Vilkas, Aela and Farkas listened to the orders of Durak, an Orc Dawnguard soldier. He was aged but still strong as orichalcum— he held his white hair in a bun, with large fangs protruding from his jutted jaw.

"Alright, listen up…" snarled Durak, "You three may be fat in the head from all your victories in the past, you may think you know it all. Well, this ain't the mead hall. This is Dawnguard, and here we do things by the book, or we end up dead."

Farkas chimed, a bit taken back, "We don't think we know it all…"

Vilkas grunted, "Hmph."

"Please…" groaned Durak, then he began to snigger, "You're damn Companions for crying out loud. You got a big reputation in Skyrim for a bunch of ruffians who sit in their upside-down boat all day."

Vilkas crossed his arms and sneered, "Watch your tongue, Orc."

Durak swiftly gestured to Vilkas, whilst looking at Aela and Farkas, "See? My point, exactly. It's time to bring some humility back to you glorified mercenaries and I know just how… by teaching that you don't know squat about vampires. You think you've had it bad? Guess what— welcome to Oblivion. Vampires are the worst of them all. They have no code on who they kill or what, they have no honour- they are necromancers, the lot of them. They will kill you, drink you clean and steal your soul, all at once."

Vilkas hissed as he rolled his eyes, "Get to the part we don't know, already."

Durak huffed, "Fine. I'm going to teach you three a little trick that even a stubborn old Orc like me had to learn, because it's saved my life a handful of times, and stopped me from having to drink a cure disease potion every five minutes." Durak turned his side to the three and held his arm out straight. He closed his eyes tightly and spread his fingers up to the far-off wall. A white light erupted from his palms, which glossed into a glowing window that acted like a shield. It was the length of his body and shimmered aloud as the three Companions startled at the sight of the spell. He strained and released the shield, which dissipated.

Farkas blurted in excitement, "By Ysmir, what was that?!"

Aela pondered while crossing her arms, "A ward… or something. Some kind of magic."

Vilkas snarled with disdain, "It's magic. We don't use magic in our 'upside-down boat', Orc. The Companions have no wish to use it, we fight with our own strength."

"Ha!" guffawed Durak at Vilkas, "Ah, I like you. You remind me of myself at that age, too young and dumb to know what's good for me. I used to think the same thing till I crawled through the roads of the Reach trying to make it back to my stronghold, after a cursed vampire used it's drain spell on me. I would've died had it not been for my shaman who found me. Not only does it save you from becoming the main course, but it also prevents the disease from being transmutable against drain spells. It's called a lesser ward; used for fending off dangerous spells. A steel shield can't do that, but this can."

Aela raised to Durak, "How long can we keep it up?"

Durak turned to her and explained, "About twenty seconds at first. You'll get better with it, after a while. For now, don't expect it to last long so in battle, make it count."

Vilkas spoke up, "What are we supposed to do when it's two against one, and the other comes flying at you with a weapon? Do I 'ward' that too or get eaten? My guess is the latter." He mocked, his eyes dull and steely.

Durak quipped back, "You got two against one, what are you going to do when one uses a drain spell? Debilitating you to the point you can't raise a weapon to save your life? There's two sides to every coin, and sometimes you have to choose which side will save your life. Every encounter is different." He growled at Vilkas, condescendingly. He continued, "Distance and warding are key. Vampire's are crafty, they know your move far earlier than you could imagine. So think twice before you charge in with your 'Death or Sovngarde' or what have you. Because archery is your best bet before they are close enough. No charging in with a greatsword. I'm looking at you, big stack." Durak said to Farkas, who made a baffled expression in return.

Vilkas spoke up in a grumble once more, "Really? We just survived that vampire raid in Whiterun, I didn't use a bow once, did you, Farkas?"

Farkas cooed, "No."

Vilkas boasted, "Hmph. We've fought vampires much in the past. I know where they like to keep their nests, who they like to feed on, and what abilities they possess. Don't waste your breath. Just let us train how we like."

