TOUCHING THE SKY
Kind of ironic that the vampires were wanting an artifact from the sun god. Auriel was one of the elven gods, located in a land called Aetherius. The bow in question draws energy from the sun itself, which in turn connects the divine world to the mortal plane. From what Serana told me, the bow hasn't been held by a vampire, and she's not sure what will happen when I use it.
The Night Mother is certain I can use it as any normal bow and that it can be coated with the botched cure I was given. I'm not sure if she's trying to make me waste it on the bow or if it will actually work. Something to think about later.
The carriage pulled away from Falkreath and got us to Darkfall cave in a matter of days. I left the priest with a hefty sum of gold and made sure he had a house to go to. Vorstag helped with most of it. I left Serana to babysit Cicero, felt like the best option.
When we were done, I confided in my new vampire friend. "I'm not sure what's going to happen after Harkon is dead."
His eyes fill with compassion. "Eve, if it's her. If she tries to take over your body, I'll be here to help you. I can help fight."
Tears threaten. "I don't know, Vorstag. I can't go through that again." My mind is assaulted with memories of his body falling after the Blade pierces him. Always the same position and same expression on his face. "Molag Bal took me through that moment countless times. Maybe a hundred in all. I can't do it again."
"I understand, Eve. But I'm stronger now and I know what I'm up against." I hear it in his voice. That determination.
Get going. She growls.
"Promise me this." I say, maybe to her and to him. "Don't hurt him."
Only if you do as I said. Kill Harkon.
Vorstag bows his head when he sees me talking to her. "I vow to keep Eve safe and, on her path, to destroying the vampire menace. Give us safe passage and it will be done."
That is fine. Get going.
I take in a deep breath. "She said she will. But you need to make a promise to me Vorstag. If she tries to kill you through me, takes over my body, or sends Cicero at you, you need to leave. Run and never return."
His face darkens. As usual, he's facing an internal moral war. "I'll do what I can."
I won't get a better answer than that. So, the rest of the way to Darkfall Cave the presence of the Night Mother hung heavy in the air. We were all silent, save for Cicero's ballads.
Darkfall Cave doesn't look like the resting place for a weapon from the gods. It's just another dingy cave we have to creep through. Or so I thought. The whole group is following me. I make the wrong turn and head over a conspicuous looking bridge.
Nothing on the other side. "Dead end!" I yell back, not very tactful but whatever is in this cave will have a hell of a fight on their hands if they try to engage us.
Cicero turns to run across the bridge, he's been waiting for a kill all day so I can understand his eagerness. Shaking rolls the bridge left then right. Vorstag grabs onto the rope railing to steady it, but it's no use.
The wood plummets, taking Cicero with it. Vorstag leaps for him leaving Serana and I gaping after them.
"That was unexpected, what do we do?" Her voice is rattled.
"A fall won't kill us and there's no other way to get off this rock, so," I shrug then leap for it. I used to be uncoordinated but now I perfect a dive, straight down into the rushing water. A splash signals Serana falling after me.
The relentless waves come crashing down on us. I guess they're not waves though, more like running water. Thankfully, the rocks are deep enough we don't get flayed alive on them. I squeal when the water takes us down an opening and cascading down the falls. Out of the corner of my eye I see them, millions of frostbite spiders. But before I can take in the sight I'm plunged into the deep.
A hand not so gracefully grabs my hair and pulls. I squeal once again but am only lifted out of the water headfirst. Vorstag drops my braids immediately. "I'm sorry Eve, the current was about to take you downstream."
"You saved Cicero." The jester spits out a mouthful of water then looks on Vorstag with gushing eyes.
Great, at least he doesn't want to kill him. "Where's Serana?"
"Here!" She chokes, the water is dripping off her vampire armor, making it look more impressive than it was before. "Got a little lost there."
"We're all together again and we'll stay that way." Vorstag emphasizes.
