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POV: Briljof
Waking up early, long before the sun rose, I grabbed our wolf skins and made my way to Winterhold's forge. The sky still dark with no one up or moving about in the town as snow softly fell around me. Going to the forge there was already someone there manning it. Forge was a pleasant term for the place though. The whole thing looked terrible but it at least had a tanning rack, a grind stone and a smelter. The usual for a forge.
The man at it was old, far older than his 50th winter. Looked like he had been through hell and back with how his face was but his body was one of a blacksmith. Big and burly with soot covering most of his body even at this early hour. Stark white fair braided down his back with green eyes He gave me a single look before dismissing me to do my work.
Tending to the skins to make sure they wouldn't smell was easy work if time consuming. That was the reason why I got up so early to do so, it wouldn't bite into our travel time. Would cost me an Elves Ear later as it would have to be ground up and eaten to keep me awake for the journey but was fine for now. Getting the skins cured for proper use and heat for wherever we went would be well worth it.
Took me a couple hours to get them all cured. By the time it was all done the sun was starting to peek out over the mountains to my east. The morning rays revitalizing me as they glowed on my skin. Seemed a little bit warmer than the last few mornings. A nice warm day would be nice.
Grabbing the cured skins in my hands and leaving the smith he gave me a small polite nod as he worked his forge. Returning it to him I left and made my way back to the Inn. Brealla should be awake but if not then she would be up soon so there was no real rush anyways. The Thalmor wouldn't be here for another day at least as a messenger raven would take a bit to get to any outpost they had. If they even wanted one out here with a man already in the College. Didn't seem necessary to me and the Thalmor would think the same. You didn't hunt someone for years and not learn at least a few of their patterns or thoughts.
Entering the Inn and going to our room Brealla was still asleep. Completely curled up in a cocoon of blankets with only her head visible. It was kind of adorable in a way, a smile stretching on my face at her cocoon. Still, it couldn't last and I shook her awake forgetting the oldest rule for waking up veterans. The moment she was shaken her eyes snapped open and a bolt of lightning burst from underneath the covers slamming into my chest. Thank Talos she was barely awake and the bolt had no power behind it otherwise the shock would have killed me.
Didn't stop it from making my entire body freeze from the shock and fall backwards landing roughly. The wind knocked out of me for a moment as she bolted out of bed and crouched over me. Saying words that I couldn't make out but assumed they were along the line of 'I'm sorry'. My hearing and bodily functions returned after a few moments and I was able to get up, groaning slightly but okay overall.
"You should know better," were the first words from her that registered to my ears. I just nodded my head in ascent, still twitching from as the shock stayed with him.
"Help me up, will you?" I extended a hand to her and she rolled her eyes but took the hand all the same helping me up. "We need a system so we don't try and kill each other when we wake up. You got any ideas?"
"Stroke my hair," that earned a raised eyebrow from me. She looked down and away from me as if in shame or sadness at my look. Playing with lighting between her hands. "I'd rather not talk about it."
"That's fine. As for me, either kick the bed or shake my leg," she nodded at my words before she started composed herself again.
"Breakfast or should we go right away?" she asked and I could tell she wanted to sit and eat but we couldn't. Even with the Thalmor at least a day away it would be better if we got moving immediately.
"Get some food to go. We'll eat on the road," she nodded her head and left me to pack up our gear. Seeing as we didn't have much at all it was easy and done before she got back to the room. Some bread and cheese wrapped up in cloth for us, placing the food into my pack.
From there we grabbed our packed bags and got our horses. Silently thanking the Innkeeper on the way out for their hospitality. Once on the horses we began our journey but not before a small group of kids, five of them, threw some snowballs at us. Laughing as they did so they hit us each once and our horses as well. Jumping off my horse before packing a snowball and returning fire the smiles and the game was on.
Brealla sat at the sidelines and didn't participate but watched me play with the kids. It was relaxing and I hadn't had time to be a kid in a long time. The change was welcome, for as short as it lasted before bidding the kids farewell. They looked sad at us going but made me promise to come back for another fight. I readily agreed with them before trotting forward with Brealla out of Winterhold.
"You were good with the kids," she spoke once we got past the towns border.
"Seemed like they needed it and it felt good, for as short as it lasted," she hummed and nodded at my words. She opened her mouth to respond but closed it only to open it again but still didn't talk. "What is it?"
