AN: Here we are, the beginning of round two. Dawnguard. I hope you guys enjoy this fist chapter of Lucius and Thera's war. You're only going to get a taste of Serana, and I hope that you are disgusted and terrified by what happens with Thera. It's bad, in case you want to skip this chapter. It involves Molag Bal and Vampires, so there's some pretty M stuff implied, but that's just this chapter. It goes back to a more T rating after this.

Jul

Lucius

I cradled the handle of my sword at my hip as the arguments amongst the Jarl council intensified within Whiterun, a location supposedly unknown. Unlike the moot I had been present for months before, when Elisif had been installed as High Queen, this council did not hold any true Imperial presence. I was there, not as a representative of the dying Empire, but as a favor for Elisif and Balgruuf; I was a voice that all present respected, even the bored and much maligned new ruler of Riften, the matriarch of the Black-Briar family. As it was, I had almost nothing to contribute to the conversation, as every member of the High Queen's Jarl council had begun shouting loudly on their own opinions. "It had to have been the Thalmor!" one of the Jarl's Thanes hissed. "Who else would attack the Hall of the Vigilant but those monsters?"

I was tempted to believe the same. However, the Dominion had retreated within its walls in the past months, recovering from the reeling waves of coups their government had just undergone. That did not rule out their involvement in the attack and, indeed, it did not rule out the possibility that their agents had undertaken the assault of their own volition. That she had undertaken the assault of her own volition. With the cruelty she so enjoyed, and the Daedra she no doubt served closely, she was my top suspect for the slaughter of the Vigilants of Stendarr.

"It was not the Thalmor," Rikke said from Elisif's side. The life of a Queen's adviser did not suit her – she was a warrior who needed conflict to thrive. True, honest battle, not the backstabbing and scheming present in any court. Rikke was wearing ceremonial armor, the kind one wears if they do not expect battle any time soon. Still, she was clever, and I knew to trust her guesses. They were, as Tullius had many times come to admire, often correct. "There were hints of... other things present amongst the wreckage. Things not mortal."

"You believe they had a run in with a Daedra worshiper? One more powerful than they expected?" Morthal's Jarl asked. The old woman, Igrod Ravencrone, frowned and glanced over at me. There was Magick in her blood, Magick that could open the future to her in a limited capacity. It was obvious she believed my destiny was not yet complete. Her attention returned to the council after only the briefest moment. "You believe that they were attacked by the armies of some Prince?"

"Such things have happened before," Rikke noted. The Breton Mage behind her nodded, her eyes glowing in the dim darkness of the council room. "Daedra and those that hunt them have a very savage war that occurs behind every other war ever waged. This is merely the latest salvo."

The doors flew open, drawing my attention. My eyes drifted to the figure in the center of the huge double doors, a mere silhouette of a warrior. "Well, you're not entirely wrong," a deep, Orsimer voice stated. The entire room's eyes were on the Orc as he sauntered up to the table, frowning. "It's Vampires."

Morthal's Jarl immediately began glaring at me. I had recently aided her against some rather... aggressive Vampires. Now, Vampires don't often become aggressive, become... political. They fight as a shadow does, dominating mortals when possible outside of anyone's field of vision. They don't try to rule in the sun. We both agreed, Jarl Ravencrone and I, that something was amiss. However, with no Vampire attacks in the next two months, we were face the possibility that no greater threat was at hand.

Until now. "Why do you believe this?" Balgruuf asked. He leaned forward in his seat, shifting his weight on the uncomfortable stone chair. "Who are you?"

"I am Durak. Warrior of the Dawnguard. Vampire Hunters," the orc explained. He placed his hands on the table, eliciting angry looks from the Jarls around him. Sybille Stenton, Elisif's Breton Wizard, glared more venomously than most. "And as for how I know this? The group I have come here to represent is deeply invested, each and every one of our members, in hunting down Vampires. We watch for them. We wait for them. We want do destroy them. The threat is greater now than it has been in some time." The Orc glanced at Igrod and then at me. "As these two can attest from the events concerning Movarth in Hjaalmarch."

Elisif glanced towards me. "Is this true?" she asked calmly. I nodded slowly. The Queen sighed. "I don't know why I was not alerted. I could have helped."

"There was no need," Ravencrone explained. "The Dragonborn handled things."

"The Dragonborn. Indeed, he is the main reason I am here," Durak said, turned towards me again. He frowned."But first, Jarls, I would implore that you send men to be trained by our leader, Isran, in fighting Vampires. If you do not, many will die."

