Jul

Lucius

Things were quiet as Isran, Mogrul, Gunmar, Celann, Sorine, Florentius, a few other Dawnguard, and myself watched the bodies of our fallen comrades advance slowly into the distance. They would be transported first to Whiterun, where their bodies would be put through the first rituals of burial, then they would be sent off to their kin all around Tamriel, regardless of nationality or clan. "May the Sun ever shine with you, may the gods ever grant you glory, and may you find peace in Aetherius," Isran muttered, his eyes locked on the coffins graced with the Dawnguard Sun. "May you be present when Dusk falls to fight, and when Dawn rises to celebrate your victory. Stendarr's mercy upon you."

"Stendarr's mercy upon you," we all muttered in unison. I looked up and pulled the Bow of Auri-El from my shoulders, aiming the Sunhallowed arrow towards the rising Sun. I loosed it and the orb of Magick lit up, shooting bright light across the surface of Nirn. The sky lit up with many colors, the Aurora shimmering above the coffins. A final goodbye to our friends. "Talos guide you."

Isran frowned and shifted the weight of his pack. Rikke had been kind enough to lend us horses for our journey to the Castle Volkihar, seeing as we had all decided to see our comrades off one last time before their final journey into Aetherius. We were a day behind the Vampires now, but on Horseback we would be able to catch up to our quarry or at least arrive within only a few hours of them. "Talos guide us," he muttered, shooting a glare at me.

"You're sure you're still up for this, right?" I asked the old man. He sighed and nodded while I looped the Bow back around my shoulders. He turned away to stare at the coffins once more and I placed my hand on his shoulder. "They wouldn't blame you."

"I know, but letting any of our men die..." Isran shrugged. He wasn't very good at this type of thing, but he deeply cared for the men that he had led into battle. "I keep going over the battle in my head, noticing little things I could have done... big decisions I should have made differently. I was too lax with the Vampires."

"So was I. I didn't expect they could have gotten into the Dawnguard Inner Circle like that," I replied, my eyes finding one of the Dawnguard coffins. "I had to run Ingjard through, Isran. But she didn't curse me. She thanked me. She thanked me for freeing her and stopping her from getting the Bow to Harkon. Any of the Dawnguard would say the same about how you've behaved – they were willing to sacrifice their livese to save the world. You led them to victory, and they will feast in Aetherius for eons because of it. They're heroes."

Isran snorted. "You're better at this than I am," he muttered. He looked over at me. "You know, I'm getting old. Bitter. Maybe I should retire – Vampire Hunting is a young man's game, after all."

I shook my head at what he was getting at. "You're not old enough that I can't keep learning from you, Isran," I said, still shaking my head.

"Yes. But this is your mission. It's time to rally the troops," he said, gesturing with his head at the group amassed behind us. About twenty five in all, excluding Florentius.

I nodded and turned around. "Thank you," I began, earning a few worried fidgets from them all. "I know that not all of you like Serana. Some of you probably hate her, on principle. She is a Daughter of Coldharbour, after all. But you are all here because you can look past that. This isn't about just saving Serana. This is about saving someone who wants to be human – mortal again. Someone just like all of us. Someone who doesn't want to wake up at night to hunt people. But the difference is that she can actually escape it.

"What we do, we do for all mortals, regardless of their race or their Empire, their Religion or Duties. Soldiers and Assassins alike owe their lives to us this day, because we work to save every mortal from Vampires. This Bow? It will not fall into the hands of the enemy. We will kill them all and free a person from the bonds of Molag Bal. We will be what we are – Dawnguard." I raised Dawnbreaker above my head. "To Victory!"

"To Victory!" they all cried in agreement as they ran towards the horses.

"That was good," Isran said, placing his hand on my shoulder.

"I liked it as well," Florentius said as he came close. He was wearing his monk's robes again, his place in our war having ended for now. "I wish could go with you."

"It's not your place," I said with a calming smile. I looked towards the west for a moment, then back at the Man. "You're Arkay's prophet -" Isran sighed, ever the disbeliever in his friend's ability. "-there's no point in endangering you needlessly in an assault on the Volkihar. You'll be needed when the War begins."

