Chapter 1
Yang stumbled, and her body smashed into the jagged, frozen cave wall hard enough to trigger the remnants of her aura. She didn't even feel it, far too eager to leave the grisly scene of horror far behind her. Her breath came in hard, sharp pants as her mind continued attempting to put together the pieces of just what had happened to her. The last thing she remembered was…was…Her stomach rebelled, and she heaved its contents unto the stone ground with a wet slap that almost instantly began to steam in the cold air. There was…so much red…too much…that thought and the scent of bile brought on another wave of heaving, and the cycle continued until her unfortunate insides had nothing left to give. Ignoring the stench, she wiped her mouth off with the back of her hand, only to freeze as she saw that it too was stained red. It's not mine. She somehow knew that. She didn't want to know how. A small hysterical part of her wondered why it wasn't disintegrating like the Grimm did. Until she remembered that Grimm didn't bleed. Letting the now shaking appendage fall to her side, she refused to look at the rest of herself, terrified at what she might find and the memories such a sight would bring back to her. It would be just another reminder of the nightmare that was beginning to resurface in her mind. Snarling, fighting, dying, gurgling…so much delicious red… Another round of heaving struck her. Air, she thought, I need air. The thought consumed her, driving her to begin running once more, to put more distance between her and the massacre that lay in the depths of the cave. Her massacre.
She heard the wind before she felt it. It was so loud it almost overrode the thunderous crashing she could hear just ahead. They were violent, almost unearthly sounds that at another time and another place might have evoked a sense of fear. A primal urge to run and get as far away as possible. To run and run and never look back at the thing that might be coming for her. At this time and at this place however, they were the most joyful sounds Yang had ever heard. It could be the crashing and howling form of a Grim coming to swallow her whole and she would still run toward them. For they meant freedom. A path to leave the horrors of the last few days behind her and perhaps forget that they had ever happened at all. The thought spurred her to run faster, and a score of seconds later brought a blast of frigid air and mist to her skin, and within moments was enough to form rivulets of red that began to run down her arms, face and neck. The wind grew strong enough to whip her now tangled, matted and stained hair away from her face. Another few steps and she was out and relishing the warmth of a sun that she had always taken for granted until now. Yang swore to herself she would never do so again. She held a hand up to block the dazzling rays to look around her. Despite her recent terror, a bubble of laughter escaped her lips as she took in the waterfall that crashed down next to the entrance of her former prison.
"Yes, what a terrible Grimm." She mumbled.
What would her teammates think if they found out she had been scared of a waterfall? They'd never let me live it down. She could see the haughty amusement on Weiss's face, the small smirk Blake would wear. An openly laughing Ruby. A small wave of despair passed before she fought it away. She didn't know how long she'd been kept here, but it couldn't have been more than a few days. Had her team survived the attack? She could still see the instant that red-haired bastard stabbed his sword down at Blake, heard her scream of pain. Yang blinked hard. Stupid waterfall. It was getting mist in her eyes. She had to believe they were all alright. Even Blake could have escaped. Jaune was there with them. Yang tried not to wince. Maybe he distracted RHB long enough for Blake to get away? She shook her head. Now wasn't the time to think about that. She'd been here for at least several days before... She forced herself not to look back. She could worry about that later too. Right now she had to get back to her team. Back to Ruby. Her view was partially blocked by the crashing water, but she could still see the gold and green forest that stretched out below her and the snowcapped mountains in the distance. She blinked. Mountains? Snow? Just where had she been taken to? She stepped fully out of the cave…only to feel her aura snap against her skin as she moved fully into the sunlight.
Almost without realizing it, she fell into a combat stance, her wary eyes darting around for anything that seemed out of place, but aside from a few scattered trees and boulders, she couldn't determine anything that might have posed a threat. Still, Yang could feel her aura humming gently, as though it was constantly fending off some form of harm to her.
"If you're there you'd better come out right now!"
In the emptiness, Yang's voice carried, but still there was no response. "I mean it!"
Yang tried to trigger her Semblance and her hair sputtered, sparked and then faded back to normal. She cursed. It's still not working. She didn't know why, but ever since she had woken up in that cave the first time her Semblance had refused to cooperate. If it had…her hand darted to her neck, almost surprised at the lack of any mark there. Her other fist tightened and her hair sparked again. If her Semblance had been working properly, then that sick freak would have never been able to do…whatever he had done to her.
"Is, is…anybody there?"
This request was tinged with desperation, and lacked the anger that had accompanied her last demand, but only the wind greeted her words, sending a chill down her body that was only partially due to the cold. Yang cast a glance at the sky, noting that the sunlight she had reveled in only moments ago had vanished behind dark, forbidding clouds that absorbed any hint of warmth. Even her aura seemed to react to the sudden lack of sunlight, the constant buzzing that had been present against her skin fading away. Yang shivered. Her clothes were gone, having been replaced before she woke up with some kind of itchy brown cloth that Yang hated. Huh. She wiggled her toes against the stone. She needed to find some shoes too. Unconsciously, her hands felt for Ember Celica on her wrists, taking comfort in their presence. They didn't work, the delicate machinery that enabled their transformation having been damaged far too much by whatever had happened, but Yang was just glad they were still with her. Another blast of wind had Yang rubbing her shoulders and casting another glance up at the angry looking sky.
