Traipsing through the darkened forest Mikael's grip tightened around his ebony blade, his head moving on a swivel, eyes searching for any notable threats and ears listening out for even the smallest sign of movement or indication that something was out there in the darkness. He knew the day would come, a day in which he'd spend the rest of eternity wandering through this realm of perpetual night, though he'd hoped he wouldn't have the chance to lay eyes on it for years to come.
Such were the terms he'd agreed to all those years ago. Such was the price necessary for him and his allies to have been able to challenge Mercer Frey, to retrieve that which had been stolen and to right a wrong, decades old. Even now that he stood within the Evergloam he didn't regret his choice, nor fear the realm that he would one day call his home.
Despite his lady's realm of influence often being associated with subterfuge and misdirection, he considered Nocturnal herself to be rather honest, perhaps even fair when it came to her bargains with Mortals. The terms and conditions she set were clear for all to see and were you to stick to these terms you would reap the kind of rewards a thief might only dream of, as he and the many Nightingale that came before him had throughout their lives.
A sharp contrast compared to the many other Daedric princes who'd often result to an array of underhanded tricks and lies, so that when the bargain was finally struck they could wring everything they could out of the poor sap who'd bought into their false promises and honied words, leaving little more than a withered husk behind, if not in body then heart and soul.
But were you to break her terms, spit on all that she had provided as Mercer had when he'd made off with the skeleton key, then you would find out very quickly, it was unwise to steal from a God.
A small rustle from above caught the Nightingales attention, Mikael stopped and slowly turned to its source ebony sword at the ready, he raised his lantern towards the twisting branches arcing overhead. The light cast by its eldritch flame revealed several more Rav- no, Nightingale watching him from the branches of the trees above. Their dark violet eyes staring into his own before as one, their gaze turned back down the trail.
Lowering his lantern Mikael continued on, though he couldn't help but wonder perhaps like the others there was an old friend out there in the dark watching his progress. Although their interaction at the gates of the Twilight Sepulcher had been brief, he imagined had they met in life he and the former guild master might have gotten along rather well.
He imagined Gallus would be interested in hearing tales of his Little Nightingales more recent exploits or perhaps had a message he'd wish to be passed on in his stead. Speaking of which he'd likely need to keep an ear to the ground in the days to come, once more he lamented his lack of underground contacts on this world, had he the same access to criminal network here on Remnant as he did on Nirn, he might have at least been able to put the word out and draw the others to him.
Sadly, he lacked the time and resources to take hold of Remnants underground as he had to Tamriels... for now at least.
Nevertheless, the others would likely find him in their own time as Serana had, although given what had been pulled through the gate with them, finding one another all the quicker could only benefit them in the long run. What happened to the members of Ravens tribe that had caught a glimpse of the scroll's contents, while tragic, was better than the number of calamities that could have followed had they unknowingly tapped into the scrolls innate power.
With the Grimm bearing down on them from all sides...The last thing Remnant needed right now was an entire kingdom or even a continent being wiped from existence, because of the actions of a single bandit who'd gotten too curious for his own good. At least the other knew the risk and would dare not part with one of the scrolls, so as long as they remained in their possession they'd be safe for the time being.
Wishful thinking, that there could be no doubt of.
Rarely would everything fall into place oh so perfectly, making it all too possible Serana had been the only one to arrive with a scroll in her proximity, while the others had arrived empty-handed and continued on their way blissfully unaware of the possible growing calamity they now faced. Mikael shook his head banishing such thoughts from his mind, he could not give in to despair, more so he could not allow the thought of the scattered elder scrolls to distract him from the task at hand.
Tilting his head back Mikael noted the number of eyes watching him had increased exponentially, the branches of the trees lining the trail were now flooded with dozens of small avians, as one, their beady amethyst eyes followed his every move, their whispers echoing through the seemingly endless forest around them as they tried to discern for what purpose their brother had been called here.
He could hardly blame such curiosity, the sight of one of their brothers, a living one at that wandering through their domain, had drawn their interest, though that did little to ease the feeling of unease brought on by such a site, the thought of them suddenly swarming him, an endless black cloud of razor-sharp beaks and talons tearing his body to shreds flashed through his mind.
Mikael shuddered and turned his eyes forward, the trees ahead began to thin revealing yet another clearing at the end of the pathway ahead bathed in a golden light, as he grew closer an all too familiar voice greeted his ears.
"Do you not tire of the same pointless questions." His ladies spoke a slight edge to her tone. "Or are you simply incapable of accepting my answer? If so allow me to reiterate, your apparent 'Grudge' with a single mortal is of no concern to me, nor do I have any intention of interfering with or altering her state, without ample reason."
"I meant no disrespect." A second voice, this one far more masculine in nature, that spoke with a calm and almost regal tone. However, judging by his ladies own, this visitor was an unwelcome one. "I merely wish to be certain of your intentions with the remnants of our experiment, and while I have allowed your emissary-" The Forrest grew deathly quiet.
