Hulda placed a mug of a light green liquid and a piece of bread in front of Ariel, who sat back at the bar, rubbing her temple.

"This is a special elixir to break your hangover tomorrow morning. Made with dandelion and seaweed." Said Hulda. "The bread will soak up the alcohol and stop you from puking."

Farkas passed her a handful of septims. "Thank you Hulda." He focused on Ariel, who hadn't made eye contact since she accidentally assaulted him. She was trying to stop the room from spinning. Ariel grabbed the elixir and took a small sip.

"Ugh." Her lips retracted and shuttered as it went down. "This is awful."

"Well, you need to drink it. So, get on it." Ordered Farkas.

Farkas is the last person that should be telling her what to do, but Ariel wasn't going to challenge the muscular man while wasted. She drank more and gnawed on some bread to kill the funky taste. Ariel felt like a belligerent child who didn't want to eat vegetables for dinner. That's because her mother Desi often scolded Ariel for not doing so.

Farkas leaned on the bar. "How have you been?"

"Fine."

"That's good to hear. You drinking to celebrate?"

"No."

"Is something the matter?"

"No."

"Mmm. Am I bothering you?"

This response had slight delay. "No."

Ariel wondered what took Larina so long, hoping her friend would return soon and shoo Farkas away. Then again, she gained a peace of mind with the Companion being there. Paying to sober her up. Asking how she was doing. Lots of people treated her well, but Farkas made those proverbial butterflies start to flutter. She didn't know why.

"Listen Ariel, I know we parted ways on bad terms. It's been eating at me for the longest time. I blamed myself for a while after it happened. Eventually, I realized that situation was completely out of our control. I'm sorry about your friend, and I wish I could have saved him. Fact of the matter is, I exposed myself to save you, and I'd expose myself to the world, as long as it meant your safety. I don't expect you to forgive me. I just want you to know, despite who I am, and what I am, if you ever need a shield for your sword, I'll always be here."

Like an ancient statue, Ariel remained frozen. Listening on as her mind absorbed every word he spoke. His final line striking a chord that she wasn't aware was active. Her eyes shifted over, getting a decent view through peripheral vision.

Farkas made a couple of cosmetic changes since their last meeting. The top half of his hair was tied back, with the lower half draped over his shoulders. He grew a light beard, which could use a good trim. There was small scar under his left eye, presumably from a fight. Only being interested a few men during her adult life, Ariel never had a "type".

Ariel's first interest in boys was at sixteen with a kid from Riften, who was the same age. Afiya had taken her traveling so she would get used to the outside world. The boy worked at a fruit stand, and after a casual chat, they snuck off. Sharing a bundle of grapes, and her first kiss. Afiya caught them, disappointed in Ariel's actions, but understood due to her being a teenager. Besides that, she only chatted with other men in the Vigilants, none which ever amounted to anything. Vanis' boyish charm often brought her a laugh, but she never knew enough about him to see him as a lover. It was a mood point, as Stendarr's rules forbid any sexual acts. Basically, equating a Vigilant's life to that of a priest. Not like it stopped any of them from flirting.

Perhaps their last encounter was the connection she and Farkas shared. Knowing this deep, dark secret about Farkas and his brother that would ruin their lives if ever brought to the surface. Holding a man's livelihood in her hands, and he trusted her with it. Hulda gave Farkas a bag of whatever he came here for.

"I should go. If my Companion brothers see me talking to you, they'll kill me." Farkas chuckled. "Well, before you do. Goodbye Ariel."

Farkas walked out the Bannered Mare's front door, just as Larina made her way back.

"We should get to bed." Larina noticed Ariel's face still sad. "Ariel, it's going to be okay."

Ariel opened her mouth, making sure not to say the wrong thing. She smiled and waved it off. "Let's go to bed."

With only one room available, Ariel and Larina shared the twin bed. Ariel took off her painful steel gear and dirty robes. She hopped under the sheets and saw Larina praying one the bed's opposite side. Stendarr's amulet wrapped around her hands.

"Larina, do you think those prayers really work?"

With her eyes closed, she answered, "It's now about what I think, it's about what we believe in. Stendarr guides us in the right direction. Even if he isn't here in mortal form, his influence lives inside us all."

Being four years older than Ariel, Larina had the proper experience. Even though Ariel spent more time as a Vigilant, Larina had the natural talent. Tapping into her inner mage and becoming one of their top restoration specialists. Studying Stendarr's teachings at least an hour each day, even information she already covered. Larina trained with Afiya to practice her magic, learning spells imported from other countries. The imperial hoped one day to replace Carcette as the Keeper, and with the way things were going, that might happen very soon.