"Oh, really?" glowered Durak, then pointed up at Vilkas's neck, "What's that then?"

Vilkas's fingers shot up at his raised bite and mumbled, "I… was cured, already."

"Bah, so what?" bellowed Durak in laughter, "You got a bite! You wanna' know the last time I got bit or scratched by a vampire? Seven years. I've been hunting them almost my whole life too, so what's that tell you?"

Vilkas snarled, "Who cares? It didn't even hurt…"

"Did you know," abruptly continued Durak, "The disease can come in different strains. You risk yourself getting bitten you risk the pain of falling unconscious in battle, or worse, turning into a vampire almost immediately. It's not always the three day wait, especially with these ancient vampires we're up against. Sometimes they don't even want to turn you, sometimes they just want to kill you for your soul. So, the thing to consider, keep your damn distance. That's lesson number one. Now all of you take these…" Durak began to hand out tomes of spell warding to the three who looked at their books in haughty confusion. He added, "Don't worry, I'm not teaching you how to raise zombies or summon ugly daedra from oblivion, it's a ward spell. A dummy could do it. Read those books for a minute then come show me your example of a ward, Companions."

Farkas wilted in worry, "I'm not a very good reader…"

"I'll help you, ice-brain," chuckled Aela and consoled, "Relax."

Vilkas huffed in frustration as he plopped down on the steps to the yard and threw his book open, petulantly.

Durak exclaimed, "I've still got one last book here, wasn't there four of you?"

The three looked up from their tomes and looked around the yard.

"The doe-eyed one…" Durak raised to the three, "…where is she?"

Farkas muttered, "Mimzi said she was going to look around the fort for a bit, but that was like… three hours ago…" Durak growled in response.

Aela pondered, "I haven't seen her at all since we've been here. Unusual for her, she enjoys training."

"Great." huffed Durak, "Now I gotta look all over this damn fort for your little whelp…"

"Don't worry about it," Vilkas slammed his tome shut and picked off the ground, "I'll find her. I'm her trainer and she's still our whelp, so she answers to us. Not you." Vilkas paced up the steps to the main fort, looking aimlessly for Mimzi so she could join the training.

Aela blurted out towards the hall he left in, "Be nice to her, Vilkas!"

Mimzi and Tolan made their way through the Rift swiftly on horseback. Sunshine ran freely, happily greeting the fresh air running through her mane. Mimzi had a resting lump in her throat as the anxiety of leaving the Companions behind began to unfold.

'What am I doing? What am I doing?!'

She kept on riding with Tolan leading ahead as the thoughts clouded her mind. The two moons dared them as they journeyed in the night, and slowly the dim glow of sunshine in the east dwindled the dark. As they made their way passed Eastmarch tundra the sun peaked over the mountains, giving relief to the pair they'd be safe from the menace of vampires.

Vilkas kept scouring the Fort Dawnguard for Mimzi, but had no luck finding even a trace of her. He began to seethe to himself as the anger of not finding her built greater.

'When I find that idiot whelp…' he scornfully thought to himself. He made it to the upper level where Kodlak stayed close to his living quarters, still writing to his journal.

"Master…" muttered Vilkas.

Kodlak sighed, "Vilkas, I will keep saying it till I'm blue in the face, but I'm not your master. Now what do you need?"

"Mimzi is gone," coldly stated Vilkas.

Kodlak looked away from his journal in heated confusion, "What do you mean she's gone?"

"She's not here, I've been looking for hours, and I can't find her," Vilkas explained. Kodlak stood up from his chair and stayed his course down to the bottom level. Isran startled at the sight of a heated Kodlak and Vilkas heading out the doors of the fort.

"What's going on?" shouted Isran, where his voice echoed off the tall ceiling.

Vilkas called back to him, "The whelp is missing."

"Damn it," growled Isran to himself and followed the two outside the Fort. Kodlak walked earnestly to the stables, and could see immediately that her horse was gone, as well.

