Chapter 15: Nightmare


Marcus Hirrus felt a terrible feeling in his gut as he stared at the black moon. Subconsciously he felt a desire to walk up to the bell tower, the reason why he felt like doing it he did not know. But he had to see that moon from a better view.

The wild desire made him walk the stairs to the top. Strange howling and abnormal noises seemed to be coming out of the walls as he went up step by step.

Soon he reached the top of the tower, the men that were supposed to have been up there were gone.

Marcus stood, the hairs on his skin raising as cold air blew to him. With it brought another strange noise.

Marcus stepped over to the edge where the noise seemed to be coming from. He could see little in the dark, but he saw a red ball out in the far distance all of a sudden. He peeled his eyes towards the source.

He saw a large figure leap from out of the ground, larger than a man it stood with wings beating behind it.
Marcus, realizing that this was no ordinary man or animal dashed back to the bell.

He began to ring it madly. Any consequence he may have faced from this act was washed away by his own fear.

The noise from the bell deafened him as he continued. He prayed that the curse was not enough for this to work.


"Ruigus?" Alduin's voice awoke the resting dragonborn.

"Alduin?" He brought himself upwards. He had not fallen asleep just yet.

"There are a very strange creatures and other presences here in this city, it is unlike what I have seen before. Here, have a look at the moon." Alduin ushered him up.

Ruigus, his eyes heavy looked at the black moon that hung itself over Tamriel out of the sheer spite of it all. Ruigus despite being a boy from Kvatch knew what it was.

"The Necromancer's moon!?" He exclaimed, his eyes widened in horror.

"The one that was made due to the magics of that Mannimarco is it not? Ruigus, get your weapon ready. This city will not survive by sunrise if we do not heed that call." Said Alduin, the ringing of the church bell echoed in the distance.

Ruigus quickly got up and went for his armor and weapons, Alduin who was already armed and armored waited and checked around.

"There is undead coming for us?" Ruigus asked, incredulously.

"Yes, there is no coincidence. Vaermina's magic may warp what I can sense but there are other lesser powers at play." Said Alduin, checking their window once more in their inn.

"We need to wake everyone!" Said Ruigus, urgency grasped him.

"Yes we shall. We can have the troops do it, we are much more useful in the fight than the majority." Said Alduin calmly.

Ruigus finished strapping on his armor.

"We'll have everyone rally to the church and city hall, we can hold and push back from there!" He said. Alduin nodded.

"We shall see how severe the situation is." She stated, and opened the door for Ruigus who stepped on out.
In the hall were other soldiers and travelers all walking down the steps into the main hall of the inn.

There was a commotion among them, many of them were curious about what had caused such a disturbance.

"Everyone to the church!" Announced Ruigus, his voice overpowering all the others.

"What? Why!?" A man angrily asked.

"Have you not seen the moon? The necromancer's moon has set upon us! Undead are rising up from the graves!" Said Ruigus. The man in response scoffed.

"Ridiculous." He said.

"Do you have any idea who you are speaking to?" A soldier asked.

"For Akatosh's sake just go outside and look at the moon!" The soldier added.

The man, who wore upon himself mage's clothing opened the door and went outside. All those in the inn filed out.

Ruigus saw that there were several crowds gathered out as well, transfixed by the rare moon.

If Alduin was right and there were truly undead, these people were easy pickings.

"Trooper, get going to as many houses as you can and warn the residents to come to the church. Aid them if you must but spread the word." Ruigus ordered.

"Yes sir!" A dutiful and trusting response echoed in the woman he ordered. Ruigus repeated this action with several more.

Before they could start a Dunmer man with the beau-tied robes of a priest of Mara ran up, there was blood all over his clothes.

"Undead! Undead!" The man cried out in such bloodcurdling loud yell the still ringing bell was quiet in comparison. The dunmer fell onto his knees, breathing heavily.

"Are you alright?" Asked Ruigus, checking on the priest. The priest shook himself violently but remained stable.

"I am fine, sir you need to get these people to the church! There's too many of them and they're coming!" The man uttered in pain.
"Damn! I have no idea what exactly is coming, is it Draugr or Zombies or something else, and I have no clue whether or not they are coming from all directions except that from the west!" He despaired. Ruigus knew he had to act.

"Alright! Everyone get moving to the church! We are being attacked by undead! Stay calm and orderly but get there!" He yelled to the crowds.

They all had a look of fear on their eyes.

Turning back to where the dunmer priest had come from he saw four pairs of glowing eyes.

With barks very strange dogs ran towards them.

A bright flare shot up into the sky from the dunmer mage's hand. The beasts were revealed.

What Ruigus, Alduin and all others saw were crude and freakish caricatures of a hound. The glowing blood red eyes were abnormal, the teeth were sharp as knives, the face of it could only be described as crushed and twisted from that of a hound, it featured no nose.

Ruigus quickly stroke one down as it leaped at him. His sword pierced through it's jaw upwards. A chill came over Ruigus as he had done so. He felt weaker just by attempting to fight it off.
The other three attempted to pounce on a civilian and two of his fellow soldiers, the hounds were killed quickly as the few troops quickly braced and maneuvered.

Seeing that there was no more Ruigus turned to make an announcement.

"Do you see now? To the church all of you!" Alduin ordered, beating Ruigus to the order.

Thankfully for them the crowd began to move.

"Some stay with them and inform the Legate. The rest go and wake as many as you can. Act fast." Said Alduin to the troops that had gathered in the front.

They scrambled about their tasks in frantic order.

"What should we do?" Ruigus's question was heard by Alduin as he spoke to himself.

Alduin stayed silent, she would let him decide for himself.

"Hmm, there's a barracks up ahead. I think there was a lot of us in there. I hope they have awoken, if not…." Ruigus's face paled under the pitch blackness of the world around them.

"We will see." Said Alduin. With weapon drawn she began to walk her way, Ruigus joined at her side.

Howling was heard in the far distance, among other alien sounds that carried with the wind.

"Those dogs must have been here to probe. Or, to drag away the defenseless." Alduin assumed.

"Both are likely I think, necromancers can make undead out of almost all creatures unblessed or protected by Arkay or Kyne." Said Ruigus, his eyes searching for any glowing eyes.

"The latter's protection is far more sparing than Arkay's own. Still, I doubt those hounds belonged to any atypical necromancer." Said Alduin.

"Although, I have next to near experience with such individuals." She said, calmly walking at a fast pace.

"You've seen your old warriors who turned into what they are now as Draugr, they're similar aren't they?" Ruigus asked.

"Somewhat, I believe some of my dragon priests live on in some way. Of which I have little idea other than their life extension rituals." She said. Ruigus would have asked to elaborate on that but then came screams.

The pair, with the shuffling boots and banging armor of a few soldiers far behind them rushed towards the screaming.

Skeletal creatures emerged in the sight of the two. There were civilians being chased and a group of unfortunate souls were surrounded by a large number of them.

Like automatons they turned themselves immediately to those who were armed with weapons.

Ruigus and Alduin had a horde of these creatures attempting to swarm them.

"Ruigus, shout now!" Commanded Alduin.

"Fus Ro Dah!" From out of Ruigus's mouth emerged wind that imbued itself with the might of a hammer that crushed through the ranks of skeletons. What remained were unfazed as they continued to throw themselves against the two's blades.