Even then, Ariel never let something so trivial bother her. Instead, following in Larina's footsteps to become a better Vigilant. Ariel crawled over and kneeled next to Larina. Larina opened one eye.

"Do not mock me, Ariel. I'm not in the mood." She knew Ariel never took Stendarr's teachings seriously but had hope the young one would do so as she got older.

"I won't say anything. Walk me through it."

Larina sighed. "Alright. Close your eyes. Stendarr, great divine. We pray in your name. Spreading your philosophy. Protecting those who can't for themselves. Healing the sick and aiding the wounded to preserve the gift we call life. We shall give to those in need, not for compensation, but for compassion. We shall strike down any abomination, and those who dare associate with them."

Ariel's heart skipped a beat.

"Give us the strength to keep this world pure. We shall use it valiantly. Bless our sister Afiya with your power and see her to good health. Thank you Stendarr."

"Thank you Stendarr." Ariel nervously whispered.

Seven years ago...

Talking. People were talking. She could hear muffled voices from a close distance. Ariel opened her eyes. With her head laying on one side, all she saw was a wall. A candle gave the area minimal light. No one in her general vicinity, but people were definitely there. She laid in a bed that wasn't hers. Having no idea where she is, Ariel tried to move, but an extreme pain shot through her spine.

"OW!"

The simplest movements hurt, creating an intense burning sensation. Her mind became blank, having no recollection of the previous night. More importantly, her family was nowhere in sight.

"Mom? Dad? Tyrus?"

A hooded man came into her field of view. Dressed in white and blue robes. From her lowered perspective, his face was covered in shadows. This terrifying view threw Ariel into a panic. Wiggling and shaking to try and run away, but the pain was too strenuous.

"Please...don't hurt me." She cried.

The man called out an unfamiliar name and disappeared from sight. Footsteps bumped across the floor. A redguard woman wearing the same outfit now stood in front of Ariel, except her face was visible. She looked to be around Desi's age. Hair braided in cornrows. She softly spoke, "You're finally awake child."

Ariel was having none of it. "Please don't hurt me. I-I want to go home."

The redguard sighed. "You don't remember what happened do you?"

No response from the frightened little girl. Afiya attempted to console her, reaching out with a soothing hand.

"NO!" She cried again.

Afiya sighed. "I don't know how to put this any other way, so I'll just say it. My name is Afiya, and I work with the Vigilant's of Stendarr. We hunt Daedra. Last night, a Lycan attacked your family. We didn't make it in time. Your parents and brother were killed. You were severely injured, but I managed to heal you."

Ariel's face turned to the wall her bed sat next to. Afiya heard the sniffles, and the whimpers followed. She was clearly terrified, and Afiya didn't know what to do. With no solid answer, Afiya decided to leave Ariel for the time being.

Afiya awoke the next morning with a rejuvenated demeanor. Breaking the bad news about losing a loved one is never easy, especially with a mind so fragile. Afiya went to bed carrying Ariel's grief with her. Tossing and turning thinking about that little girl with nowhere to go. The Vigilants would gladly accept her, but who's taking care of a kid? Carcette is directing the Vigilants. Everyone else had things to do. So, it rested on Afiya now, and she realized that. Today was a new day. Determined to turn things around, she prepared a light breakfast and went the living quarters. Heading to the back where Ariel rested away from the others, Afiya arrived to a surprise.

"You're up!"

Ariel sat on the bed, blanket covering her legs. She didn't acknowledge Afiya at all, completely zoned out with drooping eyes. Cheeks soaked in dried tears.

"Good morning, Ariel." Afiya sat on the bed's edge with the tray resting on her lap. "It's nice to see you again. I can't believe you got up all by yourself. That's amazing."

Afiya was so impressed because Ariel suffered minor nerve damage from her spinal attack. It wouldn't last forever, but considering Ariel fully turned over and sat up with no help, Afiya knew her body was aching. And it showed there was some fight inside of her. Ariel said nothing. Afiya's lips puckered, thinking of how to break the ice.

"I'm happy you stopped crying. You have a such a beautiful face. I'd hate to see it upset."

Ariel's head lifted from her trance. She stared at Afiya with a face full of sorrow. "Is my family really dead?"

Afiya looked away momentarily, wanting to bring it up at a later time. "Yes. They're no longer with us. I'm sorry."

It became silent. The other Vigilant's were upstairs, leaving the two alone. Ariel's head dropped down to its former position. Afiya's legs were hot from the tray. She hoped Ariel would eat before it got cold.

