Chapter 17: Two Old Friends
The cabin was tense for several long hours after Prentiss and Rossi returned, with Spencer deciding to handle every possible defense where Liv was concerned. In the end, it was Garcia who told them all to cut it out and leave it alone, before the team finally split up for coffee and food.
Liv returned in the early morning hours, dawn barely tinting the sky a purple-pink, with a thick dusting of snow on her head and shoulders and brushed it off outside the door before coming in.
"It's definitely magic," she declared when the team assembled, many bleary-eyed and tired. "And it's definitely a portal to the Soul Cairn. I just don't know who's opening it, or why. But I guess we'll be finding out soon enough: it was almost stable enough to open to this side."
"You're not going to close it?"
Liv hummed, tilting her head to the side. "I'm a little more curious about who or what comes out. It's… a way home for me, that I hadn't even considered before. So if I can find out how they managed to find this world, and the components to open the portal, I'd like to know. For when I finish up the whole Alduin business and go home again," she finished softly, rolling her shoulders.
"What if there are things that come out?"
"Then I handle them," she shrugged. "The majority of beings inside the Cairn are souls, anyway. There's nothing much they can do to hurt you – they're not ghosts, ghouls, wraiths or other undead, per se. Just the soul. In the Cairn, though, yes, they probably could hurt you if they really needed to, and if you hurt them first, but it's unlikely. Most are confused about where they are, so they stick to routines they had in life. The only real 'dangers' are the bonemen, wrathmen, and mistmen. And there's no real reason for them to leave the Cairn, unless they were summoned outside of it by a mage. The Ideal Masters weren't interested in conquest, if I recall correctly."
"So we just have to watch out for them," Hotch sighed, shaking his head slightly.
"Pretty much. And likely a vampire or someone who has been partially soul-trapped, but they'll probably make it to the village, eventually. Even vampires need food," Liv said.
"What exactly do vampires look like where you're from, Liv?" Emily asked, shifting forwards in her seat.
"Depends on the region, really. Some are indistinguishable from normal people; others are distinctly inhuman in all ways. Others still only show their true nature when they're blood-starved, but by becoming blood-starved they are more powerful. They can be far more intelligent than any human, or more base than a rabid animal," she shrugged. "They all have names and types and the like, but my time with Isran – the leader of the Dawnguard, a resurrected guild dedicated to hunting vampires – was largely limited, and more physical and practical than academic and theoretical. I really only crossed paths with him because of the fact that the Elder Scroll I had, and two that he was looking for, were related and needed to be read together in order to see how to prevent a certain prophecy from being fulfilled. I think it's safe to say, though, that whatever vampire – if it's even a vampire – is opening these portals, is at least of the average-human intelligence. These portals aren't easy to open, or maintain, and especially so when trying to use it as a bridge to an entirely different realm."
Emily nodded with a soft 'huh', then looked up at her again. "The victim, Jason, said that he saw red eyes behind him while he was returning home, and felt watched. Thought you might know something more definitively yes or no," she smiled wanly.
Liv tipped her head to the side and hummed. "Well, it does fit with their MO, but on the other hand, people have also felt watched and seen red eyes behind them, only for it to be some kind of animal who was passing by and watching them from somewhere they couldn't see the entire body. So while it's not exactly a definitive yes or no, it definitely adds something to consider."
"That makes sense," Morgan said, crossing his arms over his chest. "How will we know when the portal is stable?"
"You'll know, the same way we knew when it opened. Chances are good that this might even make a big enough ripple that Alduin's priests come investigating, if we're lucky."
"Lucky?" Morgan scoffed, brows shooting up his forehead.
"Yeah," Liv said, gesturing loosely with a hand. "If there's a priest or two who comes, then we can capture them, take the masks, leave Alduin weaker again. Win-win; we fix the little Soul Cairn problem, and get another step closer to stopping Alduin."
Capture them, in the hopes that the masks could be easily removed and the people returned to their normal lives, or charged with the crimes they committed. Liv was more than fine with killing them as she had the others, if she really needed to.
