"Fire in the hole!" Durak shouted, detonating the explosive charges near the mountain side.
Kaboom!
The Shockwave send everyone staggering backwards. The sound could be heard from here, all the way to Morthal. Isran didn't seem to care about who heard them. This was the crucial step, that had to be taken and in all cases serious. That is why he brought most of the Order here, in Dimhollow Crypt. The location given to him by Lord Harkon, a pure blood vampire that he had no choice but to trust. No stealth was to be used but an all out assault on the bastards as Isran had told his loyal followers.
"Everyone listen up, this is the moment of truth, this is the moment you all have been waiting for. This is the moment that will separate warriors from men. The final blow that needs to be struck at the heart of this darkness, lies within this mountain. The foul creatures seeks to revive the ultimate evil that was buried here long ago, This we cannot allow at in cost, This I will not allow. We are the Dawnguard, guardians of the light, protectors of Tamriel and the bane of all vampires. We will not fail. Onwards! Charge! And show them, no mercy!" Isran shouted, inspiring all his fellow companions.
Their cries for battle could be heard through out the hold.
With the morale boosted and their thirst for battle rising, the Dawnguard followed their leader into Dimhollow crypt to cut down anything they found to be unholy.
"There he goes off again. It will take weeks for him to get back to normal. " Florentius said, standing on the nearby hill, overlooking the army. He was standing besides, Anduin, Gunmar, Celann and Sorine.
" This is not a time nor the place for your type of humor, Florentius. " Gunmar growled.
" Yes, we all know what we need to do. We must be ready when Agmaer reaches the lnner crypt." Sorine added.
"So let me get this straight. The bulk of the army goes with him while we take the inter crypt by ourselves, where all the worst things are." Florentius argued.
"Yes thats exactly true, because we are best, there is." Anduin stated.
"Speaking for yourself there." Florentius coughed. Earning a laugh from all of them.
"Plus they won't expect us, the majority of their forces, I assume, went to the front. Everyone must've heard that explosion." Celann said.
Instantly a blue ring fire appeared beneath their feet, slowly engulfing the space around them.
"Okay, Agmaer is ready." Sorine pointed out
"Everyone! weapons!" Gunmar shouted.
All of them braced and readied themselves for what was to come.
Earlier that day.
Agmaer had sneaked in another entrance around the mountain. His goal was to reach the inner sanctuary, where the ancient Sarcophagus was said to be located. Once he reached there, he was to activate the teleportation device, Sorine gave him. A piece of ancient dwemer technology, which allowed a group of individuals to be transported through the void to the holder, porvided they were within the range of the device. The ancient dwarves used this device to call for aide when they were deep in the tunnels of black reach.
After they regrouped, they were to clear out the inner crypt as fast as possible and then activate the mechanism which will inject the lethal posion into the sarcophagus. A device Serana's parents installed in case of anyone trying to free their daughter.
When the blue fire dissipated around them, they found themselves in the inner crypt. They were surrounded and the artifact was in the hands of a vampire in front of them.
Typical.
"What in the name of.." Gunmar exclaimed.
"Where is Agmaer! What have you done to him? " Celann said aloud, hoping they would give him an answer before he silenced all of them.
The Vampire remained unruffled and began to smile, directly at Anduin, ignoring Agmaer and the others. Anduin looked for a few seconds before turning away.
" We disposed him, This place was his final resting place, and so it will be yours too. " He laughed.
"You piece of filth!" Gunmar shouted.
"No." Sorine gasped.
"His lying." Florentius said.
"I have a bad feeling about this."Anduin stated.
" Enough! All of you will die by my hand!" Celann roared, charging straight at the vampire in front of them. He gave one swing of his two-handed sword at the creature, however he was shocked as he saw his weapon fly straight through the vampires body as if he was swinging through the air itself.
" What! It went right through." Celanin said. He heard that terrible laugh again and when he looked up to see his target. The vampire dissipated into a swarm of bats.
"No matter, maybe he is immune to physical attacks but not magicka. I'll take him. " Florentius said.
All of them charged in different directions, hacking through the ranks, each using his own special abilities. Sorine, rained upon the enemy, a storm of silver bolts from her dual mini crossbows. She had designed it herself. It was different than the normal crossbow in weight and fire rate. Able to fire 100 bolts within seconds, she rushed the enemey lines to the cavern below.
They had teleported, inside the huge cavern. There were many old structures build into the mountain and ancient brigdes connecting the parts together. Linking them to the cavern below. Mostly likely where the sarcophagus was located.
"Ven. Gaar. Nos." The Dragonborn uttered. The words calling out to the air around him. A moment later, the very air answered his calling by creating a whirling cyclone that sowed through the vampires, pushing them off the cliffs, down to the water below. It created pathway down to the cavern, Anduin followed.
Gunmar and Celann wasn't far behind the Dragonborn and Sorine, hacking and slashing any stranglers that they left behind.
Florentius threw fireball after fireball at the swarm of bats, lightening parts of the cave. Wherever one landed.