"It's gonna rain soon." She murmured.
She took in her surroundings once more and the chilly bite to the air. "Or maybe snow." She glanced behind her, but quickly dismissed any thought of taking cover from the storm in there. She would rather die. She shuddered. She had to keep moving or she knew her mind would start thinking about before. With the lack of any other choice, she took a deep breath, raised her chin, and started walking. Don't worry Ruby, Blake…Weiss, I'll make it back to you. Just hang on.
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It occurred to her after about fifteen minutes of travel that finding a town might be a little harder than she first thought. From everything she had heard about the outskirts of Vale, towns were pretty few and far between. But at least the cave she had been held in had only been a few minutes' walk from a road. Or, what passed for a road out here. The rough cobblestones were a far cry from Vale's city streets, or even Patch's. Nonetheless, after picking her way down the path of the mountain, her feet thanked her for the change. Actually, so far her biggest problem had been deciding which way to go after she found the road, and after a moment's hesitation she had chosen left. Of course, this decision was mostly for the creek that passed under a small stone bridge. The icy cold water had taken her breath away, but she had at least been able to clean off the…red stuff that had been liberally coating her body. She hadn't been able to do much for her hair or clothing, but overall she felt much better than she had just a few short minutes ago. Even still, Yang noticed it growing darker and realized it wasn't just the clouds that were causing it. The sun was going down, which would bring a whole other set of problems for her. But after another hour of walking in her chosen direction she let out a tired cheer as she saw the walls of an archaic stone walled city. Yang felt it was a little old fashioned, but who was she to complain? She just prayed to the brother gods that it wasn't abandoned. Fortunately, they seemed to be answering prayers that day as she could hear the noise that usually accompanied settlements. About that moment the clouds she had been eyeing warily lost the battle and it started to rain. Slowly at first, but then it began to pour, soaking her recently dried body and causing a shiver of discomfort to run down her back to go along with the shivers from the cold.
"Of course. So close and yet so far." Yang muttered under her breath before freezing in her tracks. "Whoa."
Was that a horse drawn carriage? Things must be worse than she thought out here! And the driver actually stared at her as if she was the strange one!
"Hi there!" she forced a chipper tone to her voice as she greeted what had to be a town guard standing next to the town's entrance.
The rain clinked softly against his old-fashioned steel armor, as both he and his partner shot looks at the sky. Yang was sure that if she could see their faces under their helmets that they would be holding sour looks that matched her own feelings.
"I don't suppose you've got a scroll I could borrow?" she asked, picking her voice up to be heard over the growing sound of rain. "I really, really need to get back to Vale."
She doubted news of the capital city's attack had made it all the way out here yet and didn't want to spread some kind of panic that might bring more Grimm. The last thing she wanted was to be responsible for bringing down a fringe town. Although she couldn't them, she could feel the eyes of the nearest guard roam up and down her body, taking in the bloo-red stuff that neither she nor the rain had yet been able to remove from her scratchy scrap of clothing or her hair. The faceless man turned back to face forward, ignoring her completely.
"The town is closed."
Yang blinked in surprise before her hair began rapidly sputtering with flickers of flame and she placed her hands on her hips. "What is that supposed to mean? My name is Yang Xiao Long. I'm a Huntress and I need your scroll. There was an attack and-"
The guard merely turned his head to look at her while his partner turned and ran into the town. Yang smirked. She most likely had more sense than her partner and was headed to tell the town's leader that a Huntress had arrived with news. "See? Your partner gets it. Why don't you let me in and you won't get in any trouble okay? I've had a long few days and just-"
"Don't make this any harder than it needs to be."
The man's voice sounded apologetic, but he stood firm. "Just turn around and leave. You don't want to spend the next few days in jail, do you?" He leaned forward conspiratorially, and Yang had the uncomfortable sensation that he was staring into her eyes before he spoke in a whisper. "I have a niece with your condition. If you have business with the Thieves Guild, I'm sure they'll send somebody out to get you. They're rather understanding toward your kind. You make the best thieves, from what I hear."
Now it was Yang's turn to be surprised. "W-what? What do you mean my condition? I-"
By this point a small crowd was gathering, surprisingly willing to get wet for the opportunity of entertainment. Didn't they have anything better to do? The guard noticed them too, for he leaned away from her, giving her a small shove before speaking with a louder voice.
"Now get lost before I make you!"
As if to add action to the threat, he started to draw the sword at his side. Yang tensed, bracing herself for a fight. But then, bloody and mutilated bodies flashed across her vision, along with images of unfamiliar faces. To her shock and horror, the images sent a bolt of anticipation through her and a pounding began in her ears. She wanted to feel that again, see the life leave the eyes of her prey, feel the thud of a fading pulse as hot liquid filled her mouth, bringing with it a euphoric sensation…Yang gasped in surprise before stumbling back. What was that? She had always been eager for a fight, but that…that was new. She felt suddenly hot, and for a moment thought her Semblance had come back, only to realize it wasn't her Semblance. It was her. She sucked in a deep breath, swallowing hard as she met the helmeted eyes of the guard whose body language had suddenly shifted. He suddenly looked far more ready to draw his sword than before. Whatever was going on with her aura, she couldn't worry about that now. Ruby and her team needed her. She would do whatever it took to get back to her and make sure she was okay.
