A.N. Yes, the story is alive. Somehow. Hope you all are doing fine amidst these curious times.
Serana was growing concerned for Danny. Ever since they left that temple he had been quiet, a trait that was most unusual to the always optimistic and carefree half-ghost. His look was so distant, it truly must have been a shock for him. And even the fact that they got the bow they had sought so desperately from the smashed corpse of Vyrthur was of no comfort to him. Serana held to the thing, examining the object that had brought them so much trouble. Made of a pearly white metal, it gleamed under the sun like a mountain spring. Upon showing before Gelebor, the couple also received a quiver full of special enchanted arrows, to be used only with the weapon. Phantom was the one carrying it on his back, abandoning the ewer he had been so worried about before.
The Snow Elf was surprised to hear that his brother had been a vampire all this time. He did seem quite dense if he hadn't been able to figure it out beforehand. And with this the two undead left the valley, left the caves, and exited back in Skyrim. And still not uttering a word. The sun set, and it was probably a good time to sit down and have some dinner. With some meat left since lunch, they didn't have to do anything but to sit down on a fallen log and eat in silence as the campfire flickered before them,being the only eager thing here. It was then, under the light of full moons, when Serana decided to finally stop this.
"Danny... I know you must feel... lost about this whole thing."
"You have no idea," whispered Danny, not touching his food. He had lost his appetite.
"But it shouldn't be the reason for you to take some vow of silence."
"I already spoke, didn't I?" Phantom snorted, "Don't try to sugarcoat the situation. I know what I did."
"You killed a bastard, Danny. The one who ruined my entire family. That prophecy of his turned my father in a delusional monster. He got what he deserved."
"And that's why it is so easy for you to say. You got your vengeance, but my hands are now bloody."
"My first time was not easy either," Serana mumbled. "And I felt just like you do, perhaps even worse."
Danny turned to his companion, in whose glowing eyes there pain deeper than his. And, as his nature took the reigns, he put a hand on her lap, as he was now inadvertently playing the role of the comforter, forgetting his own problem. Serana smiled softly at seeing this.
"Looks like something hasn't changed," she said.
"What happened, Ser?"
"It is you we should be worried about," the vampire responded, before sighing. It could be a way to make Danny get over his own shock. "It was during the first week of me being a vampire. I was eighteen back then. My parents took all of this with ease, blood began flowing through the halls of Volkihar instead of wine. But I didn't want this, despite me being sacrificed to Molag Baal. I stood away from blood as much as I could, and my parents decided to teach me a lesson. They locked me up in a room with only some random thrall. I knew what they wanted. That thirst... it grew stronger day by day, I tried to resist until I... snapped. Blood was everywhere, I drank it until there was nothing left. The man was dead, in that room I only saw his dead eyes staring at me. I sat there, until my parents came. You are probably just as disgusted and horrified at me as I was."
"I... of course not!" Danny raised his voice.
"Yet you are horrified of your petty act? One of those statements is certainly a lie."
Phantom stopped before he could say anything. She was right. It was nothing compared to what Serana had gone through. "Ser, you were afraid of what you did. I am more scared of what is to come. I am scared of what I WILL be shall I take the wrong turn."
"This again? Danny, you are the softest person I've met. And if I haven't turned out like my father, then you absolutely won't either."
"I am not a saint. And I once stepped close to the line, who is to say I cannot do so again?"
Serana sighed, grabbing his shoulders. That boy was unbelievable. "Listen here, you scaredy cat. Shit happens, so you get yours together. It is how we go about the problems that matters. You can keep on being yourself even with this fact behind you. I did, so you. Can. Too."
"You sure can give a stimulus," Danny responded dryly. "I guess... I'll try to cope with this mess. It's just... in my world people don't have to do this normally. And I'm sure the case is the same here. But I'm glad I am not alone through this."
The vampire smiled, before elbowing him slightly, "Well, it's not like I can go anywhere. You are the one who can teleport us."
"That's right... I guess we should meet with Dave before anything. He is probably tired of waiting all around for us."
Despite the sour taste of the recent events remaining in Danny's mouth, he was able to finish his dinner. After packing everything again, Serana took Phantom's hand and gently squeezed it, reminding him to properly focus. And soon after half of Skyrim was covered in a blink. The power was extremely handy, and the vampire noticed how quickly her companion got accustomed to this relatively new power. As he had put it during their journey before the whole ordeal "Now I won't ever get a tardy! Take that Lancer!". Serana chuckled at the remembrance as they stepped out in one of Whiterun's shady places.
The city at night was dark for a place this overcrowded. Something just did not bode well with how empty the streets were, unusually so. A dreadful feeling tapped on their hearts as the situation was obviously not well. The couple didn't make it far because as they turned a corner, the two bumped into a group of guards with a loud clanking sound, well, Danny did. The light of their torches theoretically should have been seen beforehand. Odd how the couple hadn't noticed.