"I didn't realize until after you started playing with them but the damage was done," she sounded remorseful as she took out the map the Greybeards had given her.
The marking that they made for Ustengrave had bleached into two places now from the way the map had been folded. It must've been right where the kids hit her with their snowball. I could only sigh in frustration as she had kept the map on herself the whole time. Never bothering to show me more than just a peek of where we were going. Both marks looked identical and they were relatively close together but one was closer to a mountain than the other. Great, 50-50 chance we get it right.
"And you don't remember which one is the right place to go?" she shook her head clearly embarrassed. Sighing I outstretched my hand taking the map before spurring my horse into a trot forward. Brealla quickly catching up to me.
"Should we split up? It'll be harder for the Thalmor to track us that way,"she asked once she caught up. I simply shook my head.
"The Thalmor have known who I am for years and they've never found me until I've found them. They'll stick to roads and known areas but they won't get much help that way. Plenty in Skyrim don't trust them, some towns might attack the onsight. As for magical tracking Clairvoyance isn't as good of a spell as you think it might be. They have to have a clear direction, a clear goal and at least have an idea of what they're looking for looks like. They have one of those three and we won't exactly be predictable with our path.
As for splitting up that's a resounding no. We have no idea what we're walking into for either place and one of those marks might not even have a dungeon or otherwise. No point in splitting up when we don't know everything."
"So which one then?"
"The one by the mountains is closer if barely. It's closer to the road than other one as well. If we push the horses we should get there before midday. I'd say we go there," she looks at the map and nods her head in agreement before spurring the horse onwards.
We pushed the horses over the next hour all the way to Dawnstar. Arriving at the town we paid two gold coins for some horse feed. They do well on grass but they should know they're appreciated as well. Brealla seemed a bit confused at this but didn't voice any complaints. The stop was quick so we barely wasted any time before going back on the road.
The rest of the ride was done in silence between us. We did end up seeing a couple of wolves that ran along with us for a bit but they couldn't keep pace with the horses and gave up. There was also a Spriggan we came across which was interesting.
Made completely of spinning wood with green highlights in every gap they had. They were formed as a tall and lithe woman which had Brealla smacking my chest as I stared a little bit too long. It wasn't that I was attracted to the thing, just curious why it chose that form. Though it didn't help my case when I mentioned that it was identical to a woman from a brothel in Hammerfell. She just huffed at me and shook her head. Still, if it had been a real woman the Spriggan would've been a stunner.
The Spriggan left us all alone as we made sure to steer clear of it. There was no point in getting close to it to test our luck. She let us pass with no fight but kept her eyes on us the whole time. It was weirdly unsettling but meh, not my problem yet at least.
Not long after we left the Spriggan we came across a massacre. Imperial and Stormcloak bodies everywhere around the roar. Only a couple hours old, the blood mostly dried. Seeing all the bodies I stepped off my horse and started examining them. A few of them looked like they had died in a melee. The rest, not so much.
Deep gashes in their armor and definite bite marks in others. A dragon had done this but what was curious to me is that there weren't enough bodies on the road. Not enough for two patrols clashing at least. Taking a few moments to look around there was a trail of blood leading into the woods. The trail wasn't that obvious if you weren't looking for one but was if you were.
Knocking an arrow just in case and following the trail Brealla wasn't far behind me. Casting Muffle on the both of us. Following the trail we happened upon a few more bodies but they still weren't enough to for two full patrols. There was still the trail as well and we kept following it until we found the source at a clearing.
It wasn't really a clearing but the trees had all been knocked down or ripped from the ground. Bodies of heavily armored Legates and Stormcloaks with extra furs and armor littered the area. Eight bodies in total with five Legates and three of the different Stormcloaks. At the center of their bodies with the body of a Legate lying over it was a Dragon.
It was definitely dead from the amount of blood pooled around it and the sword was positioned where I would guess a heart would be. This one was far smaller than either of the two that we had seen. Must have been either a child or adolescent at best. There wasn't even scorch marks or anything in the area so the dragon had barely used any Shouts.
Before I could check the area further the Dragon burst into flames before hurtling itself at Brealla. Absorbing into her just like at the watchtower and on High Hrothgar. Witnessing the whole process was still a bit weird but it was starting to get normal. A fact that kind of concerned me for the future. If I can get used to seeing dragons just burst and be absorbed what else will become normal to me?
