Chapter 5 – Rage, Rage, Rage
That voice. That deep rumble. It was unmistakable. Athenasia's glowing eyes widened and her body stiffened. My lady. Those words uttered to her so often. The words that would irritate her six years ago, washed over her mind again and again. She wasn't sure whether she should answer. Slowly, she raised her quivering hand to the latch that opened the secret door from the inside. It shifted painfully slowly to the right.
Athenasia felt her legs grow weak. Her vampiric heart seemed to fail as she rested her soft hand on her chest. She knew what to say, but couldn't function her voice.
Standing before her small and petite figure was he. He who had supposedly died years before. Posing in the same stance he always did when around her. Feet pointing in a 'V' position; hands neatly behind his back; head slightly raised; eyes…eyes watching her. Always watching her.
His nosed twitched ever so slightly. "My Lady." He repeated.
"Vul…" Athenasia could barely say his name.
"My have you grown." His usual casual tone and slight smirk rang through her ears.
A sudden spark of anger flickered within her. Without thinking, she struck him hard across his face, which only increased his grin.
"Where have you been?" She hissed, shoving him back a few times. "Do you know what I'd gone through that night? What I had to put up with? And now you just decide to show up at my door, and all you say is my have you grown?"
The Dremora's abyssal eyes appeared to soften. He raised his arms to Athenasia's shoulders and stared deeply into her orange orbs.
"Forgive me."
The Daedra's shaking slowed and she clenched her teeth together and flung her arms around her estranged butler's neck.
"I missed you so much." She whimpered. "Why didn't you come back? What took you so long?"
Vulcan hesitantly laid a hand on her back. "Your father was correct about me…and you." He paused. "We were weak. I was weak. To show my face here would…not have fared well with him. He was merciful enough to allow you back here. However…if I were to…" He cleared his throat and gently pushed Athenasia back. "I assume your father has banished Dremora?"
She nodded her head slightly.
"I thought as much." Vulcan shamefully turned his gaze downwards. "I have set out the expectation to all Dremora in his eyes. Because of my weakness, we were all ridiculed. The fault is mine."
"So why return now?" Athenasia's nose turned the slightest bit pink.
Vulcan turned and paced the room a bit. "Part of me wanted to leave you here and let you forget me. I wanted you to have nothing to do with me anymore, for if I could not protect you, then hopefully one stronger than me may." He held up his hand to stop her from interrupting. "Then there was the other part of me." He strode back to stand in front of his lady, her eyes glimmering wet. "The other part of me that wanted to see that you were safe. I…needed to see for myself. I managed to stay my fears for a time, although they rose to the surface eventually. I had to see you again."
Athenasia shook her head in disbelief. "I thought you were dead."
"So did I." Vulcan smoothed a section of her hair, watching his hand. "But the two fighting sides within me kept me going."
She glanced at her quarters door. "You know what Molag will do if he catches you in his realm."
"Fear not, my lady." Vulcan twitched the corners of his mouth up. "Now that I know you are fine and strong, I have no reason to linger."
He flicked his hand and opened a portal back to Nirn. Athenasia almost choked. She was at his side in a flash and griped his hand tightly.
"No! Please don't leave." She cried.
The ebony faced Dremora quizzically stared at her, his head coked to one side, his eyebrows knotted together.
"You want me to stay here?"
"I-I…" Deep down within her, the Daedra knew he would never be safe here for him and Molag Bal would never allow him to stay either. But her heart ached. She'd known Vulcan for so long. And now that he was back, she couldn't let him slip through her fingers again. She rested her head on his black and glowing red armoured arm. "I can't let you just leave."
Mixed emotions shimmered throughout Vulcan. Staying here would not only mean putting his life in danger, but hers as well.
"Athenasia…" His voice was low, yet soft. "We—'
His voice was drowned out by the sound of crashing thunder and flashing lightning. Athenasia drew a sharp breath in and stalked to her window, peering up at the sky. Dark blue clouds covered the entirety of Coldharbour as far as she could see. Flashes of white lights dotted and blended with them, while occasional lightning strikes would illuminate the region.
