Jump Chain Gothic 7 - Skyrim 1 - Dawnguard
Part 11
Fort Dawnguard. Skyrim.
"Try this" Morgana instructed.
While I wasn't in the habit of drinking strange looking liquids I trusted my companions, and I downed the pink fluid. Right away I began to feel warm, and then horny, very horny. The lust was rapidly building up within me.
"Now this might make you want to have sex" my wife was saying "So I'll...
I couldn't hold off any longer and I'd stopped listening. I just did my best to free my cock, and once that was done I didn't wait for Morgana's cue before I shoved himself into her hard. She moaned and tilted her hips to meet my rough thrusts, and she didn't protest my action in any way.
Despite my frantic activity I could tell that her hands were down the front of her nightshirt, playing with her breasts which I had taken no time to play with. Lucky for ladyship she'd gotten herself warmed up before I started fucking her or this would have been a far less pleasant experience for her.
While it was hard to notice as I was doing all I could to make myself cum, I did realise that the noises that she was making and she was cursing in a very unladylike manner as she moved her hips just right.
Unable to do anything other try to cum as quickly as possible all I could do was fuck until I released my seed inside her. I groaned and continued to pound into her I was totally done. And I was grateful that this didn't take long as my body had felt as if was going to explode with desire.
I pulled out of her and collapsed at her side. At this point were both breathing heavily and she brought her hands down to feel her well used cunt, as if to inspect the damage. If there was any it was her fault for giving me that potion.
As it turned out there were sex potions in this world which worked to increase a men's sexual performance in different ways. These weren't drugs, they were magical enchantments, just like the potions which a person to take to temporarily improve health or how much mana they could call upon.
Morgana had somehow gotten her hands of a potion recipe, and had invited me to try it out while in her room. What happened next had been very short, but also very intent. Even the better made potions didn't really last that long, and Morgana was still learning the fine art of alchemy.
I looked over at Morgana who was now laying next to me while half-naked, her underwear happened to be down around her ankles, I must have pulled the down without realising, and her nightshirt was now pulled down around her breasts, revealing her black lace bra.
As her chest rose and fell it made me think that her breasts were begging to be free of their confines. However before I could attempt to do anything about that she rolled onto me, pressing into my side, one hand resting on my chest as if she wanted to check my heartbeat.
She nestled her head on my shoulder. When I turned my head and look at her. Her green eyes seemed to pierce mine for a few moment before I stopped looking at her. I decided to get some sleep, and to talk to her about her progress with potion making another time.
(Line Break)
Fort Dawnguard. Skyrim.
While both Morgana and I were both capable of having visions replace our dreams I couldn't recall a time when it happened to us both in the same night, so when the two of us woke up and tried to warn the other that the fortress was about be attacked, we knew it was serious.
I only had enough to get dressed in my Dawnguard armour and find Caliburn before the alarm went off. Had I not gotten the vision I would have suspected what was going on at this point, but I wouldn't have been armed or armoured by now, and I'd still be waking up.
Which made all the difference I discovered as if I'd hadn't been prepared it was possible that I'd have been killed before I even knew what was going on.
Vampires were attacking and at least some of them had already gotten pass the Fort's defences, which wasn't surprising as the most powerful ones could turn into a flying monster creature, and others could jump very high I soon discovered.
Trusting that Morgana could take care of herself, I ventured out in the castle and found that we'd somehow gotten a vampire infestation. Which I somehow knew would be a pain the ass to clear out.
Still I had to get started somewhere so I called upon the Force and let the vamps notice me. I could have destroyed one of them before they were even aware of me, but I used the free moments to better prepare myself by calling more deeply upon the Force.
Caliburn also aided in me battle as my first foe of this battle, a vampire in stylish armour who may have been a Dark Elf, it was hard to tell since its face had become something demonic looking, more or less flew at me.
The magical sword easily destroyed the undead thing, as it was very potent against such creatures, as forms of undead had discovered before now. I drove the blade into the chest of the monster, and soon it became dust.
