NEW BEAST
The ring was effective. It was keeping the daedra from contacting me. No one came to speak to me, to give me words of encouragement or advice. The man who was there, thought he was being helpful, but he was the furthest thing from it.
I woke up in a form I never knew was possible. I was grotesque. I was large and muscular. I was intimidating. Might as well call me a Daedric Prince. But nope, I'm a gargoyle. A freaking gargoyle.
I rise on steady and powerful legs. But it's not enough. I float about the ground, my powerful wings propelling me. My taloned and strong hands hold power in each one, a red orb in my right and a black one in my left. The scent of blood is everywhere. I begin to shake and the form of the beast slowly slides off me. Blood runs down my body almost like I was encased in that form.
"Awake at last, good." Harkon emerges from the shadows. We're in a room I've never seen before. Panic constricts my heart when I realize I may be locked in here. "The power is growing within you, and now you must learn to wield it."
I look from his face to the statue next to him. Molag Bal. The vampire laughs, "A shrine to Molag Bal, the mighty Daedra Prince who is father to all our kind. Our power is a blessing from him. It is he who first bestowed the gift of the ancient blood upon me."
All I can do is stare. For once, I wished the statue was the real thing. Then he could rip this vampire's head off. "You made a pact with him?" I ask.
"In an age long forgotten to history, I ruled as a mighty king. My domain was vast, my riches endless and my power infinite. And yet, as my mortal life neared an end, I faced a seemingly invincible enemy- my own mortality. I pledged myself to Molag Bal, and in his name I sacrificed a thousand innocents. In reward, he gave everlasting life to myself, my wife and my daughter. And so, I have defeated mortality itself." I would say he sounds proud but he almost sounds bored. One of the downsides to this immortal thing.
"One of the first vampires," I murmur, what did Molag Bal say about them? Right, "I spoke with him, he wasn't too fond of his first ones. They were more or less guinea pigs."
The lord's brow furrows. "The blood is making you delirious, as expected. My blood is potent. At first, the body is overwhelmed by it. After my bite, you collapsed and fell into a slumber. Now your flesh has acclimated to the new blood that courses through your veins. I assure you that no harm was done. In truth, your strength surprises me. Not all mortals can withstand my embrace."
This whole situation doesn't feel good. And the fact that I woke up as a freaking gargoyle. I briefly remember Nocturnal talking about this, something about it being the most powerful vampire form. The best thing I can do is use it to my advantage. Who knows if it will wear off?
"Tell me about what just happened. What was I?"
As if startled by the question, he begins to pace, "Ah, your new powers. You should be grateful for them. With my guidance you will become a deadly instrument, striking terror into the hearts of mortals wherever you tread." He grins, first time I've seen him smile. His fangs barely peek out.
"As a gargoyle?"
He sighs, exasperated, "No, as a Vampire Lord. Now, listen to my words and do as I instruct. The true power of the ancient blood is found in the form of the Vampire Lord." He stalks towards me. I back up a few inches. "Assume the mantle of the Vampire Lord and continue."
I swallow, "How?"
"Feel it? In yourself? That hunger? Let it free."
I think about that very hunger he was talking about. The feeling in my throat, the fire that wanted to be let free. And it lets itself out. The wiggling, ravenous feeling pushes against my skin. I yell out when it bursts free. It's painful but also cathartic. Almost like my skin was too tight for my body.
I discard my human skin. It drips into blood that runs down my new shiny pelt before disappearing. My muscles constrict then lengthen. It feels like they were tight for too long. What goes for wings along my shoulder blades stretch out to their full extent. It was weird because I was still me. But I didn't look like myself.
I have graying skin, larger than life muscles, wings, and a new outfit that looks like bandit armor running down my body. My hair is white and tangled into a braid down my back. I nearly squirm when I see the red gem on my chest, the one that was on the assassin's necklace. Was she a Vampire Lord?
Harkon begins to pace, "In this form, you can drain the life from your foes with your right hand. With your left hand, you can wield the power of blood magic to raise the dead." I glance at the left hand, raise zombies, right hand, drain life. Easy to remember.
"You can also call upon the powers of night to turn into a swarm of bats and reappear some distance away." Cool.
"Should you grow weary of magic, you can descend to the ground and fight as the beasts do. Do so now and we will continue."
I flap my wings then fall to the ground, talons ready to rake someone to pieces. "Good," He says, "You are weaker while on the ground, because you cannot access the blood magic. However, the night powers are still yours to command, and your claws are still formidable weapons."
Oh, I can see that. My talons must have been more than an inch long. "Over time, your powers will grow in strength and you will find new ways to use your gifts. There is much to learn, but if you master the powers of the Vampire Lord, few enemies will be able to stand against you."
Good. "One more thing you must know. Slaying mortal men with your life drain grants you new night powers and blood magic. I keep a stable of thralls in the castle should you need to feed like the baser vampires to starve off the sun."
Nope, didn't need that. I had my armor, but I sure wasn't going to tell this murderer. "That is all I can teach you. I have a task that will test your new powers, but first, do you have any questions?"
Well, let me just try to talk. I do so and a growl comes out, like nothing I've ever produced before.
"It would be good to know you are like a beast in this form. You cannot talk, but it only takes moments to change back." He gestures with his hand, signaling just that. "To revert, reign the power in. Think of control and silence."