Morgan's brows raised, shaking his head. "I suppose so," he mumbled.
Hotch spoke up after a long moment of quiet. "Fine, we wait. What do we do until then? The people deserve answers."
"Well, so far it's just been lights and noises, right? Don't you have something called 'global warming'? Blame it on that, and some weird natural phenomena. The only person who's been attacked so far, could've easily been attacked by some kind of animal, too. So there actually isn't a case here," Liv shrugged, leaning forwards to pick up her nearly-abandoned coffee and grimaced at the lukewarm taste.
"You're way too good at lying," Morgan said, lips curling into a small smile. "When did you get so good?"
She smirked back at shrugged again. "I've always been good at it – it's a skill you learn quickly in a country governed by racial and religious superiority, and especially so, when being bad at it means people just vanish. I've just never had a good enough reason to turn it onto any of you without feeling guilty about it," Liv admitted softly, staring into her drink.
"And I appreciate that," Spencer added softly, smiling at Liv when she looked up to meet his gaze. "So basically, we just hang tight until it opens properly. How close did you say they were?"
"Pretty close, one, maybe two, attempts away from getting it right. Then we'll see what comes out and deal with it then. But, until that happens, I'd really like some sleep. It's been a long day and a longer walk there and back than I'd normally like to handle in such a short period of time," Liv finished, glancing down when Hotch and Rossi frowned at her at the same time. "I'm more than happy to come back to this, but I really am tired."
"Get some sleep, then. We'll work on the rest of the case, then, and wake you up if anything else happens," Rossi said. She could feel his eyes on her all the way to the room she shared with Emily, closing the door and exhaled slowly behind it, tempted to sink down to the floor against it.
Sleep first, then we can deal with dramatics and questions. I need to have a clear head, and clear arms to be able to cast my spells. Guess I'll just have to take the chance and cast, if I really need to. It's better than someone dying or getting hurt, when I could've easily prevented it, she decided, padding over to her bed and peeled off the heaviest layers, indulging in the heated electric blanket and groaned softly at the warmth once it kicked in. Perfect….
"She's definitely used to being a leader," Morgan agreed, voice soft in case Liv was still awake. He doubted it, with the way her expression had turned faraway and her eyes had glossed over at the end, but she had admitted to sharper hearing long ago, and proven it more than a handful of times. "I think it's a little of the stress of the situation, and a little more that she's finally feeling comfortable enough around all of us to open up about herself and her past," Morgan finished, uncrossing his arms and reached for his coffee.
"So, what? We expect more push-back from her?" JJ asked.
"Not push-back, exactly. I think that's more the stress part, but I think we can expect her to be way more vocal about her opinions from here on out. Especially in areas where she's the expert."
"Which makes sense," Reid added, staring into the cup he was cradling. "She knows the most out of all of us about her world, her magic, her… creatures, I guess, so it makes sense that she'd want us to let her take the lead on it. We don't actually know how bad things can be, or are, with this. All we have is what she's telling us, and so far she seems content enough to be vigilant, but let it pan out."
"I don't particularly want it to pan out with the death of a person," Hotch frowned.
"I don't think it will," Reid said, looking up. "I have no doubt that Liv would probably be the first person to jump into the fray against whatever would come this way to hurt people. But, she could be more forthcoming about whatever else is in the Soul Cairn. I feel like she's holding back on telling us something," Reid frowned, staring back into his coffee.
"Something like what?" Rossi asked.
"I don't know. Maybe there are people she used to know who, not only could, but probably would, be on the other side of the portal, and if she does know them, then it's a matter of finding out whether they're friend or foe, I guess. She's mentioned Valerica and Serana, but that neither are exactly friendly, but who else could come through a portal like that to find her? And how much would they be willing to do to get her back home, or would they prefer to stay here with her, until she's finished tracking and dealing with Alduin?" Reid said. "She…. Remember when she told us about the beast races? What if someone like that comes through and decides to stay? From Liv's description, we can't exactly let them go out in public. Aside from being gawked at, there's no real way we can keep them safe, whether it's from themselves, the public, or our own government. If these are all things that Liv is considering – even subconsciously – she'd, she'd be pretty stressed," he finished, licking his lips.
