The Companions, the Vigilants, and the Pale's militant watched the Daedra atop the hill. There was a clear platoon up above, but nobody was certain as to how many there actually were.

The Daedra, however, seemed to be stagnant, awaiting orders or making preparations. They were perched where the large Shrine of Mehrunes Dagon once was, overlooking the Pale from above.

"Their high position gives them the advantage. Going up to meet them would be suicide." Kodlak stated.

"So, what? We wait for them to come down?" Ria asked.

"We don't know how many are up there." the current Jarl, war veteran Brina Merilis said.

"We can't let them bring in their full forces! There's got to be some way to close that portal." Horik, her loyal guardian said.

Vigilant Tolan scratched his chin. "The only thing I can think of is to find Keeper Carcette and have her consecrate the Shrine again!"

Brother Adalvald shook his head sadly. "Carcette isn't the Keeper of the Vigil anymore. She holds no divine authority to do that now."

A blank stare met him in response as the dark reality set in. If there was no Keeper, who could do anything in this situation?

"Then who-"

"I'll do it." came a hooded High Elven man in special Elder Vigilant golden enchanted Master Robes. He wore an Amulet of Stendarr on his waist belt and had a utility strap with blessed daggers mounted on it.

He was followed by several other Vigilants of Stendarr who sported Novice Robes in the same fashion. One, a Bosmer, wore Apprentice Robes of a similar kind. Another wore the same outfit as the leader, but was an older Nord man. Beside the leader was a tanned Breton woman with short blonde hair in their Novice robes, holding a book and quill in her hands.

"You must be Keeper Thorondir!" Nirtius Pontanian exclaimed upon seeing him.

The Altmer nodded courteously. "I am. I have just arrived this week over the Jerall Mountains." He gestured towards the Bosmer, Breton, and Nord respectively. "This is my inner circle: Altano, Gwyneth, and Jacob."

Vigilant Tolan bowed in respectful greeting. "I'm Vigilant Tolan, and this is Brother Adalvald. We've been stationed here at the Hall of the Vigilant for two decades."

"Hm. Yes, and you've had quite a rocky few years of late, I've heard." Keeper Thorondir remarked sternly and then inquired. "Where is Keeper Carcette? I've come to relieve her of duty."

"She quit a few days ago following the passing of Vigilant Cura. An event that shook us all." Brother Adalvald spoke sadly.

Altano crossed his arms shiftily. "The Mythic Dawn managed to kill the Dragonborn? That explains a lot..."

Gwyneth opened her journal and began to take down notes. "And what of Windhelm? Keeper Thorondir sent some Vigilants ahead of him to the ancient city below to investigate suspicious matters. Have you heard anything from them?"

"No - we weren't even aware -"

Before Tolan could finish, Keeper Thorondir cut in. "And this is why your branch failed. You have no awareness of your own territory! That was why the vampires overcame you, and why the Mythic Dawn has been allowed to flourish. In all my years alive, I've never seen such incompetence."

Vigilant Tolan's expression soured. The audacity of this man! "You weren't here! You have no idea what happened over the last few years! Don't act all high and mighty!"

"Keeper Carcette was the problem. She is clearly weak-willed if the death of a Vigilant was enough to spur her to quit." Gwyneth remarked ignorantly.

Brother Adalvald stood forward. "She was not just a Vigilant! Vigilant Cura was like a daughter to her! To all of us!"

Kodlak stepped up as well. "And to us, our Shield-Sister. Do not judge the Keeper's actions so harshly."

Vilkas stepped between the groups of Vigilants. "Go ahead, say something stupid! Anything! Give me a reason to gut you!" Even if he'd kept his distance, Vilkas never lost his feelings for the fair Dragonborn.

Aela pushed him back. "Calm yourself, Vilkas. Us fighting isn't what Cura would have wanted."

Keeper Thorondir changed the course of the conversation entirely. "The Daedra atop the mountain... how long have they been gathering their host?"

"About seventeen hours, I believe. We can't risk getting close enough to see just how many there are up there." Brina informed him.

"Yes. We can't engage them from here, it's a foolish endeavour." Thorondir stated.