While these withered bodies had been resurrected with the purpose of killing defenseless yet more valuable targets they could stand next to no chance against the dragonborn and a goddess in disguise.

The skeletons were smashed into pieces by the sheer force of the two's blows, breaking their frail forms into pieces. Skulls, weapons, and all sorts of skeletal body parts scattered among the ground.

The peculiar fight ended with the final one skeleton's body being shattered. Citizens were halted and consoled by the reinforcing imperial soldiers, twenty in their number.

"Area secured, sir?" Asked one of them. The soldier's face was hidden by the helmet's sallet.

"For the moment, check around the area and secure it." Alduin ordered.

The men spread out, Ruigus included.

Ruigus followed the direction from where the skeletons must have come from. A road leading towards many more houses and the like, it struck him as strange as this block in particular must have been a specific target.
He then spotted a trail of blood leading to an alley. Alduin and a couple legionaries were behind him.

Five nordic men and women laid against a wall and so did a single legionary. They were dead, their killers likely from the skeletons they had just destroyed. The scene was horrific, they had been set up as though they were trophies or perhaps, a warning.

"Gods…." Said a soldier to Ruigus's right.

Speechlessly Ruigus stood.

The face of total failure became ingrained into Ruigus's mind. The nature of these undead sought nothing else but to kill, and to kill they would if there would be none that would challenge them.

"We will avenge them." Said Ruigus. Alduin, who in turn had been prepared to bring Ruigus out of his despair was surprised.

"We shall split up. People cannot be saved from this if we do not spread ourselves rightly. I will not put faith on anyone else to do this." Stated Ruigus.

Alduin's face held a neutral expression.

"Of course, Ruigus." Said Alduin.

"We shall continue to warn and save more, you will go for the barracks. You know what to do no matter the situation Ruigus." Said Alduin, her voice comforting and reassuring, she knew these words would boost his ability to do more, and more he could do.

"They shall regret emerging out of their cesspools." Said Ruigus, his words venomous with hints of rage.

"That they will once we face their ugly visages." Alduin agreed. Seemingly aloof.

"I shall be seeing you soon Ruigus." Said Alduin once more, turning as the soldiers quickly ran off to their new duty.

He watched Alduin and the others quickly leave.

Fists clenched tightly around his sword and shield Ruigus began to sprint.

The pale, lifeless faces of defeat had stared at him. He refused such a destiny to befall the city.

Whatever it was that had this twisted, calculated desire for…..It's unknown and dark gain.

Moving from door to door he yelled at the residents to hurry onwards to the town center, their belongings would stay but he saw a few take some weapons with them. Wary of the Imperials and whatever was coming.

Ruigus soon came upon the main barracks. Out of breath he cursed it's distance from all the streets before it.

There were a few lit torches outside, the windows revealed lighting on the inside. Not a single man stood outside or rested, warily Ruigus moved in. His expression and stance alert as he walked.

Inside there were Imperial soldiers all hunched over tables, a quick checkup on one revealed that he was alive.

Quickly Ruigus tried to find a way to wake them all up at once. His Shouts would do the job but in a closed space like this it would end in disaster due to the sheer power of even the 'harmless' Shouts.

Ruigus swatted a line of tankards off their shelf and the sound echoed throughout the building.

Slowly, the men stirred.

"What the hell- What the hell is making that sound?" A man said groggily, stretching himself out with a couple others around joining him.
"S-Sir!" One of them stammered, jumping up and giving a sloppy salute towards Ruigus.

"What's going on?" Ruigus heard one of the men ask in the back.

He had to explain the situation quickly.

"Men!" Ruigus announced, drawing the attention of all the sleepless and exhausted soldiers. His and Alduin's two servants Secantius and Malborn were among these men, that he indeed realize as he looked over the lot of them.

"We are under attack by the undead! There are people dead and fleeing in the streets while you all have been under that Daedra's spell!" Ruigus yelled, his expression fierce.

"Ready yourselves, we've a new enemy to face and if you disbelieve me, take a look at the moon and piece the puzzles together! We will hold and cover the retreat of all those running to the safety of the city center and the church." The young dragonborn commanded.

"Men, form up outside. If these undead haven't already surrounded us." Said a helpful Sergeant.
The Sergeant approached Ruigus.
"Sir, I will have a couple men wake up everyone else. Do you know how bad the situation is?" The man questioned.

"I've indeed just seen dead civilians, skeletons armed with all sorts of weapons killed them and they were around twenty in their number." Ruigus explained to the man. The Sergeant's expression turned grim.

"Better be as few as the rest that are coming." He said.

"I would only hope so." Ruigus replied. Secantius and Malborn approached him.

"I shall head out with you momentarily Sergeant." Said Ruigus, saluting the man as the sergeant quickly made his way out with multiple men walking out.

Ruigus faced the two servant men. Their colovian and bosmeri faces stained with worry and fear. Ruigus smiled lightly.

"It's good to see you two." Ruigus quickly greeted.

"Run to the town center with some of the soldiers." Said Ruigus dismissing the two. As he turned Ruigus felt a hand on his shoulder, it was Secantius.

"Be careful Ruigus." Secantius warned. Ruigus shifted uncomfortably. And his expression changed to that of a sad and contained rage.

"I shall Secantius." Said Ruigus, he then noticed Malborn looking at him so worriedly.

"Ensure that Secantius does not follow me Malborn. He has some soldier in him as it would appear." Said Ruigus, he gently patted Secantius's hand off of him and walked towards the door.

Ruigus exited the building and joined the men who gathered outside. He made it his intent to reach the western city edge and hold it out as long as he could.

"Malborn, his out of the blue suspicion is correct." Sighed Secantius, who motioned the elf to follow him.

"Can't say I envy either of your desires." Said Malborn warily.

"I just hope we can make it through the night." The elf then added. As he keeped pace with the colovian man.

"Hmph, you were telling me about that story at that embassy last night." Said Secantius, the yellings of Ruigus himself could be heard as he spoke to the troops.
"Er yes. Yes I was talking to you about that." Malborn clarified.

"Tell me elf, I am much curious to hear about something different than…..This. You've many tales to tell anyways." Said Secantius as the pair continued.

"Well, I'll tell you how I got out..."


Legate Rikke towered over a table in Dawnstar's war-room. There sat in nearly all of the important persons that resided in the city. Yet, by the few empty seats that all could see it was apparent that there were some who would not make it.

"Is this all?" Said one of the Captains seated, the man held back his own inner shakiness.

"It is Captain." Rikke confirmed.

Legates Pius and Oskar were present and at the sides of Rikke. Pius looked the more nervous out of the three but the man was not in any way fearful.

Alduin herself was present, some other of those Tribunes sat next to her. Just a seat over was the new Jarl Brina Merrilis and her two bodyguards, the reluctant Madena and her faithful man Horik.

An air of uneasiness graced them all.

"Listen up all of you. There are those not here who shall not be joining us, it matters not if they are unable to or are already engaged."

"As reported by multiple military and civilian sources we are under attack by undead armies. Their number is large and the bulk of it has yet to arrive so I'll make this quick."
"We will hold the city center and push them out the more they exhaust themselves, already we have units saving as many civilians and soldiers as they can but there's little time. My orders are to prepare defenses and get ready. Hold the center until morning." Said Rikke.

