Chapter 5, Part II: Blood and Water
A/N: Hi again! Hope you enjoy the second part of Chapter 5. Reviews and discussion are always welcome.
The Soul Cairn loomed before them awash in unearthly purple. The architecture was primitive and wrought in black stone, the flora and foliage were all dead, and a menacing black vortex loomed in the sky, a void of strange proportions.
"Look at this place," Serana mumbled, drawing closer to Vafiél. "I can't imagine choosing to come here. My mother must have been terrified."
Vafiél already looked drained. "Let's keep moving," he said quietly. "Stay close."
"You too." Together, they made their way down the floating steps and down onto the path.
Lost souls mourned for their former lives. Some weren't even aware of their surroundings. For the most part, they tried not to interact with any. The terrible smell pervading the air made them hurry. Serana and Vafiél hurried forward through a gap in the wall ahead and started climbing a large hill. Some kind of fortress loomed at its apex, and that seemed like their best bet at finding Valerica, so that was where they went.
A forcefield prevented them from entering the shelter of the fortress, but Serana recognised Valerica instantly. She stiffened and her hands curled into fists.
"Mother? Mother!" she called.
Valerica neared the barrier, eyes wide. "Maker… It can't be. Serana?" She didn't sound as warm as Serana expected.
"Is it really you? I can't believe it!" Serana breathed. "How do we get inside? We have to talk." She touched the barrier but couldn't penetrate it.
"Serana, what are you doing here?" Valerica demanded sharply. "Where's your father?"
"He doesn't know we're here. I don't have time to explain." Serana exhaled with frustration.
"I must have failed," Valerica said with cold dread. "Harkon's found a way to decipher the prophecy, hasn't he?"
Serana huffed. "No, you've got it all wrong," she told her mother desperately. "We're here to complete the prophecy our way, not his."
"Wait a moment…" Valerica seemed to notice Vafiél then. Her face turned sour with fury and she stared at Serana. "You've brought a stranger here? Have you lost your mind?"
Alarm touched her. "No, you don't—"
"You." Valerica glared at him. "Come forward. I would speak with you."
Vafiél took a breath and neared the barrier, meeting her gaze calmly.
"So, how has it come to pass that a vampire hunter is in the company of my daughter? It pains me to think you'd travel with Serana under the guise of her protector in an effort to hunt me down," Valerica snapped.
"You're wrong. This is no ruse," Vafiél told her, keeping a level tone, but offering no warmth. "I want to keep her safe."
Valerica scoffed at him. "Coming from one who murders vampires, I find it hard to believe your intentions are noble. Serana has sacrificed everything to prevent Harkon from completing the prophecy."
"That's why we need the Elder Scroll," Vafiél told her.
"You think I'd have the audacity to place my own daughter in that tomb for the protection of her Elder Scroll alone?" Valerica folded her arms sternly. "The Scrolls are merely a means to an end. The key to the Tyranny of the Sun is Serana herself."
Vafiél frowned. "What do you mean?"
Valerica pursed her lips. "When I fled Castle Volkihar, I fled with two Elder Scrolls. The Scroll I presume you found with Serana speaks of Auriel and his arcane weapon, Auriel's Bow. The second scroll declares, The Blood of Coldharbour's Daughter will blind the eye of the Dragon."
Vafiél looked like he'd been slapped. "But… That means… Harkon needs Serana's blood," Vafiél whispered, horrified.
"Now you're beginning to see why I wanted to protect Serana, and why I've kept the other Elder Scroll as far from her as possible," Valerica told him coldly.
"Would Harkon kill his own daughter?" Vafiél asked. It sounded like he didn't want to believe it, but Serana's heart sank. She knew the truth deep down.
"If Harkon obtained Auriel's Bow and Serana's blood was used to taint the weapon, the Tyranny of the Sun would be complete. In his eyes, she'd be dying for the good of all vampires."
Vafiél's jaw tightened. "I would never allow that to happen," he said, quiet and fierce. If it was possible for Serana to be warm, she was then.
"And how exactly do you plan on completing the prophecy without the death of my daughter?" Valerica asked sardonically.
"We'll have to kill Harkon," he told her.