It was quiet for a while after that, with Reid shifting awkwardly under Morgan's stare. "What did she tell you that made you have so much faith in her ability to head out into the snow and mountains, alone? I know we discussed this yesterday, but Pretty Boy, we gotta –"
"I promised I wouldn't tell anyone."
"But what if we need to know about it, so we don't get worried about what it is? How it affects the job we do?" Morgan pressed.
"It won't. She said she wouldn't use it if she didn't absolutely need to, to get out of a kind of life-or-death situation," Reid said, shrinking into his chair. "Please don't ask me more, or again; it's already uncomfortable to keep this secret, but I promised I would and Liv trusts me and I really don't want to break that trust," he finished quietly, picking at the lip of his cup and shrank a little more into his chair.
"Okay, alright," Morgan sighed. He forgot sometimes, just how important trust was to Spencer, and shook his head. "Well, we'll just have to wait for her to come back to us. In the meantime, we can keep ruling out the last of the human suspects, I guess."
Liv woke a few hours later, still looking tired but at least able to join them in their investigation, going over their notes and theories with them until they concluded that they were probably dealing with some kind of vampire in at least two out of the three attacks.
"Well, we've ruled out pretty much every human suspect. So how do we catch the vampire? Does garlic work? Crosses?" Garcia asked, a shaky grin on her lips.
"N-no? None of those really work on vampires, from my experience and Isran's research," Liv said. "They can be vulnerable to sunlight, if they go for long periods without blood, or are not some kind of vampire lord."
"You mentioned there are different types of vampires," Prentiss sighed. "I wish it could be easier with just one kind."
Liv chuckled, nodding. "Yeah, that was my reaction to finding this out, too. A vampire is a vampire is a vampire, right? I wish it was like that, though. They're generally vulnerable to fire, restoration magic, and silver, and in my experience as long as you manage to deal enough damage to kill them, it doesn't really matter if you staked them through the heart, decapitated them, or otherwise. If a vampire is truly dead, they'll turn to ash immediately, regardless of their type's place of origin."
"That's at least good to know," Rossi nodded, clearing away a space for their coffees when JJ loaded them onto a tray to bring over to the coffee table they were sitting around. "But the real question is, can they be reasoned with?"
Liv hummed, shrugging. "Depends on how high up the food chain they are, whether or not they're recently fed, and their sire. I never really got around to studying the conditions; my priorities were a little tied up with Alduin and stopping Harkon from blacking out the sun. But, having said that, this vampire might be one we can reason with, so long as they're not blood-starved."
She blinked when the team stared back at her, then hummed with slow nod and a sheepish grin. "I forget which parts I have and haven't really shared. But it was… difficult, and led me to Serana, and her mother. The only two people I know who can open a portal to the Soul Cairn, as I've mentioned."
"So it's possible it could be either, or both of them?" Morgan asked, thanking JJ when she set the tray of coffee down in front of him, and helped distribute the cups.
"Maybe, possibly? But like I've also said before, the chances of them finding me here is very slim. Few people knew that I was going to fight Alduin, and fewer knew that I was going into Sovngard to do it. And those who knew I was going to fight him, had very real expectations that I probably wasn't going to make it back. You don't exactly kill a god and get away with it scot-free. I still don't expect that, but you know. I got lucky-ish in my first attempt at killing Alduin. Maybe the second time will smile on me, too," she said, leaning back on the couch and pulled her legs up to her chest.
"I'm gonna go get some more firewood," Garcia said, standing up. "Our pile is looking low."
"Need help, Baby Girl?"
"Nah, I'll be fine, but thank you, my Chocolate God," she winked at Morgan, earning a few chuckles before Garcia donned a very thick, very bright green coat and stepped out.
