Chapter 68.

Serana.

I could feel her heart through her arms. I wouldn't let her go, but trying so hard to make this easy was impossible.
Robin knows Niik enough to know she won't change his mind.
But listening to her cries.
It was hard to listen to. But I warned her. I warned her not to be here.
Molag Bal commands, we his children obey.

"Niik Please! You're a hero!" She cried, struggling against me as he approached us.

"I'm not a hero. Stop calling me that!" He demanded, softly resting a hand on her head. "You were wrong about me all along, Robin."

"Wrong? about what?"

"You were supposed to find the Dragonborn. How do you know that's me?" He slipped a hand into a pouch and removed a small stone. "I learned of a man, Miraak. He's also Dragonborn, and he led a rebellion against Alduin many centuries ago during the age of Dragons. He lives, on the Island of Solstheim. Maybe he's your hero. But not me… I'm not a hero."

Robin's resistance faltered. I still held her up.
"you, knew this? Why didn't you tell me?"

"I was planning to tell you," He said quietly. "but then you became a wolf, and I learned my daughter died so, I was preoccupied."

Robin was still angry, but I felt she understood. Niik had been suffering on his own for a while. Miraak was probably the last thing he cared about.

"Serana, take care of Robin. Be good to each other. I don't have to tell you how harsh Skyrim is."

I nodded, pulling her closer to me as Niik backed away.

"Valerica, you owe me nothing. But if you could be so gracious. Forgive Betty, she's still very much a child."

I looked to the vampire girl. She looked lost, like she hadn't been following. But it was soon coming clear, her little chin wobbling as she started to realise.

"Robin, the college will need to appoint someone else as Archmage. Take enough money to set yourself up in a house somewhere and tell them I don't care who inherits the artifacts, just keep them safe…"

"f-father…?" Betty looked up at him, her fingers had been tracing circles on her palms all this time, but now they'd stopped. "please, don't…"

"Hush Betty, I'm talking." Niik walked towards us.
Robin and I were nervous when he reached out, but I don't think he intends any ill.
"I thought if I left you alone, you'd figure out the easy answer to the problem on your own."
He took her hand and lined up their fingers so the wolf ring would easily slip from hers onto his.

"huh?"

"The ring needed to be given to a willing recipient. I am willing. I'd have taken it from you any time you offered." Clutching his fist, Niik snapped his own finger clean off. After a moment, his finger grew back. From the one on the floor, looking more like a dead bat, he picked out the ring. "Now don't put it on again!" He warned, handing it to Robin.

"You could have done that any time?" Robin demanded, holding her now freed finger securely.

"It occurred to me shortly after you put it on. But I felt it was better to let you solve it on your own. Actions have consequences, and you can't always rely on others to save you."

Seeing how easy it was for him, I felt for Robin. If not her, then I should have figured that out.

Lastly, he turned to Betty. He hugged her so tightly as she cried.
I felt myself holding Robin too.
"I don't know how long it'll take for me to dethrone Molag Bal, Betty. So you need to be a good girl for me. Stay out of trouble and try not to die until I succeed."

"I don't want you to go!" Betty sobbed, clinging to him for everything she had. "What about Helgi?"

Niik stopped for a moment, but broke into bats and flew away from her before reforming.
"Helgi will be fine." Turning to us, he nodded.

The wish. Barbas can send Helgi to the afterlife at the cost of her memory, but at least Betty will get to say goodbye.
She won't get to see her father again, but at least she'll pass knowing he died to save her sister's soul.

"I made so many mistakes, Betty." Niik told her before turning his back. "If I could change anything about it, I'd have spent so much more time with you and Helgi. And I'm sorry for that."

"No!" Betty shook her head, pulling him back. "I'm Sorry!" She cried, "I'm sorry for what happened to her."

"It wasn't your fault."

"it was, it was and you Know it!" Betty kept wiping her face as she spoke, falling into the same habit many young vampires fall to. "I know, what happened to her. I figured it out… my sister died because of me."