"You...have allowed?" Mikael steadied himself against one of the passing trees as a dark miasma washed over him, the shadows bathing the forest in darkness stretched and liked across the forest floor past him and towards the clearing. "What a strange and bold, claim you have made." Despite the condition of the surrounding forest, his ladies voice remained even. "Do not mistake my humoring of you for subservience, while you and your brother may still hold some small influence over that world, by your own words you have rescinded any claim to it and those who walk it's surface eons ago and as such, are no longer its masters."
"That may be so, but-"
"Then the actions of my Nightingale upon this world, are of no concern to you." The Night Mistress interjected before the other being could attempt to argue. "Should he suddenly bear the desire to spread my name far and wide across the chaotic land you created, or whether he chooses to stay his current course and ready this world for those far less candid than I, is of no concern to you."
"I see..."
"Now then... I believe I have entertained this conversation long enough, there are matters I must attend to and you are no longer welcome here." His ladies visitor gave no verbal reply, instead, the golden light ahead intensified before blinking out of existence, the beings withdrawal thrusting the clearing back into the darkness that enveloped the rest of his lady's realm.
The dark miasma that once threatened to smother the entire realm, slowly dissipated into nothingness. "...I know you are there my Nightingale." Mikael stilled once more as his lady addressed him. "Do you intend to keep me waiting?" she spoke, her voice soft and somewhat mirthful. While the murderous intent that once flooded the clearing might have passed, after such a display he'd admit to being somewhat hesitant to enter the clearing ahead.
Though the knowledge that ignoring her may only further her ire spurred him on, nonetheless. Pushing off the tree Mikael continued his way down the trail arriving at the edge of the clearing, at the center of the clearing rising from the forest floor was a stone platform, its surface decorated with a series of intricate ebony black runes that swirled across it surface congregating at the very center where the Night Mistress herself resided.
His lady hovered above a pool of swirling darkness and void, arms stretched out at her sides with three of his fellow nightingales perched upon her open hands and left shoulder. Her current form, a young woman with dark ebony hair and violate eyes, her pale skin bare of any scars or blemishes glistened in the moonlight. The cowled cloak she wore accenting the curves of her womanly figure and leaving little to one's imagination yet hinting at everything. A true beauty by all accounts, and at first glance, one might even mistake her as the frail young maiden she appeared to be.
Blissfully unaware of the dark power, hidden behind this ruse.
Stepping past the treeline Mikael approached Nocturnal his head bowed in respect to the primordial being, pausing at the foot of the marble platform Mikael took a knee before the dark goddess. "My lady." He greeted, lifting his head slightly he gazes up at the night mistress questioningly. "May I ask why you have summoned me, have my actions displeased you?"
The daughter of twilight lips twitched up into a small smile. "While your recent prospects have certainly been more...adventures then I had expected of you, that is not to say I am displeased by them, far from it." The Empress of murk went on to say. "They have allowed me to peel back the veil that surrounds Hermaeus's Machinations, though my findings have left me...less than amused."
The night mistress brow knitted into a line thin line, tilting her head back she seemed to stare off into the dark sky above. "Tell me, how is the girl?" Nocturnal inquired "I imagine the ordeal has taken somewhat of a toll upon her?"
"She is recovering as well as one might imagine." Mikael replied, from what he'd seen so far Ruby's encounter with Hermanus while having rattled her, didn't seem to have left any lasting effects upon her. Though now that the topic had been brought up, he made a mental note to inquire about her wellbeing once again when he returned to Remnant, better they addressed any issues she may be facing soon rather than let it fester and sap at her mental state.
The night mistress hummed in response, seemingly satisfied "Tell me what do you know of those who bear the silver eyes?"
"A race of great warriors who were said to possess unnatural levels of power and skill in battle." Mikael swiftly replied, recalling one of his more recent discoveries courtesy of the Journal. "Whom if from what accounts I have discovered are to be believed, are capable of whipping out legions of the creatures of Grimm with but a glance."
Nocturnal tilted her head down, she noted the confusion in her Nightingales eyes. "Ruby Rose is to my knowledge the last of this lineage, and much like yourself, she is a prize Hermaeus has made all too clear, he wishes to claim as his own." The empress of shadow released a small sighed "The fool does not even realize that he is playing with fire."
Mikael's eyes narrowed "My lady, what do you mean?"
Nocturnal raised her hand a dark mist stretched engulfing her open palm before stretching out from it and into the air in front of him forming a shadow image of the young girl. "As I have said, you and she are similar to one another, as Dragonborn your power is derived from the fragment of Akatosh within you, while her own stems from a being of similar stature." Nocturnal explain a white flame flickered to life within shadows images chest. "So far it has remained dormant within her, growing naturally over time as any Mages Magicka reserved do upon Nirn, though do not confuse it for such, this power is not the energy you're so familiar with, but light in its purest form."