"Ouch," Phantom mumbled, rubbing his forehead.
"Oi, what are you two doing out here at night? Or have you been living under a rock?"
"No, good sir," Danny responded. He was still being mockingly polite, even if the past bitterness was yet to leave his voice, "We have been on a hunt for an extremely important artefact and returned here soon after using the magic of instant teleportation. I hope you can forgive our obliviousness."
"This doesn't make any sense!"
"Hey, Ragnar, just look at him, the lad is a mage obviously. Who knows what they can do."
"Still, it is suspicious that two people would come out of nowhere, snooping at night."
"Don't you think that we would have made a more believable excuse otherwise?" Asked Serana.
That was Danny, alright. Being able to tell the truth whilst making it sound like total nonsense.
"Huh. Makes sense, I guess. Still, the martial law applies to everyone. Go sleep in the tavern there, lads," the guard pointed at one of the building, "What I wouldn't do for a bottle of mead right now. After the night is over you may do your business."
"A martial law?" Phantom asked again. "Against whom?"
"The rock ye slept under was exceptionally thick, eh? Stormcloaks, cursed traitors, they came here to capture the city. We're under siege."
"Where is Da...Dragonborn?"
"In the jarl's palace. Probably preparing a defense. He can kill dragons all he wants, but even he won't be able to fight against an army."
"I actually beg to differ," Danny shrugged, looking at Serana, "Then again, I did fight either," he winked, leaving the vampire confused.
Was he... trying to impress her right now?
"Alright lads, look here. We may have overlooked you being out so late. But you won't be allowed to go to another part of the city. Just wait till morning."
"Thank you, kind sirs," Danny bowed theatrically, "This Lord of Oblivion shall not forget you!" He turned around in direction of the tavern.
"Just ignore him," Serana said in a mixed tone, "It is his coping mechanism," she all but whispered upon coming to realisation.
But she knew him enough, and knew how pained the again-grinning teen felt beneath the seemingly usual behaviour. She was not going to be deceived. Following her companion inside the awfully quiet place, Serana wasn't able to make it far inside, as Danny stopped her near the doors.
"So are we going to rest here and wait till your sworn enemy shines at us from above or we go there now?"
"The entire palace is asleep right now, there is no use in sneaking out," Serana logically reasoned.
"You make a fair point. Do we actually have money on us to get a room?"
"We'll see," the vampire mumbled, digging inside a purse, "Just barely. We won't be having breakfast tomorrow."
"To violate the sanctimony of a warm breakfast is a crime. And I'm growing sick of that venison, really. Dave better pay us back for such detestable attitude."
"Danny," Serana sighed, "Are you sure you are alright?"
"Peachy, I am a newfound murderer!"
The few eyes that could turn their way certainly did so now. Under the scrutinising gazes Serana was quick to clear the issue.
"He was a vampire who tried to kill us, Danny," she repeated, "If it weren't for you, I would be dead."
"Well I am dead inside right now," Phantom grumbled, going forward, "Know a capable necromancer for the job?"
The vampire was growing annoyed with his behaviour, concerns being pushed on backstage for the time being. Even her patience and care for the man with a special spot in her heart could not always overweigh everything else as Danny was really pushing it.
Their shared room presented a unique opportunity of solitude and at the same time a general lack of privacy. When half of the wall was an open balcony to the innards of the tavern, one could forget a night of tossing under the blankets, if you catch the meaning. There was a small ugly curtain, however, one that Danny hadn't waited to pull. Sighing, the teen stepped deeper inside the room, which had little beyond a bed and a wardrobe. Tapping on the wall, Phantom thought for a while, before talking.
"I need to sleep. Maybe I will have a clearer mind in the morning," he mumbled.
"Good idea," Serana responded, sitting on a chair. Phantom meanwhile fell on the bed, without undressing he set off on the path to dreamland. No more words were exchanged between them. The vampire considered getting some shut-eye in the process as well. It never hurt to be fully charged, she could see why humans did it so often.
Neither slept all that well, for the minds plagued by certain woes, small and big can hardly find relaxation. The first to wake up was Danny. And it happened in the middle of the night. Sighing, the young man sat straight, before noticing the sleeping figure of the beautiful lady he had had the luck of attracting. He really felt like a shithead, yet Serana really was worried about him, and now he inconsiderately kicked her to the chair. Danny hissed and rubbed his forehead. Of course she wouldn't take the bed, she was too prideful to ask and too embarrassed to join him. Phantom got up, standing over the vampire for a couple of seconds, adoring the calm beauty of her face. Then, using the power of telekinesis, he gently lifted her, before picking his girlfriend up bridal style. Let her take the bed.
