A/N: My name is bhark3 and I give you L Am Dawnguard. The sequel of L Am Dragonborn by Nick Martin. To get the legal stuff out of the way, Nick has given me full rights to this story and any continuation of it. The next 4 chapters will all be Nick's work. The 5th will be a mix of his and mine and anything that may come after will be written by me, although based on notes I have been given.
Without further delay, I give you L Am Dawguard.
The screech of an alarm clock woke Light Yagami, who rubbed his eyes and sat up with little hesitation. Finally… finally I can get back to Tamriel. He climbed out of bed, and changed into jeans and a black t-shirt. A year ago, he would have dressed more formally, but he had changed. In Skyrim, there was no need for a freshly ironed suit. Instead, he had his equipment ready in a duffle bag. His Daedric armour, lacking shoulder plates, gloves and a helm, sat there under his bed, along with twin razor-sharp scimitars of the same material.
On display at his desk sat a magical ebony mask, once called Nahkriin. It stared grimly out at the room's sole inhabitant, almost robotic in appearance. "Morning," he greeted it cheerfully, then headed downstairs for breakfast.
He was interrupted in the middle of pouring milk by a quiet knock at the door. He set down the jug and answered the door. "Misa? What are you doing here?"
"I wanted to… see you off, I guess. Is that okay?"
"Sure, why not… come in, I guess." he opened the door and let her in.
"Light… you still remember it all, right? Being Kira?"
"Yeah." he went back to his breakfast. "You want something to eat?"
"I already ate." Misa looked around, not sure how to proceed. "What was it like? Killing people, I mean."
"Here, or in Skyrim?"
"Here, I guess."
"I felt… powerful. I felt like a god."
"And in Skyrim?"
"That was different. I didn't care what I was. All that mattered was survival, and the rush as I swung my swords."
"Huh…" Misa turned and looked out the window as a black limousine pulled up in front of the house. "Is that L?"
"Well, that's Watari in the driver's seat, but I didn't think L would be so conspicuous." He finished eating, and retrieved his equipment from his bedroom. He glanced at Nahkriin again, and considered taking it. It wasn't the first time he'd thought of it, but as always, he decided it would stay. The mask remained still and silent, yet Light felt as though it were arguing with his decision. He left, and shut the door.
L came up the stairs, mouth half-open to speak, but Light leapt forward and clamped a hand over his mouth. "My parents are still asleep!" he hissed. "My father's been trying to track a serial killer for two weeks now, and this is the first time he's slept in three days."
"I was going to whisper anyway," L replied. "I'm well aware of the situation Yagami-san is in… Still, I hope you had the common sense to let him know you were leaving today."
"Of course I did." Light shifted his grip on the duffle bag, which contained almost a hundred pounds of metal.
"Good, then let's go. Misa told me she was coming to see us off, she's already in the limo."
"Yeah, about that… it doesn't really seem your style. You know, to hide a tree use a forest, that kind of thing? Blending in?"
"If anyone were looking for me," he replied as they made for the limousine, "They would expect me to attempt to blend in. If they're going to look for something extravagant like a limo, they're as predictable as they assume me to be. Plus, if you recall, I can catch sword blades with my bare hands now. Not to mention my extensive knowledge of magic and the Thu'um in particular."
Watari opened the door for them, and Light stepped into the limo first, laying his bag on the floor next to L's luggage, several large black suitcases. "What the heck are you bringing?"
"Mostly candy, and my weapons. I'm bringing my old dragonscale armour back to Skyrim, since it could cause a problem if it were found here." Light nodded, and took a seat. L crouched in his, and explained, "I'm not much worried about a car crash. Even if we were hit, I'd be fine, no matter how much I bounce around." he peeled the plastic off a box of expensive chocolates as the limo started moving.
"So, how many times have you visited Skyrim since Alduin?" Light asked as he reached for a bag of potato chips amidst the snacks and sweets scattered over the floor of the limo.
"You noticed those… I thought you might," L remarked, nodding to the chips. "I've returned to Skyrim twice over the past two months. Once to confirm that I am still alive and High King of Skyrim, as well as return the Jagged Crown and Elder Scroll to Tamriel. I've made Jarl Balgruuf my right-hand and steward of the realm, meaning he sits the throne in my absence. The second time, I was gone for a week, and I put a few plans into motion. The second semester at the Mage's College of Winterhold is set to begin in about three months, and I've been hired there to teach the apprentices. From what I've heard, not many have been enrolling. Aside from that, I've been improving diplomatic relations with Cyrodiil, and preparing for war with the Aldmeri. I'm also trying to satisfy the needs of the Dov. The most pressing matter, however, is an uprising by the vampire population. They've banded together and all but destroyed the Vigil of Stendarr."
