Fahiil
Thera
"You did a fine job in bringing this to me," Harkon said, smiling as he gingerly replaced the Bloodstone Chalice upon its shrine. His expression soured and he glowered at the bloody, cursed water within. "While I endeavor to bring the next phase of this war to fruition, there are... tasks I would ask of you."
I frowned. "Indeed?" I traced my finger along the lip of the Chalice. "What would you have of me, Lord Harkon?"
The old fool smiled grimly. "There is a... threat to our goals," Harkon began explaining. He turned from the chalice and frowned. "I sent an agent of mutual hatred after one of our enemies. One whom I truly believed was capable of killing Lucius Atmoran."
If I were still alive, I would have been fighting to keep my heart from beating faster. He would dare?! Lucius Atmoran and I are intrinsically linked; for any other to kill him would be a stain upon my eternity. "And what came of this?"
Harkon smiled, amused. "Worry not, Thera. I know of your burning desire to eliminate him yourself," the Vampire Lord assured. "It would appear, the agent I sent was incapable. Atmoran is stronger, perhaps, than I anticipated. I was sure that this one would kill him, saving us both time and energy for the True Domination."
Weakling. I understood, now, why Molag Bal wished his former prized warlord dead. He had become complacent, weak. He was content to allow others to dominate his greatest enemies in his name rather than to destroy in the name of his Prince of Domination. Harkon was, unwittingly it seemed, trying to supplant the Daedric Prince. To be quietly replaced would anger me, indeed.
"And this True Domination is..?"
Harkon grinned. "All in due time," he said. Slimy bastard. "For now, the Chalice is incomplete. The waters are still cursed, weakened. There are locations throughout Skyrim wherein the body of a powerful, ancient Vampire was buried. Foolish mortals, the predecessors of those with whom we war now, killed this Vampire and tore the body limb from limb. Placed it everywhere but together. Now, their actions so long ago shall be their doom. Collect the corpse of the Vampire Ancient, and we shall use it to dominate all in our path."
"Indeed," I said. I bowed slightly. "I will make haste as soon as I know where to go."
"Talk to Garan Marethi for the locations," Harkon said. I turned to leave. "Wait... I would also ask of you another favor, though perhaps it is one you wish to be given anyways."
I stopped and looked over my shoulder. "This agent you sent was a fool. If I happen to find my Jokaar in the wide world, rest assured that I will find a way to end him."
"He has my daughter as well," Harkon said. He actually, almost looked like he cared for the woman. I was not sure if that care was a lie or not. "When you kill him, ensure she returns in one piece lest you suffer my rage."
I smiled. He thought he could dare to cross blades with me? "Of course, Lord Harkon. I wouldn't dream of it."
Jul
Lucius
"Is that a damn troll!?" I screamed as Serana and I approached the castle. The brown creature made a moaning wail as it ran past me screaming. I let my sword fall to my side as it continued to run and scream on the path away from the fort. "And... it's terrified. That's a first."
"COME BACK HERE YOU DAMNABLE CREATURE!" a heavy Nord voice screamed from the top of the hill. Serana and I, both confused, glanced upwards at the man doing the screaming. He was dressed in Dawnguard armor, with shoulder length brown hair. "I'm not done with you yet, you cowardly ape!"
The man careened down the hill, rushing past us without giving either the freakishly tall man or the Vampire a second look. "Who is this guy?" I asked Serana. She shrugged, and the two of us returned our attention back to the Nord, who proceeded to chase the troll down and tackle it to the ground. "I don't even want to know right now, but I'll still ask. What is going on?"
"Ah, that's Gunmar for you. He trains Trolls for battle," a voice said from behind us. We turned to see a Breton woman. She wore gray heavy Dawnguard armor with assorted Dwarven trinkets and jewelry on her neck and wrists. She smiled. "I'm Sorine Jurard, an old... well, friend I guess would be too nice. Isran and I knew each other a while ago. Gunmar too." She glanced over at Serana. "And given your Sanguinis friend, I can only assume you are the Dragonborn we have heard Isran complain about so much."
"Oh, great start with the boss, then?" I joked, earning a chuckle from Serana.
"It just means he respects you," Sorine assured. She glanced over my shoulder. "I'd avoid Gunmar, Serana. Most, people here actually. They don't trust Vampires, with good reason usually."
"And you do?" Serana asked.
"I think you left your family for a human. That says a lot," Sorine replied, smiling knowingly.
"I... not... I didn't..?"
Sorine winked and walked away. "What was that about?" I asked the visibly blushing and flustered Serana.
"Nothing!" she snapped. She shook her head. "Let's just... find Isran."
"Is something wrong?" I asked. I reached out to place my hand on Serana's shoulder but stopped when she glanced at me, eyes red. I flinched and retracted my hand nervously. "Okay, let's go." I began walking up the hill with her at my side, eager to not die at her frustrated hands.
