Chapter 21 - Touching the Sky - Part 1
The vision provided by the Elder Scrolls seems to indicate that Auriel's Bow may be located in a place known as Darkfall Cave. Serana and I should proceed there as soon as we're prepared if we wish to recover the bow and stop Harkon from completing the Tyranny of the Sun.
The Dragonborn trailed her bare palm against the stone walls of Darkfall Cave as she padded into its depths, collecting its icy condensation on her skin as she ventured into the darkness.
It was more of a force of habit, really. She was not yet accustomed to plunging into a pitch-black cavern, and not having to bring a torch along with her to prevent stumbling around blindly in the shadows.
She was.. different now. Yes, different. Dead. She was a vampire, and vampires thrived in the dark.
Brows furrowing, the Dragonborn reclaimed her outstretched hand to her side to avoid the lone torch burning in its holder mounted to the wall. Her thoughts flickered to her companion, who followed her quite closely through the spacious tunnel.
She felt a twitch in the corner of her mouth. Serana, a vampire afraid of cramped spaces. There was just something so strangely.. comforting about that fact; that even being what she was, Serana still felt so incredibly human, from her saccharine smile to her passionate heart brimming with good intentions.
Serana was a kind person... despite the fact that her source of sustenance was human beings. The Dragonborn was glad that she had met her. She was glad that Serana had saved her, even if in the process... she had become a vampire herself.
The Dragonborn peered down at her own splayed palm held in front of her, pale and covered in crystalline liquid from touching the cavern wall. She could make out every detail, every crease, every callous, even in the inky blackness of the cavern.
Many people and Dragons had died by her very hands, so she could hardly have been considered a saint before.. well..
According to the Dawnguard you're the worst of the worst, now. Her conscious abruptly echoed, though the woman's thoughts were soon interrupted by the approaching gurgle of a waterfall.
Serana acted as her second shadow, the two of them entering a wider pocket in the tunnel, where a stream of white water poured downward from the rocky ceiling and into a creek cutting through the cavern floor.
They pressed close to the moss-covered wall of the cave, and tread across the earth-made bridge providing passage over the water.
The pathway was then a couple of winding twists and turns that gradually led them further and further underground, the tinkling of a nearby underground river filling the silence between the two women.
The atmosphere had been strangely somber on the both of them since Ancestor's Glade, but the Dragonborn was suspecting that it was mostly her unconscious doing. Perhaps she was being a little more chilly to her companion than usual..
Her mood was an all-time low at the moment, and she couldn't help but project those feelings in her every movement. Betrayal was a truly stinging experience, yet she couldn't bring herself to be as furious with the Dawnguard as warranted. She was a vampire now, and her previous allies were vampire-slayers.
The Dragonborn sighed, lifting her fingers to tug restlessly at one of her earrings, an old anxious habit that she just could not seem to kick.
Gravelly dirt crunched beneath her feet as she carefully moved down a slope in the cave's floor, the opening ahead lighted by another torch. Past its glow, was a cluster of white material that looked suspiciously like a giant spider web.
She hesitated at the foot of the drop-off, and held out an arm to the vampire at her back. Serana was quiet, and seemingly received the message because she stayed in place as the Dragonborn advanced with a hand on the hilt of her newly acquired silver sword.
Sure enough, a Frostbite Spider as big as a medium-sized dog came scampering out of the mess of spider threads with a hiss, and the Dragonborn grimaced as she stepped backward from its nest.
Ugh, spiders. The gigantic arachnid was made quick work of by a single stab of her blade through its middle, and it collapsed in a lanky mess of legs to the ground.
Sheathing her weapon, the Dragonborn stole a glance over her shoulder at Serana.
Red eyes, a color the Dragonborn found most suited the regal vampire, looked to her with a certain dullness that was concerning to say the least. Serana and her bleeding heart...
The Dragonborn offered the vampire a small smile in hopes of consoling her. It wouldn't satisfy her for long, she knew, but she hated how her own mood always reflected on the other woman. They were on a quest that would most likely lead to them murdering her father. Serana didn't need anymore negativity.