When it was all over Brealla looked satisfied. Giving me a smile from the side she seemed supercharged from the Dragon's soul. Lightning sparking up and down her body for a few moments before she was able to get it under control.
"You feel good?" I asked her as she calmed down.
"It's a high Briljof. Just like the Greybeards said. Didn't realize it during the first one cause I was too scared at what was happening to realize it. Now though, it feels good," she actually shivered as she finished talking. Either her lightning was still running through her or it felt that good.
"Well, let's get back to the horses and get on or way to the spot," she nodded at my words and we left the dragon and the bodies. Not before looting them of course though. Got a decent amount of gold from them but no arrows. We did the same looting when we got back to the road and it was the same. Decent amount of gold but no arrows. Picked myself up a new steel ax too so there was that.
Putting everything away we climbed our horses and got on our way. We got off the road an hour or so later and found our way to the marking on the map. Brealla had since given it to me to hold onto. She knew I was better with the map than her so it made sense
The woods got thick as we got closer to the mark and eventually were too thick to safely travel through them with the horse. We put our horses against a couple of trees and left them there. Hopefully no predator would stumble upon them but we left the ropes loose enough that if they pulled in a panic the ropes would come undone.
Knocking an arrow just in case and going in front of Brealla she kept close enough to touch me in case she saw something or her magic detected anything. Either way taking point we eventually got to the mark on the map with little trouble. There had been no predators or anything around us.
Arriving at the mark on the map right where the mark was there was a door. It looked promising for us at that and we approached but I stopped before we could go farther. Crouching down there were footprints in the snow; Brealla quickly getting down next to me. Four pairs and all fresh, two hours old at the most. Pointing out the footprints to Brealla she looked at them.
"How many do you think?" if I was here, might as well teach her some things.
"Four," she said after a moment and I nodded to her.
"What else can you tell me?" I asked and she looked back at the footsteps for a moment before looking back to me and shrugging her shoulders.
"One was a prisoner. See the dragging of the feet and the single line," she nodded her heads. "Slave chain and the dragging is from someone who was worked harder than the rest. If they were all tired all the foot prints would have the same tell. That's enough of that for now, lets get inside and get the horn," she nodded her head and I went to the door opening it.
It was comfortably warm inside the door and the broken body of a skeleton greeted us. Brealla took one look at it before mouthing 'necromancy' to me. It didn't really make sense as to have that in Ustengrav but it wasn't out of the realm of possibility. Regardless we went down the hall until it opened up into a open cavern going all the way down far enough that the bottom couldn't be seen.
Tombs, opened and not along the wall as we walked along the side path to the other side where another door was. There were several bodies of skeletons and Draugr alike. We made it about halfway to the door before Brealla stopped and examined one of the Draugr bodies. Stopping with her she looked up to me.
"The magic used here is weird," stating absentmindedly she looked back to the body. "Whoever killed these Draugr, there magic is not normal."
"Weaker, stronger? What's up?"
"Wrong. It's just wrong. I've never felt magic like this before but it's just wrong," that can't be good. We are in ancient cave so there could be any number of things here but this body was fresh. This happened recently so probably whoever got here before us. Why were they, whoever they were, here though?
"Let's worry later… Would they be able to sense your detection spell?" she shrugged her shoulders not knowing the answer. "Let's stay away from it for now. Don't want to tip them off if we can help it." she nodded and then we proceeded along.
The casm to our right not getting any more pleasant as we walked. Nor did the dead bodies as each time we found a Draugr body Brealla avoided the things like they were the plague. Something that did not help my nerves but kept myself quiet and didn't show it. It wouldn't help if both of us were nervous.
Reaching the door and slowly pushing it open we pushed forward through the room. Things that looked like animated statues broken in half, only two of them, but they were like something I've never seen in my life. Sending a curious look to Brealla she shook her head as well. Guess we were both in the dark here.
Looking down at the 'bodies' they were large and similar to Trolls. More hunched over and with wings as well but nothing too drastic. Lifting the rocky lip of the thing it also had long fangs. Ridiculously long incisors about half a foot in length each. What in all the hells were these things.