Another vamp came at me, and I used my mind powers to send Caliburn at the monster. Sword met undead flesh and a moment after the leech hit the ground it began to turn to dust. More alchemy ingredients for Morgana I figured.
I moved through the castle, slaying vampires, stabbing summoned daedra, and when the front doors opened to admit an army of skeletons I let lose with my true power. With my mind I shattered skulls, broke bones, and sent the remains of dead people flying about.
This battle would lead to one hell of clean up I just knew it. Also I was going to have to explain to the Dawnguard about my powers, but that could wait as right now I had monsters to slay.
(Line Break)
Darkfall Cave. Skyrim.
Darkfall was like most other caves, dark, damp, and creepy, and not just in way a human would feel, my supernatural senses were making me not want to go in there, but I couldn't turn back.
The Moth Priest, Dexion, had become ill after reading Senara's scroll and reading the one we'd gotten from her mother had cost Dexion his life. So supplying us with this location had cost a lot.
Plus the vampire attack on Fort Dawnguard told us that Harkon was aware that we had the Elder Scroll that Serana had been sealed away with. One of this vampires had taken that scroll, and while it was mostly useless to him right now, he might soon find another Moth Priest to read it for him.
Once he did Lord Harkon would be able to follow the same trail we had in order to get to this place. It would take him time sure, and he'd have to attack Fort Dawnguard again in order to get the second Elder Scrolls, but he wouldn't care how many lives it cost.
With all that in mind we went deep down and found ourselves next to an underground lake, and at the far end of the lake, was something that looked to be a small shrine. Also there was elf here who was quite unlike I'd seen while physically here in Skyrim.
"Come forward," he said genially. "You have nothing to fear here".
The elf's skin was pale as the snow, and he had golden eyes, his white hair was cut short, and he wore armour of a type that I had never seen before. He was taller than even a Nord, and that was saying something. Although if compared to a giant he wouldn't seem any taller than the rest of us.
"I am Knight-Paladin Gelebor," he introduced, while bowing slightly. "Welcome to the Chantry of Auri-El".
The word 'Auri-El' meant nothing to me, however the vampire I was travelling with reacted upon hearing it.
"This is a temple to Auriel?" Serana asked.
Perhaps it once had been a church of sorts, but clearly it had seen better days.
"Auriel, Auri-El, Akosh, Akatosh" Knight-Paladin Gelebor said "So many different names for one deity".
That was when Forestwind figured something out.
"You're one of the Falmar" she realised.
But not one of blind mutant creatures that lived underground, this was one of the original Falmar.
"I prefer Snow Elf," he said a little tersely. "Those twisted creatures you call Falmer, are what I call the Betrayed".
Which made sense as what most people called Falmar were the Snow Elves who had taken refuge with the Dwemer, the dwarves, only to be betrayed by them. The Snow Elves had been given a blinding poison, that combined with centuries of living underground had turned the Snow Elves into the horrid Falmar creatures.
"You're here for Auriel's Bow" Knight-Paladin Gelebor was now saying "Why else would you be here?".
Him knowing that at least meant that I would not have to spend any time explaining why we were here. It wasn't exactly a long story, and it wasn't really a good one either so I had no desire to tell it.
"I can help you get it" Knight-Paladin Gelebor went on to say "but first, I must have your assistance".
That was the annoying thing about the Elder Scrolls world, even if you were given a simple task you always ended having to do a lot more work. The rewards were nice, but I only had so much room in my pouch of holding and my Cosmic Warehouse.
"What do you want us to do?" I asked.
The Knight-Paladin answered right away, and as I'd expected it was about killing someone.
"I need you to kill Arch-Curate Vyrthur, he who was once my brother" he told us.
Serana seemed confused, as did Forestwind, Cameron simply didn't care. I wasn't surprised since I was remembering much more about this part of the quest line now that I was doing it. Even enhanced memories sometimes needed jogging.
"Why?" the vampire in our group asked.