"Light" Mikael muttered to himself, watching as the scene playing out in front of him shifted once more, with the shadow of miss Rose suddenly being surrounded by several monstrous figures he recognized as the creatures of Grimm.
"And as you already know, its effect upon the creatures of Grimm, beings born from the darkness that perforates this world is rather...Potent. "Nocturnal trailed off as the Grimm leapt towards the shadow image of Ruby, the flame in her chest began to flicker, a similar glow manifesting in the shadows eyes and growing brighter by the second before a sudden flash enveloped the girl and her surroundings, as the light faded the Creatures of Grimm that once surrounded her were nowhere in sight. "Tell me... what do you believe would happen if such power was turned against one like myself... or perhaps the spawn of Molag Bal you have accepted as your kin?"
Mikael clenched his teeth, a feeling of indignation and dread washing over the Nightingale. He was beginning to piece together just where this conversation was going... and the horrible deed his lady may yet task him with carrying out... It's not like it wouldn't have been the first time he'd spilt blood for one of the Daedra, at times he'd had little choice in the matter, others their goals had aligned to a degree and the demented lords of oblivion were all too eager to lend a helping hand in casting that unfortunate soul into its darkest pit.
The visage of a robed figure, his features concealed behind an ornate gold mask resembling a mass of writhing tendrils flashed to the forefront of his mind.
A necessary evil, an option that had stood out to him since the start of this mess, though one he'd refused to acknowledge as a means to disrupt Mora's plans... should it come at the cost of a young girls life.
He looked up at Nocturnal. "...Why are you telling me this, what is it you want?" he asked any and all formality between him and the Night mistress cast aside.
Undeterred by the sudden shift in her Nightingales tone, Nocturnal gestured towards the shadow image of Ruby. "Hermaeus's ambition has always been troublesome, and should this girl fall under his sway such ambitions would likely grow, pushing him to believe he is above his station." With a flick of her wrist, cracks spread across the miasma that made up the shadow image of Ruby before the girls form crumbled into dust. "As such, the cause must be dealt with, swiftly."
Mikael's eyes widened his hand clenching into a fist. "That isn't necessary, I assure you Miss Rose is of no threat to you or the Trinity."
Nocturnal raised an eyebrow in response to her Nightingales outburst before a knowing smile stretched across Daedric princes features. "You assumed I would ask you to harm her?" The Night mistress tittered softly, silencing Mikael's retort. "Hardly, the girl is already as I desire her to be, contained within this chaotic world and content to walk the path that shall ensure she remains this way, until the end of her days." She had weighed the cost and the gain of this decision many a time, and while eliminating the girl would relieve her of the newfound burden Hermaeus had forced upon her, far more efficiently, another would just as soon arise to take its place.
One that would force her to discard perhaps one of her greatest prizes in order to see it rectified, however, should she decide upon a different path one her Nightingale would be more inclined to follow, she would suffer little in terms of losses. Whether the girl might live on to master this power and stand among the legends forged by her ancestors or fall like so many before her, would be of little consequence.
Should the latter come to pass, and the girl falls under Hermaeus sway, she knew her Nightingale would do what needed to be done... though some insurance would not be unwelcome.
"All that remains is the shepherd that will watch over this lamb and ensure she does not stray from the path ahead." Nocturnal mused cupping her chin as she stared off into the dark sky in thought. "Her curiosity towards her abilities has grown since your last meeting, even now she wonders of what possibilities such power might present to her." Nocturnal's gaze fell back to Mikael "Ensure that should the girl wish to sate her need for knowledge, that you are the source of these answers."
"I..."Mikael released a shuddering breath, relived by Nocturnal's revelation. She desired not Ruby's power but for it to remain contained upon Remnant, and out of the ever-grasping reach of her brethren, the entry from the journal he'd recovered from Apocrypha and his ladies thinly veiled warning as to the threat miss Rose posed, leaving little the imagination as to the reasons why.
...She could harm them.
A Daedric lord, a being whose very existence predated that of the stars in the night sky, and a fifteen-year-old girl with silver eyes could harm them. To what degree though remained a mystery and he was in no rush to find out, but, he would admit his lady had raised a valid point. He was a fool to believe Ruby would remain satisfied with what she'd learned during their last meeting, curiosity towards such abilities was only natural... and would act as a way for Hermaeus to tempt her further.
"I...It will take time." Time to inform Amber and Serna of this development, time to work his way through that journal and anything else he could get his hands on to piece together as much as he could about the silver eyes, and how he might safely pass it on to the young Rose. "But I shall see this task through, my lady."
"See that you do. "The Empress of Shadows replied. "But know this, should you fail, should Ruby Rose fall under his sway and dance upon Hermaeus strings, it shall fall to you and you alone to deliver mercy upon her." Mikael nodded slowly the implications of his lady's words were not lost on him.