"And if the sun does not magically kill them all?" Said none other than Captain Cario. A disfavorable expression he wore upon himself.

"Regardless we will take back this city by tomorrow." Said Rikke, eyes closed.

"Anymore questions?" She asked.

"What of the dragonborn?" Came a voice. Tribune Alavia, as Rikke knew her.

"As you have said he is intent on holding a portion of the west, we will believe in him and his ability, that is all." Said Rikke.

No other voice spoke, and all eyes were on Rikke.

"You are all dismissed. Gods be with us all." She said. Those seated quickly left their seats and made their way out.

Soon all that was left in the room was the three Legates and the Dawnstar officials.

"Legate Rikke?" Asked Brina. The Legate looked at the new Jarl.
"Yes my Jarl?" Replied Rikke respectfully.

"Do you believe that we will survive?" She asked, life seemed gone from the Jarl's face. Rikke retained herself.

"Yes. Yes I do. We have survived through worse. Even then we fought against our fellow Nords but what we fight now is…..alien. In comparison Jarl. We will live if we fight hard enough, and we have the dragonborn with us." Rikke reassured.

"I see. That is assuring, it's just that I..I..I'm scared." Stuttered Brina.

"There are few that are not." Said Horik, who now spoke up.

Then Pius and Oskar stood up.

"Rikke, we will be heading out to the front. It's up to you in case we get ourselves killed by a mere skeleton." Said Oskar grimly. He wore upon himself a smirk. Pius additionally shared a grin.

"Fortune favor the both of you." Said Rikke as the two men made their way out.
Madena, the Court Wizard opened her mouth to say something but stopped herself.

"What is it Madena?" Said Brina, noticing her sudden conflict.

"I promised not to harm a living soul. But if undead are here to kill us all…Then." She trailed off. Her hand moved.

"Brina, I think I will fight." Said Madena. Brina was visibly surprised.

"They will not get through the both of us." Said Horik, placing a fist on his chest.

Brina's eyes changed between the both of them.

"I…..Thank you both." Said the Jarl, utterly grateful.

"It is my duty." Said Horik, Brina's heart raced momentarily as the man's tone was unlike anything, the words of devotion were unique.

Legate Rikke stood up. She had listened to this long enough to make an ultimate judgment.

"If I fall or am busy command shall fall on you Lady Brina." Said Rikke, stoic and stern. The legate began to walk out.

"We can count on you." Said Rikke as she stepped out.

"We've good men defending us. The old heart of the Empire we fought for had not stopped beating." Said Brina.

"Horik, Madena. We will join them. The people of Dawnstar must know that there are those who will stand by with them in their time of need." The new Jarl said, emboldened.
"At your side." Said Horik, Madena stood up, determination in their eyes.

As they stepped outside the howling of beasts and monsters blew through the very harsh and cold winds.

"Men of the Empire! Prepare for battle!" Yelled Rikke.

Determined to live, Dawnstar would hold until the bitter end in defiance of the first lich's spite.


For Ruigus the bell that had been so zealously used had ceased it's hopeful ringing. He could only assume that many, if not everyone was safe.

The men that stuck with them had agreed with his plan of laying down traps in this district and potentially holding it until their brothers and sisters in the center could make a breakthrough, if it came to that.

A soldier ran up to him.

"Sir, Captain Kober has arrived!" Ruigus turned, surprised.
"Why is that man here?" He thought passingly.

"Thank you for the report." He replied kindly.

Kober came into view with a few men wearing both priest and mages robes.

"Kober, I did not expect to see you! What brings you to me?" Ruigus questioned the man.

The Captain's face was that same unchanging expression as he looked at Ruigus from atop his horse.

"I have come to ensure you do not die." He said, the man slowly got off of his horse.

"I see." Replied Ruigus, somewhat embarrassed.

"We are not fighting some amateur necromancers." Said Kober.

"Huh?"
"What is coming belongs to Vampires." Stated Kober, tying his horse up to a post.
"Are you sure about this!?" Ruigus exclaimed, surprise and fear etched into his heart.

"I would not have spoke if I was not." Kober replied neutrally.

Ruigus dipped his head slightly, and he shook his head.

"It makes no difference then. All the same they shall be slain." He stated. Kober silently agreed.

"These men with me found me while I was scouting. They are Imperial sanctioned and will be joining us." Stated Kober. One of the Priests stepped forward.

"An honor Dragonborn. I wish I could have met you on a day without the despair of Shor and the curse of well…..That abomination." Said the Priest as he pointed at the black moon.

"Likewise….." Ruigus trailed off.

"Ah, a mere priest of Shor himself." The man said simply.

"I see then good father. What have you that needs saying?" Asked Ruigus.

"We and the mage…...gentleman noticed something peculiar about the vampire army. To get to the point out of their defiled bodies and crude constructs we noticed one unique among the rest. It had the twisted face of a man, ears with the points of an elf but fell in it's shape as the rest of it. Wings sprouted from it's back and it's magic was unlike any present of our group had seen before." Said the Priest. Ruigus could piece together what the man was saying.

"You believe this creature to be their commander?" He asked. The Priest of Shor nodded vigorously.

"Yes yes! We do, as the Captain saw it seemed to command the fallen man and mer, the vampires." The Priest said.

"How many of these Vampires?" Asked Ruigus.

"About a ninety, they moved about the groupings of undead. I saw a good number of them split off." The Priest confirmed.

"Where did that other group go?" Ruigus asked.

"I believe it was in the direction of the Vigilants of Stendarr." The man quickly did a prayer.

"I pray they stand through this." He added.

"No! They can't mean to attack them!" Said Ruigus.

"They will wipe out all the living, dragonborn." Said the priest.

"I see, I see what we must do then. We must be quick. Kober." Said Ruigus. Kober's eyes switched back to Ruigus.

"As they move forwards into the city these vampires, skeletons and...creatures will separate and become more disorganized and disjointed."

"We will hold whatever comes at us and kill them. Then we will aim for their commander's head." Said Ruigus.

Ruigus's mind seemed to have achieved a sort of peace when he finished his sentence. He pondered over it. He was intent.

"And what if the east side has a similar character?" Questioned a mage, stepping up to the three.

Ruigus studied the woman's face, she was young, and her eyes betrayed a hint of arrogance.

"Then we will believe that they are capable of similar feats." Said Ruigus. Before the female mage could speak Ruigus had one topic to add.

"When we kill the commander I will hurry to the Hall of Vigilants." Stated Ruigus.

"By yourself?" The mage questioned, incredulous. The Dragonborn would not have it.

"Does that surprise you mage? This lot of men will stay and finish off the rest of the undead, I will do what I can on my own or with some help." Stated Ruigus.

Ruigus thought to his four loyal friends. He would give anything to charge with them towards that thing and kill it with them.

"That is satisfactory, you are a madman as much as I suspected." She said. Ruigus noticed Kober's eyes stare at the mage as though she were vermin. He cared as to not to the reason as now the Priest shuffled.

