UNSEEN VISIONS

"Oh, fine. If Listener wishes! The hero claims a warrior's heart! I tell you now forever the Dragonborn comes!" Cicero squeals.

Nazir and Babette dropped off midway on our journey. More contracts to kill. Apparently, the Night Mother was giving them out like candy. I just rested my head on my knees the whole way. Cicero was absolutely overjoyed and was taking requests for songs. This was mine. Even though Cicero can't seem to remember the words the meaning was the same. If I could hear about dragons, then I could keep my head in the game. When Harkon was dead, I can call on Durnehviir and he could help me get to the portal.

That's what I keep telling myself, but she is not happy, her presence lingers. Large hands take my own shaking ones. "Eve, is everything alright?" Vorstag whispers, thankfully I can hear him over the shouting Cicero was now doing.

"Yes." I lie. "Just ready to get back."

Vorstag raises a brow. He's not buying it. But, true to the good heart he has, he doesn't pry.

"An end to the evil of all of our foes! Right, Listener?! The contract on the vampire lord will soon be complete!" He jumps for joy and nearly faceplants it on the snow strewn ground. "Ah, ehm, I forgot, where was I? Oh, yes! Beware, soon, now! The Dragonborn comes! When the darkness is here the legend will grow! You'll know they have been waiting! Ah, Cicero forgets! But a good song that was, all for Listener!"

He stops where the dragon speak begins, which is good, he might butcher it. Instead, he addresses the crowd. "Dragonborn! We'll know when he comes! What folly! So funny! Listener, maybe that is our next contract, eh?!" He sends me a wink.

I squeeze my eyes shut. Yeah, wouldn't that be just my luck? Finish killing one of the most powerful vampire lords only to be sent on a quest for one of the most powerful beings ever to lay foot in Skyrim? Allegedly, of course.

Perhaps that will do. She laughs.

Chills race up and down my spine. Vorstag continues to rub my arm for comfort. Cicero went into another song, but I kept my eyes shut. All I could envision now was the Soul Cairn. When I was there, I could finally have some peace from all of this.

Vorstag was floored by the massive castle. I was so jaded by it at this point, all the smells and conniving creatures inside, it wasn't that impressive. But he could have his own opinion. "This is…breathtaking. I didn't know such a place existed!"

"Wait till you get inside," I grumble. I let Serana lead the way, both Elder Scrolls in her arms. Vampires "oohed" and "ahhed" when we entered, all eyes on the pristine Scrolls in the precious daughter's arms. I pushed us on. I saw him up in the balcony.

"How may I serve you, milady?" Dexion asks as the four of us enter the tiny balcony. I see he now has a cloth wrapped around his eyes.

"What happened?" I spy for any eye gouging. Wouldn't that be just like the vampires here?

"Few chosen ones can divine events of the past and future within the scrolls, though in time, it drives us to blindness." He says matter of fact.

I recoil at it. Didn't know that would happen. "I'm sorry," I whisper.

"It's a small price to pay for the knowledge of the divine." He states.

I shift on my feet. "We have the other Scrolls."

He sighs, "I'm afraid I won't be able to help you with the Scrolls any longer, milady. Please, don't be angry with me."

"Is it because…" I trail off, not really wanting to state it.

"I'm afraid in my haste to read the first Scroll, I neglected the time I needed to prepare. The failure is purely mine to bear."

The fool. She snarls.

I ignore her the best I can, although she is louder than I have heard her in some time. "As you can see from my bandages, it's not that I'm unwilling, it's that I'm physically unable." He continues.

"Well, maybe there's a cure of sorts." I mumble.

"If only! I'd overcome the impossible in order to secure it if it meant pleasing you." He says creepily, I forgot how bound to me he was.

He is no use anymore. He will be dead by sunrise.

Right, the vampires of this castle are certainly getting antsy. "Although I would gladly die by your hand, perhaps I could offer an alternative way to read the Scrolls?" He asks before anyone says a thing.

"Sure, what is it?" I glance over the balcony and see hungry, prying eyes looking our way.