Much to her delight, the vampire's expression brightened, and she was encouraged to make an attempt at lifting the mood.
"Well, ladies first." She offered, gesturing with both hands to the tunnel on the vampire's left.
Serana's chin rose slightly in that haughty way of hers, the look that had unknowingly earned the Volkihar heiress her hated nickname of "Princess" in the Dragonborn's mind, lips painted nicely with a smile of her own.
"Oh, and they say chivalry is dead." She purred in a melodramatic display of thanks, gliding ahead into the tunnel.
Chuckling softly beneath her breath, the Dragonborn fell into step behind her. The tunnel was too narrow to actually trudge alongside Serana in the suffocating darkness, and didn't make conversation any less awkward, but the Dragonborn tried again anyway.
"Serana.." She started, and watched as the Volkihar vampire's shoulders tensed. "I just want to let you know that you don't have to worry about me. I'm just fine." Her friend's body language relaxed with that, slowing her stride as the next opening in the tunnel approached.
The Dragonborn gazed past her shoulder as she awaited a reply, able to see the beginnings of a water-slicked wooden bridge hung over a gap in the cave floor.
"That's.. good to hear," The Dragonborn returned her attention to Serana as she began speaking in a soft voice. "I just can't help it, you know?"
On the other side of the ravine was a brazier, lighting the surroundings with an orange hue. The Dragonborn's brows drew together in confusion, seeing with her newly acquired night vision that there didn't seem to be another tunnel to go through at the end of the bridge.
Remembering her manners though, the small problem was forgotten as she continued toward the walkway with her companion.
Their weight made the flimsy wooden bridge creak dangerously, moving across its water-sprayed surface, still not wide enough that the Dragonborn could look into Serana's face with the grateful smile she flashed.
"Thank y-"Her words of thanks didn't even make their way past her lips when the decayed wood finally reached its limit, splintering into rotted pieces right beneath their feet.
The Dragonborn's arms flailed as she felt the world crumble, letting out a startled gasp as she watched the frigid, violently churning whirlpool below coming closer and closer and felt the air bite harshly at her skin.
Somewhere on her right, she heard Serana's own shout of alarm, before she slammed into the surface of the water with enough force to blast every ounce of oxygen she had in her lungs right back out.
She squeezed her eyes shut, feeling the air bubbles slip from her mouth and into the unforgiving current that seized her and began dragging her along.
Her chest burning with the effort of not taking that reflexive breath, the Dragonborn pulled her shattered wits together and tried to tuck into herself as the water snatched her downstream.
She felt herself being jerked sideways by the rushing current, and suddenly an intense pain exploded in the left side of her torso. In her daze, the submerged woman felt herself flinch, more bubbles erupting from her nose as she was twisted by the body of water through a curve in the cavern.
The intense ride got even worse, when the water suddenly dumped her over a drop-off in the tunnel, and the Dragonborn went crashing into a lower level of the river, a much shallower one.
More discomfort blossomed in one of her calves, then her arms which she held protectively around her skull, before at last the water became sunken enough that she could break its surface.
The Dragonborn sucked in a greedy mouthful of air, feeling the rocky shore of the stream come in contact with her back, and bring her to a stop. Stiffly, she gathered her aching arms at her chest and pressed her palms into the soaked ground to lift herself partially from the water.
The pull of the current was much weaker now, tugging feebly at her lower half as the Dragonborn held herself upright shakily, heaving and spitting aside the river water that had managed to make it into her lungs.
Her voice quivering with a mixture of the pain and the cold, she called out desperately into the cavern when she regained enough energy to speak: "Serana?"
"I'm-" Her companion's reply was interrupted by a wet cough. "I'm alright." Serana sighed somewhere further downstream from the woman.
Oh, thank goodness. The Dragonborn breathed in relief internally, her elbows digging into the sandy banks of the underground stream while she waited for the misery of her battered body to numb. Drops of water dripped from her nose and the utterly soaked locks of hair hanging downward from her face, splattering into the already sodden dirt before her.