"This is your last-"
"Ah there you are Ms. Xiao Long. I see that you had a bit of trouble on the road."
The smooth, cultured voice cut through the growing tension like a knife as Yang, the guard and the growing crowd all turned to see a tall, hooded man approaching her from their midst. "I had begun to worry that maybe I asked too much of you as my apprentice, but I am glad to see that you arrived," he looked her up and down much as the guard had earlier, "relatively unharmed."
Murmurs Yang could hear even over the rain began to break out amongst the gathering crowd but the man continued as though he didn't notice. He seemed genuinely amused by the whole situation, further killing the tension that had built over the past few minutes.
"Though you must tell me the story of what happened to your clothes." He spoke louder, obviously addressing the crowd now. "You will give Hurger a heart attack going about dressed like that!"
There were several hoots and jeers from the crowd at this, along with a cry of 'me too!' and even more good-natured laughter as the man continued. "Why doesn't everyone go back home? I will see to my apprentice from here." There were more calls and jeers, but with the entertainment obviously over, the rain was more than convincing enough to cause the crowd to disperse. As they were doing so, the man drew his hood back to reveal what at first glance appeared to be a blonde, bearded man somewhere in his late twenties to early thirties, with tanned, golden skin and a friendly smile. It was only a second glance that revealed his large pointed ears and slightly strange features. Was he a Faunus? And how did he know her name? She supposed maybe the guard told him, but he seemed to…know her somehow. Dread pooled in her stomach. Did they get the Vytal Festival feed way out here? Yang glanced around, for the first time actually looking at the remainder of the crowd that had gathered, searching for the harsh looks that had become so familiar lately. Wait. There were several humans among them but…Her breath came faster. Something was wrong. These people. They weren't human or Faunus. At least, she didn't think so. Several of them looked more like cats than any Faunus she had ever heard of, and several wore distinctly reptilian features. Others…well she didn't know what they were.
"W-what?"
Her rapid breath began to speed up even faster and she began to feel dizzy as darkness encroached on her vision. The events of the past few days all began to blur together and with a muttered, "Oh sh…" she fell and knew nothing else.
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She woke again with a groan but refused to move. Her bed was warm, and she didn't want to leave it. Her stomach however, had different ideas as a warm, delicious smell drifted to her nose.
"Traitor." She murmured, before reluctantly opening her eyes.
After staring upward for a moment, she frowned, tilting her head. Had the ceiling of her dorm always been that far away? And how could she smell the cafeteria food from way up here? With her eyes fully adjusted to the dim room, she saw an odd glow flickering on the wall next to her.
"Get off your scroll Ruby." She paused but the glow continued and Yang sighed. It was hard being the older sister sometimes.
"Have Blake and Weiss gotten up yet? I'm starving for breakfast and we have to get there early if we want to beat Nora."
An instant after she spoke, she realized that the glow was the wrong color for a Scroll. And the voice that answered her statement did not belong to Ruby. Or even Blake or Weiss. If anything, it reminded her of Professor Ozpin.
"I'm afraid that it is still rather too late for breakfast Ms. Xiao Long. Or early I suppose, depending on your point of view." A pause. "And you are rather too young to be telling me what I can and cannot read."
Yang bolted upright, the strange voice bringing with it the memory of the last few days, and she turned to see the same strange man that had called her by name at the gate. He paused in his reading to glance up at her. "Though I have never heard of a ruby scroll before. It sounds terribly hard to make, not to mention expensive." He tapped his chin with a long, elegant finger. "Though I suppose with the correct application of magic, nothing is impossible…"
Yang narrowed her eyes at him. "Who are you?"
He stood, interrupting himself mid-musing and causing her to tense. "Ah yes. Introductions are in order. My name is Septimus Signus, and I must say, it is truly a pleasure to meet you Ms. Xiao Long. I have waited for this day for some time. It is good that you are now awake. If you had stayed sleeping any longer things might have gotten…messy."
Yang felt a mix of fear and anger pass through her at the words. Some of it must have shown on her face, because the strange man,-faunus?- held his hands up and began speaking as if he was talking to a startled deer, "Ah, forgive me. That was not intended to be a threat Ms. Xiao Long, merely a statement of fact."
She winced and surprisingly, he did as well. "Oh, by the Princes, I am making a mess of this aren't I?" He gave her a hopeful look so genuine she had to fight off a small chuckle as her assessment of him went slightly upward. "Would you mind terribly if we started over?" She did chuckle then and he brightened before gesturing to a pot hanging over a fire, which was the obvious source of the glow she had seen earlier. "Perhaps over a warm meal? You look like you could use it."
Yang was about to argue until her stomach rumbled again and she blushed. "Yeah, food sounds good right now." His look brightened further and he nodded. "Excellent. If you would have a seat, I will get everything prepared and then we can talk."