"Arkay agrees with you," the monk said. He sighed again. "I must trust in his guidance, for he sees that which we cannot." Florentius' eyes sparkled and he laughed. "Including that a Dragonborn would free the First Daughter of Coldharbour from her curse countless millennia after her creation."

"Tell him I'm glad to be of service," I said. I bowed my head slightly and shouldered my pack. "Where are you off to next?"

"Hm?" Florentius asked. I opened my mouth to repeat my question, but stopped when I noticed his eyes were staring upward. He was asking Arkay. His gaze met mine again. "I will be traveling to the Imperial City. Apparently, a new Emperor will be chosen by the end of next year, shortly before the war breaks out. My connection with Arkay will be of use to the Empire in the coming war with the Thalmor. At least, that's what he tells me."

"Well, I'm sure we will meet again soon, then," I said with a smile. "I fully intend to aid in the defense of the Empire against the Thalmor once this is all over. And I apparently have a knack for attracting the attention of royalty. You'll show me around the Imperial Palace if I'm ever invited, right?"

Florentius smirked and shook his head. "I'm sure a hero like you will be more acquainted with it than a mere mystic like myself," he said, chuckling at me. He sighed and looked to the South. "You best leave." He turned back to me and clasped my right arm with his own, and similarly with Isran's left. "Safe journeys and Arkay's Blessing, my friends. I hope to share a drink with you both soon."

"Aye," Isran said, grinning at the monk. "I suppose that would be nice."

Fahiil

Thera

"I'll kill you when I get out of this!" Serana screamed from the stone ground of the Castle's Chapel of Molag Bal. From how she was acting, I guessed that this was where the eternal Darkness of Molag Bal's sacrifice had occurred all those centuries ago. I mean, sure I'd kidnapped her and was planning on slitting her throat by the end of the day, but this was just a bit much. Her eyes turned to her father. "Let me go, Harkon, or else."

"No love for dear Father, Serana?" the Vampire Lord asked while he paced around her. He leaned down in front of her as he came around. He grabbed her face with one hand and squished her cheeks together. "First you betray me for your mother, and now for a mortal. Where did I go wrong?"

"Here. In this room. Millennia ago," Serana growled. Ah, I was right! "On the other hand, I never would have met Luc if you hadn't, so I guess I should thank you."

Harkon snorted in disgust at the mere idea that his daughter meeting my Jokaar had anything to do with him, and tossed her to the ground. "Perhaps I should keep him alive then. Cattle, perhaps? He could feed us for months. Years if we do it right. I wonder what the blood of one chosen by the Aedra would taste like?" He laughed at his daughter's enraged glare. "No, you're right. That. Isn't. Good enough. Molag Bal's feast day is soon, isn't it? Yes... offer him up? See if he still cares after he sees what you begged for?"

Serana shivered with rage at his feet. "Mother was right, you are a crazy son of a bitch," she said coolly, earning a laugh from her father. "And weak." His laughter immediately cut short and he turned his angry gaze on her. "You're trying to fight someone so far beyond you the fight will be like Talos conquering the Summerset Isle."

"That one was meant for me, right?" I asked innocently. I lashed out with my leg and Serana's head snapped to the side. She hit the ground and dragged herself up. "Alinor. Which is where we should really send him. They'll break him and build him up and break him all over again until nothing but Ayleid is left." Serana's eyes widened and I knew that I'd hit the exact right spot. "I read some of the reports – you think that Dwemer was a monster? Ayleid, Lucius, did things that made her look downright cuddly. He forced husbands to murder their wives. Brothers to eat their siblings. There was no punishment he would not unleash."

"That's not him anymore," Serana growled hollowly.

"But. It. Will. Be," I hissed. I patted her cheek and snarled. "So be a good little girl, and maybe we'll stick with Thralling him. Ooh! Maybe he could be your chew toy!"

Serana glanced at the ground. "I'll be happy when he kills you," she said. Her eyes drifted up to her father. "I thought I might still feel bad that you'd have to die; thanks for showing me there's no reason to."

Harkon glared down at her, then turned around and walked away. "I will tell the others what will be happening," Harkon explained as he moved towards the exit. "You and I will be in here when the Dawnguard inevitably attack. Hide, prepare to attack Lucius from the shadows. And by the Name of Bal shut her up."