"Dammit, almost. Stay still you fiend." Florentius cursed under his breath. He was missing each shot, a few bats got caught in the flames. A part of him, still struggled to believe how this was possible. He's never seen anything like this.
Florentrius followed the swarm to the cavern where everyone seem to be rushing towards. When they reached the caver, Florentuis found his fellow hunters there, dead still in their tracks.
"Stop!" a voice called out. It came from the swarm of bats, now forming back into human form in the centre of the cavern. The whole area looked like an altar of some sorts.
The group of hunters halted in their fury and turned their attention towards, who they assumed to be the leader. He clicked his fingers and from the other side of the altar, came two vampires with Agmaer.
"Gods, no." Gunmar whispered.
"Release him, now!" Celann cried out. impatiently, he grabbed his two-handed sword and charged towards the two vampires that held Agmaer Captive.
"No don't, look!" Anduin grabbed him quickly and pointed towards the two vampires. Celann finally saw the sharp blade thatt was against Agmaer's neck.
"Dammit."
"Yes and if you but twitch, off goes his head." The leader Threatened.
Anduin analysed the situation. Firstly, if he used time slow and whirlwind spirit, would he reach there in time. What about their vampiric speed? It could be dangerous. These vampires seemed to be different than the others. Maybe he could stall them? But everyone was on egde right now.
"Okay, Calm do you want with us?" Anduin asked.
"Not with us, with you. I can smell from here. You are different from the rest. You are special. Your blood will do just find." The Vampire answered and pressed on the mechanism before him.
The whole cavern shook with a thunder clap and eveyone lost their balance and staggered from their places. The centre of the huge altar cracked in half and out came a massive sarcophagus. Then the whole cavern shook a second time but not a mighty as first and this time a slab had opened right in front of him. A pressure plate revealed itself in its place.
"Step on the plate. Off you go Dragonborn." the vampire smirked.
"No don't do it!" Agmaer cried out.
"His right! you will release her, you can't." Celann shouted from behind him
"Anduin! We can't possibly allow that to happen. It will bring the doom of us all. " Gunmar said.
"Anduins! Please listen." Sorine begged.
"I won't allow Agmaer to die! " The Dragonborn replied to his companions.
"No. Anduin its fine. Let the bastards kill me." Agmaer responed from the other side of the chamber. His captives also responding by beating him across the face, sending a clear message to remain silent.
"What will it be Dragonborn?" The leader smirked.
Anduin took a short breath and dropped his sword.
"Wise choice. Now, off you go."
"Anduin please!" Sorine shouted again, tears now flowing from her face. She was never like this before but knowing what was at stake, she could only cry.
"There must be another way." Gunmar said, his voice was low. The fearful expression on his face visible to all. He knew no matter what they said, Anduin was going to do what the vampire said. He was going to save Agmaer no matter the cost
"Whatever it is. We will find it together. Anduin said.
Anduin obeyed and walked two steps forward.
After a moment, the plate sank to the ground. the stone door opened with eerie sound and thousands of years of dust and smell reecked through the entrance. It was dark and misty, Anduin could not see anything. He faced more evil and dark things in this world than any man can dare to imagine but something about the stone coffin in front of him, terrified him to his core.
There was a silence that descended upon the altar then two black chains came flying swiftly out from the darkness of the sarcophagus and circled Anduin before they wrapped around him.
"By the Eight." gunmar said, shocked at what he saw in front of him before he could take no more of it, he sprinted towards the dragonborn." No!"
Celann and Sorine followed.
When they got close to him, all of them jumped from different sides to hold him. Gunmar's steel boots creating friction on the ground as the three of them were dragged with with Anduin. Sorine took out her crossbow and shot a grappling bolt to a nearby rock. She held on to it as the rope stretched to its maximum.
"What are you guys doing." Anduin grunted out.
"Sorry we can't let this one go." Celann said as he pulled harder on The Dragonborn.
"You fools! Its already too late." they heard the leader say.
Anduin was struggling to break free from the chains tightly wrapped around his body. The three of them made this job much harder for him and they weren't exactly slowing down.
Purple readish flames engulfed the chains and it started violently pulling Anduin into the coffin. Sorine's grappling rope instantly snapped and Gunmar boots created sparks before all three of them flew off, hissing from the burning chains. It appeared to be harmless to Anduin. The stone coffin closed immediately.
Anduin could hear Sorine's faint cry as the coffin closed behind him. He was alone.
Well not completely alone.
Something was there with him. It was dark and quiet. Too quiet. He could hear his heart beat. It was faster than usual.
Was he afraid?
"Are you afraid?" a voice called out in the darkness, startling him. His stomach clenched. He saw no one. He couldn't tell if it was the sweetness in the voice that was causing his stomach to turn upside down or was it that he was locked in a coffin with a ver powerful vampire.
"No, I do not fear you." he answered.
She laughed.
There it was again. His heart racing. Her laughter traveled through his body.
Two golden orbs lit up the darkness infront of him. He had no choice but to look at them as they stared into his own eyes. Then a face came into view, close to him. A beautiful face. But pale and weak.