Again the Knight-Paladin answered at once.
"The kinship between us is gone" he informed us "I do not understand what he has become, but he is no longer the brother I once knew. It was the Betrayed, they did something to him. I just don't know why Auri-El would allow this to happen".
Something to do with free will I was sure. That was normally the excuse of higher powers to who failed to do their job.
"So what did they do to your brother?" Serana wondered.
Since this was part of the quest I listened closely and gathered all the information I could.
"One night the Betrayed swept into the Chantry without warning, and began killing everyone" Gelebor said to us "The Chantry was a place of peaceful worship, however we weren't defenceless. I led a small group of paladins, but we were no match for the Betrayed's sheer numbers. They slaughtered everyone, then stormed the inner sanctum, where I believe they corrupted Vyrthur".
He was a vampire if I remembered correctly, but I didn't think that it was wise to mention that.
"They didn't just kill him?" my Bosmer asked.
Knight-Paladin Gelebor shook his head.
"I've seen him" he told us "But something's wrong. He never looks in pain, or under duress, he just stand there, watching. As if he's waiting for something".
Now Serana had a question.
"And you never tried getting into the Sanctum to ask him what's wrong?" she wondered.
Knight-Paladin Gelebor again shook his head, it was a very human thing to do and it looked odd on the elf.
"Leaving the wayshrines unguarded would be an abandonment of my sacred duty as a Knight-Paladin of Auri-El," he said with a sigh "And an assault on the Betrayed in the Inner Sanctum would only result in my death".
Once more the vampire at my side wanted to know something.
"What are this wayshrines?" she questioned.
The elf's hand glowed with a soft light as he turned and approached the shrine, which was half buried in the earth. The ground shook a little as the entire thing slid smoothly upwards, revealing blank inner walls, and a small, dry fountain.
"Incredible," Serana murmured.
I was far less impressed, but I'd ventured to more than a few strange realms.
"This structure is known as a wayshrine," Gelebor explained "They were used for meditation and for transport back when the Chantry was a place of enlightenment. Prelates of these shrines were charged with teaching the mantras of Auri-El to our initiates".
He still had more to say.
"Once the initiate completed his mantras, he'd dip a ceremonial ewer into the basin at the wayshrine's centre, and proceed to the next wayshrine" he told us.
"What's a ewer?" Cameron asked.
I wasn't surprised that she didn't know. Even I just knew them to be fancy vases of some sort.
"A jug for carrying water" Serana told her "they are shaped likes vases and decorated as they normally used in rituals rather than to just transport drinking water".
I hated it when you had to carry something heavy in a quest, and then have to put it down every time you needed to fight or solve a puzzle. It always took way too long.
"So these initiates had to lug around a heavy pitchers of water" I summarised.
The Snow Elf nodded.
"Once the initiate's enlightenment was complete, he'd bring the ewer to the Chantry's Inner Sanctum," Gelebor explained. "Then he would pour the contents of the ewer into the sacred basin of the Sanctum, which would grant him an audience with the Arch-Curate himself".
When it became clear that we didn't see the point of that, the Snow Elf sighed
"It's purely symbolic," Gelebor said "but important to us. What matters to you is that the only way to get to my brother is by following in the initiate's footsteps from way shrine to wayshrine, just as they did. The first lays at the end of Darkfall Cavern, a path that represents the lack of enlightenment"
I figured that this would be tedious.
"How many more are there?" I asked.
He soon told me.
"There are five in total" he said "spread far apart across the Chantry".
At least it wouldn't take too long, this place was just a system of caves with a few caverns, it wasn't as if I'd be trekking half way across Skyrim. No wait that actually would be the case since the wayshrines were also teleporters if I recalled correctly.
"The Chantry encompasses far more than a few caves, as you'll soon discover" the elf said as I groaned in dismay "But before I send you on your way, you'll need the Initiates Ewer."
He passed a silver pitcher over to me, and I was greatly that it was reasonably sized. I had worried that it was big jug like that Hammer in Fable 2 had to lug around some caves.