I nodded. "Of course," I said with a sinister smile. I turned on my heel and bent down to talk to her before doing anything else.

"What do you want?" Serana hissed.

"I'm going to kill your father before I even touch your little boyfriend, you cradle snatcher you," I said, looking at Serana from the very bottom of my eyes. I began to sneer down at her. "How do you like that? You'll go from having daddy issues and a loving mate, to no father and no family whatsoever. And, maybe after that, I'll finally let you die."

"Crazy bitch," Serana growled. She shot her face forward and spat, the saliva landing on my cheek.

"Oh, I'm really going to enjoy this," I said after a short pause. I drew my twin blades and raised my foot above her head. "So very, very much."

Jul

Lucius

"Fus Ro Dah!"

The doors to Castle Volkihar flew open at the insistence of my Voice, their bolts shattering and crushing the defending force of Vampires that had been amassed behind it. The group that had come with me charged in, crying out in desire for victory as soon as they ran past me. "Today, these Vampires shall feel the wrath of the Nine!" I shouted at the top of my lungs while raising Dawnbreaker above my head, then I charged in after my allies. This was it, the day we exterminated the Volkihar Vampires and brought a measure of peace to the Night.

I leaped from the top of the stairs, landing atop a Vampire dueling with one of Gunmar's trolls he'd managed to bring. The creature roared in annoyance, but made its way over to another of the enemy while I buried my blade in the Vampire's heart. Sunlight exploded from his chest as Dawnbreaker hungrily burned away the undead creature's body. The Vampires closest to me hissed in pain, giving the Dawnguard fighting them a chance to easily run them through.

"Get going, Luc," Isran commanded as he used his hammer to batter the skull clean off of an Argonian Vampire he was fighting. "We can handle things here."

I looked around. Not everyone was doing as well as Isran, but the man could inspire greatness. I nodded and ran towards the place where I, somehow, knew Serana waited for me.

A pair of undead dogs blocked my path and I grunted in pain as one jumped to bite me. It missed, but its Frost Cloak bit at my very bones. I growled and snapped my leg out, kicking the creature into the wall before lashing out at the other and burying my sword in its skull. The creature screamed as it died, unleashing another explosion of Sunlight that burned its partner away to ash. I stood up and cast a powerful healing spell before advancing on the door once again.

"Harkon!" I screamed while summoning a Fireball to my hand. I let it loose and the doors shuddered, fractured, and exploded inward at the force of my Magick. I advanced slowly up the stairs, stopping at the top and raising my blade in front of me. I smiled over at Serana, who was gagged and staring at me from the floor. "Serana... I'm here to get you out."

"So you came," Harkon noted. I turned my gaze to him and narrowed my eyes. He was in his true form once again, that of an eight foot tall, gray skinned monster with a blood red cape. He floated just above the ground, either hand glowing with Mystickal energy. "My daughter's pet, keeping her entertained, filling her mind with delusions of the Sun."

"You know why I'm here," I said quietly.

"Of course I do," Harkon spat. He sighed. "You disappoint me, Lucius. I offered you everything. Had you just agreed, the world would have bowed at your feet. Instead you wished to remain this... pathetic being."

"I don't desire to rule," I responded, shifting my grip on my blade. "I wish to remain this pathetic being. I was a monster for long enough." I began slowly advancing on Harkon.

The Vampire Lord merely laughed and lifted his daughter by her cloak. I froze as he lowered his hand to her face. "Not another step. I have sacrificed too much for this to allow sentimentality for my daughter to cloud my judgement," he explained.

I growled, but didn't lower my weapon. My voice came out as a low, threatening growl. "I will not let you touch her," I hissed.

"So, I see this dragon has fangs," Harkon said coolly. He tossed his daughter haphazardly to his other hand and began to grip her by the throat. "You have been around Isran too much."

"No, because I'm not willing to sacrifice another damn person," I growled. "Drop her."

Harkon was quiet for a moment, black eyes examining me analytically. He nodded after a moment. "So it appears I have you to thank for turning my daughter against me," he said before heaving a heavy sigh. I knew it was only a matter of time before I would be forced to see the hatred in her heart."

"Hatred born of your neglect," I retorted, hoping – praying – that Harkon hadn't noticed the spell I had started to summon.