We'll see how that goes. The bow is near. Go to the shrine…
"This way, guys, the Night Mother says it's over here." We walk through the dimly lit area. With my vampy senses I can see a little bit better. A troll is in the distance, so I steer everyone the opposite direction.
No sooner than ten steps, far too close to the troll for comfort, does the shrine emerge. It's sunken into the ground so the white dome is the only thing sticking out but based on the sun sign decorating the top, I think we found the right place.
A white elf, from head to toe, stands basking in the light of one of the sun statues. "Come forward. You have nothing to fear here." He says to the group.
Cicero eyes me and pulls out his dagger.
He's nothing to fear, he will be the ferryman.
"Mother says he's safe." I tell the group but more for the jester's benefit.
Vorstag is the first to approach the man. "Hello, we were looking for a shrine such as this."
"I guessed as much," The man replies, "I am Knight Paladin Gelebor. Welcome to the Great Chantry of Auri-El."
Interesting name. "This is the temple to Auriel?" I ask.
"Auriel, Auri El, Alkosh, Akatosh…so many different names for the sovereign of the snow elves."
"You're a falmer?" Serana asks.
"I prefer snow elf. The name 'Falmer' usually holds a negative meaning to most travelers. Those twisted creatures you call Falmer, I call the Betrayed."
I cut through the pleasantries, "I'm sure you know why we're here."
Tension rises, Vorstag glances at me with a brow raised. I stand firm. "Of course. You're here for Auriel's Bow. Why else would you be here? I can help you get it, but first I must have your assistance." He smiles.
The Night Mother is furious. He's stalling, he did it the right way.
"I need you to kill Arch Curate Vyrthur…my brother."
Not entirely surprising but, "Why?"
"The kinship between us is gone. I don't understand what he's become, but he's no longer the brother I once knew. It was the Betrayed…they did something to him. I just don't know why Auri-El would allow this to happen." I see the steel in this guy's eyes. We won't have a choice.
"What exactly did the Betrayed do?" Vorstag asks.
The man's face screws up. "They swept into the Chantry without warning and began killing everyone without pause."
"I see, did you fight back?"
"The Chantry was a place of peaceful worship. I led a small group of paladins, but we were no match for the Betrayed's sheer numbers. They slaughtered everyone and stormed the Inner Sanctum where I believe they corrupted Vyrthur."
"But you don't know if he's alive!" Vorstag argues. I'll hate to see his face when he finds out this man knows exactly what he's doing.
"He's alive. I've seen him. But something's wrong. He never looks as though he's in pain or under duress. He just…stands there and watches, as though waiting." His gaze becomes unfocused with the memories.
"He might be under a spell." Vorstag, the ever-moral man, says. I know exactly what he's thinking. Trying to find a way out of killing this man, believing him to be innocent.
"Mother wants the bow now." Cicero snarls, his dagger is still in his hand even though I told him not to keep it.
The snow elf smiles. "But you have to complete the contract first. I know who you people are, you are part of the Dark Brotherhood." Bingo. That's what I was waiting for.
"Yes." I say begrudgingly.
"I performed the Black Sacrament some time ago. A while ago in fact, so this has been a long time coming."
Vorstag looks like someone killed his pet horse. "You performed the Black Sacrament against your brother?"
I wince at the undertones in his voice. He knows all too well the feelings of losing a sibling. "He's lost. He needs to die." The snow elf replies coolly. His eyes shift from one person to the next, assessing us.
"Have you tried getting into the Inner Sanctum?" Serana breaks the awkward silence.
"Leaving the wayshrines unguarded would be violating my sacred duty as a Knight Paladin of Auriel." Snow elf puffs his chest out. "And an assault on the Betrayed guarding the Inner Sanctum would only end with my death."
"Hm, what is a wayshrine?" She asks.
Snow elf beckons us to follow so I push a shocked Vorstag out near the white dome sticking out from the ground. Snow elf lights up his hand, like a restoration spell and the sun decorating the dome glimmers. The water ripples and soon the ground is chaotic, shaking like a small earthquake was about to take us.