"We need to fill this at each wayshrine then?" I asked.
He nodded.
"Once you've located a wayshrine, there will be a spectral Prelate tending to it," Gelebor explained "They will allow you to draw the water from the shrine's basin, as if you'd been enlightened".
Having to fill up a jug a little at a time was going to be boring I figured, but there were Falmer around to make things more interesting.
"Well let's get started" I said.
We very soon ran into some former Snow Elves. If they weren't so damned vicious I would have felt more sympathy for them, given how they'd ended up like this, but the creatures hated anyone that was not of their own race.
Which led them to trying to murder myself and my companions. The cavern and tunnels were, unfortunately, full of the evil little bastards. But there was not only danger, there was also an odd sort of beauty to be found in this place.
Great blue stones cast more light as we went further into the Chantry, which aside from being attractive to look at they also allowed us to see the Falmar coming. Which was good as in the dark they'd have a major advantage as they were used to it.
Not that it really mattered as we had our special sunglasses for those who needed them, and kinetic barriers to stop arrows. Cameron had also brought an energy weapon with her, so she along with Forestwind, who used a bow, and Serana, who had her spells, easily took care of the Betrayed.
"Welcome Initiate," the spectral prelate greeted us. "This is the Wayshrine of Illumination. Are you prepared to honour the mantras of Auri-El and fill your vessel with His enlightenment?".
I pondered my answer.
"Yes please" I then said as I hadn't been able to think of anything more meaningful to say.
I filled the ewer with a bit of water, then the group followed me as stepped through to the open portal to the next shrine.
The cave we found ourselves in next led up and out into a valley that defied easy description. What go my attention very quickly was that the vally held some of the glowing plants that could sometimes be found underground, and some of the more ordinary plants as well. No doubt some would make useful potions, so I had my companions take some samples.
"Where are we?" Serana asked.
I shrugged as I hadn't a clue, and then I looked around some more. There were ruins in the valley, and the way they were laid out suggested that there had, at one point, been a path. Seeing as we had little else to go on, we followed the pieces of what I guessed once likely been a well-tended and grand path. It led us upwards, into cold, crisp winter air, and also into a small pass.
Eventually the pass led back out into another valley, this one more normal and snow covered.
"Look, I think I see our next shrine" I said.
Serana snorted a little.
"Like it'll be that easy" she said.
As it turned out she was right. We ended up needing to cross a frozen river, which didn't look safe.
"Does this ice feel a seem... thin to you?" Serana asked hesitantly.
That was also my concern.
"You're wearing full armour" Serana pointed out "that might make you too heavy to cross".
Well I wasn't going to leave it behind. Only a fool would walk around Skyrim without any armour on.
"Hold on" Serana then said "I have an idea".
She used a spell called Frostbite, which allowed her to send a continuous stream of cold air from both her hands and onto the frozen river. This took some time, but it was effective, and I was impressed by the vampire's sheer magical prowess.
"That should last long enough to let us cross" she said when she was finished.
Which it did and soon we found a bridge led back into Falmer territory. Keeping them from spilling the ewer was not the easiest thing in the world as the monsters charged us in large groups.
Alas there was no escaping the creatures, of course; every step forward led us deeper into Falmer territory, which meant even more fighting and killing. I would have looted to, but they never seemed to have any good stuff.
While I'd always known that the Falmar were a tragic race I found that I had no desire to help them or even spare their lives. I wondered if I had in fact left part of my soul back in the Carin.
On the other hand I simply could not afford to feel sympathy so perhaps I was just being practical. I'd also mastered my darkness, and what exactly that meant I didn't understand, but if it made more practical then it could be a good thing.
While the Falmer bridges did, on occasion, creak alarmingly, they were surprisingly sturdy considering the materials used in them. Apparently the charrus creatures the Falmar used as attack dogs were good for something, their shells were a sturdy building material if nothing else.