With that said, he moved to the fire and Yang took that moment to study her surroundings. The house, like everything else she had seen so far, seemed set in a time she doubted her dad had even seen. It was…homey, she decided, with dark wooden floor boards and log walls with the occasional carpet or tapestry thrown over their surfaces. There were scant decorations, though the few there were, were done in warm reds and browns, or the occasional dark green. With the exception of one cabinet obviously used for food and utensils, the rest were stuffed absolutely full of books and scrolls, Yang noted that even a corner or two were full of paper. Suspended on a rope close to the ceiling were bits and pieces of what looked like plants, though in some cases Yang wasn't quite sure. That was…kinda weird. Off to the side, almost hidden in the dark, was a staircase that obviously led down to some kind of lower level. As the man-Septimus, Yang reminded herself, filled the bowls, Yang threw the somewhat scratchy blanket and let out a yelp of surprise that caused Septimus to drop his current bowl, spilling the stew on the floor as he spun around.
"Is something wrong?" He asked, obviously puzzled at Yang's strange reaction.
"Where are my clothes?" She demanded.
He tilted his head toward the simple shirt and pants she was now wearing. "I'm not sure I understand Ms. Xiao Long. You are wearing them."
Yang's hair sparked, something she noticed caught Septimus attention as he looked fascinated. "I mean the ones I came in with!"
He wrinkled his face in obvious distaste. "Those bloody things? I imagine the healer had them thrown away when I brought you in. The Temple of Mara is not quite as good at healing as Kynareth's Temple in Whiterun, but for your ordeal, you are in remarkably good condition so there wasn't much that needed to be done." He must have misunderstood her blush for he rushed to continue. "Not to worry! The healer was one that I trust implicitly, so you have no reason to fear for your condition getting out."
"Oh." She blushed in embarrassment before rubbing the back of her head. Even in her distracted state she was delighted to feel no trace of its previous condition. She could still use some hair products though. "Well, thanks Prof."
Septimus lips twitched downward slightly before mouthing the word, but made no mention of the nickname she had decided to saddle him with. "It was my pleasure Ms. Xiao Long. Now please," he gestured back to the table, "let us eat and discuss things."
Seeing no reason to refuse, Yang did as suggested and sat at the table before nearly inhaling her food. She hadn't realized how hungry she was! When she thought back, she wasn't sure when the last time was that she had eaten, certainly not before she arrived in…wherever this was. About halfway through her meal, Yang noticed that she felt strangely calm. She could still feel her emotions, but they were strangely muted somehow. She swallowed her current mouthful of food before giving Septimus what she hoped was a stern look. "What did you do to me?" Despite her intentions, even her voice was strangely calm.
He gave her a guilty look. "My apologies Ms. Xiao Long, but given you earlier display at the gate, I feel it would be best if you did not have access to your emotions. What I gave you will wear off in time, it is merely a calming potion." He shrugged. "While it is not my area of expertise, I know enough about such things to get by."
He nodded toward her food. "Please, eat."
Potions? Every answer just gave her more questions. Resolutely, Yang pushed the remains of her food away and crossed her arms. She meant it as a defiant gesture, but couldn't quite summon the emotion to go with it. Whatever 'potions' were, they were weird. Septimus sighed. "Very well." He cleared his throat. "As I have said before, my name is Septimus Signus. I am an Altmer, a race of elves from the Summerset Isle." He held up a hand and Yang snapped her mouth closed. "All will be explained, but I am afraid we do not have as much time as I would like. Therefore, I will give you the important parts now, and will answer any of your questions in the coming days." Her muted irritation aside, Yang realized she really was in no position to argue, and so could only roll her eyes. Nevertheless, she nodded and Septimus continued. "Excellent. To put things succinctly, Ms. Xiao Long, you are no longer in your realm."
Even with her muted emotions, Yang felt as if she'd been struck by Cardin's mace. "I'm sorry Prof. I don't think I heard you correctly." Her voice sounded distant even to her own ears.
Septimus merely nodded. "You did, indeed, hear me correctly. And I must say it is fortunate that you appeared where you did. The majority of Skyrim's inhabitants are human, and given the recent war that the Aldmeri Dominion began with the Empire…well let us just say that you would not have been welcome in more elven dominated territories right now."
Yang though, barely heard his explanation. She wasn't in Vale anymore. She wasn't even in the Kingdoms anymore. Then the full weight of the man's statement hit her.
There was a brief moment where she felt like she was falling, and darkness encroached on the edge of her vision. Not…in her own realm?
"-ong!"
What did that mean?
"-s. -ao Long!"
"How did this happen?" She whispered, coming back to reality. The last thing she could recall was that red-headed bastard and then…nothing. The next memory she had was waking up in that cursed cave with that man and his creepy followers. And by that time, she was already in this other world. She recalled some of the goofy comics she had spotted Ruby reading sometimes. Did they, I don't know, summon me here? She didn't think she'd seen anything like that though. She closed her eyes, forcing herself to remember her arrival…no. No, they had seemed even more surprised than she had been when she crashed down onto the table in front of them. So, what could have caused it?
After studying her a moment longer, Septimus sighed. "To be quite honest with you Ms. Xiao Long, I do not know." He spread his hands in a hopeless gesture. "Even my lord seemed surprised with these events when he first told me about their possibility and adjusted his plans accordingly." Yang's felt her mind begin to focus once more at the statement. Possibility? Had this 'lord' known she was coming? "And who is your lord?"
Septimus appeared not to have heard her. "-emotions that powerful? Or is it simply not as effective due to her condition?" He shook his head before glancing up at her as she cleared her throat. "My apologies. One thing at a time, if you please, Ms. Xiao Long." He cleared his throat. "Anyway, while I do not know how this happened to you, I do believe that there is a way to get you back to your own realm."