"Oh, thank you! Thank you! Scattered across Tamriel are secluded locations known only as Ancestor Glades. There's one in Skyrim, in the Pine Forest. Performing the Ritual of the Ancestor Moth within the glade should provide the answers you seek."

"What kind of ritual?" Serana asks in a calm voice. She saw them too.

"It only involves carefully removing the bark from a Canticle Tree which will in turn attract Ancestor Moths to you." Can't tell if he means real moths or more priests like him. I smirk at the vision of priests running for us. "Once enough of the moths are following, they'll provide you with the second sight needed to decipher the Scrolls."

"And how do we gather the bark?" Serana asks.

"In keeping with tradition, you must use a specific tool in the Ancestor Glade, an implement known as a Draw Knife. Every Moth Priest is taught this ritual, but few ever get the chance to perform it…you should consider yourself fortunate if it works for you."

"Any order these should be read in?" Vorstag asks, he moves closer to lay a hand on the man's shoulder. I turn to find the final companion. Cicero gives me a wicked grin and mimes cutting his own throat.

I won't let him kill this man. We'll take him with us and let him go…somewhere.

Dead weight? You are that noble?

"Last I heard no one performed a Sacrament on him." I growl.

Serana and Vorstag look at me. The man continues. "From what I saw in the vision, the Elder Scroll which foreshadows the defiance of the gods with the blood of mortals is the key to the prophecy."

I sigh, "Alright, how about a little road trip? Wish to experience the wonders of Skyrim?"

He gives me a blank expression. "Yes, I would follow you to wherever you wished, milady."

"Good, first we'll go to the Glade then, you choose your favorite city and we'll set you up there with as much gold as you want."

The Night Mother hisses, Wasting precious time.

I ignore that. The longer we drag this out the more time I get. No one bothered us as we left, which was surprising. I thought Harkon would swoop in to take the Scrolls or finish off the priest himself. When we exit the castle, I get my answer. He's standing right outside with his hands clasped.

"Good. I see you have the rest of the Scrolls." He's practically salivating when he sees them. "They have been read?"

"Not yet, taking them to an Ancestor Glade to finish the job." I glare at him. He's becoming covered in snow, almost like he hasn't moved from that spot in a while. He smiles at me, knowingly in a way.

"We can take the priest off your hands if you wish."

"He stays with us." I say firm and final. Vorstag hears the tension and grabs the priest by the arm. Out of everyone here I expect he'll defend the man to the death.

"Fine, fine, I was merely curious." He stares me in the eyes. "Be good out there and bring back the information needed."

I wished to bare my fangs, instead I give a tight smile. "Don't worry, we'll try to be quick."

Not as joyous of a carriage ride. I stuck the priest firmly between me and Vorstag. Serana sat uncomfortably across from us and Cicero glared from the remaining seat. "Oh, how I missed the scent of pine!" The priest says.

"Yep, so where do you want to go?"

"Anywhere. Falkreath might be a nice place to visit. I remember the scents and sounds of the forest. That would be calming."

"Done." I say. One of the furthest cities from the Castle. That gives us about five days on the road, and that's if we're going fast.

"Mother doesn't like the side trip." Cicero grumbles. He begins to sharpen his dagger, glaring from the priest to Vorstag.

"Mother is patient." I echo his words from so long ago.

"Mother is patient, but not so when we are close." His pupils dilate, and his gaze becomes unfocused. "Dead weight." He whispers. Then goes on carving again and again.

"Falkreath it is then." I lean back in a comfortable spot but never take my eyes off the jester.

The Ancestor Glade was a sight to see. Towering rocks opened up to let in light and large waterfalls that cascaded down into the little valley. Stones dotted the path downwards until we entered a little area filled with towers. A solitary tree was in the center.

"This place is beautiful. I doubt there's anything else in Skyrim like it." Serana muses. The rest of my posse fans out behind me. I thought about leaving the priest, but then Cicero might sneak off, and Vorstag was necessary so I thought: why not bring them all?

"The Knife." The priest says, he leans heavily against Vorstag, not that I blame him. Cicero creeps around him. "There." He points.

