Author's note: Ok! Time to introduce a new character who will play a very important role in this series! Enjoy!
"As a vampire, people may comment on your unusual appearance, but they don't ever attack you or shun you like they do the werewolf."
Chapter 2: Awakening.
Gajeel and Levy arrived to the front of Dimhollow Crypt and were shocked at the sight of the place; instead of a Nordic Tomb like they expected, it was a cave that looked as if no one entered before.
"What the fuck." Gajeel muttered "This is a Crypt not a Godsdamned cave!" Levy looked around the front of the cave and noticed right away, footprints of people in light armor.
"The vampires are already here!" Levy realized out-loud before looking at her husband "Gajeel, we have to move quickly. If we don't, by the time we're halfway there, they'll have that ancient artifact."
"Let's get moving then Shrimp." with that said, they went into the dark, muggy cave.
The cave grew muggier and darker as they walked deeper into it. They found torches lighting up the pathway a bit and soon came into a deep opening in the cave. Gajeel took a deep breath and whispered a New Shout he learned a month ago:
"Laas...Nah Nir." right then and there, Gajeel began to see the auras of the other guests in the cave.
"Ok," Gajeel explained "Two vampires and a fucking dog with them. The first vampire is over there." Gajeel pointed it out and Levy pulled out the crossbow and shot them "And the second over there." she shot the second one "and now the dog." Levy felt bad for doing this but if the dog was working with the vampires, it had to die.
"Let's move." Levy whispered. Gajeel got closer to where the vampire bodies lied and noticed the dog right away.
"Holy shit, Shrimp this isn't a fucking dog!" Gajeel told her.
"What?"
"It's some weird ass thing that came out of the back end of a Daedra!" she looked closer at the odd creature and realized what it was.
"It's a Death Hound." she explained "I heard of them but I never seen one."
"The fuck are they?"
"Un-dead canines. They always follow vampires around and are very deadly." she then noticed her husband trying to pick the collars off "Seriously?"
"Could be helpful." he got it off and put it in his bag "Let's get the fuck outta here."
"Problem is," Levy questioned "how do we get out?" Gajeel looked and saw the gated door.
"Simple shrimp," Gajeel smirked "we used the-" he cut himself off when he realized there was no pull chain or lever "Godsdamnit."
"I think the Ancient Nords really wanted whatever lies deep down in this crypt to be protected."
"No shit." Levy looked around the cave and found a tower, standing idly nearby.
"Maybe that tower over there could have some answers." Levy rushed over to the tower as her armor clinked together and she soon managed to get into the tower.
"Gajeel!" she called out "I found a pull chain!" Levy pulled the chain and Gajeel heard the door behind him open up.
"Awesome job babe!" Gajeel called out "Let's get a move on!"
They soon went through a crypt that had much restless un-dead (draugr, vampires) and frost bite spiders; but Gajeel and Levy slayed as many as they could. They soon came to a stream nearby that had a gated entrance.
"I definitely think they wanted whatever was down here to never get into the hands of whoever comes through here." Levy admitted.
"That's for sure." Gajeel grumbled "The hell you think could be down here?"
"I don't know. But whatever it is, it's valuable to the vampires. If we get our hands on it before them, than it's less likely what they're planning is going to happen."
"With ya on that. Let's find it before those fucking blood suckers do." Gajeel and Levy suddenly heard something and watched as a giant, wounded frostbite spider fought against a vampire, and lose badly.
"That vampire ain't messing around." Gajeel grumbled "Levy."
"On it." Levy whispered. She pulled out her crossbow and shot the vampire, killing him instantly. Gajeel found the lever to the gate and pulled it. He and Levy soon entered a room that seemed more like a grand building that leads to a courtyard. Problem with that was this place was no longer the beauty it once was. As Levy took a few more steps, she was suddenly pulled to the ground.
"We ain't alone." Gajeel told her "Listen." Levy listened carefully and heard a few voices.
"Now, Vigilant." a cold voice said "Tell me, what is the other side planning?"