"Hmph," Harkon grunted. "A small price to pay for the betterment of our kind."

"You were never about that," I snapped, drawing an annoyed look from Harkon. "You wish to dominate. That's it. Your kind is a blight upon this world."

"Yes, yes. Always the noble Vampire hunter," Harkon said, waving his claw dismissively. He scoffed. "And what happens once you have slain me? Will your precious gods and conscience call on you to slay all the surviving Daughters of Coldharbour? Thera first? Then hunt them all down until it is time to kill Serana herself."

"First off, I don't mean Vampires," I muttered.

"Oh, really. Then do explain," Harkon said, cocking his monstrous head to the side.

"I mean self indulgent monsters who would sacrifice their family for a moment of power," I shouted, causing the Vampire to flinch ever so slightly. I stood tall and leveled my blade at Harkon. "People like you, or Thera."

Harkon glared at me. "And... second?"

I looked over at Serana's eyes. They were filled with horror, a warning of some sort. Thera was here. That had to be it. I returned my attention to Harkon and smiled softly. "Because unlike you, I would never harm Serana. She's not just important to me, she is everything to me."

Harkon scoffed. "Well, then my daughter is truly, woefully lost," he sighed. "Good, it will make it easier knowing she died the moment she accepted a mere mortal into her life."

"Enough!" I snapped.

"Yes, I agree," Harkon spat. "I grow weary of speaking to you. You have this one chance to turn the Bow over to me." Harkon's hand began to glow around Serana's throat. "There will not be a second."

I didn't respond for a moment. "No," I finally said, and I launched my hand forward, green light suddenly streaming from my outstretched palm. The energy collided with Harkon and he tumbled through the Dark Chapelet, crashing into the Altar of Bal on the other end of the room. I rushed towards Serana, whom he had dropped when my Paralyze spell had hit him, and cut her bonds.

"It's a trap," she hissed, tears in her eyes. "Run! Leave me, please!"

I cut the rest of her bonds. "Trap? Please. Like these two could fight us," I said, pulling the blade Grimsever – on loan from a friend – from my belt. She glared at me, but eventually sighed and took the blade before standing back to back with me. I sheathed Dawnbreaker and summoned a Daedric sword to my right hand for the coming fight. "It's nice to see you again, Darling."

Serana tossed a glare over at me as her father began to float to an upright stance again. "Only because you were a wreck without me," she sighed, jabbing my ribs with her elbow. "I can see it now: 'Oh, whatever will I do without my strong Serana there to protect me?'"

"You took the words from my mouth," I admitted with a shrug before setting my jaw. "Now how about we end this?"

"You took the words from my mouth."

Fahiil

Thera

Harkon fought like a fool, overextending himself at every moment because he believed I would soon be there to aid him. This allowed Lucius and Serana to attack him, easily landing blows that would have killed anyone else. I am loathe to admit it, but Harkon was quite powerful, enough so that to kill him would be a tiring nuisance of a task. By waiting for Lucius and his Whore to do it, though? Well, that was just killing two birds with one stone: they'd be tired out by the time I made my final move on Harkon and easily defeated the two. I would lead the Vampires to victory over the Dawnguard, capture Serana, put my Jokaar to death, and finally lead my army to conquer Tamriel, Nirn, and Aetherius itself. I would mantle the Divines themselves!

Harkon summoned a gargoyle to aid him in battling his daughter and de facto son-in-law, sending the creature to attack the human, who decapitated it without a single moment of hesitation before joining Serana in assaulting him. "Enough!" Harkon eventually shouted, raising his hands and summoning a wall of Red energy before him. He disappeared in a cloud of bats and rematerialized above the Alter of Bal, that same red energy forming a wall between himself and our enemies. Lucius raised his arm and launched a fireball at the energy, but it was easily deflected.

"I couldn't agree more," I said, revealing myself from my hiding place at last.

"Good, now attack -" Harkon said without turning to face me. I ignored him and jumped atop the altar, both swords drawn, and used it to springboard into the air.

"It's time for the New Blood to lead, you fool," I said, driving both of my blades through Harkon's chest. He fell to the ground, the red energy disappearing as his skull collided with the stone floor.