The morning came with a startle. Loud, explosive sounds shook the entire building, and Danny, being already on the edge of the bed, fell off with a jump and a yelp, effectively pushing off the remnants of sleep from both companions.
"What the hell was that?!" Phantom explained, bolting to his legs in a split second.
"That would be the Stormcloaks," Responded Serana without enthusiasm, "I guess breakfast will have to be postponed."
"Just for that I am eager to full-heartedly support the Legion. Come on, Ser, we have to find Dave before long!"
Maybe the sleep really did help his obnoxious side to vanish, the vampire wondered. But before she could come to the conclusion, Danny was already at the doors.
"Wait for me, you impatient sod!" Serana exclaimed, running after him.
In seconds the couple emerged from the tavern out to the market forum, plunging into the ocean of screams and panic. It was clearly early in the morning, and a giant flaming ball at the place where Belethor's shop used to be was a clear indication of given circumstances. In order to prevent the spreading of the flames the nearest mage-soldier fired a gust of frost, extinguishing it as the couple ran down the street. Where does one find a Dragonborn who in his armour would stick out like a sore thumb? He obviously would leave the palace and run to the frontline, to the headquarters of whoever took charge of the defence.
As they saw a plentitude of legionaries, the answer became clear as day — some legate took the reigns. For something like this to happen so soon, it surely was surprising. And to find the legate, one only needed to follow the soldiers. The plan worked like a charm, with the couple soon reaching the city gates. Danny felt Serana tap on his hand. Then she nodded in direction of the barracks, and there stood the familiar blonde Chosen One. The couple approached him.
"No, you idiots! Can you even tell the difference between stab and slash?" He told the soldiers, "Those soldiers out there are battle-hardened Nords, you rookies are going to die. So hold your spears tight, your life literally depends on it."
Phantom smirked slyly, "Morning, Dave!"
Dave froze. Only one person in the whole of Tamriel called him that. Turning around, the Nord smiled tiredly. On one hand, he was glad to see the kid return safely. On the other, he knew full well what all of this entailed.
"You've picked the worst time to get back, lads," Dragonborn responded, dismissing the hopeless militia, "Wish I could talk to ya, but we have a problem on our hands."
"Ah, yes, Douchebag Stormcloak himself came, right?" Danny asked.
"You mean Ulfric? Yes, he must be there somewhere, I doubt that he would miss the chance to shine."
"To legitimise himself he intends to show his power and military prowess," reasoned Serana, "Because he already showed that he can kill an unarmed person with a shout," she rolled her eyes.
"How noble," Danny muttered, "So, if someone was to capture him...what would that mean?"
"Well, for this you will have..." Dave's widened, "When I think of it... you can actually pull this off."
"Sneak into the camp amidst a bloody showdown and kidnap the self-proclaimed High King of Skyrim," Serana chuckled, "This should be interesting. And it will be ruinous to Ulfric's image as long as... nobody figures what you are," she whispered the last part.
"I'm fine as long as I don't have to kill anyone."
"You still hold to this," Serana noted.
"Of course, even if it is war. If I can... I will stop myself from harming anyone. One accident is not going to change this."
Dave snorted and shook his head with a smile, "Honestly, lad, you are not Daedra in the slightest."
The man approached the young man and put a strong hand on his shoulder, not shaken from the impact, "We will hold the attack. Not sure if we win, so we count on you. It's going to have an extremely anticlimactic ending. What 'bout you, lass? I doubt you can go with your man."
Serana shrugged, "I'm no good on the battlefield. And this armour looks quite impractical."
"No magical mumbo-jumbo to help?" Dave raised an eyebrow.
"I'm not THAT proficient in destruction magic to cause a firestorm. Or anything like it for that matter, I am just an Adept... a couple of undead soldiers I can do. But I doubt it will make a difference."
"What about 'Ice whirlwind'?" Asked Danny, making his companion hunch her shoulders. She had hoped to sit back on this one.
"Yes. It could help if I shoot from above. Make it quick, snowflake," the vampire waved her hand and strolled away.
Danny heard a snicker. Turning around, he saw the Nord laughing into the back of his hand.
"Did...did she just call you snowflake?" He asked, before bursting into full laughter. Phantom threw him a light glare.
"Trust me, it's not only because of white hair," he mumbled, "Where do I find Ulfric?"
"Don't know. But when the fight escalates, he will be sure to show up. So for now, stick close to me. The legion is already fighting the bulwark outside. Come on."
Danny quickly went after the Dragonborn, "Why the hell are they doing it outside and not behind the walls?" He asked as they neared the gates, wide open and simply inviting everyone to come in.
"See this twisted upwards road? It's easy to defend. As the rebels will be coming all the way to the gates, the archers will be pecking on them. And the legion will prolong the Stormcloaks' exposure to this nasty rain. There aren't many Imperials, so in this narrow pass they will be most useful."