Faintly, she registered Serana's sounds of movement, a quiet, distressed groan, the splash of water, and crunching gravel. Her companion's voice was a lot nearer than it had been before, when the vampire spoke again.
"That really hurt." Serana complained still a little ways from the edge of the shore, where the Dragonborn continued to stay hunched over halfway in the underground stream.
Yes. Yes it did. Being beat around by a river and its rocks hadn't exactly been what the woman was expecting when she decided to venture into this cave.
Her chest filling with an amused huff, the Dragonborn carefully began to rise, sliding her waterlogged legs forward into the sand to prop herself up. She was absolutely certain that she had acquired a new collection of bruises from that whole mess, as she tenderly straightened her body out to lift her head and search for her companion.
The grotto that they had been unceremoniously dumped into by the river was small, most of its rocky walls covered in mushrooms that illuminated the shadows with a peculiar blue color.
Serana was easy to spot, with her red eyes glowing like two sparkling stars in the darkness, leaned up against a stone pillar that stretched all the way to the roof of the cavern. She was breathing a little heavier than normal, not that she really ever bothered to, and was cradling her forehead in one dripping palm.
"Oh," The Dragonborn gasped sharply in worry, wincing when she climbed to her feet. "Something wrong?" She called to the other vampire, taking an experimental step that punished her with a flare of pain in her hurt leg.
The visible part of Serana's lips curled upward, nodding before she replied. "No, no, I'm just.. a little rattled."
The Dragonborn limped toward her, watching as she lowered her hand to reveal her completely unharmed, pale skin.
Her concern put to rest by the prospect, the Dragonborn heavily planted herself beside her companion with a sigh.
"Well, at least we're alive." She offered to Serana while rigidly bringing her hands to her head to gather her sopping wet hair together, and squeeze the liquid from it.
"Yes," Serana agreed jadedly, watching her with a bead of river water slipping off the tip of her nose. "..but if we stay like this for too long we'll be frozen."
While it didn't really make much sense to the Dragonborn, she would have to agree on that. She could already feel her joints locking up, and a harsher, more empty coldness spreading throughout her already dead body. Was it even possible for a corpse to develop hypothermia? She did not want to find out.
Fortunately, she could prevent the two of them from becoming a couple of pretty-faced icicles.
Pressing her palms into the stone floor beneath them, the Dragonborn shifted herself closer to the pure-blooded vampire, close enough that their shoulders touched. Serana threw her a curious look with those beautiful red eyes of hers, but didn't speak or attempt to pull away.
The Dragonborn positioned her raised left hand directly over Serana's lap, and with a flick of her wrist, ignited a flame at its center. The Volkihar vampire started slightly, before sinking back into the cavern wall she had been using as support.
"Ah, so you're my own personal campfire now?" Serana quipped with a soft, tired smile, leaning fully into the Dragonborn to hover over the warmth-giving flame.
The weight was comforting, the Dragonborn thought, flexing her fingers to cause the fire she held in her hand to flare. A gentle curve at the edge of her mouth, she huffed teasingly at the other woman: "I am whatever your pretty little heart desires, Princess."
The Dragonborn caught the flash of irritation on her companion's face, before the pure-blooded vampire let her head fall upon her shoulder and considerably block any further view of her expression.
"You should be careful what you say," Serana hummed in reply, sounding decently amused, before her tone grew higher in annoyance. "And you know I despise that nickname."
That's why I used it, the Dragonborn thought to herself, shaking her head side to side silently. It was always just so entertaining getting a rise out of Serana, and she had needled her countless times before, so the Dragonborn liked to think of this as some form of karma.
She heard a heavy exhale from Serana and felt the pure-blooded vampire fidget next to her to get into a more comfortable position.
"Try to get some rest if you can," The Dragonborn suggested, eyes flickering downward to her palm where she willed the flame to continue dancing. "I'll keep this up for as long as I can."
If only they had something to burn, all this cave offered were potentially deadly, glowy mushrooms and rocks.
"Hmm.." Serana only mumbled, becoming quiet for several long seconds before saying something intelligible in a languid tone. "Okay, but wake me up the moment you start feeling too tired."
