Chapter 25 – Truthful

"Tai!" The desperate shriek hit his ears like the roof had hit the ground. Loud, harsh, painful.

Tai looked up, blinking the dust from his lashes as he caught Serana's eye. His entire body hurt, every bone felt weakened, shattered. He knew nothing was broken as his hand closed around the hilt of his sword, knuckles turning white with the pressure he applied. He twitched his other fingers, wiggled his toes before starting to rise. He groaned loudly as he got his feet beneath him, Serana stood, frozen again. Tai for once understood her motives here, Tai needed to be strong, he needed to defeat his pain alone. Serana stayed out the way.

"Come on Tai. Get up. We can do this, I know we can" Serana added to his fire as he stumbled forwards. There was no time to voice his complaint, only the quest mattered. He stumbled, splitting from Serana to roam up one side of the circle stairs. He came to the top; Vyrthur was bowed slightly, holding his side. Tai couldn't help feel a rush of satisfaction; Vyrthur had injured himself with his own game.

"You fools! I had the ear of a god!" Vyrthur cursed, Serana rolled her eyes.

"Then the Betrayed did something to you, we've heard the sad story"

"Serana…" Tai trailed off, Vyrthur growled.

"The Betrayed? They are my puppets. Foolish little Serana, look into my eyes girl, you know what I am"

"You… You're a vampire! But, how? Auriel should have protected you" Serana was stunned, Tai shifted, ready to defend should Vyrthur attack. Like all Elves, he was more interested in talking, ranting even.

"I thought so too, until one of my own Initiate's bit me. Auriel turned his back! I will have my revenge" Vyrthur went on, and on. Tai shuffled his feet, this was too much, Tai wanted to sleep. Serana crossed her arms. Tai knew Serana was between outraged and asleep.

"You want revenge on a god? You truly are crazy" Serana lectured, Tai grinned.

"You only just realised that?"

"Be silent! I am Vyrthur, I am the ear of Auriel! No… My revenge on him is out of reach, but not on his influence on this world. Daughter of Coldharbor"

"Y…You wrote that prophecy?" Serana stuttered, Tai felt the emotions pulsing from her, his own worry increased. Could Serana focus?

"Yes! Now. I have everything. I will use your ancient blood and end Auriel's influence upon this world forever!"

Serana launched like a woman cursed, her hands gripping into the collar of Vyrthur's armour. She lifted him, as if he weighed nothing. His legs kicked as his hands sealed around hers, Serana was beyond reason as she shook him once, knocking the fight from him. Tai watched their shadows, flickering with every little movement. His eyes fearfully returned to Serana, she was clearly outraged, and awake.

"You waited so long for my blood, well stiff luck. I plan on keeping it, thank you" Serana hissed, Tai saw the magic building in their hands. Who would cast the first spell?

"Weak little girl!" Vyrthur hissed. Serana hissed back, wide mouthed to show her fangs. Vyrthur's were smaller, thicker however. He was designed for endurance, a tearing fight instead of stealth. Just as Tai feared.

"Let us see how much power your blood has" Serana snarled, the spell erupted from her eyes. The air between her and Vyrthur was suddenly alive, burning even. Serana and Vyrthur were thrown, across the balcony. Vyrthur rose first, hissing as Serana stumbled. Tai moved to defend.

"Get out of the way boy" Vyrthur hissed, Tai's eyes flicked to the still rising Serana. He set his jaw, refusing to move. Vyrthur glared, Tai knew in that instant how far out of his league he was, this fight was between two immense, ancient beings.

"No. You will not touch Serana" Tai growled, ignoring his knotted gut with a deep rumble. Vyrthur seemed amused, his hand closed around Tai's throat. Tai couldn't fight, the cold grip was worse than the ice he had swum through, worse than the flames of a dragon burning down his back. This grip, was pure death.

"Love is fleeting, the vampire is eternal. You are simply an annoyance" Vyrthur growled, then threw Tai backwards, towards Serana. Tai screamed as his back connected with the unopened Wayshrine, the pain he had not been expecting sunk to his very core. Tai fell, blood caught in his throat; he spat it out, right at Serana's feet.

"Bad. Move. Squinty" Tai coughed as he saw Serana's entire body shaking.