"Excuse us Ruigus, these mages were originally intending to join the Stormcloaks." The man explained.
"I see then. I will not question as to how you made it made past any of our troops up until now but that can be dealt with later. Are you going to help save this city?" Ruigus asked. The woman's expression changed to a frown.

"You speak as though it was our intention to abandon everyone to those Arkay-Orkey cursed beings." The woman spoke.

Ruigus had not heard Arkay and Orkey's names mentioned in the same sentence for a while, the gods of two different pantheons but ultimately the guardians of the same land for those who would be deceased, it was funny he would hear the mention of Orkey days after Alduin had mentioned the old god to him.

But now was no time to compare the Imperial and Nordic pantheons.

"My apologies then. Yet I shall thank you for standing with us this night." Said Ruigus. The response seemed to please the woman.

"We will help you here, we found your defenses and found them….faulty. We will reinforce them." She said.

"Excellent, I look forward to fighting with you." Said Ruigus. In kind she smiled.

"Likewise." She saluted and walked away.

"I and the rest of the priests shall fight as well." Said the Priest, pulling out a mace.

"Good father surely you do not mean to?" Ruigus asked the man.

"In a time of danger to all life a priest must fight." Said the Priest, the man reminded the dragonborn so much of a certain man back at home, in Cyrodil.

"Ha! Then I say let you all survive with us." Smiled Ruigus. The Priest smiled and walked off to the front.

"Kober. How much time do we have left?"

"Five minutes." The stomping and howls were getting closer indeed.

"Well then, I shall lead from the front. Address the flanks as necessary Kober." Said Ruigus.

"When the time is right I shall return here and get my horse, I know not where it is but I know it will come." Added the Dragonborn, sword and shield at his sides.

Kober did not reply as he saw the man move towards the enemy, their shamblings could alert anyone. The man blinked.

Ruigus had no clue if what he had planned by resisting here would work, but it was a gamble.

"Will I die here?" The thought passed him.
Just ahead of him and a wall of his fellow soldiers there came the enemies they had been waiting for. The lamposts were lighted with flames, their foes revealed themselves.
Shambling skeletons and rotten festering corpses advanced forward in such a horrid caricature of any mortal army.

"Oh by the gods look at 'em!" One exclaimed.

"By Arkay they've taken our dead friends from yesterday!" Noticed a man.

Some of the zombies wore Imperial armor, some others wore Stormcloak armor.

"Were their bodies not blessed by a priest!?" Thought Ruigus.

The mage woman from earlier brushed past Ruigus and stood in front of the Imperials.

"Archers, prepare to loose all at these abominations!" Yelled Ruigus.

The woman turned to Ruigus.

"No need, with a simple flame spell the street shall be aflame and they will be burned through their own bones." She said.

"Hold fire!" Ruigus canceled the order.

"Very well then, do your work when the timing is right." Said Ruigus.

"I will need your help, aren't you a mage yourself?" The mage asked.

"Not entirely but I know of a Shout that can bring forth flames." He replied. The woman grinned.

"That will do."

The horrors crawled closer and closer.

The mage woman, with her staff casted a spell of similar potency to Alduin's. Great and giant flames erupted from her hands and her staff as it set the ground alight, Ruigus realized the reason as to the spell was that there was oils on the ground in front of them.

He stood in front of his men as he Shouted.

"Yol Toor Shul!" He aimed it for the ground and where the legs of these undead would be.

Looking up it was as though he was staring into the sun itself as the sheer brightness of the pure fires nearly blinded him. The man cringed and felt desired to look away.

And then the screams began. They were as terrible as any mans.
Ruigus's eyes were in pain and his ears were being put to the test as these inhuman terrors burned.

"They're coming! They're coming out of the flames!" A man yelled. Ruigus forced himself to look.

"Fire! Fire! Fire!" He screamed.

A second later the arrows whizzed past and flew into the creatures that emerged through. They fell down, finally deceased.

"There's still more." Said the woman.

"Yes, yes there is. Gods already this is too much." Said Ruigus.

"If you are to break that easily Imperial then we Stormcloaks shall roll over you as though you were but mere bugs." She said.
"Oh I am not gonna let that happen so easily." He said.

"More come, and the flames will die soon." The mage changed the subject. Ruigus wiped his forehead, the only mercy here was that the flames provided some warmth.

"Fire once more!" Ruigus ordered.

The men with bows run to the front and fired, they ran back behind the safety of the men with swords in the front.

As another rank of these archers moved up and fired again.
This time there was a loud roar. Ruigus readied himself.

A large quadruped creature emerged, it had a dog's head, gigantic human shaped fingers that were somehow clawish in nature, it's two legs were a parody of that of a dog's and they were large in their size. While it could be the height of a normal Imperial's torso it could be taller if it so decided to stand upwards.

The men quickly aimed their weapons at the creature and fired. All bolts and arrows dug into it's flesh but the beast seemed to suffer no pain or serious injury from the volley.

Ruigus rushed forward to kill it. It uttered a loud and horrible roar, no doubt expecting to terrify and scare him away as he would take it on by his own self.

The beast brought it's claws upwards in a lunge to squish the dragonborn.

"Fus Ro Dah!" The Shout sent the beast flying onto it's back.

Ruigus jumped on top of it, and quickly pierced his sword through it's chest. He twisted the blade through flesh and bone.

Pulling his sword out of the abomination Ruigus jumped off.

Then heard yelling as the beast got back up. Skeletal warriors were rushing to him as well.

"Push! Aid the Champion!" Ordered a Sergeant, yelling over the cacophony of noises.

Focusing on the monster, his allies would return the undead to the earth.

The mage woman joined him.
"It has two hearts." She quickly said as Ruigus dodged another strike that nicked his chest armor, he slashed back and hit one of the large claws.
"Here, allow me." Said the woman. She procured an Ice shard in her hand and quickly fired it, another flew right after it and scored into the left side of the beasts chest.
It shuddered and stared intently at the both of them.

"Does it have a brain?" She asked.

"I can test that." Said Ruigus.

"Wuld Nah!" He then Shouted two words, in a split second he was right beside the beast.

The beast tried to turn and claw at him. With his shield Ruigus kept it's claw back as it tried to kill him. He quickly thrusted his sword into it's screeching head right where it's brain would be.

Immediately the beast sputtered, and fell limp.

"That will do it!" The mage woman declared, her red robes were stained with it's blood.

"That thing is a horror I never thought I'd see." Said Ruigus quickly, he recovered and looked at all the men fighting around him.

"Our work is nowhere near complete." Said the woman, she handed out a green bottle.

"Need a potion?" She asked, Ruigus's hand took it.

"I'll use it later." He replied.

"No need for repayment." She said simply.

"If I survive the night mage, if I don't then I doubt I'd be as willing." Ruigus straightened himself out, and joined his brothers and sisters in combat.

The woman smirked.

"It seems that old, Imperial heart still beats inside of you Colovian." Thought the mage woman.

From afar, she and her colleagues would assist the Imperials until they perished, or won.

Yet, there was something endearing and inspiring about the unique warrior of a dragonborn. While others may have been less confident she was quite sure in seeing this man succeed in his task.

Using her magic, she attempted to locate a fellow mage on the other side of the city. She had to inform the Imperial commander what was happening over here, she figured they'd need to know.


"The North! They're breaking through the North!" Screamed a runner as he passed through the commander's circle.

