Valeria spotted the jetty in front of her. She beckoned them to follow her. Valeria reached the jetty to see the little boat bobbing up and down on the water. It had been parked against the shore, inviting them to sit in it. Without further ado, Valeria positioned herself to sit in the little boat. To her surprise, she slid straight through it and into the freezing water underneath. Eleonora arrived first. She took Valeria's hand and pulled her from the water.
"Thank you," said Valeria. Her black leather armour stuck to her wet skin. She shivered as she cast fire to dry herself off.
"You know for someone who was reluctant to follow us, you are being awful helpful," said Lucinda.
"Well," said Eleonora. "I'm warming up to you."
"Speaking of warming up," said Valeria. "How are we going to cross the water to get to the castle.
They were silent for a moment.
"Ice," said Lucinda. "We can freeze the water to make a path."
Valeria nodded in approval. Her sister cast ice to freeze a path. She leapt onto the ice and gestured for them to follow. They were not a moment too soon, the second they stepped onto the ice, Lucinda moved forwards as the ice melted underneath them.
The threesome huddled together as the ice path melted behind them, only to be momentarily extended in front of them. They shuffled across the water in this manner until, at last they stepped out onto the island of Castle Volkihar.
"Good thinking sister," said Valeria.
Lucinda nodded in gratitude.
Just then, a feeling of faint overcame Valeria. She gasped, and leaned against the watch tower wall.
"Valeria," called Lucinda instantly. "Come on, we're almost there."
"What's wrong with her?" asked Eleonora.
"Adventus Aetas," replied Lucinda.
"I've never heard of that," said Eleonora.
Lucinda fumbled in her pockets and pulled out her final blood potion. She uncorked it and tipped the contents down her younger sisters throat. At once, Valeria's eyes glowed red and she came to.
"Better?" asked Lucinda.
"Much," replied Valeria. "Thank you."
Lucinda extended her hand. Valeria took it and allowed her sister to pull her to her feet.
"What just happened?" asked Eleonora looking between them both.
"We are born Vampires," replied Lucinda. "At 20, we come of age. Our thirst for blood is the strongest for a full moon cycle after our first meal. Little Valeria has another 7 days until Adventus Aetas has passed. Which is why we need to get back to the mortal realm as quick as we can. We just used the last of our blood potions."
"Let's not dally," said Valeria. "Come on."
She lead them up the stone bridge towards the Castle. They approached the door to the Keep. Valeria pulled the door open and lead them inside. The threesome bolted into the Keep and crashed into the railing at the top of the stairs. Eleonora gasped, Lucinda made a noise of disbelief and Valeria stood between them, her mouth open with surprise and fright.
Molag Bol stood proudly in the Great Hall of Castle Volkihar.
"Valeria Volkihar," he said. "I've been expecting you."
Valeria looked down at him. She had seen pictures of him in books, but it was hard for her to fathom just how grotesque he was in the flesh. She wrinkled her nose at the sight of him. Lucinda was equally disgusted. Her wide eyes narrowed as she took in his features. Eleonora however threw him a look of contempt. As opposed to disgust, she was more interested. Confident it could be said.
"What do you want?" asked Valeria looking down at him.
"I want you little princess," he sneered cocking his eyebrows. "We have a ritual to perform."
"I'm not performing any ritual with you," retorted Valeria.
"You don't have a choice little princess," replied Molag Bol. His voice dripped with hope. "If you want to remain a Vampire you will do as I command."
"Piss off," cursed Lucinda. She raised her hands and shot chain lightning at him.
The lightning bounced off his thick skin. She ducked as the lightning singed her hair. Molag Bol cackled loudly.
"Pathetic Vampires," roared Molag Bol. "You cannot defeat me."
Eleonora pushed the sisters aside.
"Defeat this," she said boldly.
She summoned a Dragon Priest, who in turn summoned a Storm Atronach. She leapt from the stairwell, landing in front of him.