He paused, and popped another candy into his mouth. "At the very least, there is some good news. A few skilled Vigilants survived, and formed a splinter group calling themselves the Dawnguard. They've been recruiting and rebuilding, getting ready to seek out the vampires, but… I don't like this. Vampires don't usually attract this kind of attention, so they must have a reason. A motive, or a plan…" he shrugged. "Whatever it is, I am High King, and I have a duty to protect my people. They must be stopped, before they repeat this massacre."
"So, what's your plan?" Misa asked, enthralled. Dragons, kings, vampires… it's incredible…
"Finding their den is the only real problem. Once that is done, I can simply lead the Dawnguard there and eliminate them."
The limo slowed to a stop, and Light peered out a window. "This is… the headquarters of the Kira Task Force…"
"Which is still my property," L replied. "Watari…" he turned to face the older detective, and continued, "I'll likely be gone for at least a month this time, but I plan to return to Earth from time to time. If you don't mind, please finish up the cases I've been working on, arrest the criminals I've tracked down and such."
Watari nodded, and drove away once L and Light had unloaded their luggage.
The lobby of the building looked abandoned, devoid of furniture, but Light knew better. The upper floors were likely as pristine as the task force had left them, most of them having been prepared for use that never came. A layer of dust was the worst they'd find.
"So, how exactly does all of this work? And why are we using this place?"
"I'm going to tie the suitcases to my wrist. I've yet to determine why, but anything I'm touching or carrying, as well as things tied to my person, are pulled into Tamriel with me. As for why we're here, my Thu'um is loud, and would draw attention. It also seems to briefly disrupt the vision of those in the vicinity, which Watari informed me of. It would warrant an investigation, so we are putting distance between ourselves and the civilians. We'll be using the top floor of this tower to leave Earth."
X
Watari cried out in pain as he landed face down on an expensive Persian rug. He groaned, as he tasted blood, then rolled onto his back and stared helplessly up at his attacker, who grinned down at him. "So, where is he now?"
"I'll never betray L for you. You're going to kill me anyway," He croaked.
"Wrong!" the attacker cackled loudly. Watari recoiled from the sound, it was not human. "I'm not gonna kill you. I can't anyway, you're not supposed to die for three years!" He shuddered as his fate was revealed. "But think about that. It's three years I can torture you for. No one except you can prevent that."
"He's at… the task force headquarters… he'll be in Skyrim in less than an hour." He sobbed helplessly and shamefully.
The attacker laughed again. "You see, Quill? Everybody breaks. Everybody changes. There's no set of rules and beliefs that can hold up forever. What you call morality, it can't save you. Which is why I gave up clinging to it, and now I call it stupidity." The attacker wiped his red-stained hands on his shirt, staining the white cloth. "Oh, and Quill? Don't stick around, 'cause if I have to come back here, I'll have to ask you again, and it'll be painful. For both of us."A bloody butcher knife clattered to the hardwood floor at the edge of the rug, and Watari glanced down at the stab wound in his leg, made by the weapon. "Oh, and try not to bleed out on me. I may need you later."
The attacker looked up at the ceiling, grinning. "Oh, what a wonderful world, eh, Quill?"
"Go to hell," Watari moaned, clutching his leg in agony.
"There is no Hell." the attacker chuckled, and added, "If there was, I'd be sending L there."
He left, and Watari watched him go. When the room fell silent, and he was confident the psychopath would not return, Watari crawled to a table where his cell phone sat. His teeth were gritted against the pain in his leg, but he reached up and pulled the phone down. "I'm sorry, Ryuzaki," he lamented, then began to dial L's number.
X
L's phone rang, and Light suppressed a chuckle as he was reminded that L even held his phone with a finger and thumb. "Yes?" As the person on the other end began to talk, L blanched. "It's… alright. There was nothing you could have done. No, we'll be fine. He can't follow us into Skyrim. Of course I have to go back. People are dying by the hundreds over there, they need their king. We caught him last time, we can do it again… just get yourself stitched up, Watari. I'll be back soon to deal with him, but I have to go." he hung up, and turned to Light with a sigh. "We… have to go early. Right now, in fact. There's someone coming."
"And you're afraid of this person?" Light scoffed.
Before L could respond, an evil laugh echoed through the room. "How the hell did he get here this fast? Damn it!" Light's eyes widened, and he looked around. "Light, grab your equipment, everything else is just candy…" L froze. Misa.
The laugh echoed again, louder. "Hey, Lawliet… did you miss me?"
"He knows your name?" Light asked. "What the hell is going on?"