Rikke and the lot of them stared at that man run past.

"Oskar, Pius, take some of your men and stop them." Said Rikke. The two men saluted her and then ran off.

"Surely sending the other two legates is a bit overdoing it." Said a Tribune.

"No such thing, the both of them are reputably good fighters. But we have more capable warriors and commanders here that will make the undead crumble here." Rikke stated.

Alduin, who had been silently listening all the whilst staring at the rather horrific fighting these mortals had been engaged versus these undead.
Then in a split second Alduin felt a familiar magic flow through the air much unlike the combat spells employed by the few battlemages and untrained spellcasters they currently fought with or even the strange magical powers of these attackers.

"Legate Rikke!" Exclaimed a Mage.

"What is the matter mage?" She asked.

"We're receiving a uh…..message!" The mage reported.

Rikke's eyes narrowed and the Imperial officers held suspicion.

"Go ahead." She ordered.
The mage casted magic from his hands and staff as a red projection emitted itself, the projection was a person in robes, tall as a breton and noticeably a woman.

"Who are you?" Asked Rikke, imposed over the magical projection of this woman.

"A momentary ally. I have something to report." Said the mage, the directness pleased Rikke.

"To the report then." Demanded the Legate.

"The dragonborn is intending to aim for the undead master. At this moment we are-" She cut off as there was a loud yell in the back. She then looked back towards group of officers as seen from her side.

"We are killing them. Stand your ground but remember there is also a potential enemy commander in the east you must kill, that is all." The projection faded.

"Never seen that happen before." Muttered one of the officers.

"Ruigus plans to do some ridiculous charge again?" Said another Tribune.

"He's damn right on doing it!" Said none other than Cario.

"Silence." Said Rikke.

"May the gods bless him and grant victory. We will believe in him, once their commander is dead the western foes shall weaken or die, I know nothing of necromancy but either way this will be a big blow. Don't give an inch, we will attack and give them the peace of Orkey and Arkay." Declared the Nordic Legate.

"We await for your orders." Said one of her companions.
Legate Rikke then looked at Alduin.

"Tribune Alavia, defend and prepare yourself in the east." She issued.

"Of course." Said the stoic, taller nord woman.

As she began to leave a peculiar sound was heard.

"What's that? It's coming from atop of us." Said Cario, he took his spear out. As well as some of the others with their respective weapons.

Then a large creature dropped from the rooftops and onto the ground. It sported a dog's face and indescribable parts to it's body.

"The hell is that thing!?"
"Kill it!" Yelled Rikke.


Pius and Oskar had already found themselves in a losing battle by the time they arrived. The mighty discipline that the Imperial military treasured broke once they made it through the first line.

There were many deceased Imperial and Undead alike.

"This is a terrible sight." Said Pius as he stood back to back with his friend, Oskar. Their greatswords and armor stained with the blood of zombies and other fleshy creatures as they were some of the last alive in this singular street.

"We're still alive." Replied Oskar cooly.

"Hey, what's your kill count?" Oskar then asked. Pius, through his visor turned his head to him.

"I couldn't keep count after the first twenty, you?" Pius responded with a question.

"Forty or more, somehow I've scored that much." Replied Oskar. His eyes were peeled for any of these horrors to emerge out of anything.

"Those bigger ones are quite nasty, nearly died to one." Said Pius, the cold wind blew through the buildings. Oskar made an agreeing grunt.

"It would be a curse if it started to snow now, look at that moon." Replied Oskar.

"Damn Necromancers." The dark haired Colovian added.

"Hey, we're fighting Vampires." Said Pius.

"Are we? Well, I suppose I'll pay my respects after they're dead." Said Oskar.

"Heh, yeah…Do you hear that thumping too?" Said Pius.

"I think so, another big one? I don't think we can take it on with just the two of us." Said Oskar.

"What should we do then? Run back?" Asked Pius, his voice strained as the thumping came closer.

"No retreat, that is what I would usually say but...We've no choice either way." His battle brother replied.

"Alright, let's do this." Pius agreed.

Emerging from a corner there was a large winged creature with piercing red eyes. Giant claws for hands, horned head, and it was as tall as that Alavia woman they met, if not more.

"Well aren't you ugly!" Exclaimed Oskar as he saw it.

"Looks like one of those statues you'll see at a castle." Remarked Pius.

"I think it is one. Careful, it's going to grace us with it's presence." Oskar laughed.

"Maria, I hope you can forgive me." Thought Pius.

"See if you can't scare it a little, I'll take off it's giant arms." Said Pius. Oskar smirked under his visor.

"Yeah, let's kill this damned thing." He agreed.

The gargoyle as the two Imperials could recognize, ran at them in a furious sprint.

Oskar stood where he was as Pius veered off to his right.
The Colovian man feinted an attack with his sword to earn the Gargoyle's fury.

It swiped at him to no avail, yet it had nearly caught the still freshened Oskar with it's swipe.

Growling Oskar thrusted at it's chest, the beast accepted the blow as it summoned a magic.

Quickly Oskar began to feel as though blood was leaving through his body, he could not see how or why but he became wheezy.
"Pppiiiuss." He growled weakly.

Pius swung his greatsword downwards onto the Gargoyle's right hand, the blow was so mighty that the strike was a clean sever.

Oskar jumped back as whatever the Gargoyle used on him ended. Blood poured on the pair from the bloody stump of the Gargoyle's hand.

Pius backed up to his friend. He kept a battle ready stance as he stared into the snarling gargoyle.
"You okay?" He asked.

"Yeah, just when I got close I felt as though it was sucking the life out of me." Said Oskar.

"Guess it can use magic." He added.

"That's no good, wait, look at it!" Pius exclamed, alarmed.

The severed hand of the Gargoyle melted into the ground and the stump from where it's hand once was sprouted out a new, tinier hand.

"Well, the ugly can get it's limbs back." Said Oskar, the man sighed.

"We'll just have to finish it off this time." Said Pius.

"Do what I did, but quicker." The Nibenean man said.

"Sure." His friend replied.

The two split the same as before.

"Let's pray it's dumb." Thought Oskar.

Pius and Oskar charged the gargoyle, this time it tried to swipe at Pius with it's mature left arm, but was promptly cut off by Oskar. The gargoyle fell to it's knees.

Pius, with his Greatsword in his left hand, punched the Gargoyle in the face with his right hand.
It hurt his hand as much as it hurt it. He quickly brought both hands onto the grip of his sword and thrusted into it's snivelling, ghastly face.

Pius quickly pulled his blade out and stabbed into it again.

The thing fell limp.

"Nicely done Pius. Though, I'd be wary in case one or ten more of them pop up." Said Oskar.

Multiple footsteps approached.

Men in red and silver armor ran up to them.
"Did you two fight them off all by yourselves?" Asked a Sergeant.

Oskar pushed up his visor to reveal his face, Pius followed in suit.

"No, just this one." Oskar pointed the dead gargoyle with his greatsword.

"All the others died fighting." Said Pius.
The sergeant frowned.

"Well shit. What's this thing?" The man remarked, looking at the dead gargoyle.

"I think it's a Gargoyle." Said Pius.

"Sure looks like one." The sergeant agreed.

"Well then sirs, what have you of us?" He then asked.