"She left," gloomed Kodlak, "Her horse is gone, just as I feared."

Vilkas stared on in disbelief that she fled, he knew she was naive and dim, but he never would have plucked her for a coward.

"I knew you bringing along a recruit was a bad idea. Dragonborn or not, her heart was too young and thus too faint," glowered Isran to the stables as Kodlak looked down to his feet in disappointment. Isran continued, "The reality of what she was to face probably set in when she arrived. Happens all the time here. Don't blame yourself, Kodlak."

Kodlak muttered, "This doesn't make sense. She's not the type to flee."

"But she did," stated Vilkas coolly, his face stoic.

Isran intruded and claimed, "There's nothing for it. Let's get back inside, get back to preparing. We will just have to make do with the four of you. It's a shame, though, I was looking forward to seeing that 'Shout' in action."

Kodlak sauntered back to the fort with his head low and pinched shoulders.

Vilkas muttered under his breath, "Me too…"

Mimzi and Tolan rode on to high noon, where the beaming sun was shrouded by grey clouds that spread fast blowing snow through the Pale's rugged tundra. They rode up through the path up a mountain slope. Tolan abruptly hopped off his horse, while Mimzi did the same.

Mimzi asked to the Vigilant, "Where is it?"

He pointed, "Here, up this slope," he trudged through the snow and up to a barrow cave opening with a lit brazier. He squinted through the bright, spraying snow and looked to Mimzi and warned, "This is Dimhollow Crypt, it's bound to be reigning in master vampires. Are you absolutely sure you want to be doing this?"

Mimzi nodded fervently, "I'm ready, let's go."

Tolan added, "I just want to make sure you're prepared for…" He was interrupted by Mimzi's impatience.

"I said I'm ready, so let's kill some vampires," she snarled and shoved passed him to delve deeper into the cave entrance. Tolan followed, hesitantly, looking everywhere he could for possible dangers. Inside the cave was a narrow tunnel; swept with snow. The two kept up an incline where shallow talking could be heard in the next chamber. Tolan pushed back on Mimzi's shoulder and signalled his finger to his lips to shush their movements.

"Did anyone else return from the Whiterun massacre?" a male vampire asked.

"Hardly… only you, so far. How was it? I get hungry just thinking about it." the female vampire replied.

The male vampire began to laugh deeply in his throat which echoed menacingly off the cave walls, "Spectacular, blood was positively pooling in the streets. The Whiterun guard were fat in blood, some even gave up and let us sink our teeth in from their fear. It wasn't even a fight; it was a banquet." The vampire began to cackle heartily and the other joined in.

Mimzi seethed in anger listening to their boasting of the murders of Whiterun's people. She gripped her hilt and went forward, where Tolan grabbed her shoulder and whispered, "Not yet."

"When will the others be back yet?" the female vampire whined, "I'm getting hungry…"

"Not until they crack open that puzzle, they have the Vigilant in binds now. He will scream the answer soon enough," the male vampire claimed.

Tolan gasped and whispered, "Adalvald…" he unsheathed his great hammer and charged out from the tunnel and into the dimly lit chamber.

"Tolan! Wait!" cried Mimzi and sped after him. A death hound came sprawling from the shadows and clasped Tolan's neck, jamming its jagged teeth into his flesh. Tolan screamed in agony. As Mimzi went to unsheathe her sword, an ice spike went colliding to the wall next to her, and a lightning strike hit her arm which followed a massive surge of pain through her body. She whammed into the wall from the impact. Her whole body surged in numbing. An almost unbearable stinging led through her veins and bones. Mimzi clenched her teeth and wailed in pain; fists clasped tightly. She could see the dark figures of vampires leading up to herself and Tolan, who continued to wail in excruciation from the death hounds gnawing. The death hound crunched down hard on Tolan's neck, creating an audible crack which silenced his screams and made his body lifeless. The death hound began to drag the body of the Vigilant away to feed where Mimzi helplessly watched. Anger boiled inside her chest which crept to her throat. The vampires shared fervent sniggers as they approached where she sat. She tried to move her fingers but were numbed and rigged. The male vampire used a thrust of lightning over the entrance they came, which caused an avalanche of rocks to flood over the door, blocking the way out.