Shaking my head and keeping an arrow knocked I pushed forward. Brealla following closely behind me. There were a few more Draugr along the way but no more of those winged Trolls as we travelled. Getting to another door and opening it silently I moved through and there was a balcony guard in front of me. With voices ringing down from below.
Getting to the balcony guard I looked over it. There were four people down below, three men and a woman. Two of the men and the woman were dressed in dark red leather dress that looked like it might've been a uniform. It was hard to tell but they were similar enough that it was easy make that deduction. The one man out of uniform was in rags with a chain around his neck and hands.
"Tell us what you know," the woman growled at the chained man.
"I already told you everything I know bloodsuckers," the man vented the final word with such vitriol that it had to be an insult. And the only thing to insult with that word though had to be vampires. Fantastic. This wasn't Ustengrav, probably.
"Then you areof no more use to us," the woman vampire unsheathed a sword and raised it on high to kill the man. I would have saved him by killing the woman but that wouldn't have helped Brealla and me. Instead I singled out the one vampire with the most decorated looking leather and fired my arrow.
The vampire had enough time to look upwardsat the miniscule sound of the arrow being released. That's all he had time for before the arrow punched straight through his eye and brain. Both remaining Vampires freezing for a moment at their comrades death. Their freezing allowed the man to lunge at the woman vampire tackling her to the ground. A mess of limbs as the two fought each other.
The final Vampire didn't even bother trying to help his compatriot and instead set both on fire. Their screams sharp and reverberating across the empty cavern we were in. After he set them aflame he ran to the stairs and at me. He had a bloodthirsty smile on his face like he was going to enjoy killing me and probably would have.
Never fought a Vampire before but they were magical creatures and generally evil. That being said I wasn't seeing anything crazy about the man beside the elongated fangs and blood red irises. Maybe he was a young one? That information was beyond me. It wouldn't matter though as he ran up the steps.
I hadn't even bothered knocking another arrow and the moment he noticed that he was barely five paces from me. His face contorted into a frown and stopped where he was on the stairs. Silence between us before the crackling of lightning was heard and Brealla stepped in front of me. The Vampire snarled at the pair of us but there was nothing he could do as twin balls of electricity slammed into the man.
His whole body was instantly cooked to the point where it smelt like he had been cooked for hours. It was a particularly nasty smell that only increased as the body disintegrated. Looking away from the ash that used to be a body, Brealla was swaying on her feet. Clutching her head as she swayed on her feet. Acting instantly and catching her in my arms before she could fall I gently lowered her to the ground.
Giving her a quick once over she seemed fine, just put to much effort into that one attack. Taking some Blue Mountaint flower and crushing it up in my hands I lifted her lip and put it between her lip and teeth. Her fatigue that had been there instantly washed away and her breathing steadied. Giving her a few seconds and once she seemed fine, I hoisted her up.
"What was that?" I couldn't help but ask. Never have I ever seen that type of power from a singular spell.
"Electrokinetic Sphere, improperly cast," she took a deep breath letting lightning spark between her fingers. "Expert level spell. Extremely dangerous and hard to use but very effective."
"I can see that," gesturing to the ashes. "What other levels are there for mages? Thought master was the highest," she shook her head.
"Six levels. Novice, Apprentice, Adept, Expert, Master, and Arch Mage," she listed off at me. "Almost no one goes past Master. The few that do are in a league of their own. Savos is one of three Arch Mage level mages in all of Tamriel."
"I thought it was only a title," again she shook her head.
"No. It's why Synca for the Cyrodil College is only called Grand Master Synca," learning new things every day. Though thinking back to the Arch Mage and what he was able to do with little effort at all it made sense. A whole new class of people to be scared shitless of. I wonder how much money it would cost to have armor inscribed to fight Arch Mages?
Shaking my head to get the thoughts away we went down the stairs together. Carefully stepping over the ashes of the former vampire along the way. Then around the charred bodies of the prisoner and female Vampire and finally around the Vampire with arrow in their head. At least it looked like Vampires could die by just killing them. Didn't have to go through ridiculous and convoluted ways to kill them.
Getting around the bodies there was a circular platform in front of us. Three small braziers lit in front of us on the platform. However, only one of them was lit and carrying fire. Brealla walked up to the next closest one and tried to start it with her fire only for nothing to happen. She tried again and kept on trying for a few more minutes before stepping away with a huff.