Nocturnal smiled "I return you now to the mortal realm, there is much to be done." Once more the world dipped around him and Mikael found himself tumbling through the void. Nocturnal stared down at the void before her in consideration, before slowly raising her hand to the side, the fluttering of wings echoed from the treeline as one of her Nightingale swooped down and settled atop the offered perch.
"Keep watch over him and the girl." She addressed the avian." And inform me of any unforeseen developments, I do not wish for any further surprises" She added her thoughts drifting back to her previous 'guest', a small scowl spreading across the Daedric prince's features.
The Nightingale spread its wings and offered a small bow to the Daedric Prince. "It shall be done." He replied, taking flight the avian swooped down and into the void, the tear in space snapping closed behind it.
/
"Nnghh~"Ruby groaned, an action shared by the majority of the dorms occupants as the demented beeping of her partner's alarm, pulled her from her sleeps welcoming embrace. Her hand reached out past the warmth of her duvet and slapped down on the desk beside her, in a desperate attempt to silence the device, if she was quick there was a chance Weiss was still just out of it enough to drift back off into dreamland if only she could just reach...
The beeping suddenly stopped, and given the lack of an alarm clock in her hand and the muffled yawn from beyond her dark sanctuary, her grand scheme began crumbling before her eyes, why... why did they have to wake up this early.
With no other option, Ruby slowly dragged the covers down past her eyes savouring the gentle warmth that clung to the soft fabric, only to be immediately blinded by a golden beam of light from the morning sun peeking through the curtains, grumbling to herself the leader of Team RWBY tossed her covers aside and sat up.
Rubbing the sleep from her eyes Ruby glanced up at the bunk bed to her right, Blake, now occupying her old bunk slapped her spare pillow over her head in some desperate attempt at warding off the return of their usual early morning routine.
"Rise and shine ladies." Ruby greeted them, standing up the silver-eyed huntress rolled her shoulders listening to the satisfying pop of her joints.
"Good Morning" Her partner replied back, as per usual she was the first one up and about, towel in hand as she made her way towards the bathroom.
"Mo..ing" Blakes tried to return her greeting, but the cat Faunus seemed too preoccupied with fighting against her bed's comforting embrace, beckoning her back into the land of dreams.
"MNNNNNNNNGGGG~" Came the ungodly roar of team RWBY's resident brawler currently sharing the other half of her double bed. She'd admit it was a little weird at first, but her sister had all but insisted on their new sleeping arrangements ever since the night she'd been... Taken.
Ruby appreciated it more than her sister realized, she didn't want to make herself seem like a burden around them but... she'd been scared to close her eyes for a few nights afterwards, wondering if when she did the next time she woke up she'd find herself back in that horrible place, with that... thing, bearing down on her from all sides.
At least having Yang right there beside her made things a little easier, Ruby glanced back over at her sister, pushing herself up on one arm Yang ran a hand through her hair unweaving a few of the tangled clumps that had built up overnight. Violet eyes blinked open, their owners gaze immediately turning to the source of their apparent aggravation.
"Seep 'ell sis." Yang asked through a yawn earning an amused look from the younger girl, Yang had never, and she doubted ever would be, a morning person.
"Meh" Ruby shrugged, the younger girl coasted around their double bed and towards the closet, pulling the door open she grabbed her towel from the pile, tucking it under her arm she passing her sisters own back over her shoulder towards the blond.
Yang caught the towel and shifted her gaze towards the bathroom door, a small grimace spreading across her features at the sound of the shower running and a lack of a certain heiress from her own bunk, looks like Ice queen beat her to it this morning.
Looks like she'd be taking the walk of shame to the communal showers down the hall, she loved her hair, but it took a certain finesse to get it looking as good as it did every day and that took time, time she'd rather not waste sitting on her but waiting for her turn in the shower. Yang glanced up to the clock above the door and smirked, it was early enough that there'd barely be anyone around, which meant she wouldn't have to worry about a lack of hot water or deal with the hustle and bustle of early morning, as far as consolation prizes went it wasn't the worst.
Hopping out of bed she moved past her sister and towards the dresser. Changing into a pair of sweatpants and sandshoes, Yang grabbed her towel, scroll and a bottle of her favourite conditioner from her personal stash before pausing at the foot of her bed, by the look of it her little sis was content with waiting for her own turn, while her own partner, who seemed to have just managed to pull herself free from the duvet, hopped down from the top bunk.
"Ice Queens got dibs." Yang said jabbing her thumb towards the shower door. "You want me to save you a locker while you get ready?" she asked, if her partner needed a few minutes to get ready before joining her, she'd weather the scummy looks from the rest of the early risers who saw her hogging two of the shower lockers.
"Is fine." Blake waved her off.
"Ok." Yang shrugged, turning on her heels and opening their door she gave a small wave back towards the others before stepping out into the hall "Later" she called, closing the door shut behind her.
