"Not much further!" Aphina yelled down the steep hill for what felt like a thousandth time. Walking to Helstrom was unberabley slow with an army of strangers. The marsh's terrain was getting wilder. They lost the road miles ago, and many of Aphina's potions were dwindling.

"How much further?" Itsyni growled. He had been growing angrier. They'd been forced to abandon their carts miles ago, and San was having trouble with the sticky mud that threatened to swallow her tiny figure. Aphina could only imagine, and hope, how much the Thalmor army was struggling in the swamp as well.

Aphina held his gaze steadily with her own. Tay-Un held her hand tightly, and half hid behind her. The top of the hill hardly held any protection from the sun, the only sunny spot in all of the marshland. She pointed to the distance to a dense cluster of trees. "That is the heart of Argonia. The journey is even more perilous from here on, but if you continue straight you will come across the walls. The mortals in your army, however, will never be able to make it."

Itsyni continued to glare down at her.

She continued, ignoring the weight of his gaze, "Tay-Un and I are going ahead. Your army is moving too slowly and I need to see Helstrom myself. If I come back it means Helstrom has been lost, and if I don't you should continue on as you are. In Helstrom, we have some advantage, but not much if they've figured out how to navigate the swamp. I must warn them what I believe is coming." If the Naga even listen, that is, Aphina took a deep breath, inhaling the wetness of the mud around them. There were dark clouds that had been slowly approaching behind them for days. "Continue on to Helstrom, and I will meet you at the gates when I hear your army has arrived. Be prepared for hostility, but don't fight my people."

Itsyni didn't seem to take orders well. He gave no indication that he understood what she told him, but she didn't wait for him to understand either. Aphina picked up Tay-Un and walked down the hill.

The mud was sticky, but small areas were still dry that Aphina easily hopped across. The areas that were too far she was forced to trudge through the sludge and silt.

"Your friend visited." Tay-Un said so softly that Aphina almost missed it.

"When?"

Tay-Un shrugged and laid her head on Aphina's shoulders with a large yawn. "You left last night. After that there was…a dark one that came from the shadows…I couldn't see his scales but he ran past me. And then you came back from where he ran to. He is your friend, yes?"

Aphina nodded, "Yes, I have many friends who keep to the shadows. They are like family to me. I got very hurt last night and he helped me."

"Oh." Tay-Un murmured. It didn't take long for the girl to fall asleep.

Smiling, she continued onwards, winding up a road that suddenly started from nowhere. She stopped. The last time she had been at Helstrom Ocato had kidnapped her. He had poisoned her. She was still mortal, and shortly after he would begin to feed from her.

Her chest burned and it traveled down to her hands and her feet and it burned along her back and up her face. The scars that could never leave her. She pursed her lips as her legs began to tremble, but she pushed herself along the road. The tree that she had been poisoned under still stood, and Mim-Jeen had been poisoned too, and slaughtered when she had attacked her.

Aphina shook her head. She had to continue. There was no use in dwelling with the ghosts. By the time she reached the gate of Helstrom, the sun had set, and the Naga were still taking their toll.

Tay-Un began to wake when they were approaching the toll.

The Naga were brutes that ran the decrepit city. They were bigger than most Argonians and much stronger as well. Once respected for their fight in the wars that had passed, but now they were no more than a gang, stealing from anyone who came in and making sure no one got out. They dealt in drugs and prostitution and sometimes sold Dunmer they find on the side of the road.

Aphina gave the two coins she had left. "This is all I have." She said in Jel.

The Naga at the booth was smaller, and much shyer than she expected. His scales were black and orange outlined his face. His eyes were softer, like a newly hatchling. He had never experienced violence.

The Naga behind the smaller one was bigger. She had folded arms, and looked much like the little one, but her eyes were sharper, always looking for blood.

The smaller Naga looked toward his companion with a questioning look.

"You run toll." She growled.

The smaller Naga gulped and turned back to Aphina and nodded. "You may pass."

Aphina smiled. He was only a child. "Thank you, brother." She whispered as she passed through the gate. As she walked away, however, she could hear the older Naga's scolding him about the toll price.

Helstrom had changed much since she had been here last. There were still beggers and prostitutes that lined the streets, but there were members of other Argonian tribes that she had never seen here before selling their wares and their craft. The streets were brighter because of this and some of the buildings that lined the streets had newly formed skeletons, outlines to houses to come. Others were half built already.