That reminds me. She's watching all of this. A new weapon to add to her disposal. This will save you. She says, but it's almost like she's talking through water. She's further away. I can still hear her amusement though. I think back to what it felt like to be a Nord. My smaller hands, smaller body, reigning in the beast. None of it works.
I growl in frustration. "Think of something that would ease your fears and your hunger." He mentions.
Blood. I think of blood. The sweet nectar that always extinguishes the fire. How badly I needed it when I first changed, the first blood I drank. Vorstag's. I'll always remember what it tasted like. It was sweeter than most people's. If only I could taste it…
I shrink in a way. The form melts off of me and turns to blood that stains my skin. Soon, I'm standing in a puddle of it. But I'm back to normal.
"Good. Go and speak to Garan Marethi. Tell him it is time. He will understand." My alleged target turns, dismissing me. When he's gone, I scour the stone covered, decaying room for any clues to aid the investigation. Nothing. This place is strangely bare. I'm almost surprised it wasn't turned into a shrine for Molag Bal.
In the hallway, I walk slowly. Try to watch every corner and shadow for what could be waiting for me. I'm almost embarrassed to say I wasn't expecting it when sharp, deft hands grab my arm and pulls me into an alcove. "Listener! You're alive! Cicero was worried! But Mother soothed my fears…" I find the jester, smaller than before and darker circles under his eyes. He looked like hell.
"What happened to you?" I nearly gasp. I've never seen him like this.
"They make Cicero sing. Cicero dance while they dine on flesh. When they ran out, they needed more blood…" His eyes betray what happened. He's not my favorite, and some days I want his head on a spit. But I can only imagine what it was like to be fed off of without any seduction.
Most feedings calm the prey, something in the fangs and the way it's done gives them an air of bliss, however, that can go wrong really quickly. It's happened to me once or twice and only when feeding from enemies. They began to scream and thrash. It was apparent they were in great pain. I mean they're getting stabbed and siphoned out. That's the reaction I'd expect.
"Don't worry." He gives a small smile. "Cicero dealt with the worst of them. Their bodies rot upstairs behind the dressers."
Ice fills my core. "What did you do?"
"Exacted payment. It will take time to find them, don't worry Listener."
I want to smack the smirk off his face. "Don't you get it? We're trying to investigate here to find out what's truly happening. If we kill them before that then our efforts are fruitless."
"Listener! Whatever did he do to you for two days? Give you some skooma?" Cicero laughs, "HAHAHA Mother chose a goody two shoes. Do their plans or methods matter? Or their heads rolling?"
He had a point. But I couldn't shake the feeling that something was going on here. "Just be careful. We can take them on but not all at once."
His face falls when I remind him. I huff, exasperated, "Did you take out all the ones who fed from you at one time or pick them off individually? Basically, does anyone else know?"
He just smiles, "Not at all, Listener. No one is the wiser! Unless you tell!"
I let out a breath. "Good. The Harkon guy wants us to go do something for him. Unless you have to go sing again?"
"Never." He whispers. "Cicero would stay in the shadows in the depths of the castle if he could escape that fate."
I just drag him along with me. But I have to keep in mind his mistakes, if he makes any more, I might have to boot him out and back to the Sanctuary.
No one will notice their absence. I will make sure of it.
"Oh, so you're like Nocturnal now?" I spit. My stress fueled mind was constantly on the edge and it was only so long until it would break.
I am not that whore and you are never to speak of her again. I am doing you a favor. Keeping you safe.
"Bullshit!" I yell, completely oblivious to the vampire milling about in the main room, which we just walked into. "For all I know we're being led like a sheep to slaughter! Great way to treat your children, Mother."
That familiar flaying of electricity was coming. I could feel it in my bones. But I now had a trick up my sleeve. The power raced down my body, just waiting to drill holes into my skin, but I was quicker. I changed forms in an instant, my human façade fading away to the ground. The beast now remained, powerful and ready for blood.
The lighting power faded until it was nothing. I felt her scream. I nearly grabbed my head but stopped when I saw the other vampires gawking.
"Listener!" Gasps Cicero. He's paler than a Nord.
"Fuck off." I say to her, but it comes out as a growl. I'm sure she still gets the point. I drop and fade back into a human, this time it's effortless. I feel her. She is shaken. "Don't tell me who or who not to talk to anymore or I'll shift."
She's speechless. So is Cicero, he's slightly shaken and continues to speak to himself. I just herd him through the room to find this Gordon character. When she finally regains her voice, she says this.
How dare you threaten me? You know your friends are still at stake.
She's right and it's horrible but the longer I spend time away from them, the more I doubt her influence on them. I have Cicero, the only other person to hear her, under my thumb anyways.
"How about this? We respect each other and you help me to get through this without berating me. We have a common enemy." I whisper. She agrees.
Fine. Find Garan. We need to see Harkon's intentions, for all we know it might put Skyrim in jeopardy.
I smirk. Like she ever cared about Skyrim. If anything, I consider what just happened right now a victory for me. A new beast was in town and those powers were shaping up to be more useful than I thought.
Cicero's Journal Entry
22nd of First Seed, 4E 202
Listener is powerful now. Very powerful, Mother, what a scare she gave poor, sweet Cicero! This castle is filled with evil. Cicero would feel at home if not for all the fangs and glowing eyes.