Upon arriving to Dawnstar and stocking up on what little supplies they needed, Atreus and Ysmir made their way out of the rather small port city without any delay with their sights set on Dimhollow Crypt; the walk out of the city started off quiet and for the moment, there wasn't any trouble to be found.
"You're sure you don't want to talk...? Might help you ease your nerves..." Ysmir suggested simply as they left civilization and strolled into the wilds, which made Atreus roll his eyes lightly without looking back or even taking the time to slow down. "I thought you were going to drop it..." He snapped quickly before Ysmir gave him a light shrug in response.
"I was, but let's just say I'm not overly fond of watching someone with so much potential let the horrors of their past destroy them..." Ysmir answered before Atreus let out a noticeably frustrated sigh then turned to face him, the look in his eyes made it seem like his gaze alone was enough to freeze someone's blood within their veins.
"Let me guess, this is the part where you tell me that if I keep suppressing whatever pain's left over from my past, it'll only make things worse in the end and eventually destroy my very being..." Atreus said, his tone growing noticeably colder before Ysmir looked to him with a steadfast reserve then giving him a light nod in confirmation.
"In a way...but the only reason I'm staying on your ass about it is because there have been too many men like you...men who can't let go of events or choices that cause them nothing, but pain...good men who only wanted to help others and make a difference in the world...men who grow to hate themselves because they couldn't forgive something that was beyond their control." Ysmir said simply, making Atreus narrow his eyes a little bit before shaking his head lightly.
"I don't know why this matters to you and honestly, I really don't care to know...the only thing that ever needs to be known about my story is that it's better off lost and forgotten...there's nothing about me or anything I've seen or done that should ever be spoken of...all you need to know is that I'm the only one left who could tell it and I intend to have it follow me to the grave..." Atreus explained in a simple, but still rather cold tone as Ysmir just listened to him talk before he took a deep breath to keep himself from letting his anger take over without reason then meeting Ysmir's eyes.
"Do yourself and the world a favor...drop it...everyone's better off never knowing about me or my past...let alone that anything or anyone like me ever existed in the first place..." Atreus finished in a noticeably calmer tone before turning back around and continuing on to the crypt while Ysmir shook his head, let out a brief sigh and followed him without another word.
Before long, Atreus and Ysmir arrived at the still smoldering ruins of the Hall of the Vigilants and took some time to look around for clues that would give a little more insight into exactly what the vampires were seeking in Dimhollow Crypt, however all they found were the corpses of Vigilants, vampires and deformed, undead hounds.
"Well, at least they put up a decent fight before the vampires finished them off...guess some of them were a little more capable than I thought." Atreus said simply as he and Ysmir searched the bodies in the hopes of finding something useful, although there wasn't much aside from Ysmir's collecting some sort of ash or dust from the vampire's corpses.
"Aye, the Vigilants were decent fighters from what I saw of them...I feel like they're more used to witches and lesser Daedra than vampires, though." Ysmir suggested as he collected the ash from the last vampire he stumbled across, earning a light nod from Atreus as he rose to his feet and looked to his right, noticing the path that Tolan mentioned when he was providing them with directions to the crypt.
"Hey, when you get done playing around in the ashes, I think I found the path Tolan told us about..." Atreus said in a simple tone that sported a touch of wit as Ysmir turned his attention to Atreus then approached before pulling out his map, tracing the path out and nodding in confirmation when he connected the dots.
"That's it...the entrance to Dimhollow Crypt should be at the end of it." Ysmir said contently as he folded the map and placed it back into the pocket he pulled it out of, making Atreus give a content nod before he strolled forward and started making his way up the path.
"Alright then, let's go...the longer we take, the closer the vampires get to whatever artifact they have hidden in there..." Atreus said simply without missing a step or even looking back to make sure Ysmir was following him, although it didn't take long for the man to catch up and start following him along the path.
As soon as they arrived at the entrance, Atreus and Ysmir took a brief moment to look around and make sure they weren't followed or didn't have an ambush waiting for them before strolling into the cave's mouth quietly once they were sure the coast was clear.
Atreus and Ysmir strolled through the cave before noticing a shallow, snow covered crevice separating them from a gate that seemed to lead further into the crypt and seemed to be guarded by two vampires and one of the hounds they had found earlier.
