Chapter 34 – No Regrets

Serana's feet pounded with little splashes as she ran down the beach, stumbling up to her knees in water on occasion. She couldn't see Tai, or Harkon.

"Tai!" She choked out. Her throat was tight, her chest tight. She felt like her eyes would bleed tears. Every part of her body was heavy, she was so tired. She had healed her wound but her clothes were slit, her daggers enchanted and ready for more battle despite their mistress. Serana was tired.

Her eyes lay upon a body in the sand. Her heart quickened as she jogged, it had to be Tai. She prayed it was Tai. It was her father.

"The mortal died" he coughed.

Serana screamed as she landed upon her father, the wind gushed as Serana drew her dagger and drove it into her father's gut, there was a fiery explosion as the blade slowly began to fade into fire.

"That was for Tai, you piece of skooma infested dung" Serana hissed, twisting the dagger slowly. Harkon winced; the shock in his face did nothing to sway Serana.

"My own daughter? Killing me?" Harkon gasped.

"You took everything I cared about from me! Now… You have threatened Tai. If he dies so help me" Serana leaned down, spitting into Harkon's face. Harkon laughed.

"That pathetic mortal. He would die anyway. Do you think you could watch him die slowly as age claimed him? You are truly lost" Harkon coughed, Serana drove her fist into the wound.

"And you, have failed. I stand the victor here, you pathetic fanatic bastard!" Serana spat her reply.

"My daughter will suffer the fate she has tried to give me!" Harkon spat.

"You want your daughter to be like you? You've got it. I have nothing to hold me here, you're legacy, and your rule has been destroyed by a child. You wanted someone as cold, heartless, and unloved as you are? You've taken everything for yourself, yet you're worth nothing. Your memory will fade, your influence will die. All of you that will remain of you, ironically… is your end. Is me"

"You've…grown Serana. I.. I'm…I'm proud of you" Harkon gagged out, Serana stood with a venom in her eyes.

She felt a rush of affection for a moment as she closed her eyes. When she opened them they darted to the broken wall of the castle above then to her dying father.

Her rage flared. Her father had destroyed her family, her home and her heart. Now he had the guts to try to repair it. Serana had to repay her father the debt. She had to punish him.

"I regret you, Harkoff" her voice was icy. Harkon looked genuinely shocked as he gasped, the flames claiming his body slowly.

"Serana?" he coughed. His body was embraced by flames; his screams fell on deaf ears. Serana was already running along the waters trying to find Tai. The tide was coming in.

It was a few minutes later she found him. The sands were stained red with more blood than one man could lose. Tai was lying on his back, coughing and breathing shallowly. Serana ran to him with a cry, falling to her knees beside his head after she leapt over his body. His chest was gashed open badly, his gut torn, his face bleeding. Serana held back a chocked cry.

"I'm going to die" Tai chuckled.

"Hilarious Tai. Now stop pretending!" Serana snapped. She rested her hand over his bleeding wound. Tai coughed, a sad grin on his face.

"I'm not kidding. I know I'm gone. It had to be me, I failed everything but this" Tai groaned, Serana stared, tears streaming down her face.

"I won't let you die, not again" Serana whispered. The waves beat upon the shore, up to Tai's knees as his blood was slowly cleaned away, only to be replaced. Serana shook, pulling Tai into her lap. She brushed his hair aside. Tai somehow managed to grip her wrist, his eyes still tearless. Proud.

"Forget it. I'm no use if I can't fight. I have nothing left to fight for anymore. It's over. He won"

"We won Tai. You won for us. Harkon's dead. The sun is safe. The arrows are gone, the scrolls gone. Everything's alright now, we won Tai" Serana sniffed, running her hand down his face. Tai closed his eyes for a moment.

"Then, there's no use for me here. I'll only ruin the peace"

"And what of my peace? What of my life? I need you alive, with me Tai" Serana looked as Tai released her wrist, his hand splashing in the sands.

"Happiness isn't for you, remember?"

"I can't live without you. Remember when you agreed to that, I knew. I knew you were right. Tai, I need you, I can't go on without you. Please" Serana's tears fell onto Tai's cheek. He raised his hand, wiping her tear away.

"Hey. I'm not crying am I? This is honourable. Th... This is an honourable death"

"To Oblivion with honour!" Serana sobbed, more tears falling as she grasped Tai's hand.

"Be brave" He whispered, Serana stared down at him.

"When I lose the one who saved me? No. I refuse…"

"I'm not the one for you to find. Keep searching Serana" Tai groaned, forcing his eyes open again.

"Why did you have to be so brave?" Serana whispered, stroking a lock of hair from Tai's eyes. He gave a weak chuckle.

"Because I couldn't go through life been known as Tai Chicken" He coughed another laugh, closing his eyes with the pain. He blinked once before opening his eyes slightly, all he saw was the flame in Serana's eyes and the setting sun. Serana shook, unable to act as Tai began to shudder in her arms, his hands flying everywhere. Serana screamed desperately, pinning his body down. It was not enough.

On the beach, in the muddy sands Tai's body half sunk, Serana trying desperately to hold the life in him. She sat over him, her nose against his neck as she desperately tried to find a pulse, any sign Tai was alive. Serana stopped, staring down into Tai's still open bright blue eyes now reflecting the white grey skies.

"Wake up Tai!" Serana growled, planting her hand against Tai's chest. She began to throw her magic out, she cared not what it took. She was determined to raise Tai. She felt her magic draining as she stared down, Tai was not responding. She began screaming as she fuelled her life energy into the spell. It had to work. She would suffer Coldharbor forever, Molag every night, if only Tai would rise.

Serana grabbed his hair and pulled his neck, thoughtlessly she bit into his neck. Her blood touched his lips as she tore her arm open. Serana ignored her pain, her actions beyond her memory; beyond her control as she desperately tried to bring life back into Tai's broken body.

It was then she realised how useless she was. For all her power, for her infinite knowledge and possibly been the most powerful being in Tamriel, she could do nothing. For the countless she had saved from everlasting night, for all her control, for all her years and the lives she had owned, all the lives she could spare, or destroy. All of it counted for nothing. She could never save the one she loved.