Yang hummed to herself as she made her way down the empty hall, the light from the early morning sun casting a shower of amber rays through the windows, it was nice, peaceful even... She had a bad feeling that moments like this were going to become harder to come by as time went on, things might have calmed down since that night but that didn't mean things were back to normal.
Part of her wanted to go talk to the prof more about this Mora...thing or whatever the hell it was. She needed to know if there was anything she could do to help, to help with what exactly? She didn't know in the slightest, any knowledge of magic or what might have counted as magic, that she'd be able to draw on could be attributed to the D&D games she'd played as a kid.
All of which would have probably gotten her laughed out of the Magic Schools on his world, god... how had this become their reality. She'd just started her second semester at her dream school, the most she should've had to worry about right now was training for the Vytal festival later in the year and mid-term exams after that, now everything had been turned on its head and she was part of some kind of fairy tale adventure, it might have been cool if she could actually do, well, anything really.
She hated it, the feeling of utter uselessness that had been hanging over her the last few days.
Glancing up Yang found herself standing outside the entrance for the community shower, sighing to herself she pushed her thoughts aside and made her way inside, for now, it was the start of a new semester at Beacon, and she had a lot to do.
The sound of running water greeted her as she entered, a voice humming a soft melody echoed from the showers beyond the locker room, huh seems like she wasn't the only earlier riser who missed their chance at the first shower of the day. Moving to one of the vacant lockers nearest to the shower block, stripping down she stowed her clothes and towel inside before shutting it tight, pulling the key free she slipped the bracelet attached to it around her wrist and made for the tiled hall leading into the showers.
Stepping into the tiled room on the other side, she moved for the nearest shower and fiddled with the dial, a jet of hot water cascading down on her from above, Yang sighed in relief, squirting a generous amount of conditioner into her hand she tilted her head back and ran her fingers through her hair and across her scalp, the majority of the bottle would likely be gone by the end of this, although she thanked it for its noble sacrifice.
Cracking an eye open she spared a glance towards the showers other occupants. The first thing she noticed about her was her voice, now that she could hear it more clearly it sounded just a little too mature for it to be a student and two, that was one hell of an hourglass figure. Violet eyes followed the ashen black hair down her toned back and to just above her slim waist.
Yang tore her eyes away from the woman's figure before they could go any lower, her cheeks dusted pink and tried to focus on her shower, she doubted that woman had come here for her to ogle her like that, something she herself had grown tired of during her days at Signal academy. The envious and sometimes admiring looks her own figure received back in the locker room were nice at first but after a while, it only grated on her nerves.
"Did you see something you like?"
Yang's eye snapped back to the side catching a single amber orb a few shades darker than her partners own starting back at her from the corner of the woman eye, her lips twitched up mirthfully. "Although you're a little young for my tastes, still, it's nice to know a woman of my age can still turn hea-..." She trailed off, her smile falling as a spark of recollection flashed in her eyes, she turned to face Yang seemingly uncaring of her nudity, Yang might have turned away had it not been for the chill that ran up her spine as she locked eyes with the woman, a weight settled over her as if a great predator was suddenly bearing down on her.
Instinctively Yang took a step back and bumped into the wall behind her as the woman stalked across the showers towards her, an almost overwhelming feeling of dread filled Yang's being accompanied by every survival instinct she had screaming for her to move, to run away as far as she could from the woman across from her, and yet her feet remained rooted to the floor.
"Hey uh..."Yang chuckled to herself glanced off towards the hall to the showers, hoping by some miracle someone might walk through, hell from the amount of killing intent this woman was giving off, she'd even take it being Cardin right now. "Look I'm sorry for staring and all but..." Yang trailed off as the woman came to a halt in front of her, her amber eyes glaring down at her, Yang chuckled nervously.
Who the hell was this chick!?
"Tell me, child, does the name Raven Brawnwen mean anything to you?" Yang's eyes widened, her fear forgotten for a few scant seconds as she processed the woman question, more importantly, how she apparently knew her birth mothers name.
Yang's eyes flickered to red for a few seconds, a feeling of rage starting to building up inside her. "H-how do yo-"
"I'm." The woman growled down at her, an amber glow resonating within her eyes, instinctively Yang met her glare with her own and quickly found herself taken by the glow of her eyes, she felt her anger slipping away as an almost intoxicating sense of calm washed over her and flooded her mind with a dark fog, her body slackened. "The one asking the questions here, and you will answer them, understood?"
Yang nodded back slowly her face devoid of emotion, yet her eyes remained enraptured by the warm glow in the woman eyes, she understood perfectly, whatever this woman questions were she would answer them to the best of her ability.
"Good" Serana replied.
She hadn't noticed at first and likely wouldn't have had she not caught the girl staring, her jawline and forehead were a little wider not to mention the hair color but now that she got a closer look there was no doubt in her mind, this girl was Ravens spawn. But what she was doing here or why Raven might have sent her didn't matter right now, she just had to be sure the girl wouldn't be causing her or Mikael any trouble while they were here.