Niik held her face gently, asking why she kept her distance all this time if she knew.
"because you didn't get angry at me." She sobbed. "When I found out my blood was infected, I understood why you had to… b-but I hated blaming you for my mistake and I hated the guilt of putting you both in that position, but the idea of you not even caring about Helgi enough to get angry at me for it… I didn't know what to do with it."

"I didn't get angry because it wasn't your fault. You had no ill intent, it was an accident."

"But she's still dead because of me… Anyone else would be angry and cast blame where it rightly belongs. But after all these years, you still just see me as a child. You didn't think I could deal with the guilt. But I HAVE been, and I had to deal with it alone!" Pushing her father back, Betty took small steps towards Molag Bal. "I won't be the reason my family dies! I won't go through that again!"

"Valerica, please." Niik spoke the words so softly, and before Betty even knew, she was apprehended by mother.
"If I let him take your soul, I'll have to die just to see you again. And that's simply not possible…" Niik told her with a confident smirk as he rose to his feet. "But if I go in your place, to see you again, I just have to break the chains of oblivion and escape death. Which do you think is easier for Niik Havod? Escaping death itself, or finding someone who can best me?"

Even mother was looking torn up. To battle my father, only to end up in the exact same room where he died, but for such a different reason.
Niik talks big but, Molag Bal makes the rules for vampires. He cannot beat him.

"Molag Bal. You've had four hundred years to prepare for my arrival," Niik drew his sword. "Let's see if it was long enough…" Leaping forward, ready to swing.
The Daedric prince pointed his finger, and on contact, Niik fell to the floor, lifeless.
His sword rattled against the stone.

A blue light passed from his body and was sucked into a fire where Molag once sat, the demonic laughter sending them off as the room flooded once more with the natural light of orange flames.
Niik's body stayed there, motionless.
All was silent, apart from Betty's wails as she climbed over his body and cried into his chest.

Releasing Robin, she too fell to her knees over him.
Mother, she slowly walked over, studying him like a research subject. It seemed like she wasn't all that sure he was really gone.
Even among vampires, he was very resilient.
However, even if we'd like to pretend otherwise, Molag Bal is the final blade to his heart.

"that was scary…"
"what the hell was that thing?"

Mother sent both behind us a threatening glare, pointing to the door.
The vampires who guarded it quickly left.

Being delicate not to disrupt Betty, Robin also touched his body, as if looking for signs of life.
Futile as it may be, she was desperate. She even felt for a heartbeat of all things.
"Robin…"

"He's not dead… He hasn't turned to dust! Or bats!" Robin lightly slapped his face. "Serana! Back me up, what happens when a vampire dies?"

She asks me this. I can think of many times when I had to see one of my own die. There are patterns but there's no real consistency. Some only turn to dust when set on fire, others fall apart right away.
But Niik is something else. I'd never seen a vampire come back from being beheaded before Niik crashed open the doors to the Dawnguard. *Chapter 40*
"I'm sorry, I don't think…"

"I know, I know… what else can I do?" She hissed, covering her face with her hands.

"We respect his wishes." I urged her. "We tell Barbas to make the deal with Helgi, and as for you… you have a Dragonborn to find."

"To hell with that." Carefully so as not to bother Betty, Robin tried to move Niik's body into a more respectful position on the floor.

"Move him onto the alter." Valerica insisted. "Lord Bal's alter may not be ideal, but he deserves better than the floor."

Despite Betty leaning her head on him, she pried herself away long enough to help.
We all lifted him carefully up onto the alter where his heels were placed together and his hands were crossed over his chest.

"sword…" Robin muttered. "where's his sword?"

Valerica found it first but acting without thinking, she touched the handle.

"Wait!" Too late. To Robin and Betty's dismay, the sword vanished completely with no way to recover it.

Betty screamed at her, calling her an idiot, but mother didn't object.
She took the abuse in silence.
When Betty had finished, she went back to the alter and leaned over him.

"there's a crypt downstairs… coffins."

I forgot about that place. Despite how often I used to explore the castle, mother and father always forbade me from going into the crypt but never explained why I wasn't allowed.
I always assumed I'd be allowed after growing up, but not even then. Not even as a vampire.

When mother caught me staring, and then rephrased herself.
"I can have one of them brought up here."