"Speaking of, why are you even fighting?" Danny asked, "You didn't want to get involved."
"Heh. Well, it was them who attacked the city. You made a good point once, if Skyrim is independent, the Dominion will just smash it into Oblivion. The Empire at least has a chance at fighting. If Ulfric fails to realise at least this, he is a good for nothing ruler."
Danny smiled sadly, "Maybe that was his initial intention. Now I think he realises that it is too late to back down. He is knee-deep in shit."
He was snapped out of conversation by an arrow flying his way. With a yelp, at the last moment he turned intangible. The arrow pierced the ground.
"Yikes," Phantom said calmly, before seeing a flaming ball, "What's with the people today?!" He exclaimed, jumping away at the same time Dave did. Before Danny got up, he saw the defending legionaries being beaten by the Stormcloaks — the heavily armoured brutes with two-handed weapons: swords, axes and hammers, assisted by a couple of mages. There weren't many amongst them. Seeing the slaughter, Phantom glared, his eyes glowing brightly.
Enough force behind the punches was enough to knock them all out. Even the stronger ones. Or he could do this — use the Illusion magic Serana had taught him, he could fill even the most valiant hearts with fear. Danny's hands gleamed with crimson light. Then he jumped on a stone to gain a leverage, began to toss the bolts of light at each and every Stormcloak. However, his skill was inefficient for getting rid of anyone but the rookies who looked no different than the average city guards. But their confusion brought disorder to the formation, allowing for a brief push of the legion. The Stormcloaks had to move further away from the gates. The Imperials held their shield wall in a perfect synchronisation, differing them from the valiant and strong, but disorganised warriors of the north.
Grinning, Danny saw that Dave lunged forward, shield and sword at the ready. His armour of dragon bones made him stand out. And once he shouted, the entire unit of the enemy soldiers were engulfed in flames. Phantom needed to see Ulfric. Dodging the arrows shot from the enemy archers' lines, he found a cover and turned invisible. Bolting upwards, the young man was able to look around from above. If he was a self-centred prick who calls his entire movement by his last name, where would he be? Danny cursed himself for not paying attention in history classes. Where would the leader be? Behind the army, most probably. He wouldn't want to get shot by a lighting.
Dave fixed the grip on his sword, taking it from the stomach of another foe. It sickened him to kill his kin, but the one at fault shall be punished for that. The looks of hatred they gave him before dying... they saw him as a traitor to their nation. And that greatly pained the Dragonborn. He was their protector, damn it, protector of the entirety of Skyrim. And yet his weapon was sullied by the blood of good people, misguided by the delusional bastard. In his mental rant Dave didn't see another man lunging at him from behind. At the last moment Dovahkiin turned around, but before the strike landed, a spike of ice pierced the soldier.
"Keep your eyes peeled, dragon brain," Serana said, approaching him. Her hands gleamed with icy sparkles.
"I thought you were shooting from above."
"I got kicked out of there. They don't like necromancy," the vampire grumbled, before tossing another spike. The good thing was that the two adventurers were not forced into any formation or unit.
"Cannot imagine why. Fine. Stick close to me, lass, you are shit at close combat."
"What did you say?"
Phantom saw the group of people on horses standing far away. And on top of one of them rested an object that Phantom recognised as the Jagged Crown. How the hell did it end up on the man's head? Nonetheless, only the King of Skyrim wore it, meaning that it was Ulfric himself. Danny flew forward, dodging all the projectiles inadvertently hurled at him. He had to act stealthily until he landed. There were twenty of armed horsemen, if one was not to mention the rest of the 'royal' escort. Danny furrowed his eyebrows in thought. Capturing him would be difficult. Landing on the grass behind everyone, he dropped invisibility and coughed loudly, and in a relative quietness of the place, he was easily heard.
"May I have the dubious honour of speaking with Ulfric Stormcloak?" Danny asked with mocking politeness.
Everyone was startled by a sudden appearance of the boy in black mage robes. The soldiers clutched the handles of their weapons.
The man in the crown curiously turned around. He had a certain air of nobility, wearing a distinguished armour with furry parts. His green eyes examined the boy, obviously unsure of what he was seeing. For a spy the lad was too noticeable right now. Danny grinned innocently.
"Well, I am here, lad. What do you want, and be quick."
"Simple, really. I am but a humble messenger suggesting that you surrender."
A laughter erupted among the soldiers, who, as is the tradition, didn't think much of a kid. Danny didn't react, he had expected this.
"Has Legate Scipio lost his mind?" Some especially savage-looking man asked. "You are brave to deliver this message, lad."
"It has nothing to do with the Legate," Danny smiled, "It was a mere...suggestion on my behalf. Ulfric Stormcloak, for your stupidity and a series of murders caused by the Civil War, you are under arrest."
Everyone backed away upon seeing two blazing green embers for the eyes.