"We're just supposed to trust this third party?" Sybille asked angrily. She scoffed. "I would urge, Queen Elisif, we be careful with what this one wants. The Dawnguard existed before, and they disbanded because of their corruption."

"That's not a lie," Durak sighed. He crossed his arms and frowned. His custom armor, emblazoned with a stylized star, heaved with his shoulders. "But that was centuries ago. We are a new Dawnguard for a new Era."

The room was silent. Eyes shifted nervously. "I can spare a few for now. More soon," Ravencrone volunteered. She was the only one.

"I see that you don't take this threat seriously. I will give you a moment to reconsider," the orc said, eyes heavy and angry. He smiled at Igrod. "Thank you, Jarl." Durak looked at me, motioning for me to meet him outside, then left.

"I have something I need to check on," I whispered to Elisif and Balgruuf. "Don't expect me back." I left, my black cloak twirling around my Daedric-clad shoulders.

As I exited the door, I was stopped by Durak. "So you believe, just like Igrod, then?"

I stared at the orc for a while. "Yes. Something, I don't know what, but something is coming. I am used to threats that others tend to overlook, Durak. Dragons. Thalmor Wizards. Daedra. The Stormcloaks. I tend to end those threats."

"Yes, just as their victory seems assured," Durak noted with a deep laugh. "Victory from the dragon's maw, friend."

"So you need help?" I asked. I smiled. Fire flickered at my fingertips. "I'm free now."

Durak grinned. "That's what I like to hear. Listen, I have to shmooze these milk-drinkers for a while. Isran said if I got you, he wants you to head to this cave near where the Hall of the Vigilants stood. Vampires have been digging around, looking for something," Durak explained. "One of the last Vigilants is there. He won't last long."

"Guess I should get going," I replied with a smile.

Fahiil

Thera

I had been running for some time. My many enemies already were converging upon me, threatening to destroy what little I have. The Guilds I controlled were conducting various jobs to create the Empire I was so close to crafting, the victory I had nearly claimed. For all my power, I was so very weak. So secluded from my base. Which is why, while running from Imperial guards and Thalmor assassins, I ran into some moronic Nord. "You there! Will you help me?"

"Yes, let's go!" I shouted before the man could finish. He exclaimed joyfully and dragged me into an abandoned home. This was starting to feel like a stupid idea.

"I am a Vigilant of Stendarr," the man explained as he drew his mace, looking around the house. "I... was put on assignment here shortly before... Uh, anyways, we have reason to believe that this home is being haunted, perhaps by a ghost or a Scamp. I just want some backup, and you look capable."

"Yes... indeed," I replied, my blades slowly being drawn from their scabbards. "We'll get rid of this Daedra, then."

Or...You could have power beyond your dreams, mortal, a growling, hissing voice whispered in my ear. Great, unending power.

My eyebrows raised. This was not some simple Scamp that the fool was dealing with. Indeed I am no Scamp. They are beneath me, moreso than yyou could ever believe.

Ah, yes, much more than I had believed. Not more than I could have believed, however. Power is well within my imagination's reach. Yes, your soul burns with desire for dominion over your fellows. Dragonborn, one with the blood of dominion given by my weakened fools of brothers. Great power, nonetheless, fit for dominating mortals.

Ah, the gleam of Empire in your eye. The dreams of power. Of rule. Ambition that I have only seen in a few – the man of Kvatch, the Nerevarine, Tiber Septim, Harkon... all of whom refused me, save one. They disappointed me, unwilling as they were to try and claim power in my name, the voice burned in my skull. Kill the fool priest, and I will grant you unimaginable power. Things are coming, domination over the Aedra that you will bring about. Domination in any form is worship for me, and I would have you dominate all.

I smiled. "Of course."

"What?" the Vigilant asked.

"Don't worry about it," I replied as I sliced his head off.

Fahiil Zuspein

Thera

The dead priest of Boethiah, another of my... benefactors, lay dead at my feet. My fingers were curled around the handle of Molag Bal's mace. It breathed in, hungering for souls. So you have claimed my mace through domination, Dragonborn, Molag Bal congratulated. Impressive work. Beautiful work.

"Indeed. Is this what you promised, though? A chunk of metal, enchanted it may be, is just... a chunk... of metal," I told the Daedra. I placed the mace on my hip.

My mace is only the beginning, Dragonborn. You arrival is fortuitous, Dragonborn. Dominator. This is my Feast, my day of power in your world. You may claim great power, if you but subjugate yourself once for me...