"Just hold out until the end of our lives." Said Oskar.

"Alright then. I doubt we'll die. Have you heard that they say the citizens and priests alike pray for us?" The man asked.

"Have they? Hey Pius, you're lucky they have. Otherwise there'd be a widow back in Cyrodil!" Said Oskar, unable to hold back his chuckling. Pius merely shook his head and sighed silently, he was smiling.

"A drink to that." He replied.

So far, the two heroic commanders still lived.


"Kober! The time is now!"

Ruigus, who had called his horse with him joined only about eight men on their horses. With them they would push through and kill the strange creature that commanded Vampire and beasts.

Ruigus and the horsemen charged through the dwindling masses of skeletons. The riders slashed and stabbed into the forms of these fallen.

Ruigus set his eyes on a Vampire. His first and brief sighting as it tried to run away but a good slash from Ruigus seemingly ended it.

"That was no different from a man." He thought as he witnessed the Vampire fall dead onto the ground.

Leading the horsemen behind him Ruigus moved forwards beyond the city.

It was outside of Dawnstar there waited the one behind this incursion.

Ruigus could see it clearly now.

Pale skinned, and alike the descriptions given by Kober and the Priest. But all the more horrendous now that he saw it up close.
In some form it reminded him of a Dragur, and a parody of a winged Alduin in the sense of what he believed was her true form.
Whether this thing had a form or not he did not know.
He dismounted and with blood-stained sword and shield in his hands he advanced on it. He could hear the hooves of horses behind him.

Ruigus further sized it up, it was actually levitating! It's eyes were a purple unlike any other, it's ears reminded him of those mutated dogs from the beginning of this…survival. It looked strangely human as well considering it's chest and legs. He noticed the only clothing it sported was a loincloth.

It hissed at him. One of his fellows on a horse rode straight towards the thing, with his spear he intended to kill it here and now.

A red flash from the Vampiric creature's hands instantly slayed both the man and his horse as the both immediately fell down.

The other men behind Ruigus came to a sudden halt.

Ruigus looked at his enemy with nothing but disgust.

"Go! I will take him on myself!"
"G-Good luck sir! Akatosh shield you!" Said the lead rider, who quickly fled with his fellows.

The creature, had been smirking at Ruigus the entire time. The green eyes shone in such a terrible manner.

"The dragonborn finally prostrates himself before the future." It said, grinning to reveal it's razor sharp teeth. It moved forward slightly to Ruigus.

"What manner of sin are you?" Ruigus asked.
It laughed mockingly at the young soldier.

"Why, I am a Vampire. In the purest of all bloods in existence." The vampiric 'man' said.

"I am a Vampire Lord. The greatest of all, and know that when I am done with you, you shall kneel as a slave before our lord." It said, not once had Ruigus met anything so twisted in heart or so terribly smug.

The only resemblance Ruigus could think of was none other than Madanach. The terrible memory replayed itself as the two stared intently at the other, desiring nothing but the other's own ultimate demise.

"What is your purpose?" Ruigus questioned, his expression full of hate. The Vampire Lord noticeably appeared amused.

"The enslavement and punishment of all mortal kind. Vampiric rule and revenge over those who dare cower under the sun. To see your weak, pitiful false gods face their suffering and death." It cackled.

"Shut up." Barked Ruigus.

"Oh?" It asked, nearly laughing.
"I shall put an end to your dark desires Vampire. In the name of the Aedra I shall purge this blight from Skyrim!" Yelled Ruigus. Intending to now finally fight the Vampire lord.

"Do your worst you laughable insect." It bemused.

With a roar Ruigus cut and slashed at the vampire, It dodged each strike.

"Terrible, you wish to kill my kin with a mere blade? Even if enchanted with that weak magic?" It asked.

"I've already killed one of you!" Ruigus declared as continued this fight.

"Ah yes, one of the inbred." It laughed. Dodging once more.

"You've not even landed a hit and yet you are nearly exhausted, have the arisen winded you that much?" It asked once more. Ruigus backed up.

"There's something so strange about this one, it uses it's magic to dodge and move, but not once I have seen it try to use anything against me." Ruigus then suspected it was merely playing with him.

"Swine, you will be no different from them when you are dead." Ruigus insulted.

"I've earned my spot by Molag Bal's side." It laughed.

"You two are alike then, failures." Said Ruigus. Nearly laughing his own.
The expression of the Vampire changed.
"You….Cur." It spat.
Instantly it charged at Ruigus.
Ruigus stabbed it in the chest, it screamed but in it's rage quickly shredded at him and then grabbed his sword from his hand and hoisted the dragonborn up and threw him to the ground.
"My body is meant for no taint by metal." It spat. It slowly approached Ruigus, the man's blade was thrown away. His shield too far for the warrior to pick up.

"You shall suffer a most unfortunate fate now." Said the Vampire.

Ruigus tried to get up quickly but was kicked over onto his side by it's feet, sharp as daggers as Ruigus screamed in pain.
"I have not yet begun and already you scream." It said.

The Vampire picked up Ruigus, it's hands with from his body to his throat as it lifted him up like that.

"Haha!"
"I shall make a most fine trophy out of your head!" It declared proudly.

"I will rip out your heart here on a land away from your home. Such a death befitting a worm."
"Home?"
"In home, there was a saying among our people when it came to an enemy."
"Spit at the foe."
"
Speak worm!" It demanded.

Ruigus, with his expression unshaken with it's hatred and disgust, spit at the Vampire Lord. The piece of bile hit it right below it's left eye.
It loosened it's grip and immediately brought it's hands to it's face.

An immaculate scream of rage erupted from it.

"I've not yet done my worst vampire! You declare victory before the sun rises!" Yelled Ruigus.

"Yol Toor Shul!" In an instant the Vampire was coated in flames.

Ruigus ran up to the fallen horsemen and picked up his spear. He needed a bigger weapon to kill this creature, but he still needed his sword.
"Wuld Nah Kest!" The Shout sent him inches away from the blade, which he then promptly picked up.

He was ready to fight to his best in his wounded, weakened state.

The vampire lord came upon him again.

"Su Grah Dun!" Ruigus Shouted once more, feeling one with the wind himself he used his new spear to thrust into the Vampire in an unparalleled manner.

The Vampire lord was bleeding but closed the distance on him, Ruigus's new spear was already reduced to ineffectiveness. He dropped it and pulled out his sword.

Digging his sword into it's chest while in a split second slashing at the hands of the Vampire lord as it retaliated with it's claws.

He realized how quick the Vampire's reactions truly were as he matched Ruigus blow for blow, all the meanwhile starting to gain the upper hand.

"Fus Ro Dah!" Ruigus ended the stalemate by causing his foe to stumble.
Ruigus was beginning to feel very strange from the continued use of Shouts.

"Liz Slen Nus!" The Shout was intended to freeze the Vampire, but it caused little effect.

Ruigus, growing increasingly desperate, aimed for a decisive singular blow to end the duel.
Ruigus closed distance and stabbed into the Vampire, when he tried to pull it out from where it's heart should have been, only the hilt came out. Panic was in Ruigus's eyes as replied with a mad grin.

Then at the very last second he heard an arrow whiz past his head. Freezing in place he saw the vampire's hand reach for an arrow in it's head.
Then, a spike of ice shot into the vampires head.