"what about the Soul Cairn?" Robin asked. "The dead don't die there! So maybe…?" She could see the doubt on everyone's face. "Can't we at least try?"

"Molag Bal took him. We all saw it." Mother huffed to herself as she started to aim towards the door. "he's gone."

Betty still clung to his robes, her eyes fixed on his lifeless face.

She didn't budge or flinch when Robin leaned in.
"He said his door would always be open to you. I remember him saying that." Placing a hand on her shoulder, Robin told the young vampire that she'd keep his promise for him if Betty ever needed it.
"I want you to know, we found a way to help your sister."

Betty turned to her, her eyes bright and puffy.
"She's alive?"

"no… But, if you come with us, you'll get to speak to her again before she goes."

"goes…?"

Obviously, Betty was upset to learn how the deal worked.
Niik traded his soul for Betty's as well as seeing Helgi pass so the sisters could see each other one last time.

Valerica.

It took three of us to get one of the coffins from the crypt all the way up the stairs.
I'm glad Serana, Robin and Babette never stayed, but I wish they could have helped.

"We don't have to carry this thing back down with the man in it, do we?"

"Wouldn't it have been easier just to bring him to the coffin?"

Actually, I wish they took these fools with them. Or I wish I'd let Niik kill them before he up and died.
But then I'd need to carry the stone coffin by myself.

When we got to the main hall, I told them to put the coffin down where it was.
"I'll get him, you get the lid off."

Every time I walk through the doors of Lord Bal's shrine room I feel a different emotion.
Honoured that he'd bless me by listening to my request.
Overjoyed that he'd bless Serana with health.
Pride that we were both strong enough to endure his trials where so many failed and come out stronger for it.

If only Serana could understand. The scars are invisible, it's good that Lord Bal blessed us with his gift.

But walking in now, I feel sad.
Niik was a vampire, and I could smell death on him from the moment we met.
But he was a good man, I feel.
I don't know what the world will be like without him.

I approached the shrine where his body had been left.
The body was gone…

Robin.

"I don't know what I'll tell her… She's been through so much…" Betty had been talking to herself about what she'll do when she sees Helgi again since we said our goodbyes to Niik.
"Do you think she'd believe me if I said he was on the other side waiting for her?"

"Niik had the same thoughts. But he didn't want the last thing he said to her to be a lie."

"But she won't remember anyway."

"you will." I could see her puzzling it over. "You don't have to do anything right away. Sleep on it. We still have to get to the college and that could take a while."

"We can fly there in a few hours."

"Robin can't endure the cold for that long." Serana started peeling off her clothes.

"What are you doing that for?" Betty asked. She'd seen Serana fly before, but maybe given how she and Niik's clothes disappear when they turn to bats, she doesn't understand why Serana needs to strip.

"oh… give me a second." Betty put her fingers to her mouth and whistled. "I hope this still works…"

"Hope what still works?"

There was a moment of silence, apart from the noise of the ocean and a few gulls.

The crashing waves lapped up and down the shore of the island, but over it all I thought I heard a different rhythm.
Like steps on shallow water, coming closer.
It was getting closer, then I heard a sound. A "neigh"
Then from around the rocks peeking from the surface of the sea, a black horse without a rider was galloping towards us.

"Behold Shadowmere," Betty said with a proud smile as she approached the hellish-looking animal.
Not only was his fine coat jet black, but his eyes were burning red. But Serana and I just observed this horse running on water.
"Hop on." Betty patted the saddle, getting bumped on her little head by the horse's nose.
The ONLY thing this creature has in common with my darling Epony.

With Serana sitting behind me, Betty's swarm flew on ahead to the mainland with me hesitating to aim a horse into the sea. But the horse didn't hesitate to follow his master. Charging forward and ignoring my attempts to stop, he galloped at full speed, running and hopping across the salty waves like running on a snowy hill, kicking up mist with every step but otherwise not caring in the slightest.

By the time we arrived at the shore, Serana and I were drenched from the waist down from the splashing alone.
The horse screeched and cried, even bucked a few times upon reaching the rocky shores.
I struggled to calm him on my own, Betty had to appear and talk him down.
"Good boy, good boy…"

"This is your horse?"