"These Vigilants never know when to give up...I thought we taught them enough of a lesson at their hall!" One of the vampires began in an arrogant, but clearly frustrated tone as the two men looked between each other for a moment; they knew this now dead Vigilant must have been Tolan.
"To come here alone...a fool like the others." The second vampire, who was clearly a female due to the distinct difference between her voice and her male companion, who nodded lightly before a rather wicked grin formed on his lips.
"He fought well, though...Jeron and Bresoth were no match for him." The first vampire states only to earn a distasteful scoff from his companion. "Ha! Those two got what they deserved...their arrogance was becoming insufferable." She retorts, the comment making Atreus roll his eyes as he and Ysmir listened in on the conversation.
"Yeah, because your arrogance is much more tolerable..." He muttered sarcastically, almost making Ysmir chuckle in amusement, but he stifled the sound so that they wouldn't alert the vampires to their location; fortunately, the creatures hadn't noticed them yet and the first vampire let out a light sigh.
"All this talk is making me thirsty...perhaps another Vigilant will wander in here soon." The vampire said, the tone in his voice pretty much confirming the creature's claim as it gave off an unnatural thirst while his companion started pacing impatiently.
"I wish Lokil would hurry up...I have half a mind to return to the castle and tell Harkon what a fool he's entrusted this task to." She said bitterly before earning a look from the first vampire.
"And I have half a mind to tell Lokil of your disloyalty..." He warned with an almost cold tone only for the second vampire to give him an irritated sneer. "You wouldn't dare...now, shut up and keep watch!" She barked as they went back to their posts, their amber eyes scanning the area for any signs of movement.
"So, how do we want to handle this...?" Atreus asked in a simple tone as he and Ysmir looked around for a moment so that they could get a good feel for the area and how easily they'd be able to maneuver when the fighting started; Ysmir took a moment to glance over the ledge then back to the vampires for a moment before noticing that there was a path leading to the lower ground.
"Okay, I'll get their attention and kill the hound...the magic in this sword should send the vampires running after that, which will lead them down there, where you'll be waiting to finish them off; if one of them happens to resist the sword's magic, I'll finish that one off myself." Ysmir explained as Atreus listened to the plan, looked between the low ground and the vampires for a moment then gave Ysmir a content nod.
"Sounds good, let's go." Atreus said quickly before jumping down from the ledge and taking his position, drawing the Blades of Chaos when he landed while Ysmir made his way around the path and effectively attracted the vampires' attention.
"You should have stayed away, Vigilant!" The male vampire taunts as they each drew their weapons and charged while trying to drain Ysmir's life force; the hound lunged at the man only for him to plunge his sword into its chest, making it explode in a divine light as the corpse turned to ash while flames engulfed the vampires and made them flee as he had predicted.
Ysmir gave chase in the hopes of cornering them long enough for Atreus to deliver the killing blow before he managed to catch up to the female then decapitate her, causing her body to be completely consumed by fire and turn to ash as she exploded like the hound, which heightened the first vampire's fear as his flesh burned. It was at this moment when Atreus plunged one of his blades into the vampires chest, pulled him in and crushed his skull on one of the nearby rocks.
As they met up, Ysmir gave Atreus a content nod as he sheathed his sword and started looking around again. "Quick and clean, just the way I like it...now, let's see if we can find the switch for that gate." He said quickly as he started scanning the area for any signs of a lever or chain before Atreus gave him a nudge then motioned to the tower, which made the man nod in agreement.
"Aye...that looks like the best place to put it." He said simply as they strolled into the tower, made their way up the steps and found the rather simple pull chain, which Ysmir pulled without hesitation as the gate opened for them.
"Alright, now let's see what's waiting for us on the other side, shall we...?" Ysmir said simply, making Atreus give him a light nod as they made their way out of the tower and continued deeper into the crypt, which seemed to live up to its name the further they went.
After fighting their way through some skeletons and another vampire then making a brief stop in a room which held an Arcane Enchanter, Atreus and Ysmir continued into the next room before they heard fighting and eventually learned that the source of the commotion was a vampire struggling against a draugr. They watched the confrontation for a moment until the vampire eventually struck the draugr down then leaned against one of the stone pillars to recover his strength for a moment.