"So... What that woman said – Sorine, right? Yeah, what did she say that bothered you?" I finally asked as we neared the open gates of Fort Dawnguard. Serana hissed threateningly and pulled her hood further down over her face. "So... You don't want to talk at all now? Are you tired, is that it? I thought your thousand year nap would still be tiding you over."
"Keep going. You're making me hungry," Serana half joked. I chuckled and shook my head.
"At least we can tell Isran you were telling the truth," I supplied, changing the topic. Serana sighed in relief as I did. "And that the Dawnguard need to watch out for Tany- Dwemer."
Serana frowned and began to look worried as we walked. "I wouldn't wish having to look out for her on anyone," the Vampire groaned, her eyes returning to their usual golden brown. She shivered. "I hope they don't have to worry about that."
"I wish I didn't," I groaned as we entered the huge gates of the Fort. Some of the Dawnguard hissed at each other and moved away as Serana and I neared. She pulled her hood down as the shadows of the Fort hid us from the sun.
"We."
I stopped and looked over at her. I stared at her for a while. "I..." I smiled and nodded. "No one I'd rather have at my side."
She blushed and moved to pull her hood back up. I grabbed her wrist. "No I..." I looked at the ground and let go of Serana's hand. A pregnant pause formed between us.
"I see you came back, then. What news do you bring from Markarth?"
We both turned suddenly, thankful for the break in tension. "Isran," I said, nodding in greeting. "City's empty, with signs that Molag Bal was there. I didn't find anything to suggest Serana was lying."
Isran cursed loudly. "Dammit! So they have the Dragonborn, then."
"Um, I'm right here you know?!" I snapped. "Thera's a Dragonborn, not the Dragonborn!"
"Oh, yeah. Great, a consolation prize," Isran sighed. Serana groaned sympathetically and patted me on the back. "Ugh, and I'm betting you want a job, too. Fine. I have one that may be of interest to you."
"What is it?" I asked, my pride still bruised from his assault of apathy.
"Two things. On your way back from your assignment, I need you to get something from the College in Winterhold. I know you are the Archmage, so it should be... easier for you to get your hands on the Elder Scroll there."
I frowned. "I doubt it. I brought it up to the head of the Arcaneum once and he – well, I understand why people are afraid of him, now."
"Better there than in the Vampire's hands, but still... try to bring it back," Isran commanded gruffly.
"Okay. And the first part of it?" Serana asked.
Isran glared at the Vampire, then turned back to me. "Also, I need you to head to Solitude. I have reason to believe that there is a Vampire present in Elisif's High Court."
"A... Vampire?" I mumbled. For some reason, that rang a bell of familiarity in my mind. I sighed. "I'll look into it. With the city's proximity to Volkihar Castle, even if it's not true it's worth looking into." I looked over at Serana, grinning. "You in, travel buddy?"
Isran scoffed. I sighed, weary from the battles of the past and those yet to come. "Isran, there's something else I have to tell you."
"What's wrong?" Isran asked. The fear in my voice, causing his derisive, gruff demeanor to subside.
"I was not the only one present at the... at Skingrad," I explained. Serana shivered beside me. "She's hunting me, and she will likely come here. If she does, or if any of the Dawnguard encounter her, she will ask of me."
"We won't let her find you," Isran assured, bravado and pride in his features and voice.
I shook my head. "That's not it. This woman... she is far beyond what anyone here can hope to achieve."
Isran growled. "Don't underestimate me, b-"
"She could reduce this entire Fort to rubble in moments," I interjected calmly.
"She destroyed the remains of Markarth with nothing but Magick," Serana supplied.
"When I tell you she is dangerous," I warned Isran, "I mean that she is potentially one of the most powerful beings in all of Nirn."
Isran stared emptily. He finally shook his head and sighed. "Fine. I'll send her your way. Just make sure she doesn't burn down another city in your next fight."
I nodded. "See you soon, Sir," I said. I slammed my fist against my chest and bowed slightly. Isran did the same. He glared at Serana for a moment before nodding his head in curt acknowledgement. I smiled anxiously. Well, that's progress, I suppose.
As Serana and I exited Fort Dawnguard, the warriors glanced our way coldly and parted to avoid us. "Ugh..." I shook my head and groaned. I grabbed Serana's hand and she began to protest, flustered. "Just come on!" I ran off with her.
As soon as we were out of the Dawnguard's view, I slowed down until we could walk together. After a few minutes, she sighed. "What's wrong?" I asked her.
"It's just..." Serana stopped, and I was pulled to a stop as well. "Luc, why would you want to travel with a Vampire?"
"Why not?" I asked, smiling. I gasped with fake worry. "No. You're evil! You are, aren't you?"