I froze, my heart filled with fear. What Bal offered... he offered terrible things. Great, terrible things with a price of the most ancient fears and pains and brutal torture and blissful pleasure all at once. His blood in exchange for all of mine, all I offered, all I was. And then I would become a Vampire. And not only a Vampire, but a Daughter of Coldharbour. I would be... well, no one was quite sure. Daughters of Coldharbour were rare, rare enough that many believed all of them had been exterminated. But the price... Molag Bal was...

"Yes."

There are no words for the horrors that I experienced that day. The untold pain and rage of a Daedric Prince unleashed upon a single mortal to do exactly what he was meant to do, to dominate, to subjugate, is – Is – Is –

Everything I saw is burned into my eyes. And I loved it. Every second of it. Every fraction of every moment of every horror unleashed was pure, agonizing bliss. I understood, in that moment, everything I would do to all who opposed me and more. To all of Nirn.

But first, the terror.

Jul

Lucius

I stared at the monolith that began to rise from the... well, in all my time studying Magicka and its applications, I had no clue what I was looking at. It was, something, some type of Magickal energy that completely altered the ruled of the Plane around this stone. I did not know why, but I knew that every fiber of my being told me whatever I was about to find was the most important thing in the world to me. Some kind of tool or weapon that I could use to save an entire world, again. An Elder Scroll? A weapon to be used against Vampires? What it was, however, I was not remotely prepared for. The monolith completely erupted from the ground, and one of its six sides slid open.

A woman of about my age, mid to late twenties, wearing... a fetishy amount of leather that revealed. Um, a lot. Her arms were crossed over his midsection. She began to fall from her tomb. I gasped and rushed forward to catch her. "Whoa, are you okay, miss?" I asked. Metal clanged against my head and I looked up at the handle of an Elder Scroll. Well, it was nice to see I wasn't entirely wrong.

"Huh? What?" the woman groaned. She jolted awake, shoving off of me. I tumbled to my ass and looked up at her. "Who are you? Where am I? This isn't where I was left."

"Um, hello. I'm Lucius. Luc, if you prefer, however. I was sent here by a group called the Dawnguard. Some trouble has popped up around the province. I, er, uhm... What do you mean? How long were you locked in there? No, wait, first question – what's your name?"

The woman stared down at me. Her hand was gripping the handle of an elven dagger at her hip. "I'm Serana," she finally said, deeming me not much of a threat. "Dawnguard, huh? I always thought it'd be one of my kind that found me."

I looked into the woman's mesmerizing golden eyes. "Ah. You're -"

"Yeah."

"I see. Well, you haven't tried to kill me yet. I can return that favor," I explained I groaned and shoved myself up to my feet. "Thanks for knocking me over, though. I'm fine. How long have you been in there?"

The woman grimaced and bit her lip. Her extended canines dragged along her lips. Her full, blood red... uhm... never mind that. She pondered the question before responding. "Well, I don't know. Who's King of Skyrim?"

"Oh... well, now that the War's over, it's Elisif. She had the Empire's backing," I explained.

"The Empire? What Empire?" the woman asked, genuinely confused. Her glowing eyes pierced mine.

"Um, the Empire... from Cyrodiil," I explained.

"What? There's an Empire in Cyrodiil? That backwater nowhere?" Serana asked. She laughed.

"Yes, there is. Or was. No one's really sure if it's still there, at this point," I responded. My mood quickly fell. The Emperor... I smiled at Serana. "So, Serana, can I help you with anything?"

Serana looked suddenly stunned. "Y-you..."

"What?"

"No one ever offers to help without some kind of... You want something in return."

"Besides spending time with a beautiful woman?" I asked. The Vampire blushed and stuttered. "Don't worry. Honestly, if these nasty guys were looking for you, maybe someone else will come looking. I'm in the business of protecting the people, and whatever these Vampires are doing, it threatens them."

"Oh, well thanks then," she said, a half smile on her beauti – her face, a half smile on her face. Gods, I'm sorry about that.

"Don't worry. I've been told I'm good travel company," I said, smiling at Serana. She smiled back.

Fahiil

Thera

I shivered as the door was opened by the power of Molag Bal. I twitched, groaning. "Are you okay?" one of Markarth's people asked. The woman put her hand on my shoulder, trying to steady me.

I smiled and twitched again. "Oh, now I am." I shrieked in pain and rage as my new, outer skin erupted in a rain of blood and flesh. "Much better." My teeth dug through the neck of the woman, and she screamed in anguish.