Yang felt a spark of hope deep in her chest. She could get back? She launched to her feet as a wide smile spread across her face. "Why didn't you tell me this in the first place?" She began moving toward the door. "I need to get back as soon as possible! My team needs me! Ruby needs me!"
"Ms. Xiao Long!" Septimus voice halted Yang midstride. "You will sit down!"
She turned and glared at the golden skinned Altmer before raising an eyebrow challengingly. "Are you gonna make me Prof?"
The man stood slowly. "If I must."
At his words Yang suddenly felt her pulse begin to race as her earlier sensations came back with a vengeance. Almost against her will her eyes slowly drifted down to Septimus throat. She swallowed; her mouth suddenly dry. What would it be like? She wondered, as her pulse began pounding in her ears. What would it be like to feel the strange man's resistance crumble? She licked her lips. To feel his body go slack in her grip as she brought her fangs to his- Yang let out a choked gasp, falling to her knees. She noticed, dimly, that she was now only two steps away from Septimus, who was looking down at her in a mix of fear and…pity? She looked up at him as she felt tears beginning to build up behind her eyes before rolling down her cheeks. "Wh-what is happening to me Prof? I-I don't understand." There was too much. She couldn't take it anymore. She didn't know what was going on. Her body shook as the events of the last week seemed to catch up to her all at once.
"What did that monster do to me?!" She choked out before losing all capability of speech. She broke down even further, sobbing on the wooden floor of a cabin in a different realm. She had lost her sister, her team, her partner…even her school. She had been humiliated before the entire world for something she didn't do. She'd fought for her life against an army of robots and monsters and terrorists. She'd seen Blake lying on the floor as she begged them to run away before being stabbed and pinned to the floor. She had been brought to another world before being violated by a monster that had…done something to her. Images of the massacre in the cave all came rushing back to her at once, the smell of blood, the palpable fear in the air, the screams. It was just too much. She only barely noticed when Septimus left, quietly shutting the door behind him. Once he left she felt the last of her walls break and she cried for what felt like hours before the tears simply refused to come anymore. Her pain had not stopped, in fact it only seemed to grow with the lack of an outlet. She couldn't deal with all this. She…she… A quiet stirring just outside her vision prompted her to sniff loudly.
"G'way." She slurred. She didn't want to deal with this anymore. She couldn't.
A woman's voice purred through the house. "Hello there little fledgling."
There was something soothing to it, a sort of rumbling that tickled the back of Yang's mind and made her want to obey the owner of that voice. To fulfill their every desire. Even as broken as she was at the moment, Yang fought against it, pushing it back with minimal effort.
"Good." It spoke again. "You will need that strength. And the world has no need for yet another weak-willed member of our kind tied to the slightest hint of pleasure." A note of disgust entered her voice. "I have enough of that kind of follower."
The words caused Yang to snarl, her sadness forgotten. "I won't follow you."
Instead of getting angry like she thought, the woman chuckled, a throaty sound that send fissions of desire through Yang despite never having seen her face. "And I do not want you to." The voice answered and Yang jolted in surprise, prompting another bout of laughter that made Yang's mouth dry.
"Did you not hear me little fledgling? I have enough of those."
Now the voice was still soothing, still seductive, but somehow lacking the compulsion that it had earlier. "You must get up."
A cold hand landed on her shoulder and Yang was surprised by its coolness against her skin. It was not an icy, frigid thing, but soothing, like a dip in the water on a scorching day. Yang swallowed again, but still refused to look up.
"To refuse the call will make things much worse when you can no longer resist." The hand tightened. "And that day will come."
Yang knocked the hand off of her shoulder. "I don't know what you're talking about." she said bitterly. "Go away."
The hand returned, only this time it was much stronger, almost painful. "I cannot do that."
Gone was the seductive tone from earlier to be replaced by steel. "To ignore a Newborn in my city is to ignore a child playing with fire."
Yang looked up, only for her retort to die in her throat at the red eyes that stared back at her. They were calm, almost dangerously so, one that was borne of an earned confidence instead of empty swagger. And there was a hunger there, one tightly leashed, let out only when their owner desired, but it was a hunger nonetheless. In that moment, her soft brown hair, red eyes and pale skin were forever burned into Yang's memory. She was who Yang wanted to be. Who she had pretended to be her whole life but hadn't known it until this moment. Someone who wasn't frightened of anything or anyone. Someone who would be able to protect those they loved. They pinned Yang there, studying her before continuing in an even softer voice. "And you would burn us all."
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"Isn't the hood kind of…you know, suspicious?"
The woman, whose name Yang learned was Orendia, led Yang through the city's strange combination of wooden docks and cobbled streets with a swiftness that Yang found hard to replicate. She hadn't noticed it in the rain, but in the dead of night it was easier to hear the gentle crash of waves all around them. She couldn't smell any salt, so assumed this was a lake town unlike her own island of Patch. She glanced around her, taking in the candlelit streetlights that illuminated the city's buildings. And a rather well off city too, judging by the buildings she could see. Many of them looked fairly new compared to others. Yang blinked, now that she thought about it, why could she see so easily? She knew it was dark out but…She hurried to catch up to Orendia, whose hooded form obviously had a direction in mind, and skillfully avoided the guards without making it seem like she was doing so.
