A/N: hazaaa!!! The fic's still alive! 8D sorry for the long long long break guys… I got writer's block and laziness for that XD but what can you do? 8D so here's another chapter hope you like it and as usual RnR

Chapter 9: Darkness and After

Darkness, it was a word that had come to mean a thousand things to different people. To those who lived in the mundane atmosphere of everyday, it encompassed the evils of the world and it spoke of monsters that preyed upon passing innocents. For the brave explorer who sought after a life greater than what was set before him, the dark symbolized the mysteries that needed to be revealed as well as the adventures that awaited him each day. Yes, darkness meant many, many things yet in all its definitions and misgivings only a select few thought of it as something more than the horrors imagined by the common man.

He was such an example of those few. The Breton vampire stood on a hilltop overlooking the city. The time was past midnight and the air had taken a chilling temperature. By the distance, Vicente could hear Cheydinhall with all its glory. He could hear the city and feel all its secrets coming to life and as he did so, he could not help but ponder upon his own.

Lythiana Valora. It was a name that had long since left the quarters of his mind yet until now the face of a child remained clear as day. How long had it been since that day? 16 years? 17? No, no 16 indeed. She would be 23 now, a full grown woman but the vampire could not believe that fact. He could not believe that the child he considered as his own, no, was his own had become their huntress. He could not accept the fact that the irony of the situation was so cruel and unexpected.

What would Merad say?

Merad who had been one of the Brotherhood's greatest assassins. Merad who had earned Vicente's trust and friendship. Merad who had turned his back on Sithis for his family. Merad who was no other than the huntress' father.

The Breton sighed and quietly he asked himself how this could have happened or more precisely, how he had allowed this to happen. The question echoed to the Breton and he recalled the day that they had escaped. The Brotherhood had been in disarray at their departure and the vampire torn. A dear friend had betrayed him once more and his daughter was taken. He remembered the rage and bloodlust he felt and at the moment he was not certain that he was the same man 16 years ago.

Finding the information and emotion too much to keep at bay, Vicente took a deep breath and prepared himself to go back. He would face this here and now when suddenly the sounds of battle came to him. It was faint yet there nonetheless. The vampire was relived for the distraction though he would not admit that to anyone not even himself. Quietly, he followed the source and he found quite an interesting scene.

ooOoo

Lythiana ran to nowhere in particular with her heart thumping loudly in her chest. She had fallen tripped and slipped many times now, but she could not stop, not even for a moment to catch her breath. As much as the huntress anticipated this to happen, she did not think that things would happen this fast. It was not long ago that everything was going smoothly yet now, the events that took place blurred themselves in the fast pace of the present. It was vexing really but nevertheless she had to endure it.

She now reached the thick of the woods and hurriedly, she surveyed her surroundings. She was surrounded by trees, dozens of them and it seemed like there was no end to them. She knew that this place would either become her safe ground or prison depending on how well her assailants knew the topography of the area. But nevertheless, it was a beautiful place, magical in its own dreary sort of way.

Her eyes searched for something that could be of use to her when abruptly, they landed on what seemed to be the form of a man. Several meters away, there he was standing. Watching. Sound faded away as she looked at him and Lythiana did not know where to place him. Enemy or friend?

Everything paused but with a single arrow she was brought back. Grunting in pain, the Bosmer woman continued on this chase. She disregarded thoughts of the man finally classifying him under useless and soon took refuge behind a tree. Muttering profanities under her breath she broke the arrow off her leg and threw the shaft away.

"Spineless coward…hmph… those fools" Lythiana thought back on their words. Words spoken out of rush and hate. She remembered it all too well, she remembered that damn Orc and his axe. He had pushed her on the ground and spat in her direction; for all she cared he was too damn afraid to spit on her face. He'd better be…

"I'll show you spineless!" She muttered under her breath gripping her hands tightly. She was about to laugh when an arrow soon zipped past her. The steel projectile buried itself in a small tree not far away and it silenced her. The sound on impact was deafening despite its subtlety yet what was more astonishing was the sudden buzzing that came from it. Soon, the sapling was engulfed in sparks which turned more erratic with each passing second.

"What the hell?" The huntress asked herself when she soon realized that the reason was plain and simple. The arrow was enchanted with shock magick and here she was leaning casually on an old, dried out tree.

"Damn it!"

A deep 'thunk' was all that the black-eyed Bosmer heard afore she felt electricity run through her veins. She could feel the untamed energy seeping her own away and she soon fell to the ground. She lifted herself up on shaky hands and looked behind her. The tree was starting to burn and swiftly she got up and ran.

She was tired, bruised and quite shaky. The huntress was frustrated by the very fact of her mortality and sunk onto the ground. Her legs could not handle the abuse. Lazily, she inspected her wounds. More were appearing and she groaned in annoyance. Reaching for her bow, Lythiana absentmindedly plucked its string. Feeling the tension vibrate softly through her hand she sighed. If this was her end she would certainly take others with her.

Her first assailant came not long after, axe in hand. He was the orc, the very one who insulted her. Right there and then she knew that the probability of her dying had been increased ten fold yet she still smirked, unable to contain her mirth. Taking a tinted silver arrow from her quiver she notched it in and with precise movements she aimed. Fire.

Her hands were on fire and so were her legs. It was a seething sort of heat not one that burned but was too hot for comfort. What in the gods name happened!? What in the world lead to this?

A black eyed Bosmer girl left useless on the ground before an armed orc intent on murder. Lythiana watched as the axe lifted before her in a painfully slow motion. Accepting defeat, she closed her eyes and welcomed the dark.

She had nothing to fear here in this silent land of shadows. No horrors, no monsters, no treasures nor tales could be spun in this void. She felt completely attuned to the dark and in this moment she would become a part of it. She would end and that was all there was to it.

RnR