Trigger warnings:
Torture. Slaves. Forced nudity. Submission.
Chapter 69.
I felt like I was falling for a long time.
The howling cries of tormented souls followed me down the fiery vortex until I landed hard on the rocky floor.
I managed to roll onto my back and brush the hot gravel that burned in my face.
The sky above was black and thundered loudly as lightning struck the ground with black iron chains appearing in its place.
My eyes slowly dipped, gazing at the cliff facing me.
Daedric lettering marked what looked like plinths in a mausoleum where many dormant vampires slept standing in place like books on a shelf.
Daedric isn't my strongest, but I can at least recognise my name carved under an empty slot three above the ground.
Before even catching my breath, let alone having a chance to fully take in what I was looking at, I was attacked and dragged to my feet.
My vampire powers failed me, I couldn't break into bats to escape nor could I overpower the Daedric knights who pulled my clothes from my back.
"Get off me!" I demanded, but my threats fell on deaf ears as another lightning bolt struck through each of my hands. The iron chains pulled me from the ground, cutting through my palms as I was left suspended over a pit of white-hot coals.
The fire lapped up my body, the burning forced a scream from my lungs as I tried to pull myself free.
Even if it meant I fall, I couldn't help but struggle.
Flailing like a fish on the hook, I couldn't do anything until the chains pulled me away from the fire and dropped me in a cage.
The chains broke, leaving single ringlets attached to my hands. They were just wide enough to move freely over my extended fingers.
Before I could process the torture that had just ended, I noticed I wasn't alone.
Men, women, all vampires, all naked, and each sharing the same ringlets as me.
"YOU!" Called a voice, and before any of us could react, one of the women was pulled from the cage and pinned against the wall. Her screams were felt with us all watching what happened to her.
The ringlets on her hands were used to pin her to the wall, where she was bound and whipped.
Even the whips were small chain links, silver I presume, but they had to be metal.
Leather would burn too easily in the coals before the whipping started.
"All of you shut your mouths!" Ordered one of the guards from outside the cage.
Five more times he barked his orders, in different languages.
At his back were other vampires. The male orc behind him was two heads higher, but kept his face low, afraid to speak up. As were the Khajiit and elf women.
"Venar and Cer'l."
Two in our cage meekly stepped toward him, shaking with terror.
"Put these on." He handed them small garments to put on. The sort of thing you'd see at a brothel.
But they accepted them graciously and joined the ones at the back.
Now that I look, there was an order to them.
The vampire giving orders was shirtless but had trousers and boots, yet I could see that his body was covered in burn marks from before he earned the right to dawn clothes once more.
It must indicate authority.
"Lord Bal grows impatient. Where are the new slaves?" Demanded a Daedric knight in full armour from head to toe.
"I have them here. At the back."
"Good!"
Raising his hand, lightening struck the two women's hands and they were led away by chains, clutching their new articles of clothing between their fingers as though their souls depended on them.
Slaves?
Either my theory about clothes is wrong, or us in the cages need to Earn the right to become slaves.
"YOU!"
I looked up to see everyone backing away before I could say or do anything I was struck by lightning and pulled from my cage.
The sheer agony I felt of my ringlets being used to drag me across the hot gravel surface was nothing compared to the routine torture Coldharbour gives to every single one of its new residents.
As the sun never seems to rise under the thick storm above, the only way to contemplate the passage of time is between being dragged back and forth from the chain flogging.
I don't know if my soul is simply weaker than my body, but pain used to be something of a mere hassle for me, now it's like every lash is tearing fresh gashes into me, while the fiery heat cauterises instantly, before reopening my 'flesh' once more.
My time spent in the cage started to feel not only familiar, but gave a sense of security and safety, if such a thing could even exist here.
I'd observe damned souls in other cages. If the guards or torturers got a reason to discipline any individual, the entire cage they were in would be hoisted over the white-hot coals, where the hours of screaming would find us.
A reminder to behave. Obey. Submit.
"Havod!"
I turned, to see Daedric knights running past me.