"Where are we going?" Yang demanded.
After the woman had made her ominous assertion, she had tossed Yang a hooded robe and told her to follow. Surprised at the sudden action, Yang had done so, though now realized that may have been a mistake. "Septimus is going to want to know where I am." She swallowed, realizing she was babbling a bit but forged onward. She talked when she was nervous. "I uh, I kind of broke down in the middle of dinner." She said this part in such a rush that she half hoped the woman ahead of her hadn't heard it. She didn't want her sudden idol to think less of her, but Septimus seemed to know how to get her home. That was still her priority.
To her surprise, the woman answered. "Septimus knows exactly what is going on." She revealed. "Who do you think alerted me to your condition?"
Yang paused mid-step before moving again. "And what condition is that? Why do I keep thinking…weird things?" She looked around once more at the black and white images around her. "And why can I see in the dark? Nobody has told me anything yet!" She was not going to say that it was partially her fault since she had tried to leave in the middle of Septimus' explanation.
This time Orendia whirled around, obviously surprised. "You…don't know?" A frown marred her pale face. "That is…surprising. You must be a true fledgling then." She turned back around before continuing at a slightly slower pace then before. When she did speak, it was hesitating, almost ponderous. "You are a vampire my dear." She said the words as if they should mean something, but to Yang, they didn't.
When she didn't continue Yang asked a follow up question. "And?"
This time Orendia did stumble, her smooth, almost preternatural walk faltering completely. "I-" She shook her head. "I don't know how to explain what we are." She laughed softly. "It just goes to show that no matter how long one lives, there is always something surprising around the next corner." She continued walking once more, and they approached the steps of the largest building Yang had seen in in the city so far. When they got the top of the stairs, two guards stepped in front of them, dressed exactly like the one from the gate.
"Halt, in the name of the Jarl. What are you doing this time of night?"
Orendia stopped before flashing something in her hands that Yang missed. Whatever it was gave them permission to pass, because the two stepped aside without another word. "Come." Orendia told her.
Grumbling under her breath, Yang nevertheless obeyed, but to her surprise, instead of going through the giant doors in front of them, they moved to the side, where another guard simply nodded to them before letting them past as well, into a small niche in the wall with another, smaller door.
"Well, that was easy." Yang muttered once they were safely inside, eyeing a banner that showed the same crossed daggers as the ones on the guards' uniforms.
She made to remove her hood, but Orendia stopped her. "Just in case." She muttered cryptically before continuing down the short steps. In case of what? Yang wanted to ask, but kept her mouth shut. No matter what people thought, she knew how, she just didn't usually want to.
"But the truth is, it wasn't always this easy." Orendia said. They passed an empty chair, but the woman ignored it, pushing the door in front of them open. "But Jarl Black-Briar is much more understanding about certain things than the previous Jarl." She cast a side-eyed look to Yang, who managed to catch it even with her hood up. "Our kind has Septimus to thank for that." The small room they passed through contained a threadbare carpet and a table and little else with two closed doors on either side. Orendia took the one on the right. "Things changed drastically in the region after he came." More steps. "I have not seen the Rift as thriving since before that fool Hosgunn came to power." A note of suspicion entered Orendia's voice. "It leads me to wonder just what Septimus is after. He is…odd, for an Altmer."
She looked at Yang an uncomfortably long moment before nodding her head. "I suppose we shall see." She tilted her head in the direction of the hall. "He is waiting, along with several others." She grimaced.
"It is a…necessary evil, but that does not mean I enjoy it."
Yang peered past her to see three other individuals. One she recognized as Septimus, but the other two were strange to her. Not surprising, she thought, everybody here is strange to me. The thought actually made her chuckle slightly. Taking a deep breath, she tried to move past Orendia only for the woman to set a hand gently against her chest.
"I have one last piece of advice for you little fledgling." She said, and Yang forced herself to meet her powerful eyes. "The 'gift' that Molag Bal has made vampirism is equal parts disease and curse. No matter what the 'experts' on the subject would tell you." One side of her mouth quirked upward and Yang's eyes tracked the movment.
"Or did you think those eyes and teeth of yours came from a simple disease?" Subconsciously, Yang ran her tongue over her teeth. She had not seen her eyes yet, but she had thought the odd shape of her teeth had been her imagination until now. For some reason, the sight made Orendia's eyes dim, an expression of sadness temporarily overtaking her features. "You truly are a fledgling." She whispered.
Yang blinked, and the image was gone.
"My point is that when you feed," Yang felt her breath catch at the word, "that you must remember the curse portion of the gift wants you to kill your victim. It revels in the suffering and death of others." Orendia stepped closer and Yang felt herself move back almost instinctually. "And yours as well. The closer you get to killing your prey, the more euphoric the experience." Another step. "The more intoxicating the sensation will be." Another. "The pleasure that will begin to course through your body will be indescribable." Another step and Yang felt the hard surface of the wall against her back. She didn't care, the entirety of her attention focused on the woman in front of her. Only inches separated the two now…and suddenly Orendia was back where she started and Yang was shaking, her breath coming in harsh pants as Orendia spoke again in a voice made of steel.