A room rises from the floor, with a solitary bird bath looking thing in the center. "So, this is snow elf magic. Incredible." Serana marvels. I bring the other disgruntled two closer to the shrine.
Doesn't look like much inside. "This structure is known as a wayshrine. They were used for meditation and for transport when the Chantry was a place of enlightenment." Snow elf addresses the three of us.
"Prelates of these shrines were charged with teaching the mantras of Auri-El to our Initiates."
"What's that basin in the center signify?" Serana asks.
"Once the Initiate completed his mantras, he'd dip a ceremonial ewer in the basin at the wayshrine's center and proceed to the next wayshrine."
"So, these Initiates had to lug around a heavy pitcher of water. Marvelous." Serana grumbles.
"This is a portal? And we're using it to find our contract?" I question.
Yes. The fool is sending you out into Skyrim and wasting our precious time…
Good enough for me.
"Yes. Fill the pitcher with water from each shrine and you'll be able to go to any of the five portals. Once that is completed, you will be able to enter the Inner Sanctum."
Serana's brow furrows. "So, you just end up dumping the water out?"
"It's ceremonial I don't expect you to understand," The snow elf emphasizes.
"And we're doing all this nonsense to get to your brother, to kill him, then come back and get Auriel's bow?" I have to chime in. His head whips my way and I see his frustration rising.
The Night Mother agrees. I clench my jaw to keep her rambling from getting to me.
"I know how it all sounds, but if there was another way, I'd have done it long ago." The snow elf says, not the slightest bit remorseful.
The Black Sacrament was performed. We can't sit around and argue this. Your next contract is in the Inner Sanctum.
"Why not send us to the Inner Sanctum first?" Serana proposes.
"Yes, yes! Just send us to the brother's whereabouts first!" Cicero jumps up from his sulking on the ground.
"The only way to get to my brother is by following in the Initiates' footsteps and traveling from wayshrine to wayshrine just as they did. The first lay at the end of Darkfall Passage, a cavern that represents the absence of enlightenment. The other five are spread far apart across the Chantry." The man won't budge.
"These caves must be massive." Serana glances at the wayshrine in front of us.
"Caves? Oh, no. The Chantry encompasses far more than a few caves, as you'll soon discover." The snow elf smirks. "Here, before you're on your way you'll need the Initiate's Ewer. Fill this at each wayshrine, when you've located one there will be a spectral Prelate tending to it. They will allow you to draw the waters from the shrine's basin as if you've been enlightened."
He hands me the heavy jug, almost like this thing is made of cement. "Thanks." I grunt.
"This may be the last time we're able to converse. If you have any questions before you leave, I suggest you ask them." He tacks on.
Vorstag seems to want to ask something. Probably more about the history or the morality of what we're about to do. "I think we're good, thanks. Unless you want to stay, Vorstag?" I interject.
I want to give him a way out. If this is too much for his conscience then it's a good enough excuse as ever to bail out. He can get to Morthal from here in no time. Adventure around Skyrim when he wants to but more importantly stays nice and safe in the Inn. Away from Daedric Princes and vengeful assassins.
"No. I'm staying with you to the end, Eve." His voice is firm.
"Fine." I step up into the little shrine. The Ewer lifts the water perfectly from the little bird bath. In seconds the opposing wall shimmers, leaving a portal to a very dark cave. "Let's go. The sooner we stab the brother we get the bow." I lead the way.
Cicero laughs, Serana follows solemnly, and Vorstag seems uneasy. But we all step through the portal, one by one, until we all end up on the other side for the Betrayed.
It was a bitch and a half to get through this cave. Falmer were everywhere, creeping around every corner. And even though they were blinded and slow, they were powerful. I used my Nightingale Bow at first. When I realized my archery wasn't up to par, the Falmer weren't slowed down in the slightest, I began using the Blade.