The mountain paths eventually led us to a cave from which the river we'd sometimes followed seemed to be sourced from, and we went in warily; it was mostly ice inside, at least on the ledges that we attempted to walk on. And even the liquid water, was icy cold.
Thankfully my life support belt, which was created for situations like this, would prevent me from losing any fingers or toes to frostbite. I hadn't actually known the belt worked when swimming, I'd never thought to test that until now.
The Falmer were, naturally, of no help at all. They had a much easier time with the cold water and icy ledges, and as such kept attacking us. Still a Falmer occasionally had problems standing up. Watching them slip on the ice while running about was worth a laugh.
After finally finding a path that was more snow than ice, meant we were able to press on, even deeper into Falmer territory. For most of the way we were killing the Betrayed, but thankfully they never barred our way in large numbers to overwhelm us. With guns, a bow and magic we were able to defeat them.
Finally we found another Wayshrine, with another prelate waiting outside of it. Once that was done we followed the path onward. This went on until finally we came to a place that wasn't a wayshrine.
"This is a statue of Auriel," Serana said when we finally reached our goal "But it's using the older signs of his power. This temple must be ancient. The bow has to be here".
It better be after all I'd gone through to get the damn thing.
"As does the Arch-Curate," I said grimly "Not to mention many more Falmer"
The basin for the water from the ewer was at the top of the stairs, and l was super glad to pour it out. It might not have been a heavy weight, but it had been a pain keeping it from spilling while going over rough terrain and having to fight creatures, as I such didn't mind seeing the water go away.
It flowed down three channels cut into the stone, and filled the sun symbol which glowed for a few moment. The lock on the door rotated, then popped free.
When we got inside I saw the Inner Sanctum, it was more impressive in scale than the wayshrines had been, and far creepier. Beings that had been frozen into statues remained, some with weapons, and some had empty hands. A crowd of them were around the flame symbol in the centre of the room.
"And I thought the Soul Cairn was creepy," Serana muttered.
Rather than reply I crept through the statues, and reached out to touch the shrine of the god. I hoped that touching it would have an effect much like in the game, and it did. Today had been rather taxing, and now I felt better, also I was warmer on the inside.
Beyond the frozen bodies and the shrine were some skeletons, in various positions that suggested they'd been trying to hide, or escape. Although from what I could only guess. Perhaps the Falmar.
Also there was another hallway, which I assumed led to where the Arch-Curate was waiting.
"Ready for this?" Forestwind whispered.
Again I didn't reply I just led the way into a hallway, which was uncomfortably narrow, and it led to a cavern filled with a dozen or so ice statues, and the far end was Arch-Curate himself.
"Did you really come here expecting to claim Auriel's Bow?" he demanded to know "You've done exactly as I predicted, and you brought your fetching companion to me!"
Well he sounded nuts.
"Is he talking about me?" Serana wondered.
The less friendly Snow Elf didn't answer the question, but he did speak some more.
"Which, I'm sorry to say, means your usefulness is at an end!" the Mer declared.
He did something that involved magic l wasn't precisely sure what it was until the ice statues came alive. Granted they were shattered in short order, since I could crush them with my mind and bash them against walls, but still it had been a cool bit of magic.
"An impressive display," the Arch-Curate praised, sounding like he meant it "But a wasted effort. You delay nothing but your own deaths!"
Then the Snow Elf did more magic.
"Watch out!" Serana yelled. "He's pulling down the ceiling!"
The warning came in good time; and I dove out of the way as chunks of ice hit the very place where I'd been standing mere heartbeats before.
"Finish them!" Vyrthur commanded, while waving a hand at the ice statues that hadn't already been smashed.
These statues did not fare any better than the last lot, nor did the Ice Atronach he summoned. I was strong in the Force and I summoned Daedra of my own, as did Serana. Also I had a small team with me, so it wasn't even a long battle.
"No!" the Snow Elf shouted "I won't let you ruin centuries of preparations!".
This guy was really living up to the stereotype I had about magic using super villains. They were always so 'over the top' and more than a bit camp.