"Why were you sent here?" Serana inquired, watching as the girl's eyes scrunched up seemingly in confusion.
"I... don't understand?" Serana narrowed her eyes, was she resisting?
"What is your objective here at the academy?" she tried again, increasing her power further.
"To... graduate and get my Huntress license." Yang replied smoothly, Serana tilted her head to the side eyes narrowing, now they were getting somewhere.
Was this girl just a trial run, a test to see if she could sneak more of the younger members of her tribe into the academy, if so for a school that was meant to train the next generation of this worlds defender's, she had a few questions about why he allowed the daughter of a renowned -if that child's boasting back in Ravens camp were to be believed- bandit attend his school? "Really now, and what about the rest of your tribe will anyone else be joining here in the coming years?"
"I... don't know" Yang replied, causing the vampire's eyes to narrow.
"You don't know, what do you mean you don't know?" Serana demanded, the girl wasn't making any sense, was she resisting? Pushing more of her influence into the girl's mind she pressed on with her questions once more. "Why would Raven send you here if she didn't have something in mind for the long run, what is her plan for Beacon?"
"My mother didn't send me to Beacon." Yang replied evenly undeterred by Serena's anger. "She abandoned me when I was a baby, I haven't even met her or even spoken to her all my life" Wait... what? Serena's eyes widened the gentle glow enveloping them flashing out of existence.
...
...
...
Yang's eyes blinked open, reaching up to rub her brow she swayed slightly before steadying herself against the wall with her free arm." What the…?" she trailed off glancing around the empty showers as she stifled a small yawn into her palm. What the hell... she could have sworn there was someone else in here with her a few seconds ago…wait, what was she thinking the showers had been empty when she arrived.
Shaking off her drowsiness, Yang turned back towards her shower, she'd have to have a talk with Weiss once she got back, if she was really starting to hallucinate that might just convince ice queen to move her alarm ahead an hour, gods knew they'd all appreciate it.
/
Running the towel she'd snagged from a passing student over her damp hair once more, Serana spared a glance back towards the locker room before quickening her pace down the hall, the shower had been nice and after almost a week spent out wandering the wilderness in search of that idiot of a brother of hers with little more than the occasional stream or river to keep herself clean, she took it as the greatest of rewards for her efforts.
Even if that girl had ruined it somewhat, Serana sighed her hand tightening into a fist her inhumanly sharp nails digging into her palms, she took back everything she said about that bitch being similar to Mikael in any way.
The memory of a young girl with dark hair bent over an alchemy table beside her, watching intently as she walked her through creating her first potions flashed through her mind.
Saying Mikael was anything like that woman wasn't just an insult to him, but to her niece as well.
There might not have been any blood shared between them but that didn't make the love they'd felt for that girl any less real, nor the heartbreak that shook her to her core at the sight of Mikael carrying her lifeless body from his burning home.
It was the first time she'd seen him weep... and as that grief faded and turned to red hot furry, it had been the first time she'd seen him unleash the dragon caged inside him.
He'd handed Adri off to her and then without so much as a word grabbed the nearest horse and rode off towards the Reach, she should have gone after him sooner, she should have tried to talk him down before he did anything rash but at the time, there'd been fires to put out, stragglers to be dealt with and the bodies of their fallen comrades to be tended to.
By the time the three of them had managed to catch up with him, the whole thing was just about over and done with. But the stories, she'd heard in the days following the bloody deed helped shed some light on how it all came to pass.
Mikael had stood before the city gates, the same he had fought through only hours before in his escape from Cidhna mine and gave his ultimatum, hand over Thonar Silver-Blood and let justice be done... or he would come in there and drag him out himself.
Then they laughed, even now with those same men long since dead, the thought of their mockery of her brother's pain made her blood boil. Their reply came soon after, in the form of a barbed arrowhead punching into Mikael's shoulder.
A warning, they'd called back, so completely unaware that, that single act had sealed their fates.
There were few within the cities walls that had taken his threat seriously, those that did had fled the city in droves, while the ones remaining inside held true to their beliefs that they'd be safe behind the city's walls, after all, he was but one man and even a dragons fire would have been no use against the Ancient City of Stone.
How wrong they'd been.
She remembered standing on the cliffside overlooking the valley leading into Markarth- not the proud and mighty hold forged from the remnants of a Dwemer city that she'd read about in her youth, but the decrepit and empty shell ruled over not by its Yarl but an arrogant lord whose hands were soaked in the blood of his own people -Karliah and Brynjolf at her side, the three of them looking on helplessly as the city was besieged by three dragons.
The first a loyal and trusted ally of her brother who'd aided him in the defeat of the world eater, the second summoned forth from the soul cairn to aid Mikael in his time of need, its body akin to a corpse with wings so tattered it was a miracle it could even take flight. Both of which were all too eager to repay the pain and suffering inflicted upon their lord, a hundredfold.