She shot overlarge ice spikes at Molag Bol. He raised a ward, blocking every single spike she fired at him. He drew a bound battleaxe. It glowed blue to form a Daedric Mace with ornate carvings and decorations. He swung it at Eleonora. It caught her and sent her flying across the room. She caught herself just in time. She guided herself back onto the ground. She raised her hands. A truly huge example of Chain Lightning issued from her tiny hands. They struck the ward. There was a colossal explosion as red light filled the room.
Eleonora, Lucinda, Valeria and Molag Bol were thrown onto the floor as the ceiling collapsed on them. Eleonora was the first to recover. She stumbled to her feet, just as Lucinda and Valeria pushed themselves up. They brushed the dust off themselves and prepared to battle once more. The great figure of Molag Bol stirred.
"Go," commanded Eleonora. "Go now. Find a way back to the mortal world."
Valeria drew her bow. Eleonora turned to face her. She grabbed them both and threw them bodily across the room.
"Get out of her," she ordered. "Now!"
Valeria looked at her.
"We're not leaving you," she said.
"Yes you are," said Eleonora. "Go. Go now!"
Molag Bol stirred. He spotted Valeria and made a beeline for her.
"Get out of here," called Eleonora.
She fired Chain Lightning at him as he advanced on Valeria.
"We'll come back for you," called Valeria as her sister dragged her to the door. "Do you understand. We will come back for you."
She watched Eleonora helplessly. Lucinda pulled her with all her strength. Valeria felt her sister tugging her armour and allowed herself to be dragged away. She sheathed her bow and ran after her sister. She pulled open the door and sprinted into the courtyard. Valeria followed her and looked back into the Great Hall. A stray bolt of red lightning struck the door inches from her face. Valeria slammed the door and leaned against it, breathing heavily.
"We shouldn't have left her," said Valeria.
"We didn't have much choice," said Lucinda resentfully.
They stood in the empty courtyard. In between them was a large moon dial. The hand of the dial was broken, with the shadow creator completely sheared from the metal it was attached to. Valeria studied it carefully for a moment.
"We must find the other piece," she said thoughtfully.
"You thinking this could be our way out?" asked Lucinda.
"I'm hoping," corrected Valeria. "Not thinking."
She and Lucinda trudged through the barren, lifeless gardens. The object they were looking for would be black and made of Iron. It wouldn't be too difficult to find.
"Got it," said Lucinda.
She pulled it from underneath a large, dead bush. She dragged it to the moon dial and laid it on the floor, just as Valeria joined her. Together, they hoisted it onto the moon dial and slotted it into place. Valeria held it into place as he sister spread fire on the cracks, joining them together as the metal melted as one.
They took hold of and were about to turn it.
"Wait," said Valeria. "Which moon should it be on?"
"Try the full moon," suggested Lucinda.
They spun the dial to the full moon. Nothing.
"There's a surprise," said Valeria.
She thought for a moment. She then looked up at the sky and saw a new moon burning in the sky. She then looked down at the moon dial and grabbed the hand. She and a bewildered Lucinda turned the dial towards the new moon. The hand struck the new moon. There was a rumbling underneath them as an opening appeared beneath them. A large stone door could be seen at the bottom of some stairs.
"Come on," said Lucinda. She dashed down the stairs.
Valeria looked back at the doors to the Great Hall. She could hear the immense battle raging between Eleonora and Molag Bol. She looked at her sister and then sprinted to the door.
"Valeria!" called Lucinda. "What are you doing?"
"We can't leave her," said Valeria.
She pulled open the door just as Eleonora came bolting towards her. She looked up to see Molag Bol surrounded by a large red ward.
"Let's get out of here," she said urgently.
Valeria opened the door as Eleonora dashed through it. Valeria looked back horrified as the magical ward popped.
Molag Bol roared loudly. He spotted Valeria and made a beeline straight for her.
"By the blood," whispered Valeria horrified.
Her sister grabbed her by the scruff of the neck.
"Time to go little sister," she said.
She dragged her around just as the door burst open. Molag Bol darted straight for them.
"You are mine little princess," he bellowed.
Eleonora pulled open the stone door to reveal a shimmering blue portal. She dived into and disappeared. Lucinda shoved her sister into it. She looked back to see a pair of horns approaching her. She leapt into the portal. Her boots left the ground as she was catapuled away.