"Surrender and give us the bow!" Serana demanded.
The Arch-Curate's response was to teleport away.
"He's up there on the balcony, let's go" the vamp informed me.
We cornered him up there, and Serana seemed to have reached the end of her tether, she was very grumpy right now and I was wondering if female vampires could suffer from PMS.
"Enough Vyrthur," she snapped "Give us the bow!"
I got the impression that he wasn't just going to hand it over. In fact I didn't even know if he had it. Although it seemed likely that he did.
"How dare you," he said with a sneer. "I was the Arch-Curate of Auri-El, girl. I had the ears of a god".
Now I was also getting annoyed. The only reason he was still alive was because we wanted the bow and we weren't sure if he had it. My companion didn't seem to care about that anymore and she decided to bite the Snow Elf. Only she suddenly stopped.
"You're... you're a vampire," Serana then said in surprise "But Auriel should have protected you..."
I was also surprised as I hadn't sensed that he was a blood drinker, despite knowing this due to the game. He had to be disguised somehow.
"The moment I was infected by one of my own initiates, Auri-El turned his back on me," the snow elf said bitterly. "I swore I'd have my revenge, no matter what the cost".
Now that I had his origin story, it confirmed my view that he really was a stereotypical super villain.
"Auri-El himself may have been beyond my reach," the Snow Elf said "but his influence on our world wasn't. All I needed was the blood of a Daughter of Coldharbour, and his own weapon, Auriel's Bow".
I looked at Serana, who was a Daughter of Coldharbour, and wondered once again if I should just destroy her. If not for the fact that Molag Bal could make another Daughter of Coldharbour I might have just done it. Then again Serana was, if not my friend, then at least an ally so killing her would not be easy, even she didn't put up a fight. Which of course she would.
"The blood of a vampire... Auriel's Bow..." Serana stammered before going to speak more clearly "It was you? You created that prophecy?".
Now that was a plot twist worthy of a comic book super villain.
"A prophecy that lacked a single, final ingredient. The blood of a pure vampire. The blood of a Daughter of Coldharbour!" the elf shouted.
He made the mistake in coming within arms reach of Serana, she reached out and grabbed his neck, lifting him up over her head.
"You were waiting, all this time for someone with my blood to come along" the female vampire said with a growl "Well too bad for you, I intend on keeping it".
She was so suffering from PMS.
"Let's see if your blood has any power to it!" she then shouted.
His death was, perhaps, a little anti-climactic, but it was gruesome. Serana transformed into her demon form, the one she could fly in, drained the guy dry and ripped the Snow Elf's head off. This made her seem far less attractive all of a sudden.
Once he was dust a wayshrine shot straight up and of the ground, and a moment later Gelebor stepped out. The ashes, which all of remained if his brother, was the first thing the Paladin went to look at.
"So, the deed has been done," he murmured "The restoration of this wayshrine means that Vyrthur must be dead, and the Betrayed no longer have any control over him".
I felt the need to correct the Mer.
"They weren't exactly the ones at fault here" I said.
That got a reaction.
"What? What're you talking about?" Gelebor demanded to know.
I told him.
"Your brother became a vampire, and wanted revenge on your god for not saving him from that fate" I said "He must have let the Falmar in".
The ashes were all the proof Gelebor needed.
"I see... that... that would explain much" the Snow Elf said
The Paladin then came closer to my group.
"You risked everything to retrieve Auriel's Bow, and you've restored the Chantry. I can't think of a more deserving champion to carry it than you" the Snow Elf said "If you wish to learn more about the bow, or to obtain Sunhallowed Arrows for it, I'd be more than happy to help. You have but to ask".
He handed over the bow, and I accepted it gingerly. It was a beautiful weapon of elven design, crafted of white wood, and strung with silver. There was power in this weapon. I could feel it, and that power was something I could use in my war against vampires.
"Oh pretty" said Forestwind "Can I try it?".
I sighed and let her play with the mystical relic.