"I've got this one..." Atreus said simply as he pulled his knife, snuck around behind the vampire then plunged the blade into the creature's neck, which made him struggle unsuccessfully until Atreus stepped out into the open and finished pulling his blade through his enemy's flesh then watching the corpse fall at his feet.
Once Atreus motioned for his comrade to step out, Ysmir made his way into the tomb as they each started looking around for a moment until Ysmir started peeking through the gates that were situated in each corner of the room. "Atreus, you mind waiting on me by the exit...? I want to see if there's anything valuable in any of these rooms." He said after a moment before Atreus just gave him a light shrug in response.
"Fine...just don't take too long or I'm leaving without you..." He said simply as he made his way to the gate leading further into the tomb while Ysmir approached the first gate with his crossbow drawn and a bolt loaded into it.
When he reached the gate and took a moment to prepare himself, Ysmir pulled the chain to open it and noticed the sarcophagus at the end of it before drawing his sword as the torches lining the wall ignited, causing the tomb to pop open as a draugr stepped out of it; upon noticing the intruder, the draugr charged at Ysmir and attempt to cleave its aged and weathered greatsword through him only for the man to dodge the weapon, bash the creature with his crossbow then adjust his position long enough for him to plant a bolt in the side of its head and kill it.
Once he cleared the room out, Ysmir moved onto the second gate and pulled the chain before being met with a second draugr wielding a long sword, which made him replace the crossbow on his back and pull the divine blade he brought from Riften then engage the draugr in a duel; the ringing of swords echoed through the room for a few minutes before Ysmir found an opening and used his shield to crack the draugr across the head, force it into a corner then plunge his sword through its half-rotten flesh then watch the divine flames incinerate the creature until it turned to ash.
While Ysmir finished clearing out the small rooms behind each gate, Atreus waited patiently by the one leading into the next section of the crypt and had nearly talked himself into going on ahead before he saw the man strolling in his direction, which made him pull the chain to open the gate so that they could continue their mission.
After walking through the gate, Atreus and Ysmir found their way into a cavern that housed a rather shallow lake with various tombstones of unknown craft dotting the water before noticing a lone vampire sitting on the ledge that was perched above it.
"No way it's that easy..." Atreus said dully as they moved forward, catching the vampire's attention and leading her to draw her sword as skeletal warriors emerged from the graves hidden beneath the water and engaged them.
"Sometimes, I hate when you're right..." Ysmir said in a witty tone as he drew his sword and started attacking the skeletons, killing one instantly and triggering the fiery explosion that Atreus had become so used to seeing at this point while the remaining skeletons tried to flee only for Atreus to punch his way through them, shattering them with every swing.
The vampire prepared to flee once she witnessed the two warriors' onslaught, but before she could get anywhere, Atreus threw Leviathan and planted the axe deep into her skull, watching the body freeze instantly before calling his weapon back, which caused the corpse to shatter while the weapon returned to his grasp.
Ysmir looked to Atreus with a distinct mix of surprise and intrigue when he saw what the young man seemed to be capable of, he had seen much in his day, especially when it came to magic, but from what he had seen with Atreus so far, seemed like he was capable of things that many of the most seasoned mages question what they just saw.
After a moment, Atreus replaced his axe on his back and looked to Ysmir when he noticed his intrigue. "You coming or are you really that surprised...? We're getting close and something tells me the vampires are in too big of a hurry to wait on us..." Atreus said in a sarcastic, but kind of urgent tone as he started making his way up the ramp that led up to the ledge and into the next corridor.
"More intrigue than surprise, boy...I've seen a lot in my day, but that one's new...it usually takes even the most seasoned mages a lot of concentration and willpower to call a weapon back to them...and even then, there's limitations that prevent them from doing anything like that..." Ysmir observed in a noticeably intrigued tone as Atreus looked to his comrade and studied him for a moment before shaking his head lightly.
"This isn't exactly the best place to be discussing what kind of magic makes my axe work like it does...besides, even if I cared anything about telling that story, I'm not about to sit here and explain it to you when we have more important things to take care of." Atreus said simply before his attention back to the opening in the wall as Ysmir just brushed his curiosity off for the time being and followed him up the ramp and through the opening.
Once they stepped into the next room, they were greeted by vampires, more of the undead hounds that accompanied them and a few spiders who looked far bigger than they should be. Atreus didn't waste any time and kicked one of the hounds, causing it to let out a pained yelp before the sound of its bones shattering against stone filled the rather tight room as the vampires and remaining creatures tried to engage them.