"Oh perfect, just as I was starting to get hungry…" the female vampire leered.

The male vampire smiled and knelt down to Mimzi. His glowing red eyes and yellow pupils strayed into her soul with a vacant, perilous gawk. He grinned with his fangs and uttered, "My sweet girl, didn't Pa ever tell you not to wander into caves?"

The female vampire lectured, "You got to feed in Whiterun, it's only fair I get this one."

"Oh, come now, can't we share?" the male vampire looked back to his companion, "A mortal like this is far too good to pass up on. Just smell her… so untainted, such beautiful pearly-white skin. Plump and juicy."

"I know… the smell is marvellous. The young are always the freshest. Fine, I'll get the neck, you can bite whatever else you want, I don't care," the female vampire petulantly agreed.

"Oh, I will." The vampire man leered and crawled closer to Mimzi. She gasped as the female vampire beckoned her. The fear was overcome by rage.

She growled out, "FUS… RO… DAH!!"

The blast sent the two vampires crashing their bodies violently into the deeper depths of the chamber. Mimzi fought through the stiffness of her body and grabbed her sword. The bodies of the vampires slowly shuffled off the ground and moved into the shadows. Mimzi could see their red eyes scrambling into the dark. She kept her sword in hand and moved out of the light. She crawled under a jutted slope where her boots washed into a frigid stream.

Mimzi could hear faint stepping closer to her hiding place. She kept down, halting her own breathing. Suddenly her collar was snatched from above the slope and was pulled out.

"I can smell you, fool!"

Mimzi gripped the arm that had her and slashed her sword against theirs. The female vampire shrilled and jumped back, clutching her arm. Mimzi jumped to the slope and raised her blade, but was kicked back by the vampire. The female vampire leapt on her legs and lunged to Mimzi. They toppled to the ground in a rustle as Mimzi valiantly fought away her fangs from reaching her own skin. Mimzi rammed her sword tip into the side of the vampire's head. She squawked and fell to Mimzi's side. Mimzi panted as she scrambled upwards and away from the monster's body.

"It's you."

The male vampire growled in the shadows. Mimzi paced her eyes along the darkness to find glowing red eyes, but he was well hidden.

"You're a Tongue. You were in Whiterun… you spoke those awful words and destroyed our resolve."

"And you killed my friends…" snarled Mimzi, her voice deep and gritty, "…now I get to enjoy killing you."

The vampire erupted in bloodcurdling laughter among the darkness. It moved hastily, disorientating Mimzi from the source.

"The little lamb has courage, who would have thought?"

Mimzi could see the distortion of a large rock closer to her, it moved then returned the texture of the rock back to normal. The distortion— almost like moving water, moved nearer. It had the same motions as a body, and created the noise of footsteps.

"Yeah…" shuddered Mimzi, "You didn't…" she shot a throw of fire from her palm abruptly at the distortion, which then erupted in screams as it shifted back into the vampire. His invisibility cloak faded, and he toppled to the ground in frantic rolls as his body and robes ignited. Mimzi claimed, "Big mistake."

She marched to the squealing vampire and jabbed her blade into his chest, shifting his squeals into repenting gurgles. Mimzi let the body burn and stumbled away to look for Tolan. She could hear snarling growing nearer as she approached a lit entrance. Inside she could see the death hound feasting on Tolan's body. His armour was in shambles and bent forward, revealing his innards which were ripped by the monster. Mimzi bolted at the death hound and kicked it off Tolan's body. It let out a demonic bark and snarled before leaping towards her. Mimzi swiped her blade fast against its belly, it toppled down to the ground in sharp whimpers before falling silent and still. Mimzi knelt down to Tolan to see his eyes wide open but his chest still. No breath came from his nostrils and his skin was as pale as the moons. Mimzi let her head fall in despair. Anger and guilt waged war inside her head at the toil of the vampires, and that she failed to protect him. She caressed her open hand down his eyes to close them. She said a silent prayer to Arkay, and moved on deeper into the crypt, revolting her shame.

