Returning to Skyrim proper, I summoned Durnehviir. We were deep in the Reach, with the nearest town a good distance away. Having nearly died, I had a newfound respect and understanding for the chance to feel alive. I also wanted to talk to him about what had happened and see if he understood.

The purple flames built the undead dragon on the rocky ground before me. I had to take several deep breaths to recover from the cost of summoning the big guy.

"Ah! The free air of Vus," the undead dragon rumbled. "I can feel my strength returning each time I am set free from that prison!"

The glowing, undead eyes turned toward me and the great beast dipped his muzzle to me in a gesture that implied a bow. "Drem Yol Lok, joor. I am glad to see you still among the living. I offer krosis… an apology for my carelessness in battle. In truth, I had feared that my actions had resulted in your demise."

"Drem yol lok, Durnehviir. It almost did," I confirmed, relieved that he already knew that he had made a mistake. "It was thanks to Serana that I was able to recover."

"Pogaan krosis," the great head dipped again. "Many apologies. And Kogaan; blessings; upon your companion for her aid."

"Durnehviir," I started then paused to gather my thoughts, "are you… er… all right yourself? I saw the results of your battle long after you had returned to the Cairn. I can't imagine you got through a fight with two of your own kind unscathed."

His muzzle twitched into that gruesome semblance of a smile, "I am well. Indeed, that battle was most invigorating."

"I feel... responsible for calling you to my side. You had to contribute to your kind's increasing extinction." The discussion with Gelebor had been gnawing at the back of my mind. While I would staunchly defend the fact that I had done the summons at great need, I also felt bad at the thought that those had probably been the last two dragons alive in the whole world.

But the undead dragon shook his head, heedless of the putrid green juices that spattered on the stones from his jaws. "Fear not, Lasirah. Such battles were and are the norm for our kind. I challenged them properly, and we fought as we always have done. Our souls are immortal, even if our bodies are not. Perhaps one day we will answer the call of the first son of Akatosh, and return to the world. Until that time, I will gladly soar the open skies in peace."

Accepting his eager hint, I let the topic go and nodded. He launched himself skyward with powerful beats of his tattered wings and was soon lost among the rocky peaks. He was keeping his word to avoid towns and cities.

As I watched the spade at the end of his tail whip once and vanish around a peak, I felt a weird, off-kilter feeling. I sat down on one of the many boulders, after making sure that none of Durnehviir's bodily fluids or maggots were on it.

"Are you all right?" Serana asked softly, seeing my expression.

"Yeah, it's just..." I blew out a huge breath. "So far, I've saved a town from becoming cattle for a vampire, and joined and helped revive a group of vampire hunters. I've delved after an artifact that turned out to be an ancient vampire princess, and faced a vampire king in his own home. I've traveled the width and breadth of Skyrim, hunted down and got my hands on three freaking Elder Scrolls, had a discussion with an orc librarian, and gotten tangled in a prophecy. I had part of my soul sucked out to visit a realm of the dead, and talked to a vampire queen. I've fought an undead dragon, only to gain the power to summon said dragon. I traveled to a forgotten vale that no one even knew existed, and slew several Falmer and a vampire Snow Elf. I nearly died, and now I'm off to mobilize a small army to commit regicide. I've been doing more in the last few months than most people manage in a lifetime. In fact, I'm pretty sure I'm filling up several lifetimes. I just… need a few moments."

Serana smiled and joined me on the boulder, leaning lightly against me. "Have I said lately how grateful I am for all that you've done?"

I returned the friendly pressure, "You've thanked me many times, and after that lake, I should be the one thanking you. You saved my life."

Her lips brushed my temple, "You gave me a life… The truth is, I hated myself before I met you. You gave me hope, showed me compassion, and taught me to love myself. You gave me everything when I had nothing. You've treated me as an equal, and you've done nothing but show respect and understanding for me since the very beginning... even knowing what I am, knowing who I'm related to, knowing what I could do."

"Every night, you open me up to things I never knew were possible… things I felt I could never risk." She gave a small, shy laugh and her cheeks flushed. "And you do it openly, and freely, and you never go farther than I can handle. I'm... I'm so very glad we're together."

"Me too," I gave my girlfriend a warm smile, pleased at how she had progressed far enough to be able to show affection.

.

Crossing Skyrim back to the Dawnguard was a long trek, but we were able to resupply pretty frequently. Serana was pensive during the trek, her mood shifting from melancholy to determined and back to deeply sad once more. During one of her melancholy spates, I offered to let us take a small break in some of the prettier places, but Serana declined.

"Thank you. I know you're trying to give me something else to focus on, but I think it would be a bad idea. I wouldn't be able to enjoy it, considering what… well… considering what has to happen. It's… We should keep our focus. But afterward?" She ended with a small smile.

"Afterward it is," I agreed, making a mental note about some of the lovely places we could visit as we passed.

We spent the night in Riften, before taking the hour-long walk to Dayspring Canyon's entrance.