"We would stand a better chance if we could purify the Shrine of Stendarr." Nirtius Pontanian stated. "In their haste, the Cultists posing as Vigilants sacrificed themselves to defile it and open the portal to Oblivion."

"Indeed. Thank Stendarr I came when I did. The last Keeper did not make it easy for me." Thorondir rolled up his sleeves. He was new to Skyrim, and already felt the exasperation swarming him. He knew that as Vigilants, their lives were a hard lot, and full of peril. Even though Carcette had her blunders, he understood that to live as long as she had in this profession was a sign of strength.

Thorondir himself had lived for hundreds of years, and joined the Vigil quite recently, all things considered, within the last fifty years.

Jacob and Altano, as well. And Gwyneth. They were veterans the job, ranging from ten to forty years, latter to former.

Keeper Thorondir turned to his subordinates. "There is a dark barrier around the Hall of the Vigilant. I doubt it will be easy to breach."

Vigilant Jacob spoke up. "We can cover you with help from the Companions and the City Guard, if they are willing."

Brina Merilis nodded. "Done."

Kodlak agreed. "The Companions will lend you their aid for this task, under the condition that you tolerate our presence."

Aela, Farkas and Vilkas looked tense for a few moments as Altano sized them up.

"Werewolves ." he said plainly.

Immediately the other Vigilants glared at the Companions.

Ria looked at them with shock, herself.

Kodlak exhaled and gestured frustratedly towards the dark gathering above. "There are bigger threats here."

Thorondir conceded. "Yes, but that doesn't mean this is over."

Brina Merilis spoke up. "We're still going to be outnumbered. We had better pray the Divines are on our side here."

The factions gathered together to begin to plan their approach. Jacob propose to take a party of Vigilants around the other side of the mountain to discretely lay Runes along the mountainside which could sabotage approaching Daedra. Kodlak asserted that perhaps the Companions in werewolf form could block their descent from the eastern road of the mountain to stall for time when Thorondir makes his move, effectively cutting the threat in half.

"And we'll approach down the center." Horik asserted.

"We'll clear the way and the Keeper can move through." Brina agreed.

Keeper Thorondir clapped his hands together. "Excellent! Gwyneth, Altano, you will be my back support. Cover my left and right flanks." He looked up at the red glow over the mountain and cleared his throat. The full estimate was not fully made yet, and they had to advance with caution.


Inigo grunted with frustration as he aggressively knocked on the double doors of the city of Windhelm. "You cannot keep us out forever! We must get inside, you racist windbags!"

The citizens of Kynesgrove and the Miners of Shor's Stone, as well as the Skyguard and allies stood on the stone bridge behind him, fearfully waiting for entry.

The doors opened and several armed Stormcloak soldiers greeted the group with blades in hand. Rolf Stone-Fist, brother of Galmar, stepped forward, emboldened by the others behind him.

"Get lost, cat! This is Windhelm - city of Nords. We allow who we want to allow." Rolf Stone-Fist spat at the Khajiit. "And with the Mythic Dawn crap going on, we sure as hell ain't allowing any outsiders into this city."

"Outsider?! I am Thane Inigo!" the blue Khajiit shouted. "I am friend of Cura the Dragonborn!"

"We all are!" Lucien declared angrily. "Ask the Jarl! He'll tell you!"

"Doesn't matter. Dragonborn's dead." Rolf sneered. "Now, get lost!"

"Hold it! Did he just say Cura? Cura the Vigilant?" came the voice of a man with gray hair. When he stepped closer, he showed himself to be Thorald Gray-Mane.

"Who on Nirn are you?" Delphine snarled.

"I'm Thorald Gray-Mane, son of-"

"Eorlund?" Vilja interjected. "I know him! He's the blacksmith to the Companions in Whiterun!"

Thorald was quickly joined by his brother, Avulstein, who removed his helmet. "You're friends of Cura's?"

"How do you know her?" Lucien asked genuinely.

"If it wasn't for her, the Thalmor would have killed my brother." Avulstein stated. "She got him out of Northwatch Keep."