She carried on through a tunnel, which lay vacant and silent. She walked over the rocks through a stream and up over a sloped ridge. On top was a gate with a lever to open. Mimzi gripped the lever and pulled down, which pulled the gate up. She could hear distant combat within the cave. The caves turned to Nordic crypts and hand-crafted halls, reminiscent of her times in old Nordic tombs. The combat was between a vampire and a draugr. The vampire used its drain spell on the draugr, to where it shot splinters of ice at the vampire, causing the monster to stagger. Mimzi crept up and swiped her blade at the back of the draugr's crusted, dusty femurs and slashed the other way to the back of its spine. It roared and collapsed in a waft of dust then the body stiffened once more. Mimzi stomped over the corpse of the draugr and to the vampire who was beginning to resolve from the ice; only to have Dragonbane sliced into their abdomen. As Mimzi ripped the sword from their body, she was tackled down by a death hound. It bit her forearm; shredding her skin as she cried out in pain. Mimzi quickly grabbed her sword with her free left hand and ripped it into the hound's belly. It created a wretched howl, where Mimzi pushed it off with her boot. It convulsed then died from the wound. Her blood poured from her arm. She gripped it tight. She silently cursed herself for not bringing health potions for this trek. She walked forward while wincing through the pain and made her way to another gate which required the pull of a chain to open. It took her through winding tunnels which eventually led out to an open chamber in a body of shallow water, and tomb shrines along the pathway.

She waded through the water to the other side, where skeletal hands began to emerge from the water and reanimate. The skeletons eyes glowed white and their movements jaunty and hallow as they came sprinting at Mimzi with their weapons drawn. The four skeletal warriors wielded axes and shields. Mimzi stuck her shield up and blocked the attack from one axe that came swinging and swiped her sword through the fragile bones of the skeleton; to where it collapsed into a pile of fragments. She was quickly surrounded by the other three, who acted much like breathing warriors— preparing the right time to attack. Mimzi quickly kicked back one, and swiped her sword at the other's pelvis, which tipped the bones over and scattered remains into the water. One beckoned behind her and swiped its axe, Mimzi only hearing the start of the sound, she dodged out the way of the swipe and with the sword in her left hand, she spun and thrashed at it. It fell as the other jumped on Mimzi's back with its sword to her throat. She squeezed her arms before its elbows and pushed forward— keeping the blade from swiping her neck. Mimzi let out a roar as she dropped her sword and grabbed its arm with one hand then punched the blade from its grasp. She flourished her head and waist down, throwing the skeleton off her back. It collided into the ground where Mimzi lifted her boot and smashed the skull.

Mimzi panted heavily and gripped at her arm in deep growls at the pain. The hounds bite stung deeply, and the bitter cold from its teeth still lingered. She knelt down into the water where the skeletal remains floated along and dipped her arm. The pain flourished into heightened aching, to where Mimzi squinted and whimpered fervently. She washed off the blood and kept her arm in the water for a time till the bleeding ceased. She grabbed Dragonbane from the bottom of the shallow pond and kept on through the other entrance. The entry way led up a sloping bridge incline. She trudged up the soft soil which had been printed in other feet before her just recently. She followed the footprints to an entrance and kept through it. The path led down Nordic halls towards an opening with streams and another gate. The walls were lit dim with glowing mushrooms and wandering torch light from behind the gate. Mimzi walked to the light to see another vampire inside. She pulled the lever where the gate shot open, alerting the attention of the vampire.

It snarled venomously, "Finally! Food!"