"But you must resist such things." Orendia stated.
Easy for you to say. The thought came unbidden to Yang's mind as Orendia continued.
"You must control yourself or your path will lead to nothing but your destruction and the deaths of many." There was something in Orendia's tone that told Yang not to pry. She tried to speak, couldn't, swallowed, then tried again. "But," she squeaked, her already flushed skin flaring even hotter before she tried again. "But how will I know when to stop?"
Orendia turned, looking down the hall toward the three figures standing there. "You will know." She said softly. "Now go." She closed her eyes. "To begin, let instinct take over…and then fight it with all of your strength."
Yang turned her own gaze down the hall, and the three figures that stood there. There was a tension in the air, a feeling that this was a test. And that there was only pass…or fail. She took a deep breath, "Thank you." She breathed softly, then strode down the hall, ignoring the cages on either side as her feet thudded against the thin carpet as she faked a confidence she didn't feel. It was obvious to her now that this was a jail, but she couldn't afford to think about that right now. Ruby needed her. Her team needed her. She would do whatever it took to get back to them. Even…whatever this was.
"Hello Ms. Xiao Long." Septimus greeted her. "I apologize for all of this, but once your condition was known…well steps had to be taken that I could not stop." He smiled, a small thing that was hidden in his beard, but Yang saw it nonetheless. "Once we are finished here, we will be able to continue our earlier conversation on getting you home." He spoke the words flippantly, almost uncaringly, as if this was some small inconvenience that she would deal with and they could then be on their way. Strangely, his confidence in her made her feel better and she offered him a smile she didn't really feel. "Thanks Prof."
"As Thane, it was your duty to inform the Jarl of a potential danger to her people. The mere fact we had to rely on the Thieves Guild to inform us of such an issue is a grave failing on your part Septimus." The speaker, a tall, pale-haired woman with a sharp nose and brown eyes berated the elf as the other man winced. While she continued her chastisement, the other man took the opportunity to introduce himself, offering his hand to Yang.
"Gallus Disidenius Ms. Xiao Long." His voice was rich, cultured in a way Yang couldn't quite place and overall, very pleasant on the ears.
It certainly matches his face Yang decided. He was a bit older than her…but not by that much. Nevertheless, she wrinkled her nose as she took the man's hand. "Please call me Yang." She jerked her head at where Septimus and the unknown woman were still arguing. "I don't know why he calls me that, but I'd rather you use my first name." The man chuckled, his darkly stubbled face splitting into a smile before wincing and letting go of her hand.
"Understood, but I'm afraid that I am the reason you're in this mess." Yang tilted her head in confusion, and Gallus took that as permission to continue. "I am the Head of the Thieves Guild," Yang made a noise that she hoped sounded like understanding, "and it was one of my men who leaked your status from the guard." He leaned forward, and Yang caught a whiff of leather and parchment…an interesting combination. "And the reason we're having to deal with the Jarl Black-Briar's housecarl." They both turned to face the rather unpleasant seeming woman. "Maven's alright, but Delara is a bit prickly."
"Oh." She…didn't really care about that. Things had been such a roller-coaster of emotions, that his revelation…didn't really bother her. Maybe she would be bothered if she knew more about what exactly was going on but…She shrugged. "Something would have happened eventually. At least this way I got an explanation out of it." She looked back over her shoulder, but was surprised to see Orendia was gone. She tried to hide how much that hurt. Gallus tilted his tanned face toward her.
"She's still around." He whispered conspiratorially. "It's just hard for her to witness this sometimes."
Yang went on alert. "Witness what?"
Whatever Gallus had been about to say was cut off by Delara's sharp voice. "Very well then. Let's get this over with." She turned to Yang. "Xiao-Long, if you would enter the cell," Panic spiked in Yang's chest until the woman continued with a smirk, "and do what you need to."
Yang barely kept the snarl from her face, She did that on purpose! She realized. With a start, Yang realized…she didn't know what it was she needed to do. To begin, let instinct take over… was what Orendia had said, but every instinct that Yang had was telling her not to enter the cell!
"Um…"
Delara rolled her eyes. "It's feeding time Xiao-Long. You can kill him." both Septimus and Gallus's eyes cut toward her sharply, but neither said anything, "He is slated for execution in the next few days anyway. Murder." She said succinctly.
Yang's stomach turned to ice as she peered into the cell. There was a man inside tied to a chair, and though his eyes looked at her with a growing sense of dread, he remained stubbornly silent. "Galvin the Mute," Delara read out from a scroll, So, not stubbornness then, "for the murders of Ciesa Valwald, Er-Zesh Nagteus, and Tulatius Jurely, you are sentenced to die by order of Jarl Maven Black-Briar."
