Chapter 5: Prophet

As Talis led Sorrine into Fort Dawnguard, she saw that Tymvir and who she assumed was Gunmar were already there. Talis walked up to Gunmar and shook his hand. She turned to Tymvir and kissed him on the cheek. "So, how was the spider lair?"

"Everything went smoothly, especially with you not there to scream." Tymvir said. That earned him a jab in the shoulder. Isran's old acquaintances looked up and saw him on the upper level. The entryways into the other parts of the fort were closed off.

"Alright Isran. You've got us all here. Now what do you want?" Gunmar asked.

"Hold it right there." Isran said. A bright light began to surround all of them.

"What are you doing?" Sorrine asked.

"Making sure you're not Vampires. Cant' be too careful." Isran said.

Gunmar looked at Talis. "Nice to see some things haven't changed."

"Welcome to Fort Dawnguard." Isran said. "I'm sure you know what we're up against. Powerful Vampires, unlike anything we've seen before, and they had an Elder Scroll."

'Had? Did he find a way to get it? How?' Talis thought to herself.

"If anyone is going to stand in their way, it's going to be us." The Redguard finished.

"This is all well and good. But do we even know anything about what they're doing? What's our next move?" Sorrine asked.

"We'll get to that. For now, get acquainted with the space." Isran said. "Sorrine, I've prepared a workplace for you to start tinkering with that Crossbow design you've been working on." He turned his head toward Gunmar. "Gunmar, there's an area large enough for you to pin up some trolls. Get them armored up and ready for use." He lastly fixed his gaze on the Nord lovers. "And you two. We're going to get to the bottom of why a Vampire showed up looking for you."

Talis and Tymvir looked at each other in confusion. They joined with Isran on the upper floor. They entered in what Talis assumed was an old torture chamber. Standing there was a familiar face from Dimhollow.

"Serana! What are you doing here?" Talis asked.

"It showed up while you two were away. I'm assuming it's the one you found in Dimhollow Crypt." Isran said.

"She is." Tymvir said. He turned to Serana. "Weren't expecting to see you again."

"I figured." Serana said. "In all honesty, I'd rather not be here either. But I needed to talk to you guys. It's important, so please listen to me before your friend here loses his patience."

"We're listening." Talis said.

"It's about me, the scroll, and why I was buried in that crypt." Serana said while pointing to the scroll on her back. "It all goes back to my father."

"Harkon? What does he have to do with it?" Talis asked.

"I'll admit it: he's not exactly a good person, even by Vampire standards." Serana said. "He began to change when he stumbled on this obscure prophecy, and he lost himself in it."

"What kind of prophecy? If it came from an Elder Scroll, it can't be good." Tymvir said.

"You're right. While vague, the part he latched onto said that Vampires no longer need to fear the sun." Serana told them. "He wants to control the sun; he wants to control the world. My mother and I didn't feel like inviting a war with all of Tamriel, so we tried to stop him. That's why I was buried with the scroll."

"You took a big risk coming here. Thanks." Talis said. She turned to Isran.

"You heard what I had to say. Now give me a good reason why I shouldn't kill this bloodsucking fiend right now?" The Dawnguard leader said.

"We're going to need her help in this." Talis said.

"Why? Because of that story of some prophecy? About some Vampire trying to put the sun out?" Isran retaliated. "Do you actually believe any of that?"

"Isran, you do realize who you're talking to." Tymvir said. "Talis herself was just a story about some prophecy."

"And Harkon's transformation: I saw it before." Talis said. "It was the creature I saw from my vision."

"Vision?" Serana asked.

"A vision I had at the Tomb of Ysgramor when I was about to cure my lycanthropy." Talis said. "A grotesque creature was laughing as the sun turned red and covered Tamriel in darkness and death. I realized the creature from my vision was Harkon when he transformed." She turned to Isran. "We need her to combat this."

Isran let out a hesitant sigh. "Fine. It can stay for now. But if it lays so much as a finger on anyone else, I'm holding you responsible." He turned to Serana. "You hear me? Don't feel like a guest because you're not. You're a resource. You're an asset. Don't make me regret my sudden outburst of tolerance and generosity, because your friends will be the ones to pay for it. Got it?"

"Thank you for your kindness. I'll remember it the next time I'm feeling hungry." Serana said, a bit of snark in it. She turned to her acquaintances. "As you can see, I brought the scroll with me. However, none of us can read it."

"I read one." Talis said. Isran and Serana quickly turned their heads to her. "At the Time Wound on the Throat of the World. We could take it there and read it."

"One problem. The only reason you were able to read that Elder Scroll is because it was the same one used to create the Time Wound. I don't think you could just take any Elder Scroll there and read it." Tymvir said.