"Performance issues. Happens to everyone," I snarked at her drawing an amused scowl.
"Shut up. I don't see you trying either," I just shrugged my shoulders. Fire didn't look natural even if it was the right color. As for the other braziers they were all the same distance from each other in a line. With only a pace and a half between each one. The final brazier the same distance from the center of the platform where a hexagon was outlined. Like something was meant to come up. This might be Ustengrav afterall though it is highly convoluted just for a horn.
Pushing the second brazier around the circle Brealla got the same idea with the third one. We pushed our braziers around the circle until mine lit up. When it did deep purple lines illuminated the floor and connected from the first one to mine as it lit up. Seeing it Brealla and I exchanged glances before she kept pushing the brazier until it finally lit up. The same line as before connected to the final brazier before it went to the hexagon and lit it up as well.
Brealla and I stepped back together an arrow knocked in my bow and lighting dancing in her hands. The hexagon groaning before slowly rising from the ground. It towered over the both of us by at least two paces and sat there silently for a moment. It passed quickly and then it opened in front of us revealing… A woman.
A beautiful one in fact with hair black as the night. Full red lips and a body barely hidden by the cloths that she was wearing. A body many women would kill for and a face unmarred by age or anything for that matter. All that though didn't distract from the fact that she had an elder scroll on her back and the fangs that showed when she opened her mouth. A vampire as well and presumably a dangerous one as she had been locked away. My bow was pulled taut immediately but stopped when amber her eyes bore into mine. I couldn't move an inch.
It was like something was sinking into my mind and not allowing me to move. Before she could do anything though a lightning bolt slammed into the pillar above her head and whatever she was doing stopped. Still holding my taut bow I kept it level on her chest and kept my eyes there so not to look at her eyes. Though her full breasts, her clothes doing little to hide them, might've kept me under a spell as well.
"My head," the vampire woman groaned out holding her head. "You have an infuriatingly hard mind."
"I will take that as a compliment," was my only response and she gave a soft chuckle at that. A growl coming from Brealla to my right. I would've looked at her in surprise but didn't want to take my eyes off the vampire. For the threat she posed, of course. It was hard not to look at her eyes.
"What's the date if you two don't mind," the vampire casually asked us both seemingly trying to cut the tension. It kind of worked but there were too many unknowns now to fully do so.
"4th era year 201."
"4th era?" she looked lost for a moment contemplating her thoughts before opening her mouth again.
"What's going on in the world?"
"War ended between the Empire and Thalmor about five years ago," she gave us both curious looks at Brealla's words.
"Which Empire and who are the Thalmor?" Brealla and I looked between each other at her words. The situation we were in dawning on the both of us as one of only a few. Either she had been put here for a reason and was insanely dangerous. A point enforced by the fact she had no idea what was going on in the world and froze me immediately after exiting. Or she had an Elder Scroll for a reason and was making sure it stayed in her hands. There were a few more options but all were out there but at the same time just as viable with how much we didn't know.
"The Empire, in Cyrodil," she raised an eyebrow in question.
"That backwater has an Empire. How long was I down there?" she definitely won't know what the Thalmor are then. Looked completely lost.
"Why were you down there?" I couldn't help but ask.
"My mom put me down there for protection… Things were going on," it was a vague answer but the best I was going to get it seemed.
"With an Elder Scroll?" Brealla asked, incredulity in her voice.
"It had to do with the Elder Scroll. Prophecy some of my kind wanted fulfilled, my faction did not," great. Vampire factions and another Prophecy. Map got wet and went to the wrong dungeon, found a dragon surrounded by dead Imperials and Stormcloaks, Vampires, and an entombed Vampire who has been that way who knows how long had an Elder Scroll and was a looker. It's really turning out to be one of those days.
"Well, I'm part of a prophecy as well," Brealla said to the Vampire and the woman's eyes lit up. Then they started talking.
Now, I don't know much about women as a man but they bonded immediately. Being part of a prophecy and separate ones at that and they just happen to meet like this. The Gods had to be playing around with us today. Or maybe just me because what had been a tense situation mere moments ago devolved into them talking rapid fire. It was impossible to even follow along as they talked.
My taut bow lowering and releasing the tension as I stared at them incredulous. They continued talking to each other covering a variety of topics that either flew over my head or didn't register at all. Somewhere they started talking about magic and only a few words registered there. Conjuration, Alchemy, Alteration, and Destruction were the only words that did. Being the things that they both excelled at.
