A/N: Serana deserves to stand up for herself more with her mother than she does in-game. Plus I don't care for Valerica. I understand her, but that doesn't make it better. Serana gets to explain some things Valerica normally does cause Valerica can stfu.
Also, in case it isn't obvious by now, I can't write fight scenes.
"What are you doing here? Where is your father?" Valerica says.
"He doesn't know we're here. Mother, we need to talk," Serana returns.
"I must have failed. Harkon's found a way to decipher the prophecy, hasn't he?" Valerica ignores her daughter.
"No, you've got it all wrong. We're here to stop him - to make everything right."
"We? You've brought a stranger here? Have you lost your mind?" Valerica seethes.
"You don't-"
"You. Come forward. I would speak with you," Valerica addresses Destra. Destra does not move.
"Your daughter is speaking to you, not I," the elf says. Valerica's eyes narrow.
"And I am speaking to you. Now come forward." Still, Destra does not move. "Insolent wretch! Do not think I cannot see you for what you are. Even this barrier cannot quell your stench, dog. Tell me, how has one of the Blood come to travel in the company of my daughter?" Valerica all but spits. Serana places herself between her mother and her friend.
"This 'dog,' as you call her, is the one who rescued me from the tomb that you buried me in. Do you have any idea how much time has passed on the mortal plain? A thousand years, at least, Mother," Serana hisses the word.
"And I would leave you there another thousand. As long as it takes to ensure you and the scroll are safe from Harkon. Time is inconsequential to someone of our stature. You ought to remember that before you go whining about how 'unfair' it is."
"Why would I need to be safe from Father? As long as he has his scrolls, he's indifferent toward me," Serana says, her voice betraying but a fraction of the hurt Destra knows she must be feeling. Valerica chuckles lowly.
"You haven't figured it out, have you? I'm sure you know by now that your Elder Scroll speaks of Auriel's arcane weapon. But there is another part to the prophecy, written in the Elder Scroll I possess. It declares that, 'The Blood of Coldharbour's Daughter will blind the eye of the Dragon.' Do you see now, Serana? Harkon would have bled every last drop from you or I to fulfil this prophecy," Valerica finishes.
Serana is quiet while she turns over this new information. Valerica smirks.
"Why wouldn't you just tell me? I'm not a little girl, Mother. I haven't been at least since the ritual," Serana says. Destra's eyes momentarily squint. "I could have protected myself and the scroll. You didn't have to seal me away. What if you couldn't find me again after all this time? The world is very different now."
"A small price to pay for the security of Tamriel," Valerica waves. Serana looks as though she's been struck. "Besides, this creature was able to find you. And I actually knew where to look."
Destra must fight the Blood as the beast threatens to take over. Were she a younger woman, she knows she would be unable to control it. She is old enough now to hold back the beast, but she will never be old enough to hold back her tongue in these moments.
"How dare you. Serana is not your pawn in the petty game of your unhappy marriage," Destra growls as she steps forward at last. "She is your daughter. She is her own person. She is not your tool. I'd tell you it's your job to protect her, but I can see that the thing she needs the most protection from is you."
"Ah, so finally the dog barks. You're much older than I was expecting," Valerica says with disinterest. "Who are you to comment on my relationship with my daughter?" she snaps.
"Someone who clearly knows me far better than you," Serana interjects.
"I see there is no enlightening you. This stranger aligns herself with those who would hunt you down and slay you like an animal, and yet I should entrust you to her?" Valerica says.
"This 'stranger' has done more for me in the brief time I've known her than you have in centuries!"
"You know nothing. I gave up everything I cared about to protect you from that fanatic you call a father."
"Yes, he's a fanatic. But so are you. And you're both my parents. Why can't you understand how that makes me feel? You never asked me if I thought hiding in that tomb was the best course of action, you just expected me to follow you blindly. Your motivations may have been different, but in the end, I'm still just a means, a thing to be used and forgotten, to both of you. I want us to be a family again, but I don't think that's possible. Maybe we don't deserve that kind of happiness." Serana swallows hard, and Destra knows it's her only defense from the tears that must be forming. Valerica has the nerve to appear fleetingly remorseful before her expression hardens once more.