"Oh." Talis was silent for a moment. "Then what now?"

"We find a Moth Priest. But they're all half a continent away in Cyrodiil." Serana spoke.

"Not to mention we aren't exactly on speaking terms with what remains of the Legion." Talis said. "If General Tullius saw us, he'd have the entire province after us."

"An Imperial Scholar came to Skyrim a few days ago. That might be your Moth Priest. But get one thing straight: If you're going to look for him, you're on your own." Isran said as he walked away from the group.

Serana looked at them. "So, where to?"

"Hmm. Well, if I was a traveling Scholar, I would at one point have to stop at one of the Inns. We can start there." Tymvir said.

"Good. We'll stop by the Bannared Mare in Whiterun. I have some business to take care of there." Talis said.

The Bannered Mare…

Talis walked into the familiar scene of the Bannared Mare while Tymvir and Serana waited at her house, Breezehome. Mikael was singing, trying to get laid, to no avail. Talis took a seat at the bar. She looked around for the Listener of the Dark Brotherhood.

"If you're looking for Ticcido, he's not here." A voice beside her said. Talis turned her head to see another acquaintance, a Bosmer, dressed in traveling clothes. They met twice before. Once, when they both infiltrated the Thalmor Embassy, and the other when she taking Markarth.

"Dirgorn Duskdale. Tell me, why is a Nightingale of Nocturnal here?" Talis asked. Dirgorn was a member of the Thieves Guild, and as she just pointed out, a Nightingale, a servant, of Nocturnal, Daedric Prince of night and darkness.

"I'm acting as the go between in this deal." Dirgorn said as he sat down. "When you're the most wanted man in Tamriel, you can't exactly go out in public."

"That's true." Talis said. They were silent for a minute. "The chest with the money is behind the house. Take it and tell him to leave me alone."

"Of course. Ticcido already informed me to the terms of your deal." Dirgorn said. He stood up. "He leaves you alone, and should this person try to hunt you down again, he'd kill them." He left the tavern to collect the money.

The girl working, Nyx, came up to Talis. They knew each other from their time in the Companions. Since Talis has been away for quite some time, the management of the group fell to her or Vilkas. Nyx placed a bottle of Nord Mead in front of her. When she wasn't doing work for the Companions, she worked at the tavern with Ysolda, her lover.

"You haven't been back in a while. Hunting Vampires?" She asked.

"Well, yeah. Clear out crypts, find new members, the Dawnguard has been busy." Talis said. She remembered the attack that introduced her to the Dawnguard, the one where Ysolda was almost turned into a Vampire. "How's Ysolda? Is she doing alright?"

"She's been better ever since you left." Nyx said, taking one of the apples and biting it. "Never goes outside without a torch."

"After an experience like that, I can't blame her." She took a drink. "What about everyone else?"

"Well, the Circle has been getting busy. They told people they can clear out nearby Vampire lairs. Course, we know why they can." Nyx gave a playful smile.

Talis placed her bottle down. "Out of curiosity, you wouldn't have happened to have seen an Imperial Scholar pass by here?"

"Are you talking about the Moth Priest?" Nyx asked. Talis nodded. "Yeah, he stopped in here a few days ago."

"Any idea where he was going?" Talis asked.

"Said he was going to Dragon Bridge." Nyx responded.

At Dragon Bridge…

"Oh, the old guy with the Imperials?" A young boy named Clinton asked. "You just missed him. He was going down the south road. If you hurry, you should be able to catch up with them."

"Thanks kid." Talis said. She turned to her companions. "Let's go." The trio ran down the road, searching for the priest. They came upon the carriage, but it was a complete wreck. Around it were the corpses of Imperial soldiers and a Vampire's.

"Ah fuck. They already got him." Tymvir said.

Talis searched the actual scene, finding a note on the dead vampire. She opened it and read it. "Hey guys! Take a look at this." Talis handed the note to Serana.

"I have new orders for you. Prepare an ambush just south of the Dragon Bridge. Take the Moth Priest to Forebears' Holdout for safekeeping until I can break his will. –Malkus" Serana read.

"Name sound familiar?" Tymvir asked.

"No. He's probably just the leader of some small coven." Serana said. "He'll most likely hand over the Moth Priest to gain favor with my father."

Talis folded her arms. "Well, it seems this is now a rescue mission. Serana, do you know where Forebears' Holdout is?"

"No. I'm still pretty unfamiliar with the layout of Skyrim." Serana said.

"I think I've got an idea." Tymvir pointed at a trail of blood. "Think that could belong to the Moth Priest?"

"Or the Vampires?" Talis added. "Either way, I think we have a heading now." The three drew their weaponry and headed east.