Harkon's gaze fell on his daughter. "Father?" she finally managed, his body slowly turning back to his human form. Tears were streaming from his eyes. "Father?"

"The power," he moaned wistfully as life left his eyes. "My... power..."

At that, Serana's eyes hardened once more. "No love lost, then?" I asked as I slowly stood up, trading one of my blades for the Enchanted Katana that had been tied to Harkon's hip. I smiled at the sweating, tired fools standing opposite me. "Now... hand over the Bow. Or don't. I'll enjoy killing you both anyways."

"You Bitch!" Lucius screamed, rushing towards me clumsily. His rage always did that to him, making him as shortsighted as a child. It was why it was so easy to plan around his ability to bend Fate to his will wherever he went. On top of that, he was tired from his short, if taxing battle with Harkon. I dodged another of his attacks and kicked his side, sending him into the path of one of Serana's Ice Spikes. The energy crashed into his back and he stumbled forward, barely raising his blade in time to prevent me from landing a blow across his face. As it was, the flat of his summoned blade collided with his face and he was sent stumbling back.

"Hand over the bow," I commanded again. "My Empire awaits." I jumped forward and slashed down at Lucius' head. My attack was blocked by Serana, and I was suddenly hit by Lucius' shoulder in my midsection, the force driving me back as he ran me into the wall.

I growled and slammed my elbow down on his neck, causing him to spasm and let go. From there I raised my legs and kicked, sending him tumbling backwards. His whore helped him to his feet and they both prepared to attack me again. But I wasn't willing to give them another chance. "Fus Ro Dah!"

Jul

Lucius

I groaned and pushed myself to my feet, the dust and stone sliding off of my dented, or in some places fractured, ebony armor. With her Voice, Thera had sent Serana and me flying through the wall of the chaplet and down into the main hall of the Castle. "Luc," Isran muttered, rushing to my side. He looked down at Serana and grabbed my arm. "You have to go."

"We can take her," I mumbled, shaking him off and stumbling forward. I fell to my knee and groaned, Serana not in much better shape beside me.

"Not like this you can't," Isran said. He frowned and glanced over his shoulder before returning his attention to Serana. "Get him out of here. I don't care how much he begs you not to, get him out of here and don't look back."

"No!" I urged, struggling against Isran and Serana's grasp. "I won't let you fight her without me! I won't let anyone else die fighting her for me!"

"I'm not dying for you!" Isran snapped, drawing me out of my anger. "I don't plan on dying, but if I do it's to keep the Bow and your girl out of Vampire hands. So go, or all the sacrifices our friends and families have made will have been for nothing. The Sun will die, the Thalmor will rule, and humans will die in cattle pits by the thousands. Don't let anything like that happen, dammit, or you aren't the hero everyone thinks you are."

I froze. "I..." I looked over at Serana. She was supporting me, but she looked worse than I felt. My first duty was to save her and the Bow. Isran was right. "Remember, we're supposed to share a drink with Florentius when this is all over."

"I'm planning on it," Isran said, forcing me to my feet. "Now go."

Zuspein

I stood in the center of the Morthal Court Mage's home, barely able to hold myself together. The only thing that made me was Serana. She was on her knees, sobbing uncontrollably. I understood. Her last hope – her only hope – for truly escaping the Prophecy that the Vampires wanted to force on her was laying at our feet. His throat had been slit, letting his blood pour out to pool on the floor of his home. Lying atop his long-cold fluids was his daughter, her throat similarly slit so that her blood had mixed with that of her adoptive father.

"Dragonborn, what did you – Gods above," Jarl Idgrod muttered as she walked into the room. Her eyes caught sight of the dead Dawnguard in the corner.

"He was a thrall. Serana confirmed it," I whispered hoarsely to the Jarl. I was suddenly feeling dead inside rather than sad or enraged. Just... "So much death because of her."

"Who?"

I lifted my fist and opened it, revealing the note left for me. "I knew you would come here. I heard you and your... whore in your tent. Trying to keep her blood from me? Not anymore you aren't," I recited without looking at it again.

"The other Dragonborn?" Idgrod asked, her hand suddenly on my shoulder.

"Yes," I muttered.

Idgrond sighed and hugged me apologetically, like a grandmother I suppose. "I am truly sorry," she supplied, meaning it.

