Chapter 3.
Aela and the high elf named Ferolda walked inside the castle until they came up to a breton woman. "Marebelle?" Ferolda asked the wizard who had her nose in a book. The woman looked up and smiled. "who is this Ferolda a new applicant?" she asked. The high elf shook her head. "no she has questions about the arch mage." Ferolda explained. Maribelle nodded and the elf turned back to the exit. Maribelle pointed to a chair next to her and smiled. "have a seat you must be exhausted." she laughed. Aela nervously took the seat. The companions normally didnt trust magic users since the oblivion crisis and normally stayed as far away from it as possible.
Maribelle handed Aela a bottle of black briar mead and herself a bottle of wine. "so what brings you to the college? And what do you want to know about the arch mage?" she asked. Aela sipped her mead and looked at the breton. "i am Aela the huntress of the companions." at once Maribelles look became one of irritation. "and what do you want with the arch mage?" she asked through gritted teeth. Aelas expression became defensive. "i wish to find him is all." she replied. Maribelle set her wine down and looked at her. "after how the companions treated him im surprised." she replied. Aela winced at this as Maribelle continued.
"our class was on a trip to Sarthaal and found him almost half dead in the snow." she continued. "it took Collette our restoration instructor almost two nights to restore him back to health." she said taking up her mead again. "he looked as though he had been attacked because not to far from him there were two bandits both dead close to where he was laying." she said. Aela spoke up. "what weapons did they have on them?" she asked. Maribelle thought about it for a while but then spoke. "they were silver swords." she replied. Aelas breath stopped. "the silver hand." she thought to herself.
Maribelle continued. "after he was restored to full health he started taking classes with us. After a short while after an incident here at the college the first arch mage before him was killed. Martin took his place." she said looking into space. "he didnt ask for the position but everyone agreed he deserved it. After all he had studied all the schools of magic. From destruction restoration illusion alteration conjuration and even alchemy." she finished smiling. "he even helped the other students if they needed assistance." Aela set the empty bottle of mead down and turned to the Breton. "is he here then?" she asked. Maribelle shook her head. "no the last I heard he had left to join a group called the Dawnguard." she answered. Aela tilted her head. "Dawnguard?" she asked.
The wizard nodded. "yes if I remember correctly theyre a group of vampire hunters." she replied. Aelas head started spinning. "but he is a vampire." she responded. Maribelle choked on her wine. "are you certain?" she asked. Aela nodded. "i saw him a few nights ago. He was a vampire." she assured. Maribelle had a worried expression on her face. "then he is in danger you must find him." she replied. She at once got up and grabbed a map. She pointed to a spot near Riften. "right there is fort Dawnguard. Youll want to start looking for him there."
she said giving the map to she huntress. Aela smiled. "thank you very much." she was about to walk out when Maribelle spoke up. "what was your name maam?" she asked. Aela turned and faced the Breton. "Aela the huntress." she replied. Maribelle smiled. "so you were the one whos name Martin kept saying in his sleep." she said. Aelas face turned red and her heart raced. "me?" she asked. Maribelle smiled nodding. "while we healed him he kept mumbling your name in his sleep. I do believe he still harbors feelings for you." Aela smiled. "thank you very much." she then turned and walked out of the college heading for Riften.
Many days later.
Aela made her way past riften and soon made her way to a cave on the road. Once out of it she was taken by the look of the sight. Past the cave was a hidden falls. Soon she came to the sight of a great castle. "this must be fort Dawnguard." she said smiling. It was an enormous castle. It had once belonged to the first Jarl of Riften before something happened. Her thoughts were interrupted by a scent she recognized all to well. Blood. She ran with all her strength until she got to the doors. She pushed them open only to see dead men and women as well as trolls with armor. Her heart dropped sadly at the sight of five dead dogs.
She looked at the sight full of a heavy heart. "what happened here?" she asked no one in particular. She stopped. She heard a heartbeat. She ran up the stairs and reached the top to see a dead redgaurd. He was close to death she could tell and ran to his side. He coughed up a bit of blood and looked at Aela. "w-who a-are y-y-you?" he asked through heavy breaths. Aela looked at the wound. Stabbed right through the chest. "my name is Aela the huntress of the companions." she replied. The man laughed. "Isran last of the Dawnguard." he chuckled coughing again spitting blood out of his mouth. Aela took in a breath. "what happened?" she asked.
Isran gritted his teeth. "we were betrayed. An Imperial by the name of Martin came to us wanting to join." Isran winced in pain holding his wound. Aela helped him throwing his arm around her shoulder as she lay him on the bed. "i sent him to dimhollow crypt. Vampires there were searching for something. Instead he joined them. Became a bloodsucking monster." he said through gritted teeth. Aela held back smashing her fist into Israns mouth. "why did he join them?" she asked. Isran looked dazed until Aela held onto his face. "Isran eyes on me. Why did Martin Join the vampires?" she asked again.
Isran mumbled a few times before answering. "he was a werewolf. He asked me if there was a way to get rid of the wolf blood in him." he answered taking deep breaths. "i dont know why. I told him being a werewolf would make him a better hunter. He was a little dissapointed." Aelas heart turned to lead once she heard Israns words. He wanted to get rid of her gift. The gift that her and Skjor had given him. And he got rid of it in the end. Isran broke her thoughts and coughed. "you need to find him and stop him. I dont know what hes doing but it cant be good." he said with his last dying breath. Aela lay there holding the dead vampire hunter in her arms.
Many hours later.
After long agonizing hours Aela emerged from the canyon. She had dug a hole enough for the bodies and had set them a blaze. She laid against the mouth of the cave wiping the sweat from her eyes. "Martin why…..why did you do all this?" she then found herself crying. In her mind she kept telling herself that a companion must never cry." but she couldnt help it. She knelt on the ground burying her face in her hands. "if only I had stuck up for him that night. If I had stood by his side and helped him this all never wouldve happened." she said sobbing. She was so busy crying she didnt hear the footsteps behind her until someone was right behind her. She turned just in time for a mace to slam into the back of her head and knocked her out cold falling to the ground.