Vyrthur's laughter fell from his lips, into silence as Serana began her snarl. It built, escalating into a blood crazed roar as she charged. Tai saw the flicker, desperation in Vyrthur's eyes. Serana skipped left, spinning a full circle to avoid the hastily chucked fire ball Vyrthur summoned.

"Worthless" Serana hissed, swinging her hand to break against Vyrthur's stomach. He groaned, doubling over as Serana griped his hair and pulled, forcing his neck to bend as she slammed her knee directly into his windpipe. This would have slaughtered a normal person; Vyrthur was a vampire, a snow elf no less. He simply knelt, clutching at his throat desperately, his left hand swung upwards. Serana was sent flying into the air, landing with a loud thud on the ground.

"Pathetic" Vyrthur growled, throwing his foot into her gut as she struggled to her knees. She flew up again; Vyrthur however placed his hand between her shoulder blades and pushed down. The ground gave way as Serana fell into the rock, leaving an imprint from the earth shattering impact.

"Delusional" Serana snarled, her foot flying from the ground into Vyrthur's knee, he dropped, spinning slightly as his hands closed around the forming bruise. Serana capitalised, swinging her fist straight into Vyrthur's nose, he blocked weakly. Again she spun from the hip, her foot connecting with the back of his knee. Vyrthur screamed loudly, cursing in an ancient language as Serana repeated her assault. Serana also spoke, the same language, harsh, yet flowing in a torturous way. Tai knew her language was outmatching Vyrthur's, no one could swear like Serana.

"Confused!" Vyrthur claimed, throwing his palm into Serana's chest. Tai winced as Serana growled. Another bad move. Vyrthur had been expecting her reaction, he danced, suddenly showing his own skill as he darted behind Serana, arm around her throat. He wasted no time in dropping, rearranging his arm to bar across Serana's throat as he spun.

"Violated, again" He sat on top of her, hand still at her chest as he barred her. Serana hissed, Tai knew Vyrthur was about to play Molag Bal. He growled.

"Don't" was all he got out, Serana seemed to pick up on what was happening.

She started struggling, no longer calculated in her fight, but desperate. Vyrthur had won; he had turned Serana against herself. Vyrthur laughed as he drove his fists and elbows into Serana's face, blood clinging to his ivory glossy skin with each blow. Serana was limp, lying broken beneath the elf Tai could not stop.

Tai still struggled to his feet, limping towards Vyrthur with a snarl. Vyrthur seemed uninterested as Tai approached with yellow clouds in his eyes. When Vyrthur stood up, he took notice. He was faster than Tai ever could have expected, one minute he was standing over Serana, the next his hand was again around Tai's throat. Serana didn't stir.

"Stupid" Tai growled, driving his knee into Vyrthur's side. Vyrthur seemed shocked at his sudden power; Tai drove his knee into Vyrthur's side again, and again. Each blow was knocking the wind from Vyrthur, knocking the fight. Tai felt the hand, loosening slightly but still there. Suddenly it tightened, earning a desperate gag from Tai as Vyrthur pulled him in close, Tai's toes just breezing the ground. He smiled inside, noticing what Vyrthur didn't. Serana was climbing to her feet.

"Go ahead, can you kill me, or do you want to hurt me? You need me, the power I grant. You want me, desire me, crave the power" Tai teased, Vyrthur's face was filled with a sudden curiosity. Tai for once, loved his bad luck. He loved having a pull over male vampires; Serana was almost to her feet as Vyrthur threw Tai backwards, rage flooding his sharp features.

"Tai!" Serana shrieked, her hunt knocked from her as Tai again hit the ground. His mouth a fountain of blood, he was sure he would be missing a back tooth. Vyrthur's hand closed around Serana's throat, a mocking glint in his eye.

"Whipped" He grinned, Tai shook, Serana's eyes darkened to that special place once more. The desire within them only dimmed by her rage, and yet she was perfectly herself.

"The word you're looking for, dead man. Is lashed" Serana threw her feet into his gut, her hands closing around his throat as she rolled back. Vyrthur was thrown backwards, his body dangling over the balcony as Serana held him by his hair. It was real enough, but it didn't snap beneath his weight.

Vyrthur laughed as he spun back, his legs wrapping over the balcony as he somehow regained his feet, pushing Serana's head down over the balcony. Vyrthur didn't try to throw her over however, his hand simply slid down to her rump and squeezed. Serana struggled against him, cursing violently as Vyrthur slid his hand around her to her belt, his intentions were clear. Serana lost her head, screaming for help as Tai desperately twitched his fingers, unable to move any more.