"He belongs to the Dark Brotherhood… He comes when he's called, a loyal beast."

Serana and I dismounted, and the three of us watched the black horse run off on his own.
"Where's he going?" Watching the horse take a sharp turn into a cave, I ran to follow. I heard him screech again,
But as I approached the mouth of the cave, I could see the back.
There was no other way in or out, but there was no sign of the horse. I could only hear his distant clopping hoofs getting further and further.

"Someone else must need him, so off he goes," Betty said with a brave smile, but I could hear the upset in her voice. "we'll see him again, eventually…" She pulled her hood over her face to hide her eyes, then her hands went back to rubbing their fronts and backs like she'd been doing since she came back.

I was about to approach her, but it was Serana who took the girl's hand.
"Let's get out of the sun, we must be near Solitude."

When Betty took steps to follow, I attempted to take her other hand.
Each of us owed Niik for something. Life. Freedom. Future.
Actually, I think each of us owed him varying amounts of all three.
A slow walk on the beach with the crashing waves. It was even sunny for Skyrim. This is nice.
I just wish we could have done it together.
All of us.

On the way to the city of Solitude, we passed those Thalmor people in their black and gold cloaks.
Serana and I said nothing to them. We got condescending looks thrown at us, but I was not willing to risk another massacre.
Although…
I could feel the ring in my pocket. Could feel where my finger would easily slip in.
After all, why not? Why shouldn't I-…?

"no Robin, that's Sauron talking…" I muttered to myself. Resisting the urge to slip on the wolf ring and slaughter those bastards.

"Who's Sauron?" Betty asked.

"Someone who'll make me a lot of money if I have the time and patients to write about him." I forced a smile, but that would be SO illegal of me to abuse the Academy's trans-dimensional equipment like that.

And Niik isn't here to threaten them this time.
Although, Serana would probably defend me.

As we passed through the main gate, we checked to see if the torches above the headman's block were lit.
They weren't. I guess no one is getting killed tomorrow.

"Is it me or is it busy?" Serana asked.

"oh… it's the festival…" Betty sighed, pointing to a bonfire being built with an effigy on top. "Two nights from now, all those years ago… I became a vampire…"
Her little fingers tightened on my hand, almost crushing me, but not quite.

"Come on." I didn't let her stay in a place that would cause her to feel guilty. Serana and I brought her to a tavern. "wait, can we bring children in here?"

"Why wouldn't we?" Serana asked.

Good point.
"wait, do you have money on you?"
"no, remember we couldn't even pay the wagon driver."
"well crap, will you be able to charm him?"

"The room is upstairs on the left little lady. I'll have the meal sent up soon." Said the barman.
"Thank you." Betty approached us, shuffling coins in her hands. "on me… as thanks for before."

I could only imagine what it looked like for everyone else. We must look weird. A little girl buying a room for herself, Serana and I.
To be fair though, I think of the three of us, Betty might be more trustworthy to handle the money.

The room we had consisted of a dresser, a window pointing the festival, a double bed and a small armchair in the corner.
Serana and I shared a glance at each other while Betty attempted to shut the window as tightly as possible.
The room got dark despite it being still light outside.

"This will do." Babette sat on the armchair, dipped her head back and stared at the ceiling. Again, I don't even think she's aware. She alternates between them, but her fingers keep rubbing the backs of her hands.

Will it be awkward? Yes.
But is it wrong not to offer? Yes.
Especially since she paid for the room.

"The bed looks big enough for three of us. We can share if that's more comfortable for you?"

"Every time I close my eyes, I either see my father die in front of me, or I'm back in Coldharbour, wrapped in chains over pits of white-hot coals." Her fingers rubbed faster.

I saw Serana swallow. Having returned from the other side, Betty knows first-hand what awaits all vampires that die, and what her father is probably going through.

"Betty, what was it like for you?" I asked gingerly. I assured her that she did not need to answer if she didn't want to. "But sometimes talking about it makes it easier."

With a deep breath, Babette approached at my beckoning. As I patted the bed, she climbed up and lay back against the pillow while Serana and I stayed at the edges, ready to listen.