Thorald nodded. He remembered it as if it were yesterday. He owed Cura his life. He walked up to Inigo. "If you're friends of hers, I'd be glad to help ya."

The group felt a sense of relief wash over them, and Inigo cut to the chase. "There is lots of bad trouble brewing southward. We need to get inside the city and prepare for war!"

"Evgir unslaad." Avulstein grunted.

Thorald gestured to their captain. "Ay, Ralof! We can't leave them out here."

Their captain removed his helmet, showing everybody his face, as well. "You know, I was at Helgen with Cura when Alduin attacked. I don't want a repeat of that in Windhelm. Not even for Cura's sake. I'm sure she'd get it."

"You fool! They're going to come here anyway! Dagon wants us all dead!" Delphine shouted.

Mjoll was curious. "You were at Helgen? Then..."

"Doesn't matter. Jarl Ulfric has ordered the city locked down. I don't have a say in this, same as you." Ralof shrugged.

Thorald was unflinching. "These are our citizens! Are we gonna just leave 'em to the Daedra? There's no honour in that! And because you're scared of the Daedra? We ain't snowbacks!"

Avulstein agreed. "Our ancestors could beat those horrors - so can we. They ain't Dragons!"

"Let me talk to Ulfric. I know him. We served in the Great War together. Maybe I can get through to him." Delphine suggested.

Inigo recalled the casual nature with which she approached the Stormcloak leader during their peace council at High Hrothgar. He nodded. "Yes, that is actually a very good idea!"

Ralof bit his lower lip. It was a tough call to make, so perhaps it would be a good idea to bring it to the Jarl directly. "Fine. Just you, the Imperial, and the Cat." he pointed at Delphine, Lucien, and Inigo.

"Me? Why me?" Lucien looked confused by the order.

"We can't be sure if you ain't a Mythic Dawn agent. They did start in Cyrodiil after all." Avulstein informed him.

"If you're not, then ya've got nothing to worry about." Thorald twiddled the edge of his sword between his thumb and index finger.

Vilja picked up for Lucien. "He's Cura's friend! And mine, and the Companions and your mother and father by extension! He's no Mythic Dawn agent!"

The blind accusation was annoying Vilja greatly. She knew Lucien well enough to know he would never involve himself in something dastardly like that, and she hated seeing the Nords of Skyrim accuse him just for being an Imperial.

"Take me inside, as well. I earned thaneship here, as well. Cura, Inigo, Lydia and myself solved the Windhelm murders." Mjoll raised her hand to volunteer. Being a Nord, she was sure the Stormcloaks would have no qualms in letting her inside Windhelm.

With the insistence, the guards relented. "Fine. But just the four of you. No more, no less." Ralof stood aside as the Gray-Mane brothers ushered them inside.

Inigo hated this city. If Cura asked him for a comparison, he would have said it was his Markarth. His fond memories here were scarce.

Rolf Stone-Fist spat on him as he passed by, tempting him to throw a punch, but Inigo knew better and continued walking behind the Gray-Mane brothers.

Underneath the bridge, however was sighted a small boat approaching from up the river.

Cosnach was the first to recognize one of the three people on the boat. "Hey, that's the uptight stick-assed Breton woman down there!"

The other Blades and Vilja overlooked as well, recognizing the gray armour.

"Oh! She's alive! That's good." Vilja remarked with managed enthusiasm.

Carcette rowed the small boat to the docks of Windhelm and tied it down to the first wharf next to a small set of wooden steps. "Here it is: the City of Kings."

Lilian looked at the large gray city wide-eyed. It was scary compared to the lovely colourful cities in Wayrest. She looked to her mother for solace. "I don't want to go in there, mommy! It looks so cruel..."

Carene gently caressed her daughter's cheek. "We have no choice, Lilian. You heard what Carcette said. There are monsters lurking around. They want to hurt us!"

Lillian ducked her face into Carcette's side and wrapped her arms around the knightess. "Please don't let them hurt us!"

Carcette removed her helmet and smiled reassuringly. "I won't. Don't be afraid."