"Afiya. That's your name?"

She nodded. "Mm hmm."

"Why did I live...and they had to die?" She asked dejectedly.

Afiya tapped her fingers against the tray. "Can I tell you a story?"

"Okay."

"I had a brother too. His name was Kivan. He died only three days after being born."

"Oh no. Why did he die?"

Afiya shrugged. "I don't know. He couldn't breathe properly. We seeked out different doctors to come help us, but none of them made it in time. Till this day I still don't know why. From that point, I devoted my life to medicine and helping others."

"I'm sorry he died."

"Thank you. Ariel let me explain. Sometimes, good people suffer for no reason. Most of the time, it's out of our control. It's how the world works unfortunately. As we walk amongst the living, it's our duty to make sure we keep going for those who are no longer with us. Because they would be so disappointed, to see us grieving, instead of living, and honoring their memory." Afiya rolled up her sleeve and showed Kivan's name tattooed on her right wrist. "And not a day should go by when we don't think about them. Do you understand?"

Ariel nodded.

"Good. Let's talk about this later. I'm sure you're starving. I have breakfast here. Apple-cinnamon oatmeal and apple cider. As you probably assumed, I really like apples. This never fails to cheer me up, so I know it'll cheer you up too. But first, let's clean your face."

Afiya took a cloth, lifted Ariel's head by the chin, and gently wiped the tears away. Afiya hummed a jaunty tune. With that done, she stirred the oatmeal and scooped a nice spoonful. Ariel opened her mouth, letting the kind lady feed her. She also drank the sweet cider, which contained a potion that will ease Ariel's pain.

"It's good, isn't it?" Asked Afiya, smiling so hard she showed gums. Ariel managed a half smile and nodded. "All right! When we're done with this, I have a fun day planned for the both of us."

Since Ariel was bound to the bed, Afiya never left her side. She did Ariel's hair. Played checkers with Ariel. Taught Ariel of the Vigilants ways and her past life in Hammerfell. They talked about Ariel's family and sent the Vigilants to retrieve any meaningful possessions from Ariel's home. The most important being Tyrus' journal.

Ariel's mood gradually improved from dismal to cheerful. Over the course of that day, Ariel realized she had met an angel. This woman who she's never met, did everything possible to brighten her day. Even though Ariel never said the words, she appreciated every second of it. With the entire afternoon gone, Carcette came downstairs to see how things were going. She found Afiya and Ariel asleep. Snuggled under the sheets with an open book. Carcette smiled and blew out their candle.

End...

The following morning, Ariel and Larina checked on Afiya at the temple. things were the same. They moved Afiya to a bed in the back and fitted her with a spare priest robe. Without the proper context, one would think she was being buried soon.

"On a positive note, we've removed any of the toxins the vampire may have left by feeding on her." Said Danica. "As of right now, she's in a comatose state. There's no telling when, or if she'll wake up."

"Was there any sign of her turning?" Asked Larina.

"No. If she was, it would have happened already. It appears the vampire had no plans for her other than food. I'm not sure which fate is worse."

"What do you mean turned?" Questioned Ariel.

"A vampire has two ways of converting a mortal into one of them. One is a spell that drains your energy. If stuck in this spell long enough, the magic will turn you. The vampire used it on me back at the cave. Thankfully you broke his spell, but I drank our potion that cures diseases just in case."

Ariel rubbed her chin. "The other way is through biting?"

"Yes, but it doesn't have to be your neck. Like a snake, vampires are able to release a poison if they so choose too. If it gets into your blood stream, then you'll turn. If that happens, then there's no coming back." Larina thought of something. "Wait. Why am I explaining this? You should know this already."

"Excuse me for not knowing every single thing in the world." Ariel retorted.

Larina rolled her eyes but didn't make a scene.

Ariel pulled an abnormally large sack of gold from her robes. "Danica, take this. It's a little under 1000 septims. It's all I have on me at the moment. I'll cover any expenses for Afiya. Need any more, don't hesitate to ask. Do whatever it takes to make her better."

"1000 septims! We can't take-"

Ariel planted it in Danica's hands. "Please, use what you need. Any that's left over, spend it where you see fit. I won't take no for an answer."

Danica gently touched Ariel's shoulder. "The maker smiles upon people like you. Bless your heart child." The priestess went to go store the funds in a safe place.

Larina asked, "Did the book publisher pay you that well?"