"What do I do?" I asked her, still staring at the dead Dawnguard.

In response, the Jarl turned me to look at her. "You already know what you have to do, don't you?" she asked, her far seeing gaze matching my dead eyed stare.

I nodded slowly and waved the old woman off. "Serana, it's time to go," I said a few minutes later, my eyes now locked on the horrified look on the child's face.

"Where are we going?" she asked, her sobbing finally stopped. She was stuck looking at the child as well and she began clutching at her stomach like she was going to be sick.

I sighed. "You're leaving," I told her, steeling my voice and tearing my gaze away from the child.

"Like Oblivion!" Serana snapped, surging to her feet to stare me in the eye.

"It's the only way I can help you at all," I explained. "I'll take you to Windhelm, and you can book passage somewhere else."

"Not without you," she replied, clutching at my arms. "I'm not leaving you."

"Serana, you need to run. It's the only way they won't find you," I explained sadly, clutching at her. "I... I don't want this. I don't want to wonder every day where you are."

"Then I'll tell –"

"I would run to you. I wouldn't be able to stop myself," I said, pulling her close and hugging her. I placed my hand on the back of her head and held her close, breathing her scent in as I cried. I couldn't hold it together anymore, and I began to sob. "I'd risk everything to find you."

"We have the Bow," she tried to protest, but I could hear it in her voice... she knew it was the only way.

"And it's only a matter of time until we fight for that again," I said sadly. "You need to hide. I promise, when I can... nothing will keep me from finding you. Not gods, or Vampires, or mortals. I will break through time if I need to."

"And what will you be doing in the meantime?" Serana asked hollowly.

Zuspein

I burst through the door of Castle Dour like a madman, still clothed in my shattered Ebony armor. "Legate, I'm afraid that General Tullius has ordered -"

"I don't give a skeever's tit," I growled, more than a little alcohol coming off my breath as I shoved the puny guard out of the way. I had just ridden nonstop from Windhelm where I had to tie myself to the bridge to keep from chasing Serana. Another sacrifice for the greater good, as always.

"But, Legate -"

I shoved him out of the way again. "I'm not in the mood," I growled, my throat burning with desire to let my Voice fly. The soldier palled and nodded, following after me as I walked into the war room, where Tullius was conversing worriedly with Rikke.

"And they're all damn power hungry fools," the General growled, slamming his fist onto the table. "Not a one of them was willing to support the claim of anyone else. Whenever I tried to, the others would get angry and threaten war."

"I'm sure someone will rise, Sir," Rikke replied. "The Throne is a vacuum; it will suck someone worthy to its position."

"Sir, I'm so sorry. He insisted -"

"It's fine, go, Auxiliary," the General commanded the young man behind me. The man scurried away, eager to escape my wake. "What the hell is wrong with you, Legate."

"So, you're having trouble choosing an Emperor?" I asked, cutting through the shit.

Rikke's eyes widened and she glanced between the General and Me. "Luc," she cautioned.

The alcohol in my head laughed at that caution. "None of them are the right Man for the job," I told Tullius. I pulled my armor from my shoulders – it was useless after all, my half-drunk brain told me – and tossed it to the floor.

"True," Tullius growled, his eyes fixed on the growing, unceremonious pile on the floor. "What's gotten into you, Legate?"

"When would you say the Empire was at its strongest?" I asked, ignoring what he said.

"When –"

"Right. Talos," I said, sticking my finger in the air. "Tiber Septim himself. That's when. The Empire was at its strongest when the Stormcrown himself sat at the helm, guiding its armies and protecting its people."

Tullius frowned. "Your point, Legate?"

I growled and stood to my fullest height, glaring down at the Imperial general. My hair was matted with blood, sweat, and dirt and my eyes were deep red from tears. Blood was caked over my skin to form vibrant, angry war paint from the forms of my enemies. "Tullius, you are going to help me take that throne."

"This doesn't sound like you," Rikke said worriedly. "Why the sudden thirst for power?"

"Thirst?" I asked. I laughed and swayed in place. "I'd rather run from it. But the Thalmor Bitch is going to take over in Alinor. It's only a matter of time." I took a deep breath and glanced between the two Generals. "I hate this just as much as the two of you like it, but it's the only choice. Tamriel is at its safest when a Dragonborn sits on the Throne of Cyrodiil."