From remembering my own torture, I couldn't help but tremble in my armour, but I had to stay strong.
"Niik Havod has escaped! Find Him!"
Nodding my head, I ran through the rocky spires. The souls chained to the rocks didn't even pay me attention.
Their hopeless dead eyes inspired no need to hide from them. And they were in no hurry to tell the guards what I had done.
Behave. Obey. Submit.
Take my soul. Take my vampire power.
But Niik Havod Does NOT Submit.
I waited so long for the torturer to be alone when he called my name.
Like a good little slave, I held my hands out for him to summon the chains when the cage opened.
"Fus Ro DAH!"
The torturer was blown from his feet and fell.
Looking down the pit was like peering into the sun.
I don't know how far it is before the white-hot coals would break his fall, but his screaming grew so distant before a blaze reached the top.
Of the ones in my cage, some were too far gone to even try to escape, but others did flee and scatter.
I didn't run as fast as the lead runners, instead, I found a place where none could see me before trying something risky.
My sword should always find me, but that's not the point.
Does my Armour find me here?
Calling upon it, I felt the hot metal melt up my body. Black, hardening into Daedric ebony.
With it on, no one could see my face underneath. Not only did my appearance rank me higher than the torturer and the guards, but I was in league with the Daedric Knights.
And the tortured souls would bow to me, the guards would follow my demands.
There is only one who would see through my disguise, and that's the ruler of this cursed place.
Lord Molag Bal.
Above all I must try to avoid him and even the other Daedra.
I have authority, but wielding it could expose me.
For now, staying low and thinking up the next step of my plan is key.
The Thu'um still works. I can call my Daedric Armour, and the great sword that comes with it.
Fire roared to life in my palm, so regular spells still work here.
I'm armed, armoured, I have mana and Dragon shouts.
Locked in a prison reaching for eternity but have already broke from my cell with the disguise of a warden.
All that's left is to decide what I ought to do.
Time is limited, and my window may have already passed.
"Helgi…" I could still feel my heart, or lack thereof. There's a chance Barbas can send her soul even if she's three layers deep within me.
If so, then my time might have passed.
If not, then I have to hope- no. Betty Will keep trying until she can.
She won't give up the chance to save her sister.
Of that I am absolutely sure.
How much time I have is down to how powerful that mutt is.
A scream from above turned my attention to the sky.
Swinging chains pulling someone by their wrists to hang them over a white fire. His screams howled louder than all others, simply because he was closer.
Could I save him?
Maybe.
Will I?
With no regrets at all, I turned a deaf ear to everyone suffering in this place.
In Skyrim I was Niik Havod, Arch Mage and Vampire swordsman.
Here I'm just Niik Havod.
I can't even summon my sword for fear of it exposing who I am.
As I marched, my heavy ebony boots slamming on the uneven rock below, I could feel a shadow within me.
An echo of who I was.
It's me against the world once more.
Trust no one.
Relearn the rules.
Establish an unknown presence.
Find a way to survive.
And if by chance I can make it back to Skyrim.
Let the voices of Coldharbour ring loud enough to send them forewarning of my coming.
Author's Note: Real talk. I played 3 hours of TSE Online before getting bored and going back to Skyrim. I have no real understanding of how Coldharbour looks or is. I just let my imagination go free with Molag Bal's most disturbing interests be the keyword.
Also. Next chapter.
Trigger. Warning.
Grooming of Minors. Forced stripping. Suggested "assault"
I'm not putting the Trigger warning on the next chapter because I actually dislike them because I feel they're little spoilers.
But given the themes, I suppose it wouldn't be fair to some people in my audience if I upset them.
Don't worry. It's not graphic. It's suggested. But you won't read anything.
The R word is used frequently. You don't have to be a genius to know which word I'm talking about. But I've heard some people like to have the word censored. I'm not doing that.
The good news is the next chapter takes place in one location. So it's skippable if you don't want to read it.
You can private message me for the rundown of what you missed. I'll answer only After the chapter is out.
Or... maybe I'll just have the keynotes written at the bottom? One of those. I'll decide then.