Mimzi growled, "I don't think so," she stoically marched to the vampire with an icy glare and Dragonbane in her clasp. The vampire threw its drain spell at her, to where Mimzi breathed through the pain and marched faster. The vampire backed up but reached a wall, where Mimzi had him surrounded. She swiped her sword up and thrashed down into its head. The drain spell ceased as the vampire cried. It clasped the blade in both hands and pulled it up and out of his skull— slicing into his hands. Mimzi pulled the sword out (slicing his hands even more) and dug it into his chest.

She ripped her sword and wiped it clean with her travelling cloak before continuing into a door. She opened it silently and closed it softly behind her. Voices began to carry down into the caverns. Mimzi slowly walked to overlook whom was speaking through carved bars. A man in rags knelt down in binds to two vampires.

The Nord man blathered, "I'll never tell you anything, vampire! My oath to Stendarr is stronger than any pain you could inflict on me!"

The vampire sneered, "I believe you, Vigilant. I don't think you even know what power lingers here," he then dug his blade into the man's chest, making Mimzi jolt. The vigilant's body fell still.

The other vampire warned, "You sure that was wise, Lokil? He still could have told us something, we haven't gotten anywhere ourselves with…"

Lokil interrupted, "He served his purpose by leading us to this place. Now it is up to us to bring Harkon the prize. And we will not return without it. Vingalmo and Orthjolf will make way for me after this…" Lokil sneered as the two vampires approached a large circular platform to the centre of the cavern.

Mimzi crept through the entrance as their backs were turned and she scurried down the steps, which led to a bridging towards the platform. It was railed in large, carved arches and the floor carved in dig outs before glowing purple braziers. To the centre was a pedestal. The vampires pushed the braziers which moved along the shallow dugouts, creating a glow that shone brighter or putting the flame of the brazier out completely. The vampires snarled in anger as they pushed the brazier's to and fro. Suddenly the light inside the dugouts began to glow in gleaming purple. The platform shook, to where Mimzi shrouded down into the shadows.

The female vampire pleaded, "There, I think the braziers are in place. The flames are finally giving way. But I've placed my hand to the centre and it does not open. What are we missing?"

Lokil sneered, "If you want my favour when we arrive back to Castle Volkihar, you will figure out this puzzle for me. Or I'll leave you in this tomb face down, after I do it myself. Now get to it."

Mimzi breathed fast as she prepared to charge the two vampires. She could see a death hound behind the female vampire, patiently awaiting demands from its master. She sprawled down the steps and ran across the bridge fast, and emerged through the platform, still running to her left.

The female vampire bellowed, "A mortal!"

Mimzi stopped as her sights aligned with all three monsters. Lokil went to shoot a ice spike to her, and as the spike aviated into the air; Mimzi shouted.

"WULD!" she went flying out the way of the ice spike and towards the vampires and passed them. In their disorientated state, they didn't see Mimzi plant behind the female vampire. She thrusted her sword into the vampire's back and ripped it out. Lokil caught attention and the death hound lunged at Mimzi to where she quickly swiped her sword right, slashing the hound to the ground and toppling over the ledge, and into the water that covered the floor of the cavern.

Lokil shuddered and shrieked, "A Tongue?!"

Mimzi aloofly cooed, "Hi," she then flourished a kick into his chest plate. Lokil went sliding on his back with his legs in the air and thudded his head on a pillar of one of the archways. Mimzi lunged at him and slammed her boot on his chest then stabbed her sword into his hand.

Lokil yelped, "RAAAAGH!"

Mimzi pressed her knee up against his throat and applied pressure to where his aches of pain turned to hoarse breathing. Lokil lifted his other hand to summon a spell, where Mimzi grasped his wrist and twisted his arm, popping his shoulder out. Lokil bellowed in pain. Mimzi kept his wrist in her clasp and her other holding the hilt of the sword that stabbed into his hand.

Lokil raggedly wheezed, "Vermin."