Sighing as they continued to talk and somehow bond, I found the corner of the platform and took a seat. Taking inventory on my weapons as they talked. It found me with eight arrows left. My dagger was good and sharp as always; as was my new ax. The bow was showing signs of use and some wear but was fine for now. The bowstring would need to be replaced in about a week or so if I kept up the same workload on it. Other than that, everything was good.
"Briljof?" I heard Brealla call out to me and looked up to her. She and the Vampire were finally done talking. "This is Serana. She'll be with us for a couple days until we can find time to get her back home," and now she's travelling with us.
"Okay. We good to get out of here then?" I asked and they both nodded their heads. "There a back way out or we going back the way we came?"
"The secondary exit will put us closer to Ustengrav," Serana spoke up getting nods from the both of us. I gestured with my hand to lead the way and she did so.
It wasn't that long of a walk to another doorway. Going through it the moment we did the voices from Bleak Falls and High Hrothgar came back. Focused on the far wall from the door we just went through and looked exactly like the one from Bleak Falls. Dragon etching on the top with lines cut into it looking like the dragon-speak the Greybeards had shouted into the ground. That wasn't all though.
The moment we were through the door a Draugr with ornate and sturdy looking armor stood up from a throne in front of the wall. Shouting at us a burst of frigid air exploded out of his mouth at us. It moved slow enough not to get hit by the shout but even being close to it made me uncomfortably cold.
Aiming my bow at the Draugr I wasn't able to get the shot off as the stepping of feet echoed to my left. Turning there was a skeleton charging me with a sword held high. It went down with a single shot to the face. Running to it and grabbing the arrow. Pissing me off to see the arrow broken in the head of the skeleton. Pulling out another arrow and aiming at another skeleton on the girls right I fired. The skeleton dropped instantly freeing the girls to push their attack on the Draugr.
The fight didn't last terribly long as I kept the skeletons off them so they could focus on the main Draugr. All my arrows spent just as they finished off the Draugr; only three being able to be used again. Worse comes to worse, I could make some but those were unreliable at best without an actual forge.
As Brealla and Serana battled the last Draugr I took my time to see how Serana fought. She, like most mages, preferred to hang back and stay away from the actual fighting. Something that was hard to find fault in as her clothing wasn't really armor. No runes and offered next to no protection. Flowing around her as she fought, hugging her cur- getting distracted. Both Brealla and Serana fired Ice Spikes at the Draugr that finally broke their armor killing it.
Either way when the fight ended and my arrows were back in my quiver I joined Brealla as she went to the wall. A rush of something whipping by me and going straight into her. When it was done she looked at me and smiled. Smiling back at her Serana joined us and proceeded to ask Brealla about what she just did. Leaving them to it a chest only a few feet away caught my eye.
Going over to it and opening the unlocked chest there wasn't much in there. A few Garnets and Emeralds that would fetch a good price for us. Plus some Elven arrows which had me smiling. Say whatever about the Elves their bows and arrows were always reliable. Putting all those away there was something else in the chest. It was a pearly white orb thing. Without thinking I picked it up.
"A new hand touches the beacon."
"Nope. Not today. Whoever you are, talk to me later," I immediately put the orb away into my pack. The voice from before sputtering at my refusal to even listen. Didn't know what it was or why it was talking but today was not the day to try anything. That was some Aedra or Daedra artifact and I was not having it.
"Hey Briljof," I looked up to see Brealla looking at me expectantly while Serana looted the skeletons and Draugr behind her.
"Yes?"
"Can I try my new shout on you?" I looked around and only saw stone walls and the like. Nothing against her but if it was even close to 'Unrelenting Force' I wanted to be outside for this.
"Outside," I answered. She smiled at me and seemed giddy to try the shout. Lightning dancing in her eyes, literally.
Not long after that Serana finished her looting. Putting something that looked like powder in a pouch. Will have to talk to her later about that. They did mention Alchemy when they were talking and Brealla knows next to nothing about it. Thankfully as we made our way out there wasn't anything waiting for us anymore.
"So, Serana… What was going on in Tamriel when you were free?" I asked as we made our way forward. I was curious to find out more about our now resident Vampire.