It was fast. I severed body parts here and there but then the witch in the group began using electricity.
The Night Mother sighs. Don't panic.
Before I recognize what's going on, power explodes out of me. I scream with the force of being a conduit. Lighting races from my body to any poor creature left in the way. When the blinding light show ends all that's left is ash.
Vorstag and the others are further up the cave, "Eve, are you alright?!"
"Fine. Just found a new Falmer repellant." I hobble up the way to find them in one of the Falmer villages. This was taking too long. I didn't mind but the Night Mother did. She was too close to sending me back into the fray of the storm so I shifted.
Blood coats me, pulling my human skin away from the beast. When my wings burst from the trapezius muscles along my back I roar. Cicero giggles but the look on Vorstag's face is pure terror. I don't have time to console him, so I go in for the kill.
Twelve Falmer in all. I guess there was a call to arms that sent them running here. I varied my weapon of choice, vampiric drain here, a little slashing with talons there, a few wing slaps and maybe a gargoyle summoning or two. Sadly, they didn't make the whole fight.
The room was dead again, so I shift back. I sigh when my muscles settle back into my human skin. "Eve, is that what Harkon did to you?"
I turn to see Vorstag with that look of terror still on his face. "Yes. Only way I could stay and spy on him. You get that power too?"
"No, no, Molag Bal didn't mention it. But you looked like him. Scared me half to death for a second. Was it painful?" He nearly winces at the question.
Oh, didn't think of that. "Nope, just felt powerful."
He nods solemnly. Only I can see how much this wounds him. I guess I forgot completely what we are, monsters of the night. The very thing his family tried to fight. Again, I want to console him but growling up the path reveals more Falmer.
"I'm alright. Let's get through this and I'll tell you more about it later." I end up saying.
He smiles that familiar smile and follows, no questions asked. Don't know how I deserved someone so loyal and unyielding to be helping me through this. I only hope he doesn't provoke the Night Mother. Based on her promise, nothing will happen to him. But I've been with her long enough to know how fragile promises are.
Second wayshrine was thankfully at the end of the cave. Took forever to get to. The remaining two were in a snow-covered valley, filled with rabid dogs. The last one was hell to get to. We arrived at it only after entering a Falmer village, wouldn't be much of a problem if not for the towering bridges that lifted people high up into the air. This was their territory, so they had the upper hand with the unfamiliar terrain. I slam the final, witchy Falmer down to the ground, her spark power finally fizzles out.
Breathing heavily, I look back at the scene. The four of us are still upright and going. The shrine is at the edge. Night Mother advises.
"Thanks." I growl. Really hope there's no more Falmer up there.
Instead, it's the same as the others. Some enlightened ghost tells us to continue on our path and he brings the wayshrine out from the ground. We step through the portal, one more time. On the other side is a towering castle carved out on the side of a mountain.
"This has to be it. I haven't seen anything like this before." Serana mentions.
"Cicero doesn't care, Cicero just wants blood." The jester responds to her.
"This is it?" Vorstag whispers to me.
"Looks like it. You sure you don't want to…wait out here?"
He laughs, "You don't have to protect my innocence anymore Eve, what I saw with Molag Bal is far worse than what we're about to do."
I swallow uncomfortably. Not sure if that's supposed to be a jab or a reassurance. No matter, once inside a metal statue of one of the Elves is there to greet us. Up the steps sits another pedestal for water. No brainer what is required. I pour the water from the cement Ewer in, it trails down the pedestal and runs along the grooves in the ground. The sun symbol on the door spins, bringing the doors open and allowing us inside.
"Here we go." I whisper. The Night Mother is tense, He is close.
She told me all about him the whole way in. I forgot most of the details since I told her once before, I didn't want to know the life story of the contracts. Makes it harder to finish the job. While tuning her out, I take in the final room.
It was a circular center, a stage of sorts, surrounded by people encased in ice. "They're all frozen." Serana gasps. "How long have they been here?"