It stood, and stared at Ruigus with those purple eyes that carried a twisted, bygone soul.

It became lifeless.

The Vampire lord shifted, turned into a man, blood poured from the man's head.
It was dead.
Ruigus turned around.

Hadvar, Marcus, Aethan, Hans, and the Mage-woman stood before him.

"We came to help you, I think it was needed." Said Hadvar, humbly as he could. Hopping off his horse he walked over to the dead vampire as Ruigus stood speechless.

"Where'd all of you come from?" Ruigus asked, his eyes wide.

"I found these men trying to reach you. I pointed them in your direction and believed that you may have taken more into your plate than you could finish." Said the mage, amused.

"Did kinda look like it was about to kick you over the rocks." Marcus remarked.

"I would have still killed him!" Chocked Ruigus as his still good right hand felt at his injured throat. That things grip nearly choked the life out of him.

He brought out a healing spell, and applied it to his own self, thankfully it eased the pain.

"Do you have open wounds Ruigus?" Asked Aethan, bending downwards to Ruigus as he sat next to the dead vampire.

"Not yet, I'd ask you to bandage it if I was." Said Ruigus, smiling at the man. Aethan responded with a smile.

"Alright, that's good." He said, before moving to check the vampire.

"Ew! Your sword still in this guy's chest!" Said Marcus as he held out the part of Ruigus's blade that was broken off.

Ruigus, paid no attention to the comment as the mage approached him. The two shared glances. She had purple eyes much like the vampire, but they were without that terrible glow.

"Well, you didn't use that stamina potion I gave you." She mused.

"Would it have made a difference?" He asked.

"It may now."

The woman pointed to her left.

Ruigus followed her hand and saw smoke in the distance.

"The Vigilants! Oh no!" Ruigus exclaimed.
Arising to his feet he sprinted back to his horse.
"With no weapon?" She asked, her incredulousness was plastered onto her expression.

"I'll fight without one, Hadvar! Take my shield, it's yours now!" Said Ruigus.

"What are you waiting for? Follow him!" Hans ordered the bumbling group.

Quickly remounting their horses, the ragtags followed behind the dragonborn. Whilst outpaced they knew where he was headed too, it was obvious where he would go.

"Does that brat usually do this?" Cursed the Mage as she rode with the four soldiers.

"I thought it was just a one trick experience the first time, but this man's a lot more bullheaded than that." Replied Hans.

"I see, I take it you four are here to stop him from doing stuff like this?" She yelled over the thundering of their horses hooves.

"Yeah! Something like that!" Yelled Marcus. The mage turned to look at the young hotheaded archer.

"Such a poor response." She whispered all the while grinning.

"Get ready! Who knows what we'll see now." Said Hadvar, worried as they came closer.

They saw Ruigus's horse walking towards them, it neighed.

"Strange but adorable fellow." Aethan remarked as he noticed it trotting to them, they stopped and dismounted.

Ruigus waded through the corpses of the Vigilants of Stendarr as the efforts of their stand showed their results.
There were dead civilians, no doubt refugees from the countryside and the city. And there were undead creatures strewn about everywhere.

It was such a surreal scene, the altruistic sons of Stendarr and those that both Imperials and Stormcloaks swore to protect were dead, coated in their own blood and the bodies of their enemies.

Makeshift palisades stood where three dead gargoyles laid. There was a small campfire to the right, Ruigus heard voices.

Approaching it, Ruigus saw around six leather and clothed men stained in blood. They reached for weapons and stood to look at Ruigus. A terrified and animalistic look came from them.

"Easy easy! I am an Imperial soldier! I am here to help!" Yelled Ruigus.

One of them sheathed his weapons.
"You may be too late soldier. We're what's left outside the main hall. Everyone else is dead, save for those behind us." The man pointed backwards.

Ruigus thought he had heard a strange noise from before which he now recognized as crying. There was a large group of civilians.
It was not just the wind that was weeping.

"My name is Tolan." The man pulled his hood down to reveal a bald and bearded face, death and misery clouded his expression.

"I see you are no worse for wear." He added, his voice unintentionally cold, if not soulless.

"They tried to take Dawnstar, I came here after killing their commander." Ruigus informed, the man nodded.

"They're still here, I thought it wouldn't be as bad over in the city and you would be able to help but..." The man stopped.

"That damn moon illuminates the Divines." He added.

"Is there anybody left alive in the halls?" Ruigus asked. Tolan shook his head.

"I do not know, Keeper Carcette may be dead for all I know. I wish I could have fought with her but I couldn't just..." The man sighed. "I am sorry soldier, I am not healthy in the mind at the moment." Said Tolan.

"Brothers, stay here. I will finish off these undead murderers." Said Ruigus.

"Some are gone, they took prisoners." Said Tolan. Ruigus paled a little, but turned and walked on.

Ruigus with determination in his heart moved through the fallen brothers and sisters of Stendarr.

He then found a feasting zombie on the body of a dead woman. It noticed the approaching Colovian and stood up.
Ruigus reached for his sword, and then noticed he had indeed lost it in the fight earlier.

An insane, wild idea popped into his head.

Ruigus popped his stamina potion, he'd need it for this.

Ruigus felt refreshed, whole again as the terrible taste washed through his tastes.

Ruigus charged at the Zombie with his hands, knocking it over with his own sheer force.

He quickly kicked and stomped on it.

Deciding it was too slow Ruigus thought he'd do another insane action.

Placing his hands around the head of the Zombie, he'd rip it's head right off.

A Shout would have been out of the question for him, but this maneuver made sense only to him.
Ruigus grunted with effort as the mindless creature hissed as he felt his work coming to fruition.

Ruigus could not see what was happening but all he saw was the weak body of this zombie crumbling before his savage attack.

Then he heard a pop, and the Zombie's head was right in the both of his hands, his bloody, dirtied and sticky hands.

Ruigus let loose a warcry as he raised the Zombies head up into the air, and threw it back to it's body.

He felt like throwing up all of a sudden.

Shaking his head he continued. Resisting the desire to fall onto his knees and mourn.

His whole body was in pain.

"Agh, damnit…" He grunted.

He reached the door and opened it, ready to use a Shout to annihilate anything close.

Muttering voices spoke in the main room, a dead vampire was on the ground to greet Ruigus.

Ruigus stepped forward, stealth mattered little.

"Come out!" He yelled. There was a collection of footsteps as he moved closer.

A variety of faces with glowing eyes appeared before Ruigus.

"A survivor? You will suffer the same fate as the rest!" One of them spat.

Ruigus stared it down as it proved unable to back it's words.

"Fo Krah Diin!" Ice flew into the group of five vampires.

They survived the first attack, Ruigus stepped back.

"Dragonborn!" One of them screamed.

"Krii Lun Aus!" The peculiar Shout Alduin gave to him that caused nothing but pain on it's target hit the five.

Ruigus's throat felt a weird sensation unlike any before. Subconsciously he reached to feel it again.

He saw no movement from the vampires, they were all frozen and more lifeless than before.
"Ruigus!" Yelled a voice that belonged to Ruigus.

"Marcus?" Ruigus tried to say. But he didn't hear the words come out.