The Dragonborn's lips became curled with a demure smile directed at the unknowing vampire, forcing her body to relax into the cavern wall behind them. The jagged edges of the stone dug into her back, but she was more than willing to sacrifice her own comfort for her now dozing companion.
With every passing breath, Serana drifted further and further into unconsciousness, and the Dragonborn was left alone with her thoughts.
Unfortunately, this also left her with a lot of time to ponder on her own mortality again.
She had died, back there in Volkihar Castle, on the blood-soaked floor of whatever room Serana had whisked her off too. If Serana had not been there.. she would have stayed dead. The woman's brows drew together, making her fingers twitch just to be sure that her flame continued to burn.
Long ago she had given up any notion that fate or luck was on her side, so she couldn't help but wonder for herself if that castle should have been where she finally met her end.
If wasn't as if she wanted to die, so of course she was beyond grateful for the second chance she had been given... by Serana.
How ironic was is, that Serana had been her savior just as she had been to the vampire back in Dimhollow Crypt. Well, the Volkihar heiress had repaid her for her daring rescue, at least.
The Dragonborn's smile had returned, subdued though blissful, her gaze wandering downward to look at the sleeping vampire in the corner of her vision. It was quickly forgotten, as her mind wandered as well, back to Volkihar Castle.
She was still having a difficult time recalling just what exactly had happened, but she supposed that was what trauma did to the brain. She knew for a fact what had killed her, she had the scars to prove it, but there felt as if something were missing. The woman's eyes narrowed in no direction in particular, attempting to piece together her broken memories of the incident.
Could it have had something to do with..
She had not done it consciously, but suddenly she realized that the tips of her free hand's fingers were hovering over her bottom lip.
Her mouth? Faintly she could recall.. the feeling of a cut splitting her lower lip. But how..?
Harkon.
The Dragonborn's mind reeled with the approach that one name, chest tightening and her body jerking underneath Serana's weight. The other vampire's breath hitched next to her, and so the woman locked herself in place, completely motionless until she felt as if her companion's rest remained undisturbed.
Her chest expanded with a deep exhale, frowning into the darkness of the underground room past the glow that her own magical flame provided.
Yes, Harkon had.. assaulted her in that manner, just to get a taste of her blood. Her skin was crawling in disgust at the memory, and jaw clenched, the Dragonborn lightly shook her head. It was over now.
She could not believe that her mind had suppressed this for so long, why had she not broached this subject sooner? Had Serana been aware of her obliviousness this entire time?
For whatever reason, that one name too, spurred something in her buried thoughts. Another touch on her mouth, this one much softer and gentle. Definitely not Harkon, with his lips having been harsh and demanding, no.. Who else could it have been but Serana?
Slowly, the Dragonborn let her eyes fall from the far wall of the cavern, and to her own hand still hovering over the other vampire's lap.
So, Serana had kissed her.
The woman sighed dreamily, blinking into the harsh glow of her conjured fire.
She would have to be completely clueless to not notice the obvious attraction that Serana held for her. Ever since the moment they had met, the vampire had been eyeing her up and down as if she were the most delicious thing in the world. At first, the Volkihar vampire had looked at her with the intent of sizing her up, predatory and hungry, but it had changed a long time ago.
Once again, she would have to be an utter fool not acknowledge it.
Each glance that Serana threw her way was filled with unbridled affection, and truthfully, the Dragonborn was positively giddy about this revelation.
Serana cared. Serana was not like the others, she had been a gift to her the second she tumbled out of that dusty crypt and almost immediately threatened her life with that charming, devilish smirk.
The woman felt herself smiling, unconsciously pressing closer to the vampire next to her. It was short-lived, however, the reality of their situation always prepared to knock those pleasant notions aside.
Here she was again, in this impossible position, the fate of Skyrim in the palms of her hands along with the lives of its millions of inhabitants. She did not have to time to dwell on this.. even if the very object of her endearment had been practically glued to her since the start of this fiasco.
The Dragonborn jerked with a frustrated hmmph, one that thankfully didn't bother her companion all that much.