The chains loosened around as he felt cold, frail hands on his chest.
"Liar." he heard her say. Her smirk clearly visable on her face. She was terrifyingly beautiful. He couldn't deny it. His insides didn't allow him to.
It was getting really hot in here. He was against the stone door and he'd guess there wasn't enough space ahead of him. The only light he saw was coming from her face.
Then her hand cupped his chin.
"You thought your friends could save you from me."She said, gazing deep into his eyes. Her face was getting ever closer to his. Her breath fanned his lips" No one can. You are mine now.
Anduin moved his head back. "Get away from me, vampire."
She put her head down and laughed into his chest. "My dear, even if I wanted to,where would I go?" she said. Anduin realized the foolishness in his words.
"What do you want?" He changed the subject but immediately regretted it.
"Hmm lets see what does a vampire want after thousands of years of sleep." she began moving towards his neck, inhaling his scent on the way.
"You not getting that." Anduin tensed under her touch.
She laughed again.
"You are in no position to deny me anything. " she whispered into his ear. He could hear the hiss escaping her lips. He instantly knew what was coming. When a Vampire hisses, it could mean only two things. Either it was fleeing or it was going to bite.
"No, no, no, no-" Anduin's protest was lost when her teeth came hard down on his neck. It was his time to hiss, not in pleasure but in pain. He felt like he was being stabbed in the neck and that the knife was slowly draining his energy from his body.
He could hear her moans against his neck, her arms moving around his body feeling him. This whole exploring and moaning made the situation much more harder for Anduin. Serana had her arms snake around his neck to give her better grip and then she sunk her teeth deeper than before.
Anduin screamed in pain. Her hold on him inceased, to the point that he thought, she was going to break off his neck. When she finally detached her teeth from him. She faced him.
He panted heavily like he had just climbed high hrothgar. He felt dizzy and tired due to the blood loss. He didn't want to know how much she drank.
Anduin looked at the vampire before him, her facial expression terrified him.
She didn't exactly look angry. She looked almost shocked in some strange way. Her eyes were bright red now. There were black veins streching from her face and her mouth was fully covered in blood. The glow in her eyes showed a dark need to possess him.
Was she crying too? Anduin thought.
"What. Are you?" she said, bewildered and overwhelmed by what she had just experienced. She smashed her lips on his.
At first Anduin didn't know how to react. He couldn't swallow the fact that, no more than a few seconds ago, she was draining the life force from him and now they were embracing each other.
Then he found himself welcoming the kiss. It was hungry and filled with a strange passion. Her tongue moved through his teeth, meeting his in a strange greeting. Her arms were holding him in place so that she could deepen The kiss. It tasted like sweet copper. His blood.
The moans that escaped her lips, sent Anduin's head reeling. Until now he'd felt drained and weak from the blood loss. Until now his vision was blurry and he was sure, he was going to pass out soon. But all of that changed, he never felt more alive than he was right now. The energy he felt was absolutely amazing. Suddenly, he was aware of everything, the chains around his body, still stuck to the wall and the kiss. His strength was slowly returning to him.
But why wasn't he breaking from the kiss?
Simple.
He couldn't.
He was holding on to dear life and at the moment that was her lips. At the same time he realized how bizarre this situation was, not to mention confusing. The sensation of her lips on his, an indescribable feeling that he was experience didn't allow him to break that kiss. He wanted more. He wanted to touch her.
And then the thought made him sick to his core.
Ysolda.
For God's sake he was married, he had a wife.
Anduin immediately broke from the kiss. He turned his head, ending it in a disappointing smack. Her lips followed his before they bumped against his cheek. Serana opened her eyes.
"What's wrong?" she asked, her lips brushing against his skin. If Anduin's throat weren't stuck in his throat, he might have laughed at how ridiculous this was. The gentleness and worry in her tone overshadowing the cruelty, moments ago. It was warm and comforting after like a lover speaking to the beloved. He loathed himself right now.
"Get. Away. From me." Anduin replied, gasping desperately for air.
She sighed and gave him a dissatisfied lick across his check. Her tongue leaving a trail of blood on his face.
She faced him. He could see her now, her face in full, recovered, no longer pale and weak. Her red eyes glared into his. Her true beauty revealed.
"You don't seem to understand your situation, hunter. You are finished!" she snapped. "You were the one who sacrificed yourself for your worthless friends! you stepped on the altar! You are now, nothing more than food for my return! I can do whatever I want with you! You are mine, now!"
The sound of a mechanism, startled both of them. The sounds of moving metal came from the walls of the stone coffin and Anduin could feel the vibration from his back. The top part of the coffin had opened and all too familar gems were lowered like a extravagant chandelier lighting up the room.
Both of them looked up.
It was soul gems, dark ones and every single on lit up with strange energy that formed some kind of rune. All the gems charged up which caused the rune to become brighter.
"What the-" Anduin began. He looked down to face her. Her expresseion remained unchanged.
"Ah, the poisons been activated." she said, Irritation clear in her voice.
Anduin couldn't help but smile.
The plan B had succeeded.
Isran had come.