He heard slow footsteps come out of a corner. Marcus with a bow drawn emerged, the man's eyes widened as he aimed away and moved the arrow out of the way.

"I almost shot you." Marcus whispered.

"Er yeah before I say anything using a bow like this is stupid but I don't care." He added.

"That's alright." Ruigus tried to say, he heard no audible feedback from himself. Marcus saw him mouth some words.

"You okay?" The nibeneean asked.

Again Ruigus's mouth moved but no words came out.

"Uh everyone!?" Yelled an uncertain Marcus.

The woman in the red mage's clothes emerged.

"What's the matter?" She asked, her eyes saw Ruigus.

"He's either messing with me, or he really can't talk." The shorter man said.

Ruigus frowned and mouthed some words.

"He's gone mute." The woman surmised.

Ruigus's eyes widened.

"Relax, you still have your tongue with you. And you still can hear. I think you may have Shouted too much, do not take my word on it for I am no expert but that appears to be the likely cause." She said.

"Well crap." Said Marcus.

Ruigus, looked beaten. He then stepped over to the five dead vampires and saw that there was a path to a lower floor.

Ruigus knocked on some wood to get their attention.
The two walked over.
"Think there's some down there?" Marcus asked.

Ruigus nodded vigorously.

"Alright." Said the mage.

It was irritating for Ruigus that he did not bother to ask her for her name while he could have still communicate with words earlier.

"Ruigus, can you open it? I'll be bait." Said Marcus.

Opening the door Marcus stepped through. Immediately there was a vast amount of yelling.

"Woah! Woah! Woah! Men in red are here, Imperials don't shoot your weapons!" Yelled Marcus.

Ruigus saw a whole team of Vigilants.
One of them, a breton woman with a large warhammer was in the forefront of them, the leader as shown by her more pious clothing.

"You're not vampires!" She beamed.

"No no, Imperials, vampire killers and all." Said Marcus.

"We came here to aid you." Said the red robed mage. Her voice was diplomatic and more calm.

The breton vigilant eyed the mage. But took no offense.

"I see, is there anyone else still alive?" She asked.

"We came across your Tolan and about five other Vigilants, had a whole group of civs with them." Said Marcus.
The Vigilants became crestfallen.

"Tolan is alive and with some of us and civilians, I knew he would come through in the end." Said Carcette. Her expression heavy.

"Those who died fought the best they could. There are bodies of the undead everywhere." The mage said.

"That is…..too kind of you to say. We barely survived, we would have blown up the entire hall had you not come down." She revealed.

"Apologies, I am Keeper Carcette, the leader of what is now left of our good order." She said, her eyes wet.

"Name's Marcus, first name basis only." Said the archer.

"Joan, Joan Amevenne. Trained in the Imperial City." Said the mage woman, who now told her own name as well.

"Ruigus Kessel. The Dragonborn." Joan introduced.
The Keeper was surprised.

"Well that explains those strange sounds. Well met all of you." The Keeper said, bowing.

"Solaris told me about you Ruigus." Ruigus's belief was tested once more at the mention of that name by the Keeper.

"He'd talk, but I believe he Shouted himself to a temporary muteness." Said Joan.

"Ah I see. Stendarr sent a great gift with your arrival, thanks to you we all still live." Said Carcette.

"Thank you Keeper. I am afraid we must be brief. Dawnstar itself was attacked by the vampires. We slayed one of their leaders but they may still be attacking." Said Joan respectfully. The Keeper smiled.

"I understand. Know that there will be a great smiting upon the betrayers of Arkay after this night. They may crawl out of their gutters and holes now, but they'll be burned out. Stendarr bless you and bring you to safety and victory!" The Keeper said, the vigilants, emboldened began to walk up to the group of Imperial soldiers to see the tragedies outside.

"We all thank you and wish you luck." Said Joan.

"All the more to the three of you." Replied the Keeper.


The Vampire attack ended in a near Pyrrhic victory for the Empire.

The Vampire army was largely destroyed, one of their Vampire lords was killed, many of those unblessed by the one true lord of the vampires were killed.

Yet the other Vampire lord survived, and there were those who escaped or went into hiding in the mountains and caves. Whilst the bodies of all those fallen would be unable for them to defile once more with the blessings of the mortal Divines they'd get more to throw at the exhausted Imperials.

The Vampires may have simply just received an awakening in the form of their defeats.

Regardless the Imperials still stood alive, thousands dead and injured. Battered, bloodied, tired but alive.

In the streets of Dawnstar as the sun finally rose back up there was cheering and mourning as the night had been survived. The will of the Empire and Dawnstar had proven to be mighty.

The Jarl of Dawnstar kissed her loyal bodyguard on the lips, the man recoiled out of shock. But ultimately reciprocated the feelings brought on by the new dawn and the returning powers of the Divines both old and new.

Legate Rikke enjoyed the relative peace of the victory, but was swamped with many reports and papers.

Legate Oskar patrolled the streets of Dawnstar as he led a personal check of the city.

Legate Pius wrote a letter to his wife back home in Cyrodil as he sat outside a church, still covered in blood.

Tribune Alavia, or as what she truly was as Alduin watched the sun go away and rejoined Ruigus.

Captain Cario took up the task of scouting for the day.
Captain Kober spoke with a hooded individual in an inn, the man aside from him wore an insignia with the eye of the Emperor.

A masked woman of the blades gave a sigh of relief, the only people she had to save were those not the dragonborn.

Keeper Carcette and the remaining vigilants buried those who did make it.

Hans, Marcus, Hadvar, and Aethan took a well deserved rest, much more pleasant dreams came to them despite the magic that still cursed the city.

And Joan Amevenne with a small group of mages, were thanked but ignored as they traveled to Stormcloak lands. One day she'd might search up the dragonborn to either kill him or fight with him. She'd see soon enough.

Ruigus Kessel enjoyed what small moments of comfort he could with Alduin's arms around him as he received a new, special order meant for him from Rikke.

"Ruigus. You are to head to Whiterun and find General Tullius. Magic has proven unable to contact him. If he is in distress there is nobody else more qualified to find him but you."
Ruigus, with so little sleep, rode on his valiant horse named Trun. Alone he'd have to see if Whiterun had held back the tides, and to see if the General had survived.

And that is the end of Chapter 15!

Merry Christmas to all of you, I hope you've had a good month so far. Things have been okay on my side surprisingly but I am happy to be in the mood for writing again. Winter will do that to you, I think.

Now it's time to ramble.

Been playing some obscure games lately, Crusader Kings 2 (Personally think it's okay) has had a really amazing Elder Scrolls mod made for it, I've actually been using the locations from the very accurate map. It's amazing how big the world of ES is with all of the unique locations and factions. I do hope to represent that soon enough, at least what exists in the 4th Era as the game only goes to the later part of the 2nd Era which is really interesting.

Aside from that I've been working and playing Mount and Blade Warband, old but still gold. And it strangely gives me sparks of inspiration much like the mod up above,

Also, Secret Laboratory has been taking up some of my time. I like being a hapless NTF that gets chased by all types of horrors and other guys with guns.

Anyways, about the story I will say that there will be a few developments happening in it soon, with a trademark.

Take care, and happy holidays. Though with luck I'll be able to say it again.