A large hand clapped around her shoulders and spun her almost violently. Tay-Un screamed, and Aphina's hand held fire that didn't burn her as she spun to shove the fire in the face of whoever had touched her, but the hand grabbed her slender wrist. In the orange glow of the fire she saw a man with fair skin and fair hair, a broad face and broad shoulders and eyes that held the ice of Skyrim.

"Wilhelm?" The fire in her hand sputtered out and the man released her wrist.

Wilhelm's eyes narrowed at her.

Slowly, Aphina pushed back her hood, and his eyes lightened. "We wondered what became of you." He gruffed.

She put her hand on the back of Tay-Un's head to calm her. "It's a long story."

"I bet." He nodded toward the north gate of the city, where a tree began to bloom with buds. "That Hist tree began to perk up after you had long gone."

"And Snakeskin?"

Wilhelm's eyes held a faraway look in them, dropping briefly to the dirt road beneath them.

"I see. I'm sorry." Aphina needed no explanation.

Wilhelm shrugged, "He was an old man and lived a good life. And you…are as cold as ice. Skyrim's winter settled in you."

Aphina looked away. "That is…part of the long story, Wilhelm, and part of why I am back here." Her eyes snapped back to the Nord's face. It was covered in layers of dirt, and he no longer wore his armor, opting for the robes his predecessor had worn. "The army is no longer just a Thalmor army. They're vampires…and they're wreaking havoc on every village they come across." She set Tay-Un down, but held her hand tightly. Both of them were hungry for blood, and it was all around them, but she didn't dare allow Tay-Un to go out of her grasp in a city full of food.

Wilhelm nodded at the child. "Her too?"

She nodded. "Her village was destroyed, but she was able to survive the destruction…at a cost, I'm afraid. I believe Helstrom is their main target. If they can get hold of Helstrom, there's nothing stopping the rest of the Thalmor."

"Do you think people will listen?"

She shrugged, "I don't think they will, but I have to try. Otherwise, we will all be killed here."

Wilhelm's eyes searched the ground, as he started thinking. A Naga, with brown scales and white feathers, and holding a spear, approached from behind Wilhelm and he…bowed to Wilhelm respectfully. Aphina's eyes widened. The Naga's yellow eyes narrowed at her. She tugged her hood back on quickly.

It took Wilhelm only a moment to notice the Naga bowing, and he nodded. "Asum." He greeted.

The Naga gruffed. "He would like to see you…" he nodded toward Aphina, "Is this one bothersome to you? I have a friend who could use another…girl…" His yellow eyes moved across Aphina hungrily, like a predator who just spot some prey in the distance.

She pulled Tay-Un behind her, shielding the girl from the Naga so his eyes couldn't find her and his tongue couldn't suggest something more fowl. Wilhelm shook his head, "She's a friend and my guest in the city. You will treat her and the child as well as you treat me, Asum."

Asum grumbled in Jel things that Aphina wouldn't repeat and began to walk away. Wilhelm motioned for her to follow. Aphina lifted Tay-Un and followed them across the city. The city bustled with people who had been displaced during the war and fled to Helstrom, knowing they could never afford the toll out of the city. "Where are we going?" She whispered to Wilhelm.

"I've been serving as council to their new chief. Or elder. I'm…still not completely sure of the term. He's been running the place for a few months now and has a…fascination for moth priests and other…well, exotic things." They were taken to the middle of the city, where a newly built mansion had been built. It looked nothing like the surrounding buildings, which were old and crumbling to dust with each passing monsoon. Parts of the house looked like it was a malgamation of different ways Tamriel built their structures: the foundation seemed to be based on Imperial structures but the windows and supports were clearly Nordic in style, and there was a certain elegance about the roof that Aphina didn't recognize.

Inside looked just the same, and it was much bigger than she realized. There were many rooms separated only by walls and some were separated by brightly patterned doors. Asum led them to the stairs, guarded by a pair of Argonians from tribes that had once surrounded Stormhold, each holding a sword at their waste. When Aphina stepped on the first step, the guards drew their swords and blocked her from going any farther.

She looked up at Wilhelm.

Wilhelm sighed, "Stay down here, Aphina. They don't much like outsiders."

She rolled her eyes and backed away, watching the pair disappear up the stairs.

All should've been quiet, but she could hear the heartbeats of every inhabitant in the city, and she was sure Tay-Un coud also. "I'm hungry." Tay-Un whispered.