One of the Stormcloaks at the docks immediately snapped at them. "Hey! No entry by this door. You wanna go inside the city, you go in by the bridge. Otherwise keep movin'!"

Carcette furrowed her brows. "The docks are here. We came by boat. By right of the East Empire Company -"

The guard was curt with her. "East Empire Company can keep its rules in Solitude. Here, they follow Eastmarch rules. Nothing comes in or goes out of this city without Ulfric's say. You stay out here with the Argonians."

Carcette wasn't having it. She gestured to Carene and Lilian. "You would allow a mother and child to freeze to death out here?"

"Sorry. Rules are rules. With the Mythic Dawn on the loose we have to be careful."

Carcette grunted. "Do you know who I am? If you did you would know you don't have to tell me about the Mythic Dawn."

"You're an upjumped mongrel with an attitude." The Guard scoffed.

"Have you heard about the Vigilants of Stendarr? I was the Keeper of the Vigil. Carcette." the disgruntled paladin stated.

"Ah, the Vigilants. I see. Yeah, Jarl Ulfric made an exception for them." the Guard recalled. "Carcette, you say? Ah, I recognize that name! You're the one who raised the Dovahkiin! A noble thing you did for Skyrim, that."

Carcette nodded with pride. "That's right."

"My apologies. Maybe you'll want to join the other Vigilants under the city... we called 'em after prisoners went missing. They found some weird statue of a woman in the prison behind an old wall, and a hidden passage... an' haven't come out in a week." the Guard informed her.

This was all news to Carcette. Not the happenings in a ruin under the city - but Vigil involvement. Perhaps that was why Jyggalag told her to go there.

She played along. "Yes, that's exactly right. May we enter?"

"Just you. The woman and girl can stay out here."

"Mommy!" Lillian cried out and her mother held her tightly. The frozen air was stinging the girl's face, causing it to turn beet red.

Carcette looked at them both and turned attention back to the Guard. "They aren't Mythic Dawn agents. I promise you that. This is my... cousin, Carene, and her daughter Lilian. They..." she thought up a quick lie. "They came to Skyrim to visit me from Wayrest, due to... Stendarr's recent miracles in the province. I brought them with me because it's safer this way, what with the Mythic Dawn and the threat of Daedra."

The Guard pondered for a few minutes, but ultimately relented. They were all Bretons, they all spoke with the same accent, and clearly followed Stendarr. It was close enough for him. "Fine, I'll let you in. Don't make me regret it."

They walked with the guard up the stairs and to the city door. The Guard unlocked the door and allowed the three of them to enter.

"I'll bring us to the Palace of Kings. It's only right we register with the Jarl first." Carcette said as she led them through the gray streets under the falling snow.

Jarl Ulfric was addressing other Stormcloaks who had three discovered Cultists in chains. "You think yourselves lucky that our dungeons are closed. I am going to show you just how misguided you are."

"When Lord Mehrunes Dagon reaches your filthy city, it will be nothing but ashes on the wind." one of the cultists spat blood onto the blue carpet.

"I guess you three will avoid that fate, yourselves - as underwater decorations." Ulfric nudged his head to the right. "Water's very cold this time of year. May your deaths be slow and agonizing." He nudged his head forward and the Windhelm Guards led the cultists by bondage out the door on the right as Inigo, Delphine, Lucien and Mjoll entered the door on the left.

"Ah. Cura's friends, if I'm not mistaken. And Delphine." Ulfric recognized them immediately.

"We're here about refugees." Inigo explained. "They are scared and freezing out there! Daedras attacked Shor's Stone!"

"And I suppose you're going to try and convince me to make my city vulnerable by allowing them in?" Ulfric sneered.

Galmar leaned against the wall beside the throne. He was unamused and made it very well-known. "Yeah, we can't take that risk. These bastards could look like anybody! They could be anybody!"

Delphine added in. "Ulfric, you have an obligation to your people as the Jarl. That's what your whole rebellion is about, isn't it? The people?"

The Jarl slowly sat upon his throne with shaking knees. "The Civil War has no reason to continue. The Mythic Dawn want us to fight. The Thalmor want us to fight. We fight, we all lose. I don't know how to proceed with this now..."