"But we have to stop him, and to do that, we need the Elder Scroll," Serana says with renewed resolve.
"I'm… sorry, Serana. I didn't see," Valerica says.
"I don't think you'll ever see. But you can prove you're sorry by helping us now."
—
Valerica tells them she will get them the second Elder Scroll. She has kept it hidden nearby. The first problem is that it is behind the barrier. To destroy the barrier, they will need to defeat the three Keepers that draw the barrier's energy from the souls of the "unfortunate." The second problem is the dragon that roams the Cairn, Durnehviir. He is charged with protecting the Keepers and guarding Valerica. The older vampire does not doubt that he will interfere if he sees the Keepers in peril, especially once the barrier dissipates.
Destra wonders what sort of dragon would dwell in this realm. Then again, it does not sound as though it is by his choice. Would he even have a soul for her to absorb? She hopes not. She is more than happy to leave her days of soul-stealing in the distant past. But she will defeat him however she must.
They spot the first of the Keepers' spires. The top touches the Soul Cairn equivalent of the clouds, and Destra cringes at the thought of such heights. Ridiculous for one who has flown on the back of a dragon. They set down the path, and when there is a fair distance between them and Valerica, Destra turns to Serana.
"How are you feeling after all of that?" she asks.
"Relieved, I think. All of that was building up for so long. It feels good to finally get it off my chest," the vampire says, and Destra can see her shoulders relax slightly. "I'm really glad you were with me. I don't think I could have done that without you."
"Me? I practically did nothing."
"Do you have any idea how much it helped to have someone who supports me? To know I could say or do anything, and you'd still have my back?" Serana says.
"Yes, well… you'd do the same for me," Destra returns.
"Damn right." They smile at each other before carrying on down the path.
They arrive at the spire, and a few of the Keeper's minions, the Bonemen, as Valerica referred to them, emerge from the sand. Destra draws her crossbow, and as she loads it, she notices the lever is more difficult to pull back than usual. She silently curses her weakened soul but manages to take down a Boneman anyway. Serana notices her reduced speed and takes care of the rest. The werewolf nods her thanks, and they climb the base of the spire.
At the back of the room is a well of sorts. Its column of light ascends to the top of the spire, and Destra wagers this is their way up. She shudders to think what energy the magics of this realm draw from. Cautiously, she steps into the column. In a literal flash, she finds herself atop the great tower. Serana appears next to her after a moment. Before either can comment on the view, the sound of metal on bone pulls them from their reveries.
They turn to see what they can only assume is the Keeper of this spire. The great skeletal figure stands at least ten feet, and it is clad in dense dragonbone armour. It brandishes its battleaxe, a weapon larger than either woman in height. If the creature has a skull, Destra cannot see it behind the black fog that rises from its collarbones. Only a pair of burning purple eyes glow brighter than the darkness of its head.
Destra feels her gut twist. She isn't sure why this monster intimidates her so. She takes a step back, and Serana places a hand on her shoulder. They lock eyes, and in that moment, Destra forgets her fear. She aims her crossbow and fires. The Keeper is unphased. Her fear returns. The great skeleton rushes forward, and the elf leaps out of the way. Serana does not. Instead, a wall of ice appears before her, and the Keeper jolts when it clatters against it.
Destra is afraid, but she refuses to be useless. While the Keeper is stunned, she draws her swords. Before it can stand, she leaps on the skeleton's back and drives one blade down the hollow of its cuirass. The shadowy face wails, and Destra drives the other sword through as well. Serana places her hands on the creature's chest, an incantation on her lips. Destra withdraws her blades and leaps backwards just as a magical explosion rips the Keeper asunder.
"Well, that was fun," Serana says as they both catch their breaths. Destra shakes her head.
"If you say so," she returns. "Thanks. For keeping me straight back there."
"Oh, I don't know if I did that, but, like I said, I've got your back." And Destra smiles again.
Destra is fifty-six years old. She knows she won't live forever. She is strangely pleased to learn that she can still be so deeply affected by the influence of others.
A/N: I always found the Keepers physically intimidating. Also, I may have used some moves and spells from Dragon Age in the fight. Don't tell Daddy Gaider ;)