"Chocolate god…. I gotta remember that when I see Isran again," Liv snorted.
"Yeah? He like me?" Morgan asked, grinning.
Liv hummed, tilting her head. "Kind of; he's a Redguard, like I assumed you were, in any case, and also a good fighter. Maybe a little broader than you are, but that also might just be the armor he wears. But, also, he's probably just broad. He spent several long years training himself up to fight vampires, and before that I think he came from a family that put a lot of emphasis on being a good warrior. I don't remember if he ever joined an official school or not…" she trailed. "But then again, we didn't really have time to share past stories."
"After this case, we should have dinner and you can tell us some stories from your adventuring days," Rossi said. "Anything you feel like sharing with us."
Liv nodded, about to agree when a pulse shuddered through the ground that had everyone on edge, and a few seconds after that, Garcia's scream had everyone scrambling for their weapons, Liv hot on Morgan's heels as they bolted for the door.
"Shit!" Liv snarled, racing forwards with a turn undead spell tingling just under her fingertips.
A vampire was hunched over some poor, mangled animal, face obscured by blood and gore and a hood, orange eyes glinting back at them before hissing and skittering off at the sight of them.
"Are you okay, Baby Girl?" Morgan asked, gaze lingering on where the vampire had been, before turning his attention to Garcia as she nodded.
"Yeah, no. I don't know? It just… appeared? Suddenly? And that poor animal…" she hicked, biting her lip.
Better it than you, Liv thought, looking around to see if it had circled back, before examining the carcass. "They're clearly hungry; they're even eating some of the meat. I guess it's been a while since they've had a decent meal then," she mused.
"So it could come back for us?" Garcia asked, stepping closer to Morgan when he wrapped his arms around her.
Liv pursed her lips. "Hard to say. But we shouldn't go out alone from now on. And at least we managed to confirm we have a slight undead problem."
"Theory confirmed, then?" Hotch said, holstering his gun and stepping up. "At least we know what to do, moving forwards."
Liv nodded, poking at the carcass before picking it up. "Might as well bury the poor thing. I think we might just see our vampire again soon."
Her arms tingled and burned where she'd gathered magicka for a spell, the faded white-blue lines glowing faintly in the gloom. Picking up the creature was uncomfortable – more from the burns than the gore that spilled – but manageable, Spencer grimacing at the sight as he helped her dig a shallow grave to bury the creature in, just in the treeline.
They returned inside to the team, Liv striping out of the gored jacket and try to clean away the worst while they spoke.
"Anyone else feel that pulse, or was that just me?" Rossi asked.
"Nah, I felt that too," Morgan nodded.
"It was the portal opening, and judging by the steady thrum, it's not too far from here, and holding steady," Liv said, scowling at the jacket before giving up. "I'm thinking about putting someone up on the roof as a look out – pairs, obviously, because of our vampire friend – and heading to the portal to check it out. I'm pretty sure nothing will come out aside from our vampire, but I'd like for it to be a definitely sure."
"That sounds good to me," Hotch nodded. "How do you want us to split up?"
"A good pairing is someone with fast reflexes and someone with strength, against a vampire. But not everyone here can fight, and we need people around who can help when one of us gets injured," she started, dividing the team into Morgan and Spencer on the roof as lookouts, and Garcia, Prentiss, Hotch and JJ staying inside to handle coms and backup, if anyone needed it.
Liv and Rossi would be heading out together to the portal, Qahnaarin strapped to her back when they stepped out, JJ waving them off.
"I never thought I'd ever go hunting for a real vampire. I'm not yet sure if my childhood fantasies coming true is a good thing or not," Rossi said, glancing back up at the roof and waved at Reid, smiling when the younger agent waved back.
Liv snorted. "I understand that. Sometimes fantasies are best left as they are. I know my life would've been easier if dragons had stayed mythical, for one," she smiled. "But I suppose the misdirected spell always makes life more interesting."