And the third, bound to the earth and caged within the body of a man, had already worked his way through the front gate and was likely making way up to the keep when they'd arrived.
There were a lot of things she wished she could forget about that night, the screams of Markarths people as the dragons descended on their city from above, the smell of the charged and burning flesh of the unlucky few caught out in the open when the assault began, perforating the air, and then those same souls rising from the grave and aiding the siege from within. But what stayed with her most of all, was the sight of the city's stone walls and towers turning white-hot under the torrent of flames, while Mikael and his dragons had been unable to burn the ancient city, they had succeeded in turning it into the world's biggest oven.
And yet, the sight of molten rock trickling down its towers and walls like candle wax had filled her with a sense of grim satisfaction, it wasn't long after that the screams and sound of battle died down and her brother came stalking through the gates dragging the bastard responsible for all this behind him, his sword arm severed at the elbow, snivelling and begging for mercy.
His words fell on deaf ears, and soon enough Thonar Silver-Blood found himself thrown before the two colossal beasts that rained fire and death down on the city. Mikael had watched on emotionlessly as the two Wyrm tore into the man, his agonized cries accompanied by the sound of torn flesh and crushed bone echoing into the night.
After that night Skyrim's nine holds had been reduced to eight, with tales of the city destruction spreading far and wide across the continent although, whether through some form of divine intervention or perhaps the fear the last Dragonborn had instilled in the refugees who'd managed to flee the city before its destruction, any word of Mikael's involvement in the horrid affair had gone unspoken.
All the people of Skyrim knew was that one of their holds had fallen to the might of the dragons, while only she and her brothers closest allies knew the truth of what happened that night.
Serana sighed through her nose, the memory leaving an uncomfortable feeling churning in her gut. They were all changed after that night, yet none more so than Mikael. In the time that she'd known him he'd always been a little cold towards people, but in the days following her death, he'd become more cynical and jaded to the world around him... it was almost like when she died, a part of him had gone with her.
The unexpected buzz of her scroll pulled the vampire back to reality.
"What in the world." digging the scroll out of her pocket, she fumbled with the piece of glass and circuitry for a few moments before finally opening it up, Serana was greeted by her brothers face appearing on the screen, with the words 'Incoming call' flashing beneath it, Serana swiped the green icon across the screen. "Hel-"
Mikael gave her no time to finish her greeting. "Do you remember the classroom Qrow took you to on the day you arrived?" Serana furrowed her brow, something was wrong.
"Yes" She replied stepping towards one of the second-story windows, Serana glanced about the campus below worry flashing in her eyes. "Mikael...what's this about, has something happened?" She pressed, Gods above she'd left him alone for only an hour at most, what the hell could have gone on in that time to cause this.
"Make your way there, I'll explain everything once I arrive." Her brother said.
"Hey, hold on!" The call cut out before she could ask any further, Serana narrowed her eyes at the device.
'Did he just...'
/
Amber stared up at the display above the elevator doors watching as the numbers ticked up one by one, glancing down at her scroll she grimaced at the time, 8:05, she had a class with the second-years across the other side of the campus at 9:00. She'd be cutting it close but given Mikael's text seemed urgent and with everything that had happened lately, she wasn't about to ignore any possible updates on the, well... Demon situation.
The elevator came to a halt, and the doors slid open, Ambers eyes widened slightly at the sight of Beacons deputy headmistress standing on the other side. Glynda glanced up over the screen of her table as she stepped inside beside Amber "Good Morning, Miss Autumn." Glynda nodded to the younger woman in greeting before returning her attention back to the tablet in her hands "The First floor please if you wouldn't mind?"
"Of course," Amber replied, pushing the floor button the doors closed, and much to her dismay the Elevator started going back down.
"...How has your first semester at Beacon faired?" Glynda inquired as she flicked through the documents on her tablets, breaking the silence between them. "I understand you weren't thrilled about the idea, but I want to know we wouldn't have forced the matter on if there were any other way."
"It's been...interesting." Amber replied, both the teaching aspects of her stay and the supernatural events she'd found herself involved in behind the scenes had certainly kept her occupied "I'm not upset about what happened if that's what you're wondering, I know after what happened its safer for me to stay here, but-"
"You still miss the freedom, the life outside the walls gave you." Glynda finished, Amber nodded along slowly, don't get her wrong her stay in Vale's capital, barring recent events, had been nothing short of pleasant. But that doesn't mean she didn't miss life on the open road, after all, she'd spent most of her life travelling from one village to the next, taking on the occasional contract put out on a horde of Grimm, camping out under the starlit sky, and lending a helping hand here or there when she could.