"I know," she murmured, rocking back and forth, "I am too, but I don't have much left. We must save what we can." But how much longer could Tay-Un hold out? She was a child. She wasn't even sure how long it would take to go feral.

Soon, there were heavy footsteps that stopped at the top of the stairs. Asum grumbled, "He has summoned you, elf girl."

"Finally," she whispered and followed Asum up the stairs and down the hall where two huge doors blocked the room. They were elegant, with elegant doorhandles. Asum pushed the door open to reveal a lavish room. Compared to Helstrom, this room seemed fit for a king to live in. The bed could fit four people, and the window doubled as a door to a balcony lit up brightly by oil lamps. There was a small table with three green cushioned chairs, and as she walked into the room Wilhelm stood politely.

The Argonian sat with him also stood and turned around. He was tall and broad, but slender as well. His face held sharp features not of the Naga clan, or any clan she was aware of. His scales were an olive hue, and the feathery hair was decorated with charming beads. His clothes shined against the lamp's light and he wore many gold and silver jewelry with expensive jewels.

"Naheesh, this is my friend, Aphina. The one I told you about."

Aphina set down Tay-Un and bowed low out of respect, still holding onto Tay-Un's hand. When she came out of her bow, the Argonian had moved just inches from her face. She could smell sweet wine coming from his mouth.

"The hood, remove it."

Aphina tugged Tay-Un behind her back. "With much respect, Naheesh, I would like to keep it on. It is very bright in here to us."

His hands moved deftly and swiftly coming over her neck where her pulse should have been. "I see…" his hand moved across her neck but Aphina caught his wrist. Tay-Un pressed against her legs as a sharp blade was held steady at her spine.

"Forgive me…but I do not like to be touched." She released his hand. The blade still pressed against her back.

In Jel, she heard Asum say, "Do not threaten our Naheesh, or it will be your heart I tear out next."

Aphina nodded, but she was hardly afraid of the threat. If she could, she would embrace death, but she also feared it too.

The Argonian Naheesh continued to speak in Tamrealic, "Blow out these lights, but two is enough. My council does not see in the dark, I'm told."

Aphina nodded respectfully. The guards didn't hesitate in their command. Slowly, Aphina removed her hood.

"Come." His hand pushed against the small of her back until she moved forward into the light, all the while she kept Tay-Un close. His green eyes scanned across her face in the dim light. "Beautiful," he whispered in Jel. "Wilhelm," he switched languages as easily as Itan could, "you didn't tell me you were hiding…such an exotic creature."

Aphina pursed her lips tightly, but she felt her free hand ball into a fist. Wilhelm said, "She only just came back to the city, Naheesh. I met her before her…condition took hold." He selected his words carefully, watching her as he spoke. "She has troubling news-"

"Who doesn't these days? Please, sit." He gestured toward a chair. Aphina didn't move, staring down the Argonian. "Sit." He said sternly this time. He didn't seem used to not being obeyed.

Wilhelm cleared his throat. "Aphina." He whispered.

Aphina sighed and sat on the chair, pulling Tay-Un beneath the table as slowly as she could, but the Naheesh's green eyes followed the child, much to Aphina's disgust. Finally, the two men sat down.

"You are the…chief to the Naga?" Aphina asked before Wilhelm could speak again.

"I am. My name is Kuseem." He leaned forward with his elbows on the table. He seemed to hardly notice Wilhelm.

"I really do have urgent news for you, Naheesh." Aphina let go of Tay-Un, folding her hands on the table. Kuseem's eyes drifted to her ring, fitted just for her and made from the man she loved. She hid the ring under her hand.

"Amethysts." He said matter-of-fact.

Aphina nodded. "Yes. Naheesh, the Thalmor-"

"And why are you not with him now?"

"Our relationship has always been complicated. Let us say, you have your guards and I have my friends. The Thalmor are planning to take Helstrom, or so the rumors say, and so far that I've found there is indications that-"

Kuseem waved over one of his guards, and leaned back in his chair. They murmured something.

She continued, louder now, "I believe that these rumors are correct. On my way to Helstrom I found evidence that they're coming this way and that they're now…vampires. They were bitten by the same one that bit me, but I am not kin to them in any way. If they take Helstrom then nothing will stop them."

Kuseem didn't seem to hear her. He continued to murmur, his eyes darting between her and Wilhelm. She didn't have a good feeling in the pit of her stomach. She looked at Wilhelm. Even he seemed exasperated.