"Your daughter believed in a fight for the people!" Lucien explained. "Cura... she fought with the people of Skyrim in her heart, always!"

Delphine's eyes widened, as dud Mjoll's. The Breton's voice cracked and lowered itself. "Cura... was your daughter?"

Ulfric nodded sadly. "Yes... she was. And these scum-suckers killed her." He massaged his face as he cupped his hands over it to maintain his calmness.

The Grandmaster began to try and recall Cura and all she knew of her - half-Elven, half-Nord. The Shouts. Her headstrong character - she could be no one else's child. In that instant, Delphine felt a sense of pity for the Stormcloak leader, and a deep regret towards how cruelly she had treated Cura in the past. It was a very well-kept secret, to be sure.

Mjoll looked aside to the entry door, which opened behind them. Carcette entered with Carene and Lilian beside her.

Inigo was happy to see her. "Carcette! You really are the Survivor! Damn!"

Delphine spun around to see her with great surprise.

Ulfric greeted the former Keeper cordially. "Ah, Carcette, Keeper of the Vigil, I presume? I suppose you're here about the others who went in to investigate the dungeons below."

Carcette nodded. "Yes, though I am no longer Keeper of the Vigil."

"Cura spoke very highly of you and your organization. A shame you would leave it now during these dark times." Ulfric leaned hus cheek on his hand as he sat regally upon his throne.

Carcette shook her head. "I am sorry, but her death was the catalyst. I could bear the organization no longer."

"Still, I thank you for watching over and protecting my daughter for all these years. Your compassion will not be forgotten." Ulfric expressed.

Carcette was silent for a minute. Getting to meet Cura's biological father was a great surprise, but a bittersweet one under the current circumstances. Shaking off the emotion, she gestured towards Lilian and Carene. "I'm going under the city to investigate the suspicious matters below - may they stay at the Candlehearth Hall for the meantime?"

Lilian shyly tucked her face away from the Jarl for fear of rejection or punishment, but Ulfric's empathy won out.

"Yes, it's fine." the rebel leader said.

Inigo stepped forward. "And the people of Kynesgrove and Shor's Stone?"

Ulfric looked at Galmar for a moment for advice. He knew that as Jarl it was his duty to maintain order and security in his lands.

Before his general could respond, he was interrupted.

"Cura would have wanted it so. With the looming threat she would want to keep the regular people safe." Mjoll stated.

Ulfric conceded. "Yes, she would have." She did, after all, go out of her way to stop the Butcher and killed a member of the Dark Brotherhood to save Nilsine Shatter-Shield's life reportedly.

Inigo spoke up. "My friend can rest easy knowing you made the right choice."

Delphine appealed to an old comrade. "You were willing to meet for a peace agreement with your sworn enemy because of a greater threat to Skyrim; do this for your people. Another great threat is coming, and I'm sure you don't want to be the Jarl of Ashes."

Ulfric considered it for a moment and ultimately decided to agree. "All right. We will allow the refugees in, but they will be thoroughly searched first. I can't trust that there are no Mythic Dawn trash among them."

"Do what you must." Delphine accepted his terms. "The Skyguard will help, if you want."

Inigo looked at Delphine and Ulfric. "Yes, that would be a most fantastic idea!" he surprisingly agreed with her. "I think it will make things go quicker if you do the interrogations. After all, you have had much experience hiding in plain sight. You could spot a fake a mile away!"

"Glad you finally appreciate my talents, cat." Delphine smirked passively before returning to the Jarl. "You've gotta trust me on this, Ulfric. You're gonna need all the help you can get with what's coming from the east."

"What is it, exactly?" Galmar asked from beside the Jarl's throne.

"I think it'd be best if Inigo and I explained - we were there." Lucien volunteered.

Ulfric sat upright. "Explain."

The city of Windhelm was beset by a mild blizzard now, and Thorald, Avulstein and Ralof led Carcette, Carene and Lilian to the Candlehearth Hall.

"You must be proud of Cura. Even dead she continues to influence people." Thorald remarked.