The knife looked like the bottom piece of a jaw, I did the honor and pulled it from its circular pedestal. "We have the Knife." Serana says, "Now all we need to do is track down one of the Canticle Trees."

I look back down at the Knife, how to use this? "What do we do with it?" I ask.

The priest answers, "Scrape the tree with the sharp edge to release the bark," It sounds easy, but looks like it might be difficult.

"Where?" I begin but I'm interrupted.

You're wasting time, yet again. Don't think I know what you're doing.

I'm locked into place. My legs and arms are nearly immobile but I'm forced forwards to the tree. It glows from the pristine light from above, such an ethereal thing to be broken. My arms reach, the Knife scrapes the bark and after three pieces fall, I'm let go.

I stumble backwards, nearly shaking. "Hope the moths like that bark as much as Dexion says." Serana steps up on the platform to help me retrieve them from the soggy ground. Once I stand up, I gasp. Moths painted brown and soft yellows fall from the sky in a fluttering mass. They surround us, their wings gleaming gold in the light.

"Woa," Serana breathes, "They seem to like you and unless I'm seeing things, you're starting to…glimmer."

I am? I look down only to find my armor glittering as much as the moths. Maybe something was going to happen. This might be Mother's doing. Maybe I don't have more time.

Get over yourself, this is part of the ritual. She whispers.

I sigh. Hope Cicero didn't hear that. "The light!" The priest yells. "The Scrolls can be used now!"

Light floods the room, so bright it takes moments to regain my vision. I feel Serana hand me one of the Scrolls. I paw at the end, looking for the latch to get it open. The Night Mother sighs and directs me.

The Scroll opens…and damn. The light inside of it is so bright, so blinding, I'm surprised Dexion could have done it once. The runes from the Scroll glow across my vision. Before I can calm my breathing Serana hands me the second one. I open it. Same blinding light.

I'm gone. I'm floating over Skyrim, the vast lands dance under me. A few places I recognize, Whiterun with Dragonsreach at the helm. Riften, my old city up in the Rift. Then I turn to find Morthal, beyond it a cave. Once in the cave it sits, glowing and perfect, a gift from the gods. Auriel's bow shines with gold.

Maybe I died, maybe I don't have to run from her anymore.

You know where it is now.

I wake up with a gasp, my armor is drenched from the ground water seeping in. Faces of my friends crowd around me. "You okay? We thought we lost you for a minute." Serana kneels next to me.

"Listener! What did you see?" He's right next to my face, I sit up to keep memories from flooding back. Of me and him in the same spot, but he was getting ready to bury me…

"The bow. I saw the bow. It's in Darkfall Cave." I spit out some water. It's almost like someone dunked me in the inch-deep water.

"Then it's almost over. We can finally rewrite this prophecy as we see fit. Where is Darkfall Cave? I want to get there before my father tracks us down." Serana says eagerly.

Right. "It's near Morthal." I say.

Cicero glances back at the companions. "Are you sure they have the right intentions?" He whispers to me.

"Yes." I growl. "We'll be fine." I grab his arm as emphasis and drag him with me up the path. I'll take charge then. She wants me to get this bow then I'll drive the damn carriage to the cave to retrieve it. Stalling was only making the problem worse.

"Come on!" I yell when the rest of the group slowly follows. "To Falkreath then we go to Darkfall Cave. Once I have the bow…Harkon is in for a world of hurt."

Cicero squeals with laughter.

Good, Child. Once you get the bow, I grant you the kill. No one else.

The rest of the words are left unsaid, as they should be. If anything, I had the kill to look forward to. I've been waiting four years for it.

Cicero's Journal Entry

18th of Rain's Hand, 4E 202

The final pieces are coming into place! Listener is anxious but I think she is excited. Her parent's killer is almost in her hands. Then she can rip and tear! Or give the clean cut with a blade! Whatever she wishes! As long as it is done, and we get the Castle!

Ohhh Cicero should be careful with his words so the others don't get…suspicious. Bard vampire has been catching onto some things he shouldn't and once the girl vampire gets over her father, she might see…silence will be our cloak, Mother. Cicero will keep his mouth shut until the vampire lord is dead at our feet!