"Last thing I heard was that we found some Lizard People," Brealla and I stared at her. If she was talking about the Argonians that was close to three thousand years ago. Most textbooks gave a rough outline of that time for when the Argonians showed up.
"Do you know who the Argonians are Serana?" Brealla hesitantly asked.
"No… Is that what the lizards are called now?" she got nods from the both of us. "Huh, unique name. Take the right," she stated absentmindedly as we followed her orders and went right.
"Where is your home anyways?" Brealla asked her.
"I know its relatively near Ustengrav but it's obviously been a long time since I was last there. The area could be completely different."
"You think they will still be there?" she chuckled a little at Brealla's question.
"Knowing my father. Absolutely," there was a hint of anger in her voice along with sadness. Dad issues maybe? Then again, she is in a family of Vampires so family problems are probably commonplace. "Left here."
"What happens if they aren't there?" I asked and she stopped in her tracks. Taking a deep breath she answered me.
"I'll figure something out… Come on. Not much longer until we're out of here," her mood had soured at my question. That was understandable and I got a small stinkeye from Brealla for my question.
Not much longer we found the exit and stepped out. The brisk air of Skyrim greeting us even as it was just around midday. I got to enjoy the fresh air for maybe a few seconds before Serana perked up and her eyes shot towards the right.
"What do you hear?" She didn't answer me as her mouth opened and her fangs started growing.
Already enlarged as they were seeing them get larger was unsettling. Then I caught a glimpse of her eyes as they turned blood red instead of the amber and took a step back. Hand on my ebony dagger just in case she was about to do something. Careful to focus on everything but her eyes to not fall under her spell again. Though still not wanting to get in a fight with a freshly freed vampire that was thousands of years old. Brealla took a step towards her new friend but a shake of my head and dagger shining in the sunlight, and she backed off.
When Brealla backed off Serana took a step and then another. Almost immediately breaking into a sprint as wings spouted from her back and her fingernails stretched and sharpened into claws. Sprinting away she was gone a moment later. Screams quickly pierced the air after she sprinted away.
Sprinting after her to see what happened we stumbled upon a small group of Thalmer. There were only five of them with four armored ones and a singular Justicar. Three of the armored ones were dead and Serana was 'feeding' on the fourth while the Justicar readied a spell. Not hesitating my bow was taut and an arrow loosed punching through the back of the Justicars head. Dead before their body touched the ground. Two iron arrows left, no way that one was going to be salvageable.
"High Elves. Always the best tasting," Serana stated almost sensually as she dropped the body of the armored Thalmor. Wiping away the blood that was around her mouth. Her eyes slowly reverting back to their amber color. She missed a drop of blood though and I watched as it dropped from her chin onto her chest.
"Thought you said the Thalmor wouldn't find us," Brealla cut in looking at me expectantly. Breaking me out of my trance.
"They didn't… or at least the ones hunting us didn't. These ones were just a standard patrol. If the ones hunting us found us they would've had dogs with them or Deadra meant for hunting," she looked at the bodies again and nodded her head in ascent to my answer. She knows what patrols and what hunting parties look like. She fought in the war longer than I did afterall.
"These are the Thalmor?" Serana asked cutting into our small conversation. Both of us nodding our heads at her question. "Might have to stay with you longer if they're hunting you."
"Will they turn if you feed on them?" I didn't know exactly how that worked but it seemed like a reasonable question.
"No. Only if I want to turn them and I can do so without killing them as well," reflexively rubbing my neck at the answer. It made me nervous that she might feed on either of us in the future just to keep the edge off. Didn't know the whole process of feeding for vampires but I assumed it was like a drug to them. Maybe? I'll figure it out eventually.
"Are you able to control yourself?" I asked her. Knowing that would be the difference between us getting to sleep in a bed or on the ground. I wasn't about to bring a thirsty vampire into a city full of innocents, no matter how good she looked.
"Yes. I'll be fine. These five will hold me over for some time. You two will be the first to know when I need to feed," good enough for now.
"Let's just get away from here and to Ustengrav," I pulled out the map and looked at it. Looking around it seemed that we weren't that far away from it. Shouldn't take more than an hour walking. We'll need to head back and get the horse eventually but at this point we should be fine. Looking at the map one more time I stepped forward. Brealla and Serana following me.
There we are folks. Hope you enjoyed.