"Long time, right Mother?" Cicero croons as he walks to each one to look onto their faces.
I ignore them and walk up to the shrine in the center. It lights up, bestowing us with a blessing. I think. A door on the other end opens. "We need to keep moving."
"Agreed," Vorstag takes the lead, walking us into another room. A throne room to be exact. More statues of frozen Falmer are littered around the way. On the throne, behind a few deadly ice spikes sits a man who was a dead ringer for the snow elf who sent us here. He looks positively bored.
"Did you really come here expecting to claim Auriel's Bow?" He drones. "You've done exactly as I predicted and brought your fetching companion to me."
"Wait, is he talking about me?" Serana exclaims, she looks over at me with worried eyes.
"Not for long." I growl, starting to hate the guy on the throne. Based on Vorstag's body language, he was starting to also.
"I don't think you know who you're talking to." I shoot back. The man sits up a little straighter, taking in the entertainment. "I'm Eve, leader of the Dark Brotherhood. Your brother called a hit on you so that's why we're here. Have any last words?"
He just grins, showing me those pearly whites, "Yes, enjoy the show."
The ice statues in question begin to explode, one by one. Leaving their pissed-off captor to launch straight at us. The others begin their fight with the new enemies, but the Night Mother keeps my sights set on the man on the throne.
Focus only on him, everything else is a distraction. She whispers. He is weakest when he thinks he won. Give him that glee before turning on him.
I take that advice and run with it. I begin walking up the steps, only staring at this guy. He grimaces when he sees I'm not fazed by the baddies down below, so he starts snapping his fingers. Pieces of the ceiling come crashing down. My companions yell at the intervention but get out of the way when I look.
Focus only on him.
"Don't hurt any of the others." I command her.
Keep trusting me, they're fine without my intervention.
I glance back to make sure, my own doubt confusing me. Cicero is fighting a Falmer at the far end. Serana tackling one of the many bug creatures near one of the pillars. And Vorstag is in the center taking on the brunt of the enemies. He keeps looking up, waiting for another fall from the rocks.
I'm kind of distracted and that's exactly what she warned me about. I get a sharp smack in the face from the brother. I exaggerate, falling to the ground in a heap as if his strength was too much, even for me.
He laughs, long and loud. Too long. I turn just in time and send an ice spike right to the face. He screams as it hits him in the cheek. Power races around me and engulfs him. He goes on screaming again but instead of a quick death the whole building comes down.
My companions yell when the stone hits the floor. I launch myself at the snow elf but he's too quick. He's running away like the coward he is.
"Everyone alright?" I yell to them, please let them be okay.
They are. Kill him. She reminds me.
I count all three, the two vampires pull the jester from the rubble then run to follow me. I decide to follow her advice and race after the brother. He's sniveling about something and tending to his injuries up on the tall balcony that overlooks the vast valley down below.
"Enough Vyrthur. Give us the bow!" Serana yells from behind me.
The man does a double take when he sees my face. I know what I look like, covered in blood and with glowing eyes and sharp fangs, my gaze is determined. I probably look like a wild animal. She's guiding me. The man might actually fare better if he dove off the balcony right now.
"H-how dare you! I was the Arch Curate of Auri-El. I had the ears of a god!" He sneers at me, but his eyes betray his fear. As all contracts do.
"Doesn't matter," I smile, just a little bit, "You've committed crimes against Skryim and her people, what say you?"
His face is a mix of horror and confusion. "Crimes? Hiding the Bow is a crime?!"
Something alerts me when he opens his mouth, it never was close enough to see. "You're a vampire?" I stop, five feet from him.
He keeps rubbing his arm. "Yes! When I was changed, Auri-El turned against me! I swore I'd take revenge against him."
"Against a god?" And I thought I was crazy going against Daedric Princes and deities.