It certainly wasn't the most glamourous life at times, but... Ambers thoughts drifted back to a certain hooded archer a soft smile spreading across her lips, because of it she'd met someone who'd opened her eyes to so many things, things she couldn't even imagine about the world around her, someone much like herself and despite the different paths they'd walked in life, he was someone she'd come to see as her closest friend... perhaps even something more than that.
"And how is Mr. Salmon?" Glynda looked back at the young woman in the corner of her eyes "I've noticed the two of you seem to have grown close over these last few months, how has he been adjusting to his new surroundings?"
Amber let out a small laugh in response, for a man who hailed from another world that's technology was on par with Remnants dark ages, he'd taken to the modern world like a fish to water, no pun intended. "He's been okay, there were a few moments where he just stopped and stared at things for a few seconds, but overall, nothing seems to have fazed him too badly."
The concept of a scroll or computer hadn't been that hard for him to understand, he even seemed familiar with it in some regard, heck for all she knew the people fo Nirn might have something similar based around magic, like those old fairytales of witches and wizards using spells and incantations to communicate with one another through their crystal balls and mirrors.
'Could I do that?' Amber thought to herself, could her own magic be used in a similar fashion as Mikael's. Looking back on it now her own power seemed so raw and untamed in comparison to Mikael's own, the most she'd been able to do was toss around the elements fire, ice, wind. But she'd seen Mikael use his magic to heal himself and others, project protective barriers, manipulate and reshape objects to his will, things she'd never been able, nor she doubted any other maiden had done before.
Which begged the question "If I asked... would he show me how?"
"Hmm?" Glynda perked up, lifting her eyes from her tablet Glynda glanced towards the Fall Maiden curiously "Did you say something."
"Oh, it's nothing." Amber assured her. "Just me mumbling to myself, don't worry about it."
"I see" Glynda hummed and turned her gaze back towards her tablet a calculating glint in her eye 'Show her how to what, exactly?' Glynda thought to herself. Her musing was cut short, the elevator giving out a resounding ding as the doors slid open once more while she would have preferred to dig into that comment further, she couldn't afford to arouse suspicion.
In any case, Qrow would be visiting his nieces later that day, and in all the years she'd known him the man had never been one to beat around the bush, hopefully, their familial ties would be enough reassurance for Miss Rose to be able to confide in him about what happened that night, her only worry being what Qrow might do if the events of that night were as they feared, a confrontation between the two of them could be disastrous.
For the sake of the students, she hoped they were wrong.
Collapsing her tablet back into its compact form, Glynda offered Amber as small nod as she stepped out into the hall, the Fall Maiden returning the gesture with her own, yet as the doors sliding shut behind her Amber let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. Leaning her head back against the wall she watched the numbers tick back up towards her floor, tapping her foot impatiently as it went.
A few minutes later the elevator dinged, and the doors began to slide open, Amber moved forward squeezing through the gap, turned and quickly made her way down the right hallway, following the direction Mikael had given her, a few turns and five minutes later, she spotted the Nightingale waiting for outside of one of the classrooms.
"Mikael" She called out to him, the Dragonborn turned to her and even with his hood and cowl still drawn just by the look in his eyes he seemed to have suddenly aged ten years, which only added to her worry. "Sorry it took so long; I got a little caught up along the way." she explained.
"Don't worry, we haven't been waiting long" Mikael assured her.
"We?" Amber asked.
"A recent development." Mikael was quick to reply. "One I would have informed you of sooner but... well, it's better if we discuss thing inside." Swiping his scroll over the doors electronic lock Mikael pushed open the door and stepped through, Amber followed him inside her eyes immediately drawn to the rooms sole other ocupe-
Amber froze.
She was a fair-skinned young woman, her face framed by ashen black hair though with an all too familiar pair of smoldering amber eyes that shone like the embers of a dying flame staring back at the two of them. "You!" Her body moved on instinct one hand shot back to her weapon while the shot forwards flames bursting to life around her eyes, a gale-force wind ripped across the room knocking the woman off her feet and over the desk behind her, landing with an audible thud on the floor behind it.
Before she could continue her assault, Mikael had barreled into her side, grabbed her wrist he forced her arm down, the miniature hurricane ceased and Amber found herself pinned to the wall by his free arm, his elbow pressed against her throat. "What are you doing!?" Mikael demanded his face twisted in fury, she blinked in alarm and confusion, what was he talking about, that woman, she was-
A low groan from the other side of the room quickly drew their attention, Mikael's fury was quickly replaced by concern. Pushing her aside the Nightingale turned and raced across the room. "Serana!" he called out to the woman... wait, the fires around her eyes snuffed out.
Serana...Amber blinked once then twice her face slowly twisting in realization.
Serana, the same Serana Mikael had told her about in a few of his story about his life on Nirn?
The same Serana with the insane, homicidal father who'd tried to blot out the Sun?
More importantly, Serana, the now- more than likely -pissed off Vampire... that Serana?
Oh... Oh no.
To be continued.