"If you believe that, then you're a bigger fool than I originally suspected. Don't you think I weighed that option before I enacted my plans?"
Vafiél took a breath and turned to Serana. "What do you make of this?"
Valerica interrupted before Serana could answer. "You care nothing for Serana or our plight," she snapped. "You see the Tyranny of the Sun as your chance at deification, and like Harkon, you won't hesitate to destroy anything that stands in your path."
Serana interrupted whatever retort he may have said, tired of Valerica's insults. "Mother, enough!" she said, her voice a whip.
Valerica turned on her. "This stranger aligns himself with those that would hunt you down and slay you like an animal, yet I should entrust you to him?"
Serana eyed her mother with outrage. "This stranger has done more for me in the brief time I've known him than you've done in centuries!" she exclaimed.
"How dare you!" Valerica snarled. "I gave up everything I cared about to protect you from that fanatic you call a father!"
"Yes, he's a fanatic... he's changed. But he's still my father," Serana said in frustration, torn two ways. "Why can't you understand how that makes me feel?"
"Oh, Serana. If you'd only open your eyes. The moment your father discovers your role in the prophecy, that he needs your blood, you'd be in terrible danger," Valerica told her harshly.
Centuries of bitterness erupted from her. "So to protect me, you decided to shut me away from everything I cared about? You never asked me if hiding me in that tomb was the best course of action, you just expected me to follow you blindly!" Serana shot back. "Both of you were obsessed with your own paths. Your motivations might have been different, but in the end, I'm still just a pawn to you, too."
Angst twisted her expression and she looked away. "I want us to be a family again, but… I don't know if we can ever have that. Maybe we don't deserve that kind of happiness. Maybe it isn't for us. But we have to stop him. Before he goes too far. And to do that, we need the Elder Scroll." Serana met Valerica's gaze again, eyes glistening. "Please, Mother."
Valerica's face softened. "I'm sorry, Serana. I didn't know... I didn't see. I've allowed my hatred of your father to estrange us for too long. Forgive me. If you want the Elder Scroll, it's yours," she murmured, defeatedly. She turned to Vafiél with a sigh. "I still can't decide if your words are truthful, but for Serana's sake, I'll assist you any way that I can."
"Do you have the Elder Scroll with you?" he asked, relieved.
"Yes. I've kept it safely secured here ever since I was imprisoned. Fortunately, you're in a position to breach the barrier that surrounds these ruins. You need to locate the tallest of the rocky spires that surround these ruins. At their bases, the barrier's energy is being drawn from unfortunate souls that have been exiled here. Destroy the Keepers that are tending them, and it should bring the barrier down," Valerica instructed them.
"Very well. We'll return soon," said Vafiél. Serana was glad. She didn't trust herself to talk.
"One more word of warning. There's a dragon that calls itself Durnehviir roaming the Cairn. Be wary of him. The Ideal Masters have charged him with overseeing the Keepers, and will undoubtedly intervene if you're perceived as a threat. Be careful, and keep my daughter safe."
"I will," Vafiél said, heavy with promise. Serana was drained after her tirade at her mother, but she followed him without complaint. He gently placed a hand at her back as they descended the stairs, warm and reassuring. She gave him a grateful smile in return.
When they were out of earshot, she murmured, "I'm glad you're here. I don't think I could be doing this alone."
Vafiél met her gaze. "How are you feeling after talking to your mother?" he asked gently.
"Relieved, I think," she admitted. "All those things had been building for a while. You have no idea how long I wanted to say that to her."
"It helps to let it out," Vafiél murmured. "Why did you agree to her plan?"
Serana sighed and shook her head. "Look, I loved my father, but when he found that prophecy, that became his life. Everything else, even me and my mother... We just became clutter. I was close with my mother, but she just kept feeding me her opinions of him, and eventually I started believing them," Serana told him heavily.
"And you were caught in the middle."
"I was. Honestly, it took me up until now to figure out that my mother was really just as bad as he was," Serana admitted. "He was obsessed with power. She was obsessed with seeing him fail. It was just so... toxic. Maybe I could have seen this coming. We could all be better off now."
"It isn't your fault, Serana. You shouldn't blame yourself," Vafiél soothed her.