Yang stepped forward, each step feeling like lead. They…wanted her to kill him? That was the test? She felt her heartbeat race, and it terrified her that she didn't know if it was in disgust or anticipation. A small part of her wanted to run screaming from the room. To state that she would never kill anyone like this. But then she was standing in front of him, and now, this close, she could feel his fear despite the brave face he put on. Her fingers twitched and she swallowed deeply as her breath quickened. Let instinct take over…Orendia had said. And then Yang was crouched over the man, who whimpered at her proximity to his neck. When had she got here? She licked her lips, so close she could taste his sweat…and then her teeth sunk into his neck. A small, distant part of her screamed in horror, but…it felt too good to stop. She could feel the warmth of his lifeblood pour into her mouth, the tangy, metallic taste of it thick on her tongue, and then she swallowed. And again, and again. The man resisted, for a moment, but she held him still with a growl she only barely registered as coming from her own throat. He twitched again, and she tightened her grip again even as his small gesture of struggle filled her with a rush of pleasure. It was a glorious, euphoric sensation, filling her to the brim with so much pleasure and fulfillment that she felt her mind blank. Nothing mattered but continuing that sensation. It was…instinctual…and then fight it with all of your strength. The words flashed through her mind, followed by the image of the massacred bodies in a cave. Their faces blurred, and then it was her friends lying on the floor, their faces full of terror as they looked at their killer…looked at her. With a sound between a sob and a growl, she yanked herself away from the man whose struggles had begun to slow. He was crying now, and she realized, as she felt twin streams of moisture roll down her cheeks, that she was as well. I'm sorry everyone. She wanted to get back to her sister but…she wanted to still be herself when she did. Something told her that if she had crossed this line now, she would never be the same. That someday, if she saw her sister again, it could be her in this chair...and Yang wouldn't care.
She continued to stare at the bound man, and her at him, both gasping for air, both with tears streaming down their cheeks, and Yang collapsed to her knees. She…didn't regret it. If she was going to die here, then she would still be herself. She wouldn't be a killer for someone else. No matter if the man deserved it or not. With that decision, the world was suddenly larger than the two of them, and she dimly registered the presence of someone behind her. "He still lives." Gallus's deep voice registered with her dimly and…he was surprised? "I thought you said she was a fledgling? The man's not even unconscious!" Yang's heart almost stopped. The closer you get to killing your prey, the greater the euphoria you will experience. Those had been the most pleasurable moments of her life, and she hadn't even brought him to unconsciousness?! Involuntarily, Yang shuddered at the thought of even more pleasure lying beyond. And shuddered again at the temptation it brought.
"She is." Septimus said matter-of-factly, his voice partially covering the soft scrape of leather on steel much too close for her comfort. The sound had Yang's battle instincts flaring, and she spun, baring her teeth in an action that felt so…natural.
Gallus finished sheathing his sword and held his hands up slowly. "Easy Yang. It was nothing personal."
Slowly she stood, reason coming back to her as wobbly knees steadied themselves. She was shaking, but still refused to take her eyes from the Head of the Thieves Guild.
"But…I thought I failed?" She turned, almost guiltily to the man who still sat silently crying in the chair.
"You misled her." The welcome voice of Orendia softly echoed through the jail.
All other occupants turned to Delara, who scoffed. "If she had killed him to save herself then the results would have been the same." She inspected the sheaf of papers in her hand uncaringly.
Yang blinked, and Orendia was now behind Delara, a deceptively dainty, pale hand on the housecarl's shoulder, whose complexion was now milk-white. "There is a difference," Orendia continued, still in the same soft voice as before, "between killing to live, and killing not to die."
The tension grew almost stifling and Yang had to remind herself to breathe. The sound felt almost excruciatingly loud in the silence. "I see you do not understand, so let me phrase it another way: It is the difference between killing when you are the hunter, and killing when you are the prey." Delara whimpered, a sound which broke the eerie, spellbound silence of the room. Both Septimus and Gallus shifted, though only Gallus looked nervous.
"If you should ever put one of my people in such a position again Delara Geveric, we will see which one you are." With that statement made, Orendia's hand removed itself from Delara's shoulder and the woman scurried out of the room as fast as she could, her forgotten sheaf of papers scattering on the ground behind her as she did. Orendia's red, heavy eyes landed on Yang, and a small smile played across her full lips. "You did well, Yang Xiao-Long." Yang could feel the blush cross her face, but was too wrung out to stop it. "There are not many of our kind who will be able to do as well as you did in your place. Given your situation, even I may have been tempted." Orendia's face grew serious. "But do not forget that not all of our kind are as generous. Many of our kind are unable to resist the whispers of pleasure, and truly are the monsters that people think we are." Yang's hand darted up to her neck and she nodded solemnly. Orendia's face softened. "It was not your fault fledgling." Yang froze. It was as if the woman had read her mind. "The awakening is not something within our control. When the bloodlust strikes, it will not be slaked by anything other than death." Yang's throat felt thick as a tension suddenly eased within her. She doubted that the moment would ever leave her, but to hear she was not responsible…
Orendia nodded at her expression. "Do not forget it. Keep that day in your mind, and you will not become like them. Do not push things past three days, or the hunger will grow too much for you." Yang's bit her lip, but nodded. Every three days. "With time, it will grow to be longer, but do not test it." The woman said firmly.
Yang certainly had no intention of doing so and said as much.
The woman laughed. "I already regret not inviting you to join me. I could use someone of your strength." She laughed. "I hope to see you again…Yang."
The words gave Yang a deep pang that she resolutely ignored. If she had her way, she would be gone tomorrow.
"Goodbye Orendia." She said. The woman nodded once in response, and then she was gone.
The moment she disappeared, Septimus clapped his hands once, beginning to rub the appendages together. "So, Ms. Xiao-Long, are you ready for our talk now?"
Yang groaned.