Every second was incredibly aggravating with Serana lately, but it wasn't entirely the vampire's fault. Words couldn't express just how badly the Dragonborn wished to grab the vampire sometimes and show her just how much she meant to the woman. She wasn't that skilled with words, anyway, but what she wanted to do would speak a thousand of them for her.
But she couldn't.. not now, not where they were. She couldn't relax, she couldn't let her guard down until Harkon was no longer a threat and Skyrim was safe.
...And it didn't help at all that Serana was the most beautiful woman she had ever met.
Oh, please. The Dragonborn scoffed internally, effectively having spaced out into her own wandering thoughts.
Everything about Serana was alluring. Her voice, her eyes, her queenly features, her velvet-like hair braided in such a way that it appeared as if a crown was weaved around her head. Her lips, nearly always quirked with that dazzling smile whenever she looked to the Dragonborn, and her...
Unexpectedly, the very vampire herself chuckled airily against her shoulder. "Is there any particular reason why you're staring at my chest?"
Mortified, the Dragonborn realized, that yes, she was looking directly at Serana's chest, right were that ridiculous opening in the front of her Volkihar "armor" was.
Quickly, her head shot upward to instead look to the opposite wall of the cavern.
"I wasn't staring." She insisted too hastily, the flame she had been kindling in her palm flickering, before sputtering out along with her concentration.
Serana's sarcastic, drawling response did what it did best, making her feel like the biggest fool in Nirn as she peered down at the hand that had previously been alight. "Really? You weren't?"
"No..." She mumbled while willing another spark to take form in her palm, feeling the vampire next to her silently laughing. "I was just.. thinking... in that general.. direction."
What a lame excuse, she'll never believe that. The Dragonborn winced, successful in creating another flame, though her very being was ablaze with humiliation.
She'd been caught, caught when she hadn't even been aware what she was doing until it was too late. Serana wasn't some woman to be appreciated only for her.. assets, the Dragonborn was ashamed that her own conscious had dared to even venture to such a place.
Though, of course, Serana flourished on any kind of attention she gave her, whatever it may be.
The vampire sounded quite pleased with herself, when she spoke in that characteristically slow and sardonic way of hers. "What were you thinking about?"
Gods, Serana do you really have to do this to me? Biting her lip, the Dragonborn tilted her chin to the right and away from the other woman, desperately grasping for another reason to give than to admit that she actually had been admiring the vampire.
"I was thinking about Auriel's Bow." She retorted in a pointed manner, refusing to act upon her urge to glance downward at the self-satisfied expression she felt piercing into her from below.
Gah, she couldn't let Serana have this one. The Dragonborn wouldn't hear the end of it for years, and that fact was even more terrifying now that she had an eternity.
Perhaps.. perhaps she could salvage this. The only way to combat Serana's wit was with even sharper wit.
The Dragonborn's mind flickered briefly to the source of her troubles at the moment.
Honestly, labeling that get-up of Serana's "Volkihar Armor" was very generous. She was vampire for Gods' sake, what in the world required a vampire's armor to have a window right over their chest? What good did that hood do for her, when her cleavage was more exposed to the sun than her head had been without it?
The Dragonborn purposely curled the left side of her mouth, so that Serana was able to see it. "..I was also thinking about the absurdity of calling that lambskin and silk sundress you wear 'armor'."
Serana gasped sharply in a wounded tone: "Sundress?" The false offense was soon replaced with amusement, however. "We've been around each other for who knows how long, and now of all times you're criticizing my wardrobe?"
"Maybe you should consider wearing something less ludicrous, and I wouldn't have to." The Dragonborn scoffed in retaliation, making the mistake of sparing a glance to the incredulous vampire.
What she was met with was a smirk, a smirk that sank her hopes of escaping this confrontation unscathed like a stone. "Maybe you should consider being less obvious when gawking at my chest."
"I was not gawking." The woman shot back immediately, instantly flustered at the mention of it. What this really did was confirm the unspoken response of: I *was* looking, not gawking.
She only caught her blunder when Serana started with that pleasant, bubbling laughter next to her, and the Dragonborn scowled.
Godsdammit.