The skies only grew unsettled like this when a certain lord was enraged. Athenasia shrank away from the window, heart rate increasing, breathing increasing, fear increasing. She whipped around to stare at Vulcan, whose face was calm, yet eyes were somewhat saddened.
"I fear I've overstayed my welcome." He whispered.
The Daedra's eyebrows crunched together, a billion thoughts racing through her head.
"Leave then." She replied. "He will come for you."
Vulcan let out a short sigh and shook his head, closing the portal and placing his arms behind his back once more.
"I'm afraid running will end in the same result as staying."
They turned to the door as giant, loud, booming footsteps approached. They stopped just outside, letting a short moment tick by. Then, without warning, the heavy door flew across the room, crashing and shattering the window on the other side and falling down to the outside ground beneath. A dangerous, nightmarish growl resonated through the air. Athenasia couldn't contain her fear, though she forced her feet to stand in front of the Dremora, protective.
The sharp, piercing eyes of her father bored into her soulless husk. His teeth were bared, upper lip snarled back to his nose. His long, taloned fingers were tensed and cutting into his own palms. Molag Bal's blazing eyes seemed to shake with pure fury as they focused on the Dremora, who dared not meet his gaze.
The Daedra Lord didn't even have words to speak. The air around him reflected his rage and shimmered. A low, but loud growl escaped his throat, mouth opening slightly which caused the rumble to mould into a threatening hiss much like a cornered snake. He raised his mighty right hand and summoned his signature artefact. The Mace of Molag Bal.
It's shining steel coloured ebony edges glinted in the flashes of lightning illuminating the room from outside. A forest green light swirled and swam like eels through water around the entirety of the mace. A vampiric skull adorned the centre of the weapon, two glowing, red hot lights lit up the skull's eyes, giving a perfect match to its wielder's wrath.
Molag raised the mace with wicked speed and slashed down towards his victim. But this time, Athenasia was ready. She was older, wiser, and faster. Her speed matched her father's as she blurred in front of Vulcan, whilst summoning a powerful restoration ward that deflected the attack. The atmosphere seemed to freeze in time. A sense of surprise fell upon the Lord and the Dremora. Athenasia's spell faded and raised her head to glare defiantly through Molag's.
Molag Bal couldn't contain his anger. He screeched deafeningly and swung the mace around; smashing whatever fell in its way. Athenasia pushed Vulcan back towards the window, each time dodging the attacks. The Daedra Lord's weapon flailed mercilessly until the backs of his daughter and traitorous 'butler' were pressed against the wall. Molag's tail whipped behind him, reflecting his fury.
"Athenasia…" Vulcan's voice was soft and accepting. "You cannot defy your father. You should not…"
"No." She shook her head vigorously, while keeping her eyes on the Lord. "I will protect you this time."
Molag's growl became a shout and he impatiently thrust his mace towards her and as she dodged, turned his attention to Vulcan. He swung once, the blades colliding with the dremora's side. He went flying to the other side of the room, crashing into the wall and sinking down to the floor. He grunted in pain, clenching his teeth, desperately trying not to reveal any more weakness to his former master. Molag lifted the mace, readying for the final blow, when Athenasia shot an arrow from a flaming bound bow spell. It pierced the back of his calf, causing him to grunt more with annoyance rather than with pain. He twisted his head around to glower at her, by that time, she had readied another arrow and shot at his face, but was stopped by his own hand. He glanced at the arrow, sticking out of his palm and clenched a fist, expiring the spell.
The Daedra girl summoned a flaming bound sword and blurred to his side, slashing his leg. Molag attempted to grab her but to no prevail. She gripped Vulcan by the arm and dragged him to the window before Molag could figure out what she was doing.
"My lady…"
"Hush, Vulcan and trust me for once." She replied and she leapt from the window, still clutching the Dremora.
They cascaded from the tower towards the black ground. Athenasia's wings burst from her back, yanking them up again. She thrust them once, twice and gained height. With a quick glance behind her, she flew as fast as possible away from the only home she'd ever known.