a quick glance over at what the lead rat was scrounging inside of showed a black metal box. Old habits kicked swiftly, checking it over to make sure no traps were on it. 


Satisfied when none were found ignoring the stench of the dumpster with all the overflowing trash coming from it mixing with the still sweet smell of the blood.


A lift of the lid and a look inside a note was the first thing to greet me. Next to it were items that immediately got my attention. A cracked black crystal in the shape of an ornate star that I recognized as Azura’s Star. The same one that I had helped corrupt. 


The other was a simple yet eye-catching key that was incredibly familiar. Nocturnal’s skeleton key. I would have to be blind and incapable of using any of my senses to not recognize that key with how long I traveled with it.


Grabbing the items and putting the key in one of the most secure pouches that I had always used for the key. Heading over to another rat, take its shirt, and tie it up to make a makeshift satchel for the star considering I had no room for it on my outfit. 


Making a mental note to get better ways to carry these around I focused on the last object of interest-- the note.


“To ‘Corvo Attano’.” 


What? That is not my name. But it was. I realized much to my chagrin that I named both characters after playing through the Dishonored series for the first time and went with Corvo’s name. 


But my name is… The name my parents gave me was- I can’t remember my real name. I can remember my parents' faces and the man who I considered more of a father and parent to me than my birth parents but none of their names. 


The few friends I had I can’t remember their names either. Even the bullies that were the worst of the bunch I dealt with. No names but perfect images of their faces.


I can’t even remember my name. I suppose it’s not the worst thing I’ve dealt with by this point. My shoulders slumped down before focusing on the rest of the note, “Next to this note, you will find two items of interest to you. Know that both of these items you can only use once, and they are gone forever.”


That part got my attention. That is infuriating, considering both of these become nowhere near as powerful as they would be with that limitation. 


“I wish you the best on your journey and know that these two items are the only things that will be given to you, and you will not receive any help beyond these items. You have thirty days to use them, or they will be gone forever. Use them wisely!”


No name was given on who did this or anything. They don’t even tell me where I am. I have thirty days to use these, and I can only use them once. I sighed to myself pinching the bridge of my nose trying to suppress my growing anger and frustration on just everything that had happened.


After I took a few calming breaths with my new memories and instincts helping with that, I noticed something was happening and watched the box and note still in my hand turn to dust falling apart. 


Brushing my gloved hands off walking to the area with people still moving around and talking. However, that brought up a good question now that I think about it. Why didn’t anyone call the police or the equivalent when the shooting happened?


I mean, the shots were loud and what was strange was how people were still around after the shooting. You would think they would have run away from it. I guess I will find all of that out when I exit this alley.


 The smell of chemicals and other things in the air greeted me and it became stronger the closer I got. Oh boy, a heavily polluted area that could give me cancer. Just what I needed on top of everything else.


At least I’m immune to that since Vampire for the win. As I walked closer to the alley, I realized that being a vampire wasn't necessarily a win now that I had one big weakness I forgot I had. 


The sun. 


Sunlight poured in from the end of the alley. No one walked by at the end of the narrow alley entrance despite me hearing them, but I stopped. I can’t see anything except the dirty smudged side of a building across from me with no defining features thanks to the light.


What do I do now? 


Hesitating for several minutes just standing there hidden in the shadows pondering on my dilemma. Do I just wait here till night? I don’t want to do that though, but it’s either that or just getting annoyed at the light. It won’t incinerate me since I’m a vampire lord and not a lesser one. 


I finally decided on a compromise after much deliberation for several moments. Even though it won’t harm me it still was annoying and incredibly uncomfortable to walk in. 


Not helped by the fact I couldn’t recover from being injured or regain my magicka or stamina while in it. One of the reasons I had to get better at archery and sneaking when I was on long journeys with no way to feed. I take the light gauntlet off of my hand and see how it’s tanned but golden in coloration with no blemishes or anything.


I try not to focus on the feeling of what I was about to subject myself to since it was something risky and arguably incredibly stupid. My index finger slowly reached out to the light. If I got that feeling just duck back into the alley and wait for nightfall if it came down to it.


Knowing that I needed to stop babbling and get this over with, my finger slowly moved forward. The anticipation of what was going to happen mounted. Just a millimeter away from the light my mind helpfully supplied to me.


Sweat beaded on my forehead. The stress and anticipation were killing me. I stayed like this for several seconds. Finally, having had enough and just sent it the rest of the way.


Nothing. 


Sweet, sweet relief flooded my veins. It’s there in the sun, with no uncomfortable feeling or feeling like my very being is getting compressed and shoved down! 


Not even feeling weakened at all now that I thought about it. I smiled with glee, happy that I didn’t have to fear such a crippling weakness. 


That happiness stopped and turned into confusion at how I was not feeling anything from this. This should at least do something to me since both my original memories of what little I knew of Elder Scrolls lore and my memories from Skyrim told me that this should be doing something to me.


I will take it regardless considering I could walk among other people in the sun, but it was confusing. Either way, with it confirmed I’m not going to be harmed when I walk under the sun. With that my first steps out of this alley were taken. My breath was stolen away by what greeted me outside the alley.