"Misa." L turned to face her, and extended a hand. "You have to come with us. If you stay here, he'll kill you."
A gunshot rang out, and the laugh came again. "NOW!" L roared, and clamped a hand on Light's shoulder. Misa darted forward and grasped his hand. "NAHL DAAL VUS!"
X
15th of Sun's Dawn, 4E 202
Light immediately yanked open his duffle bag and pulled out a Daedric sword, during the brief moment when he had yet to realize they were safe in Skyrim. L, meanwhile, listened to the echo of his foe's laugh, praying inwardly that it was all in his head.
Misa pried her eyes away from the jagged sword and looked around at their surroundings. "Wow…" they were in a stone hall, empty except for them and the furniture. The room was lit solely by candlelight and torchlight. "What is this place?"
"This is High Hrothgar," L explained. "This is where the last mortal users of the Voice safely exercise their power, Shouting to the sky as a prayer to Kynareth."
"Users of the Voice? Well, where is everybody?"
"There are only four, of whom only one can speak the common tongue without Shouting forth destructive power. I assume they're outside as usual." L looked up, and added, "we are on the side of a mountain called the Throat of the World, and at its peak, the oldest dragon in Skyrim makes his home. Even now, it still seems surreal."
"So, why are we here? Why High Hrothgar?" Light asked.
"When I left Skyrim last time, I had been here. Paarthurnax is one of few dragons willing to talk to me rather than challenge me for supremacy, so I'm connected to the Dov through him, Kahliivnin, and Odahviing." L looked around once more, still afraid of who he might find staring back, then added, "Apparently, the headquarters of the Dawnguard is in the Velothi mountain range, and the only entrance is through Dayspring Canyon, near Stendarr's Beacon. We should stop in Riften along the way… I'm not comfortable taking Misa back to Japan yet… he's seen her now, with us. So, Misa, we'll stop in Riften and get you some armour…"
L turned around, and as he did, he felt something scratch his chest, something cold and sharp. He looked down, and saw a fishhook in the front of his shirt. He plucked it out, already knowing what had happened to put it there. A thin, clear fishing line was tied to the hook, dangling from it in his hand.
"He's here."
"Then let's kill him," Light growled. "Whoever he is, he's in our territory. You're the Dragonborn, and I'm the Champion of Sithis. Why the hell are you so afraid?"
L began to reply, but a blur of movement caught his and Light's eye. Light brought up his sword, and blocked the incoming attack. "What the hell?"
It was L's face staring back at him, or at least, a near-perfect replica of it. He was wielding a katana with a blade of dark red metal, and was wearing a white long-sleeve shirt and faded blue jeans. He was barefoot, and this gave Light the theory that the newcomer was actively imitating L. He would have been an exact copy, were it not for his red eyes and broad, toothy grin. "Light Yagami… Why can't I see your lifespan, or L's?"
"You have shinigami eyes…" Light stepped backward, and violently swung his sword downward, smashing it into his foe's weapon. The newcomer yelped at the pain in his hands, but continued to grin as he turned and ran away. "Ryuzaki, who is this guy?"
"His name is Beyond Birthday," L replied with a shaky sigh. "I told you about him, he was my successor. What I don't understand, is where and how he got that sword… I can tell it's made of ebony, and enchanted. He followed us to Skyrim, but he must have gotten that weapon here in Tamriel… has he been to Skyrim before?"
"Ryuzaki, listen to me." Light glared at him, and held up his sword. "Next time we meet him, you'd better damn well draw your sword."
"My sword… Strunkriid! NAHL DAAL LEIN!" Light sheathed his weapon as L disappeared into a blue portal, and reappeared moments later with a suitcase. He opened it, pulled out his sheathed sword, and wrapped the belt around his waist.
"Hey, Ryuzaki…" Misa stepped forward. "Can I stay here with you guys for a few weeks? You talk about Skyrim all the time, and I really want to see what it's like."
L shrugged. "One condition." he reached into the suitcase and pulled out a vest of dragon scales, a piece of the same armour he had worn in battle against Alduin. "You have to wear this, and learn to use some form of weaponry." he held out the vest, and she took it, running her palm over the polished-smooth scales. "If you like, I can teach you to use Destruction magic as well, but that will have to wait. We need to find Beyond, and deal with the vampires as well."
"When we find this guy," Light answered, "We're gonna kill him. You understand that, right?"
L nodded. "I've saved him from execution several times. Each time, he escapes and kills more people in the process… I've put it off for too long. This time he went after Watari and us, and now I know how his other victims felt as he closed in. I can't forgive him anymore, and I should never have made it my choice."