She bit her lip. "I know that in my head, but I just can't help feeling bad about… the way things are. If… If I hadn't listened… we might—might have had a chance." Her throat tightened and she looked away.
"Oh, Serana." Vafiél drew his arms around her and Serana acquiesced, leaning into him and placing her hands on his chest. For a few moments, neither of them spoke; she knew he was exhausted and so was she, but their quest was far from over. Finally, Serana gently pulled away and cleared her throat. "Thank you," she rasped. "Let's, uh… Let's keep moving."
"I'm ready when you are," he said quietly.
Despite their fatigue, they managed to fell two of the Keepers without much difficulty. It was the third that proved a challenge.
The Keeper raised its menacing battleaxe and swung it down hard. Serana tried to dodge away, but she wasn't quick enough. The blade whistled down. She closed her eyes and tensed.
With a thunderous Shout, Vafiél sent the Keeper hurtling at breakneck speed into the wall where it was reduced to a black splatter. Serana released the breath she'd been holding and looked over at him gratefully.
"Are you alright?" he asked, approaching her. He had a cut on his hand.
"I am, thanks to you," she said, shaking off the shock. "The barrier should be down, now. Let's head back."
As they walked, Serana remembered something. "What does Durnehviir mean?" she asked.
"Curse-Never-Dying," Vafiél answered. "He's probably being held here against his will, trapped like all the other souls." She could hear pity in his voice.
When they returned to her mother, Valerica looked surprised to see them. "You destroyed the Keepers. I'm impressed."
Vafiél didn't seem to care for praise. "Are you able to give us the Scroll now?" he asked, straining to be polite.
"Yes. Please, follow me," Valerica said, leading them through the great doors out into the ruin's courtyard.
They'd barely taken a few steps when a great roar shook the air above. Vafiél shot forward without hesitation to take on the cursed dragon. Serana made to follow him, but Valerica touched her shoulder, making her hesitate.
"You think I didn't hear that Shouting earlier? He's the dragon slayer. Let him kill Durnehviir," Valerica muttered.
"He's my friend," Serana argued. "I'm not going to abandon him now. Not after everything we've been through." She didn't linger to hear her mother's response.
Her hesitation cost them. Vafiél was bleeding from a gash on his shoulder when she reached him. He glanced at her for a moment, then looked away to focus.
"Thought you'd left me to fight him alone," Vafiél remarked. "Warn me next time. I'm frail enough as is."
"Sorry," Serana said quickly, guilt burdening her.
Durnehviir rapidly became frustrated when he realised he was losing the battle, but even then, it wasn't long before one of Vafiél's ice spears felled him. The dragon didn't burn away like the ones on the surface did. He disappeared in spectral purple light.
Only then did Valerica join them. "Forgive my astonishment, but I never thought I'd witness the death of that dragon," she told Vafiél.
"He isn't dead," Vafiél said plainly. "It's in his Name. He'll be back."
"Ah. I thought as much." Valerica turned away from him, and Serana could tell things would remain tense between them for a while. "I will lead you to the Elder Scroll."
The Scroll lay in a sheltered nook in the ruins, protected by a locked chest. Valerica handed it over to Vafiél with a cool expression. "Now that you've retrieved the Scroll, you should be on your way," she told them.
"We'll return for you when Harkon is dead," Vafiél said, quiet, yet subtly confident.
"I appreciate your concern for me, but Serana is all that I care about. You must keep her safe at all costs," Valerica told him.
"I understand that." The way he said it implied a meaning Serana wasn't sure she comprehended in the moment.
"Goodbye, Mother," Serana murmured. Vafiél helped her belt the Scroll to her back under her cloak, as he did each evening when they set off to travel, but it made Valerica fold her arms with motherly disapproval.
"Off with you. Be careful," Valerica said with acute despair, turning away.
The moment they exited the Boneyard, Durnehviir materialised before them, perched on a slanting arch.
"Stay your weapons," rumbled the great dragon, rustling its decaying wings. "I would speak with you, Qahnaarin."
Surprised, Vafiél took a few steps forward and tilted his head to meet the dragon's gaze. "Let us converse in our shared tongue, noble dragon," Vafiél said in Dovahzul. This seemed to please Durnehviir.
