It had happened a few days ago. One night as I was practicing my enchanting and working on a weapon design my father summoned me to his study. Once inside I knew that whatever he had to say would irrigate me in some way.

"Asami we stand at the dawn of a new beginning for our race. But in order to do that we need everyone at their peak."

The way he said at their peak made me uneasy, like he knew something.

"It's time we vampires rediscover abilities long since lost to us. You will go to one of the ancient sources of blood magic and fill the blood challis."

As he handed me the challis he took my hand in a firm grip and looked into my eyes, his burning hunger filled eyes filling me with dread.

"Now Asami I've indulged your ridiculous resistance to feed since you were my daughter, but if we are to fulfill my vision of my future I expect you to embrace what you are."

"And what exactly do you mean by that?"

"You're a pureblooded vampire yet you are no stronger than a newly turned human. When you return I expect you to be overflowing with power. The spring will help you achieve that and to make sure you become what you're meant to be you'll have Lao accompany you."

Lao was a middle age man with greying hair and one of my father's most faithful and obedient of his court. Normally he was tasked with dealing with possible threats and influencing powerful people of Skyrim to obey my father. Which told me that this was extremely important. All I could do was walk out of the room where Lao was waiting like the faithful guard dog, with two bags of supplies along with weapons. It took us quite a while to travel the lands and avoid trouble. That is until we ran into a group of equalists near some old ruins. When he was human Lao was an extremely powerful firebender and once a promising member of the Companions. He demonstrated to her as he ran through the equalists with a fiery whip in one hand and a steel sword in the other. A few minutes after the attack Lao thought he heard more and went to investigate, but as he moved to attack I saw a mass of white fur followed by the faint glow of a spear. It wasn't until I moved into view when my assumption was right. Standing a few feet from me was Korra holding her spear at Lao's neck ready for the kill.

Which brought me to right now.

"Korra do you think you can let go of him?"

"Huh? Oh right sorry." The moment she got off of him Lao jumped to his feet ready to strike.

"Lady Asami you know this mortal?"

"Yes she saved my life a couple of times and helped me get home. But that reminds me what are you doing here? When we parted way you were headed to the sanctuary."

"To make a long story short I got there, trained until the white lotus summoned me, killed an assassin with orders to capture me, met the white lotus and was told to get an old horn for them. And I decided to join the spirit benders, but in order to join them I have to get the jagged crown which is located somewhere in the equalists infested ruins over there."

Maybe this is fate's way of telling me to travel with her again. Maybe this time he can actually be with each other longer than two days.

"I don't suppose you'd mind traveling together again?" Her smile was the only answer I needed. Lao on the other hand was quite literally fuming.

"Lady Asami be reasonable! This dark elf is beneath someone of your status. At best she could be a meal but to travel with someone like her is not something you father would approve of."

All the more reason to do it you elitist snob. Besides she's the avatar, who better to protect me?"

While I chose to keep my mouth shut Korra chose to let her fists do the talking and decked Lao straight in his chin, sending him to the ground. Before he could get up Korra had her spear leveled at his neck.

"Listen you jerk because I'm only going to say this once. I'm really not good at controlling my temper so piss me off again and I'll have that head of yours as a trophy. Understand?" Lao let out a low hiss as he glared but nodded as her spear was pressed further.

"So Asami I take it your dad sent you to do something again?"

"Yeah and this time he sent along his lap dog to make sure it goes exactly the way he wants." But now that Korra was here I had a chance, and if the plan I was forming worked then maybe, just maybe I could fulfill my mission without becoming what my father wanted.

"Well we'll deal with that later, right now we have a crown to dig up."

"I think you forgot to mention the squads of equalists that stand in our way." I say looking at the ruins below us where a few equalists were patrolling.

"Between the three of us they don't stand a chance, now let's go."

As we started to go Lao stepped up and blocked our path.

"Lady Asami if you're so determined to do this at least let me clear your path for you."

"Fine." Lao smiled wickedly as his eyes turned red and he turned into a swarm of bats. The equalists below were helpless as he used his powers to silently kill each man before they could take notice. For a brief moment I was in awe of his powers, powers that I could very easily obtain.

And all it would take is to give in and completely drain my victims. No! I swore I'd never become like the others, even if that meant going against my father.

Once he was finished and gave the all clear we ventured down, careful to step over the fallen bodies as we made our way to the tomb. Once inside we hid behind a massive pillar while a small group of equalists stood around a fire.

Lao struck first using his bending to make the fire erupt causing a distraction. Seeing an opening Korra and I charged forward each picking a target. I went for a quick kill and stabbed my dagger into my target's chest before spinning around and slashing his neck. Korra on the other hand smacked hers in the head, sending him to the floor where he was impaled with her spear. The final man had recovered enough to realize his men had been murdered but before he had a chance to shout for help Lao appeared behind him and snapped his neck. As we continued on we were forced to deal with the rouge equalists as well as hidden traps.

"Honestly I thought these guys would be tougher. I mean they're supposed to be trained soldiers but three people just wiped out everyone within a few minutes." And I had to admit she was right. Compared to the equalists at Helgen these men were nothing.

"Most likely freshly trained with no real battle experience." Lao said pulling his sword from an equalist's chest and re-sheathing it. As we continued onward we saw less and less equalists and more and draugr sleeping in their caskets. We kept our weapons sheathed but ready waiting just in case they came to life, which they did as soon as I pulled a lever to open the door to a blocked room. Instead of fighting them directly Korra and I sped through the door as Lao sent a stream of fire outward in a massive flame wall engulfing and destroying every undead in the room.

"Wow you got to teach me that." Korra said to him as soon he caught up to us in the main chamber.

"If you weren't a dark elf or a mortal I would consider it, now focus we must find that pathetic excuse for a mortal crown and be done with it." I had to hold her back a bit as he laughed and walked ahead of us.

Luckily for us the main chamber only had a couple of things in it. One was a word wall with another etching in it, this time it was the water nation. The second thing was a throne in which sat a rather large draugr carrying two axes. The only bad part was the fact that he was wearing the crown.

"He looks to be dormant but if we tried to take the crown he'd no doubt come alive. We'll have to be careful and come up with a plan, understand Korra..." But like last time when she saw a word wall Korra was drawn in to a trance as blue energy flowed from the wall to her. Lao had drawn his sword thinking she'd triggered some kind of trap but I'd seen this before. And just like before, the moment the energy faded the dragur sprang to life and attacked. As it raised its axe a massive blast of cold hit its arm, turning it into a block of ice. Following the path I saw Korra spear in one hand and a small hovering ball of ice in the other. Although it's arm was frozen this dragur was determined not to lose it's crown. With a spin it threw it's remaining axe at Korra, who barely managed to duck downward. With one arm frozen and it's remaining weapon gone Lao rushed forward and sliced off it's arms off with two powerful strokes. The draugr let out a ghastly screech as it staggered backward and onto one knee. Before it had time to think my dagger was already impaling itself deep into it's brain, ending the fight. As soon as the light left it's eyes I rushed to Korra who was examining her frosty right hand.

"Winter's embrace... that's what the wall said. Some kind of ancient waterbending that allows me to create ice from the water in the air." She shook her hand and the remains of the ice left her hand. Lao came up to us moments later the jagged crown in hand.

"That was impressive... for a mortal."

I guess that's the closest thing to a compliment she'll ever get from him.

She gave the crown to me and I stowed in my bag for safe keeping as we searched for the exit. As we walked I couldn't help but smile at what a good team we made, but no matter how happy it made me I still realized that sooner or later our happy moments would come to an end.