"Auri-El himself may have been beyond my reach but his influence on our world wasn't. All I needed was the blood of a vampire and his own weapon, Auriel's Bow."
"The blood of a vampire? Auriel's Bow? You created the prophecy?" Serana puts the pieces together.
"Yes, the prophecy that lacked a single, final ingredient…the blood of a pure vampire. The blood of a Daughter of Coldharbour." He sneers.
Vorstag moves to protect her, but Serana just strides up to the brother snow elf and grabs him by the neck. "All this time, I've been waiting for someone to come for my blood. Well, too bad for you. I intend on keeping it. Let's see if your blood has any power to it!"
Before I can congratulate her on her badassery, the snow elf shoves away from her, using his feet. Then for an instant he's suspended in the air and surrounded by light.
Not good. Evade then kill him while he's distracted!
The elf explodes, power surges around us and before I gain my footing, he charges for Serana, they both go down the walkway and onto the ground below. I hear Vorstag and Cicero jump into action. The elf called on an ice thrall as a distraction but it looks like Vorstag has that one in the bag. I aim, leaping over the edge right for the snow elf. The Ebony Blade was hot in my hands, so I point it downwards.
The man can't get out another cornball sentence. My Blade pierces him right through the back and out the chest. Directly through the heart. He gasps, then falls dead.
Serana is breathing heavily and based on the look she gives me, she wanted that kill. "Needed to be done quickly." I remind her. "That guy was a showman, he wouldn't stop the theatrics." I raise my hand to show her the now melting ice thrall.
She just shrugs, "It's done, he won't be coming for my blood anymore."
The wayshrine. She speaks.
The shrine in question raises from the ground, with the original snow elf emerging from it. "So, the deed has been done. The restoration of this wayshrine means that Vyrthur must be dead and the Betrayed no longer have control over him."
I gulp, this will be awkward, "The Betrayed weren't the ones at fault."
His brow furrows, "What are you talking about?"
"Your brother was a vampire. He controlled the others."
He seems shocked for a second. Then, he composes his expression, "A vampire? That would explain much. Deep inside, it brings me joy that the Betrayed weren't to blame for what happened here."
"Why?" Serana steps into our little circle.
"Because that means there's still hope that they might one day shed their hatred and learn to believe in Auri-El once again. It's been a long time since I felt that way and it's been long overdue. My thanks, to all of you."
"You're welcome." I say, looks like this really made him happy. I was worried there for a second that this would be a double cross and he would turn against us in the end.
"You risked everything to get Auri-El's Bow and in turn, you've restored the Chantry. I can't think of a more deserving champion to carry it than you." He says to me.
Behind him, in the shrine, a light glows from within. I take in the form of the Bow that appears. Snow elf moves to the side to give me time. Each step I take is heavy. This is the weapon that will destroy the man I sought for years. The man who's been pulling the strings this whole time. Yeah, I'm not a perfect shot, but I'll make this one count.
I lift the golden Bow from its place in the air. Almost like plucking a floating feather from the sky that was going to help me fly, this Bow is now mine to command. Power, much like what I found in the Ebony Blade and in the Axe Clavicus Vile wanted, shows in this. But it's a different kind of power. Not dark and malicious, but noble and just. I hug it to my chest. The object of Harkon's demise is finally in my grasp.
But there is a darker side to this revelation. Once that arrow pierces him, and kills him, She will be in charge. Something dark and deadly in the castle will take over. Something the Daedric Princes have been warning me about. Holding this Bow also brings that possibility into reality. Once I kill Harkon I will have to move fast. The words sit on my lips, the ones that the dragon in the Soul Cairn taught me. The plan isn't the best, definitely not what I wanted, but it's all I have.
Cicero's Journal Entry
22nd of Rain's Hand, 4E 202
Another contract dead. Another weapon found. This is it. This is what we've been waiting for! Cicero is shaking with anticipation…soon, Cicero must keep Listener safe on the journey home…she has a very taxing task to take on.