Serana shot me a dry look, then laughed with amusement. Her face returned to ponderous worry. "But really, why? It's obvious it doesn't exactly make you any friends," she finally replied.
"Actually it's made me at least one friend – you," I disagreed. I shrugged. "I haven't thought about it. Sorry."
Serana groaned, looking exhausted. "It's fine," she said. She yawned suddenly, stretching her arms into the sky.
"Tired?" I asked with a laugh. I glanced up at the sky as it began to darken.
She nodded and rubbed her eyes. "Uh, it seems your stupid, mortal internal clock is rubbing off on me," she said between yawns. "Let's stop in Riften to sleep. We haven't slept in almost two days."
"Sleeping at night. Look, it's almost like I'm friends with a human," I supplied facetiously.
Jul – 7 Eruvos Vod
Ayleid
"What are we doing here?" Tanyin asked me as our carriage slowed to a stop outside of Skingrad.
"Kill the driver," I demanded as I began to exit the carriage.
Tanyin's eyes widened. "B- but – No!" she begged quietly. "He hasn't done anything!"
I snarled while I turned back to her. Once our gazes met, I pulled a simple, iron dagger from my belt. Tanyin breathed in fearfully and grabbed at the side of her neck. Finally, she nodded. I replaced the dagger and jumped out of the carriage's cloth covered rear. Magickal Lightning crackled in the air behind me as she did away with the foolish, human eyewitness of our arrival in town. I pulled the hood of my mothe – of my cloak up over my head as I walked. Tanyin soon caught up to me. "Why would you have me do that?"
"Because we could," I replied simply. I placed my hands into the pockets of my travel robes. "Why not?"
We walked in silence. "Why are we here?"
"The Count of Skingrad has something incredibly important in his castle," I explained coolly. "The Lords have requested we obtain it."
"Well what is it?" Tanyin hissed as we entered the inn.
I shot her a look and she quieted down. I pulled my hood down and smiled widely at the owner of the establishment, a Bosmer. "Hi there!" I said to the blood-traitor.
He looked over and smiled. "Hi. Um, what can I do for you?"
"We... well, we're in love," I explained, a sheepish smile on my face. "I... I'm so sorry to ask this, but do you have a room below standard rate we could rent. It's only for the night – we'll be gone by tomorrow night." Not a lie.
The blood-traitor smiled. "I... of course. Anything for young love," he said. He pointed to the stairs. "Just head up the stairs, first room on the right, okay?"
"Thanks," I said, still smiling. I walked over to Tanyin and motioned for her to follow. As soon as we were out of earshot of the blood-traitor, I let disgust cross my features. "Fool."
I opened the door and entered before locking the room. There was only one bed. "We'll have to share," I supplied. Life as weapons of the Lords afforded no room for such weaknesses as humility or shame. Tanyin and I had already shared a bed in the Breeding Rooms as ordered by our superior Mer Lords, so it was little to merely share a bed for sleep alone. Still, I would have preferred my own bed.
Tanyin looked at the ground. She still had some sort of infatuation with me. It was obvious by the deep reddening of her cheeks. And because of what she said next. "We could actually do it, you know," she began. I stopped unpacking our scrolls, weapons, and plans. "What you told the innkeeper. We could run together."
I turned to her, silent and still. "We could run from the Lor – from the elves! We could run anywhere! Skyrim. High Rock... Anywhere."
"Why?" I asked. She cast her gaze to the ground, broken. "We are weapons. To live amongst refuse and excrement would only serve to dull our blades and weaken our metal. We fight to destroy for the Lords. Without that, our lowly existences would be devoid of any meaning."
"You're right," she acquiesced after a moment of silence. Her hand drifted to the scars on her neck. She was finally learning, it seemed, the lessons I was forced to teach her day in and day out. In this utter defeat, she could now rise from the ashes. "What are we taking?"
"Everything, dear Dwemer," I said, using the name she should respond to as one of the Lords' weapons. "We are to kill the entire city, burn it to the ground and blame it on some Vampire Hunters of some sort."
"What? We – we're killing them all?" she whispered.
"Indeed. And once we have done that, we are to collect from the castle's uppermost level an ancient artifact taken by the Count in his centuries long life from the land of the Lords," I explained. I smiled in dark anticipation of destroying the insects of this human town. "A staff of an ancient Lord wizard who lived centuries ago in the midst of the second era. It is imperative that no one know it is missing, and no one will look to check for it if the entire city is dead."
Tanyin looked at me with fearful eyes. She was horrified. I could tell she wished, for a moment, to refuse, to fight me and save the city of insects. Only for a moment. Soon, that foolish idea broke in her eyes and she was left as all us insects should be left – hopeless."As it must be.," she said, voice hollow.
"As it must be," I replied with a smile.