"Rana" he coughed out desperately, unable to make his body function. Serana seemed to hear him, again her body language changed; again she was in that special place of madness. Her leg bent from the knee, her heel violently connecting with Vyrthur's groin. Serana wasted no time in ducking from his grip, suddenly magic surrounded her hand. She crouched, just out of Tai's reach. The magic surrounding Vyrthur was the most intense Tai had ever seen, Serana's entire body was glowing, her jaw set in a determined grimace as she continued to pour her magic out.

"What are you doing?" Vyrthur demanded, Serana's teeth clamped together as her lips curled back.

"You're dead. I just need to let the spell ware out, you stupid, squinty, good for nothing, Falmer" Serana delivered her curses; the vast amount of blood already trickling down her face was staining the ground. Their fight had not been clean, blood patches everywhere, cracks, broken balcony pieces. Serana bore the blood however, pride in her eyes. It was not a weakness she was bleeding, it was her war paint. Her war face had just been revealed.

Her knees began to buckle, as did Vyrthur's, Tai instantly shuddered, pain shooting up his entire body. This fight was beyond what could be seen, it was beyond understanding.

In this world, in muscle and strength they fought, who could take the most physical punishment, the most gashes, bruises and breaks. Who could outlast the other, whose body had the strength to live? Which body wanted to be part of this world more?

In another world, their magic fought. Serana pressing her assault, Vyrthur desperately defending. Tai realised this was just like a hammer on a shield, which would buckle, the attackers will or the defenders shield? This battle was on age, who was more in tune with the magic around them, who could channel themselves more, who was willing to lose themself to defeat the other? Who would risk it all, to gain so little?

All the battles hung on the final battle, the one that chilled Tai the most. Their mind, will, determination. Their desires. Who wanted this more, who had the most to lose, who had the most to gain? Who wanted the other dead so badly as to risk themself? Who was so dark and filled with hatred that they would sacrifice themselves for the final, victorious blow?

It was not that battle that chilled Tai; he had been in this battle his entire life. He fed from his strong mind, formed his body to match. What chilled Tai is he knew the answer, he already knew who was going to win this battle, and the battle to come. He realised to win; Serana would have to give everything to destroy her father. The final blow to Tai's heart was the fact he could not stop her. He could not save Serana from herself, he had to encourage her loss, support her slow death. Then, after she had lost everything he would have to try and save her, or kill her.

Vyrthur's scream pierced his thoughts as a gentle breeze licked them; Vyrthur's entire body was shimmering, dissolving upon the wind. Tai closed his eyes, unable to watch as the wind tossed his hair. Next Tai opened his eyes, the breeze had died down, and Vyrthur was no more.

"Tai!" Serana gasped, hobbling to his side. His vision was blurry, the world was not holding him, Serana's voice was guiding him. He knew, this is what Molag had meant by his message, he would lose Serana again. His vision darkened, hearing his name spoken once more before he faded.

Serana stumbled, Tai looked so limp.

"Divines, please, no. Gods no"

"Tai" her thoughts raged, her voice only allowed his name to escape. Her knees gave way, dropping her to her stomach with a thud. Serana groaned loudly, pain coursing her entirety. Her eyes fixed upon Tai, his arm outstretched. She groaned, dragging herself weakly towards him. He pulled his arm with one of hers, using her other to worm to his face. His blood filled her nose. Serana gasped, tears gathering in her eyes as she lay beside him, if only she could focus more.

"No… Tai" she croaked, a sudden pain coursed from her head as the butt of a dagger was slammed into her head, effectively. Whoever hit her knew their profession, knew their weapon. Weakly her eyes rose, laying on the chocolate skin of a Redguard.

"What happened to them?" The voice that had been with Isran asked. Serana tensed, her attacker couldn't be this man, he had walked forwards towards her.

"They died" The second voice tore at Serana's heart. Of everyone, she knew no one would suspect the perfection, no one would know who had attacked her, no one would know their true fate. Tears would fall, their headstones would be one of many lost in Skyrim. But the truth would be buried with Tai. Serana's ashes on the wind.

"No…" her thoughts were cut off as a boot connected with her face.