As the skirmish continued, Ysmir struck one of the vampires down with his sword while Atreus bashed another across the head with his shield, grabbed it by the leg then swung it like a weapon before shattering its skull on the closest wall.
At this point, the remaining hound tried to jump Atreus and almost bit down on his shoulder, although he managed to catch it by the teeth and after a brief struggle, he snapped the beast's jaw out of place before shattering its neck then turning his attention to the spiders, which Ysmir had taken care of save for one. Upon noticing the last arachnid, Atreus pulled his axe and used it to split the creature's head in two like a piece of wood then kicked the limp corpse to the side as Ysmir looked around to see what the commotion was.
When he realized it was Atreus, Ysmir gave him a content nod as he propped his sword on his shoulder. "Thanks..." He said simply only for Atreus to give him a light nod before replacing his axe and walking forward with Ysmir close behind him; upon leaving the room, they emerged into a significantly larger chamber that seemed to overlook the rest of the cavern before noticing the large iron gate to their right that looked like it led into a much more elaborate tomb.
"I guess that's our next stop..." Atreus said simply as he and Ysmir approached the gate, stopping for a moment when they noticed another vampire fighting a spider that was significantly larger than the ones they ran into on their way into the chamber; the two men exchanged glances before Atreus spoke up. "I think we can take them..." He said with a kind of eager tone, making Ysmir nod in agreement and motion for him to open the gate, which he did without hesitation before pulling the Blades of Chaos from his back.
Upon hearing the gate open, the vampire turned before noticing the two warriors standing on the other side, his amber eyes studying them for a moment and almost making him forget about the spider behind him until it tried to lunge at him, making the creature dash out of the way before attempting to engage Ysmir.
Atreus turned his attention to the spider and rushed towards it, bashing it in the eyes with his shield as soon as he was in arm's length of it and stunning it long enough for him to begin eviscerating it with his blades.
Ysmir and the vampire dueled for a moment until the spider's agonized, dying screams drew their attention to it and Atreus as they watched the fiery blades glide through the air and systematically sever the creature's legs off before returning to their wielder, who then plunged one of them into the spider's head then ripped it out through it's neck as his eyes landed on the vampire.
Before the vampire had another chance to retaliate or even retreat, Ysmir plunged his sword into his back and watched as he burned to ash with a pained, dying scream before a wave of holy fire crashed through the room.
When the smoke finally cleared, Atreus and Ysmir sheathed their weapons and turned their attention to the aged wooden door that separated them from whatever secret Dimhollow Crypt held within its depths; Atreus was about to reach down and open the door before Ysmir stopped him, drawing his noticeably impatient gaze to him.
"We need to discuss what we should do with whatever we find in there, don't you think...?" Ysmir suggested before earning a light, indifferent shrug from Atreus as he reluctantly released the door knob and turned his full attention to Ysmir.
"Take it and report back to Isran, what did you think we were going to do...?" Atreus said in a blunt, yet sarcastic tone before Ysmir studied him then shook his head lightly. "Well, yeah, I figured that...but what if it turns out being some ancient vampire like you said...? I mean, of course, we kill it, but...what if there's more to all of this...?" Ysmir continued, making Atreus raise his eyebrow curiously as he thought on the suggestion for a moment; he knew Ysmir had a point, there could very easily be much more to whatever drove the vampires to this supposed artifact and the stakes could prove to be much higher if the 'artifact' was indeed another, older vampire.
"We'll figure that out when we learn what we're dealing with...for now, let's focus on beating the rest of these vampires to whatever's in there..." Atreus said simply, making Ysmir give a light nod in agreement as Atreus reached down and opened the door before they both walked through it and proceeded deeper into the crypt...
And scene! Yeah, I'm cutting this chapter off here, I know it's a kind of screwed up cliffhanger, but it originally went on longer than expected, but I did try to flesh out certain scenes that needed to be fleshed out more since I talked myself into revising; so yeah, I figured 'What the hell.' and added a little more to those scenes.
Anyway, here's Chapter 3, hope it was a good one for you newcomers and that all returning readers still thought it was at least a decent read if nothing else.
Now, on to the next one...