Fahiil Us

Thera

I breathed in the death screams of the last attacking Dawnguard members with a smile on my face. I didn't have the bow – I kicked one of the corpses' skulls – or the girl – I kicked it again – OR... or Lucius – I kicked again, and the head exploded from the force. Actually, I was enraged. No smile, just... pure, pissed off me. I wanted to torture someone in the worst possible way. "You'll never get him." And a volunteer.

I turned to the source of the voice. "Ah, Isran," I said, a cruel smile coming to my face. "You're alive..."

"He'll kill you," the man snapped. I frowned. Could he not hear me? I screamed loud enough for everyone in the room to jump, but just continued droning on.

"Hm. We must have deafened him," I muttered. I smiled and gestured for two of the Vampires to pull him to a standing position. "Now, Isran, you may not know what I'm saying, so I am going to show you." I pulled out a dagger and ran it across the underside of my forearm, causing a line of blood to appear. His eyes widened as he began to catch on. I appreciated his screams of rage for a moment, then continued explaining. "You see, you helped take away what I wanted. That's not a good move. So I will take what you value the most. What would a Vampire Hunter value the most... any ideas, anyone?"

"Yes, his existence as a mortal," I continued before any of the idiots in the room could answer incorrectly. I grabbed Isran's face and forced his mouth open; he struggled until I kicked his crotch. At that, he doubled over and became docile. "All the best tortures break the will of their targets." I angled his mouth upwards and let my blood drip from my arm. It landed on his face, some draining up his nose. Most, though, fell down his throat. "Feed on him until only my blood is left. Then we'll let the torturers have him. Don't want an uppity slave, after all."

The Bard

"And with that, ends the second part of our tale," the man said. He glanced around at the enraptured stares of all present – even Wulf was smiling like he was entertained. It took him a moment to realize they were staring expectantly, waiting for more. "Unfortunately, that also ends the story for the day."

"Just... a little more!" one of the patrons begged, causing the entire group to rustle and begin shouting for more.

"Please, no... just... Tomorrow... QUIET!" the Bard snapped, causing his listeners – sans Wulf, who laughed instead – to cow in fear. "The inn's bar is closing. It's late. Come back tomorrow morn for more of the story. The tale of the Dragonborn is not over, I assure you, but I would be remiss to take a break in the center of a chapter, wouldn't I?" The crowd grumbled in assent. "Good. Go home. Rest. Enjoy the fruits of the Empire. You will hear more tomorrow."

As the crowd stood and began leaving the inn, the Bard noticed that Wulf was remaining behind yet again. "I knew you'd do this again," the Bard sighed. He raised his hand to shake that of the other man. "Talos."

Wulf smiled at that. "Been a while since anyone's called me that so openly," he said with a wolfish grin. "Nice to hear it, though."

"What do you wish of me this time, Divine?" the Bard asked. "Did someone steal your sweet roll?"

"Ha!" Wulf laughed, before growing intensely quiet. The god merely studied the man's face, then cocked his head to the side. "You tell this story well, Bard," he finally said, crossing his arms over his chest as he did so.

"Why?" the Bard asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Just take the compliments of a god, man," Talos suggested with a shrug. He turned and left, leaving the Bard to only consider what it was that the god was aware of.

AN: And thus ends part 2 and begins part 3. We will jump ahead between five and ten years and see that the two Dragonborn have begun their Empires and have already started their first skirmishes in the War. These two states are going to be as different as the people that lead them, so I can't wait to build those up!

To answer one request... sorry UndeadMonkey8, but there will be a victor at the end of all this. Though whether it is Lucius or Thera...

Thank you all for reading all this. I can't believe it hasn't even been a year and we're already almost 170,000 words into this. Like I've said earlier, I was writing this with the intent of just hitting 80,000 words. Back then, 50,000 was as far as I'd gotten on any type of fiction, and... wow, I can't believe it now. I'm more than twice as far along as I'd hoped to be in this story, and I owe it to all of you. I love that people out there really seem to like my story and it gives me hope for the books I'm trying to write. So thank you all. You all rock.