X
"Dovahkiin… what brings you to my strunmah?" Paarthurnax landed atop the Monahven, folding his ancient wings comfortably. "You seem troubled… greatly so…"
L crouched in the snow, still wearing his clothes from Earth, and therefore barefoot. "Power alone does not make a great leader," he announced in the dragon speech. "I have made mistakes recently."
"Do you speak of the… wretched creature that came to me, laughing insanely and swinging his weapon at nothing but air?" Paarthurnax replied in the common tongue.
L winced. "That would be the biggest one."
"I do not see how its existence is your fault. It wore your face, but it was not you."
"It is my responsibility to stop him."
"Then do so. He laughed at me like a man possessed, and sprinted north." Paarthurnax curled his tail under his left wing. "You have proven yourself capable in all the tasks set for you thus far, and this creature… even if it is not human, it is certainly no World-Eater. You will prevail, I feel it."
L smiled at his toes. "Maybe you're right… I've been depressed before, and I got over it. Maybe that's all this is." he stood, and stuffed his hands into his pockets. "How fare the Dov?"
"Well enough." Paarthurnax ruffled his wings. "Kahliivnin leads them, and none can match his Thu'um. He is almost as humble as when you first brought him here, but now… I mistrust him. I cannot say why, perhaps it is the black scales that remind me of Alduin, and nothing deeper."
"Black scales?"
"His skin fell away, revealing a new creature beneath. His scales shine black, like polished ebony. It is unnerving, his resemblance to a young Alduin."
"Ah… has he been devouring souls since Alduin?"
"Few enough, only the souls of the Dov foolish enough to challenge him, among them some of the oldest and most ambitious. He has grown mighty, but he is no tyrant."
"And what of the Blades?"
Paarthurnax sighed. "They have not attacked since Alduin's death, but they have made it clear that they intend war. I fear there is no way to avoid it."
"Zu'u Dovahkiin. They will listen to me, and lay down their arms."
"Forgive me for not sharing that confidence. Killing the Dov is the sole reason for the Blades' existence, and a creature fights for existence more fiercely than any other prize."
X
Misa still found she couldn't stop eyeing Light's armour. It had been three days since they arrived in Tamriel, and Light had worn it every day. L had explained that it was made of ebony, a material similar to obsidian, but harder than any metal. It could be forged with a hammer, whereas obsidian from Earth would shatter easily from such a blow. Explaining that much had led to a lesson on Daedra, then the planes of Oblivion, the religions of Tamriel, and magic.
"…there are five main schools of magic, Destruction was my specialty. The others are Conjuration, Illusion, Alteration and Restoration." L himself was wearing a brown fur cloak that wrapped around his entire body from the neck down. Under that, he was wearing loose tan robes, the colour of Hammerfell's warm sands. Aside from Strunkriid, there were other, more mundane weapons concealed under his cloak.
"What do you mean it was your specialty?"
"After I lost my magicka to Alduin, I began studying a separate form of magic, not a true school, but nothing less, either. It's called Enchanting, and it's focused on binding magical effects to objects like weapons and armour."
Misa yelped in shock as an ebony arrow hit L in the side of the head. It shattered into tiny black splinters, and L turned to face the shooter, a Nord in blue and white robes. The bow was of elven make, glistening gold in the sunlight. A Vigil of Stendarr? The shooter turned and fled, but L teleported into his path. He stepped backward and nocked an arrow, releasing it at L's chest. Once again, it shattered. "You're using this horribly," he pointed out calmly. "At this range, with me unarmed and not moving, you should have aimed for an eye, the most vulnerable part of my body."
"Would that have worked?" The shooter asked grimly.
"Of course not. Now, give me the bow, and come quietly." The Nord laughed, and dropped his weapon. He held L's stare for a brief moment, then ran. "Damn it." L chased him, but the man fled north into a forest and picked up speed. L began teleporting through the trees to keep up.
Without warning, a steel blade whistled through the air at his head. He ducked with lightning speed, and flung open his cloak, revealing the white hilt of Strunkriid at his belt. With a single motion, he drew the sword and slashed at his attacker, who was wearing the same robes as the archer had. His opponent blocked the attack, and their swords locked together between them. "If you're the Vigil of Stendarr, it's small wonder the vampires slaughtered you… you're idiots if you think I'm the enemy."
It was then that L noticed the glowing orange eyes of the other swordsman, a telltale sign of vampirism. "Ah… clever. You're here to attack the Dawnguard while wearing disguises… strike at them before they can gather strength. It might have been successful, if not for the fact you targeted me." Blue electricity exploded across Strunkriid's blade, and arced along the steel sword in the vampire's hands. The vampire yelped and dropped his sword in pain, an opportunity L seized. He drew back his sword and stabbed through the vampire's heart, killing him.