Mimzi growled, "Damn right you are. You vampires are like skeevers. All you do is show your fangs and stink up the place," she twisted his wrist more, making Lokil shrill, then demanded, "What are you doing down here? What is this, and why do you want it?!"

Lokil began to guffaw in his throat, "You think I'd be daft enough to tell you anything?! Kill me. Avenge your Vigilant comrades. It's the only satisfaction you will get, you filth."

Mimzi growled and then went cold and stoic, then muttered, "Okay."

She ripped the sword from his hand but before she could stab it into his chest, he grabbed her by the waist and rolled her off. Lokil pounced on Mimzi and covered her mouth with his clammy, frigid hand. She thrashed her sword, to where Lokil rammed her wrist into the floor; making her release the hilt and Dragonbane go clanging along the stone ground. He held her arm down. Mimzi fought with the hand over her mouth with her own. She pushed Lokil away but his strength persisted.

Lokil leered lecherously which curdled her skin, "It's been too long since I've straddled the warm body of a mortal, beautiful woman. It brings back an almost… animalistic urge." Mimzi glared up at him with disdainful hate. He kept his hand clasped over her mouth as he continued to speak, "Don't worry, my pet. I'll only drain you of your blood until you wilt away into a husk, and chuck your body into the water. Your innocence will stay with you until you reach your beloved Sovngarde. I am a… dignified man." Lokil raised his fangs and pulled Mimzi's head right; revealing a part of her neck. Mimzi raged and rammed her knee up to Lokil's groin, causing him to yelp in pain and lightly release his grasp of her. She then clutched his collar and head butted him back.

"Dignified, my ass!" bellowed Mimzi and lunged atop of him delivering blows to his head over and over in a fit of burning rage. Her knuckles began to bloody and crack at the repeated impacts, where Lokil's face bludgeoned further in pools of blood from brunt punches. She stood up from his writhing body and plucked Dragonbane, then raised it over his chest.

Lokil pleaded through his ravaged face, "No! Please, I'll tell you!"

Mimzi ignored his pleas and thrusted the sword into his chest, causing a rush of blood from his mouth as the body convulsed and took his last breath. She panted growlingly, then wiped the sweat from her brow. She cracked her neck and patted her bruised knuckles, which were bleeding from the small cracks. She shook her hand and approached the centre of the platform. The silence of the cavern now was nearly deafening. She prayed she had seen the last of the vampires and could now reveal whatever artifact the vampires were pursuing. She approached the pedestal cautiously, to where it had a button mechanism. She lightly pressed it down. Suddenly a searing pain erupted through her left hand at the button, and a slivering spear pierced through.

"AGH!" screamed Mimzi and went to rip her hand away but the pain buried deeper as her hand was stuck in the blade. She slowly began to peel her hand off the blade with gritted teeth. As the blood of her hand dripped into the pedestal, the blade receded back inside the mechanism. Mimzi yelped again at the sudden pain and clasped her hand back to her chest.

The platform began to shake and chime. Stone in the centre floor shifted into a barrow form where an upright stone monolith slowly crept up from the centre. Mimzi held her sword up at the ready as the sarcophagus's stone opening slid down to reveal its contents. Raging confusion rattled her at what she was seeing. From within the sarcophagus lay an unconscious woman; young and beautiful, with braids along her shoulder length jet black hair. Her skin was white like snow, and lips red like snowberries. She wore ancient fabrics, that were still clean and kept, and a cloak along her shoulders. To her back Mimzi saw something she had only seen once, and in the recent months. It was a golden scroll, as large as the woman's torso.

'Who is this? A hostage?' thought Mimzi to herself in raising panic. She lowered her blade slightly as she stepped down to the sarcophagus, cautiously. 'I've been at this game long enough, things coming out of sarcophagus's is never good.'

Suddenly the woman gasped air and opened her eyes to reveal blood red pupils and fang incisors. Mimzi jumped back in panic, as yet another vampire revealed itself, with an unknown purpose of why it attained such a powerful tool. An Elder Scroll.