"Yes, but that money came from a different investment. I'll tell you about it later. One more thing before we go." Ariel removed the silver, sapphire necklace from around her neck, and placed on the drawer next to Afiya's bed. She'll need that luck more than Ariel did.

With Afiya in Danica's care, their next move was to head back to the hall and regroup. They would need to figure out a proper strategy for combating the creatures. They would also need to recruit more members. It would be even harder now with Afiya down and Carcette working in a limited capacity. The girls traveled nonstop, only slowing down to avoid any woodland creatures who would cause a problem. A half mile away from the hall, Larina could see smoke.

"Ariel, do you see that?"

"I do. HYAH!" Their horses went into full sprint, reaching the hall in a matter of seconds. The scene when they arrived, was the last thing either of them expected to see.

A charred foundation of bodies and debris now remained where the mighty Vigilant Hall formerly stood. Ariel and Larina investigated the scene. There were dead vampires and Vigilants sprawled across the floor. Bloody weapons plunged into chests. Singe marks and holes in the floor from the casted magic. A foot exposed a Vigilant buried under a pile of wood.

"I... I don't understand." Uttered Larina. "We were gone for one day."

Ariel glanced at the multiple vampire corpses, cautious that one of them may spring to life. Larina recognized the faces of her friends. The sight of their lifeless expressions shook her to the core.

"WE WERE GONE FOR ONE DAY!" Larina began ferociously punching a burnt table. Over and over. Screaming at the top of her lungs. "WE. WERE. GONE. FOR. ONE. DAY! DAMMIT, DAMMIT!"

Ariel could try and talk Larina down but allowed her to release that anger unopposed. Less it gets taken out on her by mistake. Besides, the war was over. There was nothing to be done except yell and curse the name of those who took away a brotherhood. A symbol of justice. A family.

A full sixty seconds passed as Larina smashed the table to pieces. She slammed her head against the wall and remained there. Ariel stepped around a vampire and approached Larina. The words were there, but she didn't know how to piece them together without making it worse.

"I know what you're going to say." Cried Larina.

"Do you?"

"If we were here, we'd be dead with the rest of them." It was the truth, and that's what ate at Larina the most.

"I don't see Carcette. We should check downstairs for any survivors." Said Ariel.

Larina pushed herself off the wall. "Come on."

The steps leading to the quarters were blocked off, so they spent a couple of minutes clearing a path. The door was blocked from the other side. They counted to three, and shoulder bashed it in. While slightly blocked, there was a big enough opening to fit through. Downstairs wasn't much better, with more carnage as a few dead vampires laid about. Carcette sat pinned against the wall, stuck behind a large 2x4. The girls tried to move it, but it was jammed between more debris.

"Hold on Keeper, we're going to free you." Shouted Larina. She picked up Carcette's enchanted, two-handed, steel hammer. "Ariel, stand back." Larina took an overhead swing, breaking the wood in two. Ariel pushed the remaining debris away, freeing Carcette. She immediately spat up blood, as the wood kept everything in place. Larina went right to work, applying her restoration magic. Kneeling on Carcette's left side, Ariel saw something Larina didn't. Bite marks on her neck.

"Larina."

"I'm trying to concentrate!"

Ariel hushed as Larina put her all into the healing spell. She used her strongest one, which can close even the deepest gash. Larina focused on fixing internal damage. Her efforts were fruitless, as she felt Carcette's heart stop beating. The Keeper had died. Larina covered her eyes with both hands, not wanting to show any emotions. She held it together for this long, but Carcette may have been the final straw.

Carcette's eyes reopened with a yellow glow. Ariel saw this, drew her silver sword and raised it. Larina leaned forward and punched Ariel pretty hard, knocking her down. Seething, Larina yelled, "What are you doing?"

Carcette, now a vampire, tackled Larina to the ground. She choked Larina, who tried to reason with her mentor. "Keeper. Fight the Daedra's influence." Carcette's grip tightened, causing Larina to gasp profusely. Ariel came from behind, putting Carcette into a headlock. Falling backwards, she wrapped her legs around the waist, holding the Keeper in place.

Horrified, Larina slid away, massaging her throat. Watching as the last fragment of the Vigilants became the very thing they swore to fight against. No longer a human, but a vessel of a Daedric lord. No longer in control over her actions. Carcette scratched and clawed at Ariel, who could only hold on for so long. Ariel stared at Larina, waiting for the signal to do what she had to. Larina painfully nodded and turned away. Ariel used her free hand to grab the silver sword.

"Forgive me."

She stabbed Carcette in the heart, mercy killing the leader of Stendarr's Vigil.