A second vampire, this one with a greatsword of dwarven metal, aimed a downward swing at L's head before he could pull Strunkriid free. He took his hand from the white hilt of his sword and caught the greatsword's blade. With a twist of his hand, he snapped the blade in half, then drew an ebony war axe from within his cloak and swung it. The vampire blocked the blow with the remaining half of his weapon, but L teleported away and threw the axe as a tomahawk. It struck blade-first into the vampire's skull.
L frowned, and held up his hand. A thin gash marred his palm where he had caught the greatsword. "I can still be cut after all." he healed the wound, and retrieved both his weapons from the vampire corpses. As he was wiping his blood from the haft of his axe, a third vampire attacked, only to be blocked by Light.
"Finally some excitement! I was always so bored on Earth!" Light slashed at the vampire's chest with his right-hand sword, but his opponent danced away. "Either you're more skilled than your dead pals, or I'm horribly out of practice… either way, this'll last longer. I prefer that."
"Do you always talk so much in battle, mortal?" The vampire swung his sword of elven moonstone, but Light parried easily with one sword and impaled the vampire with the other.
"Mortal?" he echoed. "Don't kid yourself. Do you really feel immortal with your innards wrapped around my sword?" The vampire groaned weakly, and howled as Light twisted the blade in his chest. "You'd best come to terms with your mortality, because you'll be dead in a few minutes."
The sound of clashing blades drew L's attention, especially when it was shortly followed by Misa's scream. He turned and teleported to her aid, but reappeared ten feet above the ground. Since he was unable to see his destination through the trees, he was unable to predict exactly where he'd arrive.
As he landed, he drew Strunkriid, its blade still wet with blood from its previous victim. Misa was knocked onto her back, with a hulking Orc in Vigilant robes standing over her, battleaxe in hand. She had apparently been disarmed, her ebony sword lay ten feet away in the grass. The vampire raised his axe to finish her, only to meet Strunkriid's blade. L shoved the weapons upward, and the Orc stepped back. "Misa… cover your ears, please." For a brief moment, she simply stared up at the back of his head, then numbly cupped her ears with her hands, not truly caring why he had asked her to.
It didn't help at all. When L swung his sword, a torrent of lightning burst forth from the blade, engulfing the vampire in searing electricity. The thunder that accompanied it was beyond comprehension, and at point-blank range it was deafening. It was only there for half a second, but when it faded, there was no trace of the vampire, not even a wisp of smoke. L sheathed his sword, and helped Misa to her feet. "Are you alright?"
She glanced past him, to the spot where the vampire had stood. "Yeah," she replied with a shrug. "You saved my life…"
"If you were to have died, it would have been my fault for letting you stay here in Skyrim." he retrieved her sword, and held it out to her with his hand wrapped around the blade. "It took me a year to master swordplay, but I had no teacher. I'll help you learn, and it should go more quickly for you. Until then…" She took the sword, and L released the blade. "Please stay by my side or Light's during battle. He and I both left you alone just now, and it nearly cost you your life. My first opponents here were human soldiers and half-dead Draugr, not to mention my training in martial arts. These are vampires, creatures meant to hunt and kill human beings as prey."
X
Beyond Birthday looked around the large stone chamber where he had made his home. His swordbelt hung on a wall, near his bed. He saw no one else, so he sat on the bed and began practicing his laugh.
After a few minutes, a Nord slowly entered the room, wincing every time Beyond laughed. His robes were dark crimson and faded black, with a black hood. "His Grace would like a word…"
"His Grace. Pfft. It seems his arrogance has grown since I left." Beyond stood. "I'd never hear such a pretentious alias on Earth. You go back to him, and tell him that I am not his servant. I am not a dog to be summoned, in fact I am here for no other reason than to exercise my free will. I answer to no man, no law, no gods. Still, I have no reason not to hear what he has to say, so also tell him I'll be right there. I'm not done practicing my laugh."
X
(bhark's A/N: Something I should metion is that any A/Ns in bold are mine and anything else is Nick's.)
A/N: Sorry about waiting this long to start the sequel. I wanted a few weeks to take a break from writing, and I was about to start exams when I finished writing L am Dragonborn.
Also, I don't have Dawnguard. I'm researching it through YouTube walkthroughs and the Elder Scrolls Wiki, but since I haven't actually played it, my versions of characters like Harkon and Serana may be a bit OOC. I have no familiarity with dungeons and levels in Dawnguard, so I'll recreate them while otherwise trying to maintain the same lore tied to the locations.
Next chapter should be up soon. :D