"Ha, that it does. That… vibration –"
"Magicka from the portal," Liv nodded.
"Ah, I see. It must be quite strong if I can feel it."
"It's strong enough, for sure. And extremely stable, too," Liv said, drawing Qahnaarin as they trudged through the snow and up the hill.
"Do normal people generally feel magicka, where you're from?"
"Depends on how strong the magicka is, and how sensitive they are to it. Usually it's easier to see magicka in a mage's hands than feel it come off someone," she said, shaking out her left hand when the magicka burns tingled.
"You alright?"
Liv nodded, crunching on through the snow. "The magicka around us is just making me tingle a little. I'll be fine again once we're finished–"
She spun around with Qahnaarin, Rossi slumping to the ground with a grunt, the vampire standing behind him, hand still extended.
"He's still alive, don't worry."
Liv blinked, narrowing her eyes at the hooded vampire. "Serana?"
Orange eyes lit up in the shadows, meeting Liv's gaze as the vampire slowly drew back her hood. "Liv? It really is you?"
She lowered Qahnaarin, though the blade was still at the ready. "What are you doing here, Serana?"
"I came looking for you," she said simply. "I heard from Isran that you'd gone to fight Alduin, and then you never came back. You just disappeared. So did Alduin, but no-one could confirm that you were dead. The Ideal Masters started whispering about a new plane, where souls were coming from, and my mother and I… we thought we'd try looking. She was less interested than I. I'm so glad I found you, Liv," Serana smiled, fangs long and sharp as she circled around Rossi to stand in front of Liv, reaching out with a cold hand to cup Liv's cheek.
Liv closed her eyes, leaning into the touch even as her mind screamed to resist the compulsion. "Serana…."
"Forgive me. I keep hoping…."
"I know," she said, pulling away and forcing her eyes open, taking two steps back as she sheathed Qahnaarin. "But I told you I wasn't prepared to be an 'us' while you're a vampire, and you don't want to be cured," Liv finished softly. "I don't blame you. I just don't know how much of that would be real, and how much would be compulsion, like that just was."
Serana hummed, eyes unblinking as she watched Liv, then nodded. "Come back with me."
"I can't –"
"We can take him back to town. But come back home. Alduin is dead. Come back."
"He's not dead, Serana. He's here, and alive, and I have to deal with that," Liv frowned, putting a hand on her hip.
"He's gone from Tamriel, then. All of Nirn; that's enough. Let them deal with him."
"No. Maybe he won't come back in a few days, a few months, a few years. Maybe he'll never come back in my lifetime. But what if he does? What then?"
"Then it's someone else's problem," Serana shrugged, half-pouting at Liv.
She scoffed, shaking her head and turned away. "For someone intent on living forever, you're forgetting that Alduin's the one to bring about the end."
"If he succeeds in the future, then he succeeds. But until then, I'll consider it forever."
Liv stopped pacing, staring at Serana when a roar split the sky. "Durnehviir?"
"He wanted to come with. Thought he'd be able to help track you down faster, if you were here," Serana admitted, gaze flitting towards the mountains.
Liv huffed softly, shaking her head. "Say hi to Durny for me. And go home, Serana. I've got unfinished business here; I need to take care of that first."
Serana pouted, brows pulling together. "I will come back for you."
"I know. I'm not ready to go back, yet."
"What if you die here?"
"Then hopefully I will die killing Alduin, and save them and us," Liv said, lips curling into a tired smile. "Go home. Please, Serana. Durny too."
The vampire sighed, her expression smoothing away as she looked up at the moon. "Fine. But take this; it's what you need to open the portal to the Soul Cairn from here. Be careful, Liv" she said softly, lifting a sealed envelope and closed the gap between them, kissing Liv's cheek and turned away, making her way up the hill to the portal.
Liv exhaled through her lips, closing her eyes and shook her head, trying to force away any of Serana's accidental compulsion that lingered.
"How the hell am I going to get you down the mountain again?" she sighed at Rossi, still unconscious in the snow.