"Why should I tell you?!" the other voice said "I will never tell you beasts what plans my fellow Vigilants have in store."
"Oh? But it could save your life! If you don't you may regret it." a moment of silence was heard before the other voice replied: "I won't betray Stendarr." they suddenly heard a sword hit something and a body dropping.
"He didn't have to die." a female voice growled "He still could have given us very valuable information if you had let me make him my slave."
"He was going to be useless." the cold voice shrugged "Besides, the artifact is right before us. Just need to figure out the puzzle and we're go-" he didn't finish his sentence because Gajeel stabbed him in the back.
The female was going to do something but Levy slit her throat and watched her join her friend on the ground.
"Looks like this is it." Levy admitted. Gajeel looked up and found what was probably once a fountain area with multiple brazers sitting astray all over the area "Look at these ruins, I've never seen anything like it before." as they walked around, a center pillar that wasn't as big as the other pillars. Curious, Gajeel placed his hand on it and was shocked that a spear popped out and pierced Gajeel's hand.
"MOTHER FUCKING SON OF A SKEEVER!" he screamed at the top of his lungs, causin the building to slightly shake.
"Gajeel!" she ran over to him "Are you ok?"
"Fucking thing stabbed my hand!" Levy took her husband's hand and studied it.
"Fortunately it pierced a little of the skin, your gauntlet protected you." as she said that, purple flames appeared from the center pedestal and began to blaze the floor.
"What the hell is this?" Gajeel asked.
"I-I think it's a puzzle." Levy realized. She walked over to one of the brazers and touched it. Once she touched it, the brazer moved to a different location and suddenly, was ignited with purple flames "We have to have the brazers ignite! Gajeel, take the other side, I'll take this side!" Gajeel rushed to the other side and the couple began to use the brazers until they were all lit. Then, the ground shook and the center pillar rose from the ground and a giant stone coffin appeared. Gajeel and Levy walked over to the stone coffin and Gajeel touched it. When he did, a panel slid down and revealed a woman behind it.
The woman was a tanned Nord with black hair, she had two buns in her hair and two medium length strands at the sides of her head, a large chest and an outfit similar to the ones the vampires were wearing, only difference was she had a small cloak attached to her clothes. But what caught Levy's eye the most was the Elder scroll attached to her back. The woman fell from her spot and managed to catch herself when she hit the ground. Gajeel and Levy watched her help herself up and look at the couple.
"Unh... where is... who sent you here?" the woman asked while stretching her muscles.
"We were sent by some jackass named Arcadios." Gajeel explained.
"I... don't know who that is. Is he... like me?" Levy's eyes widened when she noticed the woman's eyes and put two and two together.
"Are you a-" she was cut off.
"Vampire, yes."
"Why the fuck were you locked away like this?" Gajeel asked, avoiding the fact she was a vampire.
"That's... complicated." the woman said uncomfortably "And I'm not totally sure if I can trust you. But if you want to know the whole story, help me get back to my family's home."
"Um... where do you need to go?" Levy asked unsure.
"My family used to live on an island to the west of Solitude; I would guess they still do. By the way... my name is Minerva. Good to meet you."
"I'm Levy, and this is my husband Gajeel." Gajeel grunted a hello.
"You got any idea how the hell to get outta here?" Gajeel asked Minerva.
"I'm just as lost as you are." Minerva admitted to the couple "This place is a lot different from what I remembered. And by a lot, I mean a lot."
"Excuse me Minerva," Levy suddenly said "if you don't mind me asking, how long were you under there?"
"That's... a good question. Who's Skyrim's High King?" the two Nord's eyes bulged out of their skulls hearing that.
"That's a matter of debate."
"What? A War of Succession? Oh great. Who're the candidates?"
"Zeref Dragneel of Windhelm and Layla the Heartfillia of Solitude. It's really a war between Skyrim and The Empire."
"Empire? What Empire?"
"...The Empire of Cyrodill..."