"Indeed. It has been long since I had the pleasure of speech with my kin." Durnehviir eyed him with one glowing eye. "My claws have torn the flesh of innumerable foes, but I have never once been felled on the field of battle. Therefore, I see it only fitting to name you Vanquisher in honour of your prowess."
"You were a worthy opponent," Vafiél told him. Dragons were nothing if not vain.
"Ah… You do me great honour," said Durnehviir. "I wish to respectfully ask a favour of you, Vanquisher."
"Yes?"
"For countless years I've roamed the Soul Cairn, in unintended service to the Ideal Masters. Before this, I roamed the skies above Tamriel. I desire to return there. However, time has taken its toll upon me. I share a bond with this dreaded place. If I ventured far from the Soul Cairn, my strength would begin to wane until I was no more," the dragon lamented. "If you would, call my name from Tamriel, that I might enjoy the sunlight for a brief time."
"It would be my honour," Vafiél agreed.
Satisfied, Durnehviir took to the air, soaring away over their heads.
"Another dragon conversation," Serana murmured, though her usual mirth was dampened; Vafiél assumed she longed for her mother to return to the surface. While they walked, he explained what had transpired between him and Durnehviir. It provided a distraction from the desolation around them.
Vafiél turned to her after a few silent minutes and rasped her name to get her attention.
"Are you alright?" Serana asked quickly.
"Do you mind if we find my soul gem before leaving?" he requested.
"Of course. It shouldn't be far from here." She inspected the cut on his shoulder. "You should heal this before it festers," Serana told him, frowning slightly.
"I barely have the strength to make it out of here. It'll have to wait." Vafiél touched her arm affectionately to soften the blow of his words before moving away down the path.
The moment Vafiél picked up his soul gem, blue-white light burst forth and flowed into him, shattering the gem. Restoring his life essence seemed enough to heal his minor injuries.
"Let's leave this wretched place," Vafiél muttered.
"Right behind you."
They emerged once more into Valerica's study. The portal remained open, though Vafiél couldn't imagine ever wanting to return to the Soul Cairn—save retrieving Valerica herself. He knew it would take time for Serana's mother to trust him, but as far as Vafiél was concerned, time was the only thing he wasn't short on.
Serana lingered at the balcony, glancing back over her shoulder with quiet longing. When she didn't shadow his steps Vafiél doubled back and tried to meet her gaze. "Serana?" he said, softly. "Are you alright?"
"I wish she could come back with us," Serana murmured.
"I know this is hard for you, but…" Vafiél lightly tilted her head up. "We'll come back for her. I promise. Until then, perhaps you can take comfort in knowing she only ever had good intentions at heart, even if her methods were—" he paused to search for the word— "harsh."
Serana took a deep breath. "You're right. Thank you." She averted her gaze. "Let's get out of here and rest."
"The sooner the better," he agreed, and let her lead the way back through the catacombs.
His arms burned from rowing and accumulated fatigue by the time they reached the mainland again. Despite that, Vafiél pushed through, determined to keep his oaths; now was not the time to falter, and they were still perilously close to Castle Volkihar. Rest would have to wait until they put more distance between them and Harkon.
It was almost dawn when they dismounted near Clearpine Pond, a short distance from Dragon Bridge. There, they used one of the sheltered hollows they'd found on their travels so far, and after securing the horses, settled in to rest.
Serana did little more than toss her sleeping equipment to the ground and collapse onto it, too tired to bother setting anything up and falling asleep almost instantly. Exhausted though he was, Vafiél shook his head with a quiet laugh and sat at her side. He carefully unbuckled the Elder Scroll from her back and set it down, then gently removed her hooded cloak and laid it beside her. Finally, he took her blanket of furs and draped it over her, lightly brushing hair away from her face. "Sleep well," Vafiél whispered.
"You too," Serana mumbled.
He blinked in surprise, feeling the tips of his ears turn warm. She wasn't asleep after all. Vafiél moved away and lay down to rest, but found himself staring at the ceiling for a long while before he felt calm enough to sleep. He could've sworn Serana was grinning.