Carcette was silent for the most part. She responded with a sad, and gentle nod and opened the door to allow the mother and daughter through. Once they passed inside she broke her silence. "Tell them on the bridge. Tell them what the Jarl said."

She closed the door behind her and addressed Carene and Lilian. "You'll be safe here. This is where we part ways."

"No! I don't want you to go!" Lilian cried as she clung onto Carcette. "Please stay with us!"

Carene pulled down her green hood. "Lilian, she has important matters to deal with. You have to let her go."

Carcette lowered herself to Lilian's level and placed her hands on the scared girl's shoulders. "You're going to be okay. There are going to be others here as well. Decent, hard-working folk. Maybe there will be other children for you to play with." She looked at the Bretonic Amulet of Stendarr around the girl's neck and paused.

She wanted to tell the girl that Stendarr would protect her, but she was losing certainty of that, herself. She did not want to promise the child such a thing.

Then she found consolation. "Pray to Stendarr for comfort. Even if things become very scary, he will grant you that."

Truly, even at the height of her vampirism, when Carcette was locked in that cage like a dangerous animal for months, the one thing that brought her solace was her prayers.

If what Cura told her was true when she returned from Sovngarde with a cure, then Stendarr truly was listening to her prayers.

If he could hear them now, Carcette would apologize for her brashness.

Lilian touched the Amulet and began to sniffle. She was beginning to look up to the older Breton. He gave the Paladin a last, tight hug. "Please be careful!"

Carcette smiled and reciprocated the hug. "I'll do my best." She slowly released the girl and shook Carene's hand. "May our paths cross again, I hope."

"Absolutely. Thank you, for everything." Carene obliged. "If... no... when we go home to Wayrest with my husband, I promise you'll always be welcome. The Oaken Branche apothecary is always open to you."

Carcette could not quite explain it, but she felt nostalgic. At this dark time, it was nice to be reminded of her old home. Skyrim was never good fortune for her. She left the Candlehearth Hall to rejoin Inigo, Lucien, Delphine and Mjoll at the Palace.

In the end, she was relieved the mother and daughter were all right.

After Inigo and Lucien finished explaining the full situation of Mehrunes Dagon and Cura's death to the Jarl, Ulfric stood up and walked them to the door leading to the dungeons. "I'll bet those Mythic Dawn bastards are hiding in the ruins below our dungeons. You're here to investigate below with those Vigilants, I assume? Find out what's lurking down there."

Inigo was eager to do so. "Of course. I can smell a rat a mile away."

"I'll bet you can." Galmar sneered sarcastically.

"Ignore him, Inigo. He's an ignorant blowhard." Mjoll took the Khajiit's side.

Taking Mjoll's advice and paying no mind to Galmar's rudeness, Inigo walked to the door leading to the Guard Barracks. Immediately Carcette burst in through the front doors and hurried to catch up to him. "Wait! You're not going to wait for the others?"

Inigo shook his head. "No. The Skyguard and Vilja can do some good old-fashioned interrogating while we go spelunking in a beautiful old picturesque museum, I am sure." his biting sarcasm betrayed his insecurity at the prospect of dealing with potential vampires again, if Carcette was correct about what Jyggalag told her.

Delphine leaned against the wall. "Good luck down there. I don't know what you're gonna find, but it won't be pretty." She was going to begin vetting the people they rescued from the two townships.

Inigo led the way and was proceeded by Mjoll and Carcette, who was incredibly tense at the thought of dealing with vampires again. She had no intention of undoing what Cura had done for her. She would not allow herself to be infected by those fiends, at any cost.

"Oh, nothing much. Some vampires, perhaps." Lucien stopped in his tracks and shrugged nonchalantly in response to Delphine. His lack of care was worrisome.

"And you're not worried at all? It's not like you'd be facing some Skeevers, or Chaurus. Vampires are -" Delphine was concerned for him.

"Pish posh! We have experience slaying vampires. If there are, that is. Probably. Dark places beget dark creatures." Lucien stated as he passed through the door.

Delphine massaged her brow before heading out. "Sometimes I worry about that lad."