"Wait," Minerva said "Cyrodill has an empire?! Oh Gods, I've been away longer than I thought."
"Is that a fucking Elder Scroll?" Gajeel asked, pointing out the obvious.
"Yes...and it's mine. I'm sorry, I'm not sure if I can trust you yet." she sighed "Let's get moving. I think if memory serves me right, there's an exit nearby."
"Now ya tell us!" Gajeel said outloud.
"I've been trapped in a coffin for a long time, you lose your sense of direction when you realize the place you were buried in no longer looks the way it did when you were first buried there. Let's go." without arguing, the two Nords and vampire began to make their way in the direction ahead. Unable to see much, Levy pulled out a torch, lit it up with some fire magic she learned from The College and followed her husband and their new "friend."
"This area seems like it leads to our exit." Minerva suddenly said "Let's go." they approached a staircase that was nearby and soon found a set of gargoyles that stood there, looking at nothing like they were meant to.
"Huh." Gajeel grumbled "Never seen t-" he was cut off when the gargoyles broke apart, revealing gargoyles that were alive the entire time"WHAT THE FUCK?!" suddenly, an ice spike pierced one of the gargoyles, causing it to stumble back.
"I'm not gonna die like this!" Minverva screamed. She shot another ice spike at one of the gargoyles screamed. Shrugging, Gajeel and Levy joined in and attacked the gargoyles with all they could.
"YOL...TOR SHUL!" Gajeel Shouted at the Gargoyles. They bursted into flames and the stone the gargoyles were made of began to crumble.
"Fuck these things." Gajeel grumbled "Come on ladies, let's get the fuck outta here." not wanting to argue with Gajeel, the three decided to keep silent and move on. They soon entered a room where there were multiple upright coffins, a lever and a door that was barred shut.
"Looks easy enough." Levy admiited while stretching her muscles.
"Wait." Gajeel said while putting his arm in front of Levy "Laas... Nah Nir." his vision began to show auras and Gajeel spotted something "Those coffins got those draugr sons of bitches inside. Three of them are ready to scare the shit outta us."
"I'll pull the lever, you guys get ready to fight." Levy said.
"You sure about this Shrimp?" Gajeel asked.
"Yeah, you said there aren't that many, so I'll be the one to pull the lever." nodding even though his face was still painted with concern, Gajeel prepared his weapon and watched as Minerva pulled out a dagger and a hand had sparks coming from it; Lightning magic. Levy pulled the lever, the gate opened and the coffins popped open.
"NOW!" she screamed. Gajeel took a deep, breath and let out a Shout.
"FUS...RO DAH!" he Shouted and it sent the draugr flying. Minerva allowed a stream of lightning flow from her hands and she electrocuted each draugr until they we're dead again.
"How much do we have to go through?" Levy asked.
"Just a little more." Minerva said uncertainly "I remember I took a tour of the place before I was put in the coffin. If memory serves me right, we shoul-"
"Hold it!" Gajeel yelled "I hear a Wall nearby." Levy's eyes widened.
"A Word Wall?" she asked "Are you certain?"
"Yeah, it's close. In the next fucking room." Gajeel raced into the next room and soon came across a stadium where a few skeletons lied in their last known spots. Across the stadium, a Word Wall was calling out to Gajeel. In the corner of his eye, he spotted some of the skeletons beginning to rise and prepared to attack.
"Gajeel, you get to the wall." Levy ordered while pulling out her ebony daggers "Minerva and I will handle this." nodding, Gajeel began to race across the stadium while Minerva and Levy handled the skeletons. As Gajeel got closer, his vision began to fade and the sound of a men's choir was getting louder and louder. When he got near the wall, a word lit up and an aura came from the wall and surrounded Gajeel. When it stopped, the word: "Gaan" reverberated in his head.
"Gajeel!" Levy yelled "We got them!" he looked behind himself and saw his wife waving to him while Minerva put her dagger away "We're almost out!" sighing a sigh of relief at those words. Gajeel joined his female companions and they soon made their way out of the crypt.