No light penetrated the Vampire's Lair. The interior was dusken and morose, filled with the gnawing scent of living death. It was ugly, and the overhanging atmosphere incredibly baneful.

Lucien was growing lightheaded, regretting his life choices with every descending footstep down the makeshift wood staircase that traversed the natural ramps lining the cavern walls on the western side. "Why did I come in here? Why did I agree to come here? Why didn't I stay at Fort Dawnguard?"

"You craved adventure, and now you have it." Serana reminded him. "You know what they say about being careful what you wish for."

"I know, I know." Lucien clapped back anxiously as he clenched his makeshift wooden stake. "I just thought it'd be a thrilling adventure, like in the storybooks!"

Carcette rolled her eyes. "They always make it out to be easier and cleaner than it truly is." She slid a hand across the cavernous stones of the wall, feeling claw marks grooving into them. "It's not just Movarth and Alva in here. There are quite a few vampires in this nest."

"So, Movarth is a Cyrodiilic Vampire, right?" Cura mused. "I'm pretty sure 'Piquine' is a Colovian name."

"He was a member of the Fighters Guild." Lucien stated. "He's the sort that carries Porphyric Hemophilia-which I'm sure you already know about, being Vigilants and Dawnguard and all that."

Cura's feet touched the cavern floor, and she was quickly assailed by Frostbite Spiders, numbering three as they descended the cavern wall above her. She quickly wrenched her face upwards, and opted to offer a surprise of her own to the cunning arachnids. "YOL TOOR!" Fire spewed forth from her lips and engulfed the not-so-clever attackers, and caused their charrred bodies to drop to the floor, limp and twitching as the legs broke off piece by piece.

"Nice shot." Serana exclaimed with opened eyes as she watched the giant insects immolate.

"Cura's a natural at this." Carcette remarked. "By the end of the year I'm sure she'll be able to speak the Dragon's Tongue fluently."

"I don't know about fluently," Cura admitted. "but I hope I'll be able to tell Alduin in no uncertain terms where I'd like him to go."

Serana scoffed. "Well, if it helps, I think the Dovah contextual word for 'Oblivion' is 'Dinok' if you're trying to say what I think you're trying to say."

"You can speak Dovah?" Cura asked.

"Probably less than you can." Serana admitted. "The Dragon Cult was already gone when I was young... I did learn a little bit, because my ancestors spoke it."

Cura was fascinated. "We'll talk more about that sometime."

A light hissing sound came from some distance away, and grew louder as a vampire flew through the air and headed straight for the group. His designs were on Cura, who was a couple of feet ahead of the others.

"Oh no, you don't!" Carcette acted quickly, bringing down Stendarr's Hammer onto his skull, causing his head to explode on impact with the cold cavern floor, and his body engulfed in flames.

"Yipes! Candle, look out!" Lucien jumped behind her.

Cura spun around quickly as an entranced orc in leather armour rushed towards her with a battleaxe. Parrying his blow, Cura broke his jaw with a follow-up swing of her mace.

Lucien breathed a sigh of relief when the small onslaught was over. "Wow... that all happened so fast... too fast. My poor heart is protesting me now..." He clasped his hands on his chest as it throbbed.

"Stay calm. We can sense your heart rate." Serana informed him. "If you don't want to attract attention, you need to get your heart under control."

Lucien scoffed, almost insulted. "Yeah, sure, I'll just cast an ice spell on it!" As if it were that simple.

"Let them come for us." Cura dared to tempt fate. "It'll make this job a lot shorter if they do." She clenched her mace and held it upright as she said this, as though she were beckoning the unseen.

"You certainly have an interesting way of seeing things, Candle." Lucien rubbed the back of his neck as he reluctantly moved onwards.

"Be fearless, but don't be foolish." Carcette told Cura. "You don't want to end up like I did."

"I certainly don't." Cura admitted gravely. "It seems just... awful."

Serana shook her head in disagreement. "It has its perks, even if it takes a lot. If you ever become a vampire and stop caring about whether or not you drink blood, you'll see."

The path deeper into the caverns was dingy and stale, and the next room was barren with all but a pit of discarded corpses, where another vampire's thrall was working, piling more corpses in the hole from a trough. There were three piles of rocks around the room littered with Human remains, disgusting Lucien. Normally, Cura would have been petrified by such a horrid sight, but this time it did not seem to affect her. Perhaps she was growing numb to the terrors around her. Her innocence was destroyed with Helgen, and it's been a fast decline ever since.

Without a second's hesitation, Cura unleashed her Fire Breath, cremating the Vampire's Thrall and the corpses in the pit before he could react and attack the group. Leave mercy to Stendarr. Movarth and his cronies' fates belonged to the Dawnguard.

There was a table to the left of the entrance with some bloodsoaked clothes, another to the right with cleaer farmer's clothes, looted from skeletons and placed there carefully.

"Abominable." Carcette snarled. "I find this even more revolting as a vampire, myself."

"That changes things?" Lucien wondered. She did, after all, seem to have her wits about her, so naturally she would be revulsed by this.

"It changes everything." Carcette elaborated. "Seeing the world from the other side has been a very enlightening experience. Now I realize just how depraved the majority of Vampires truly are. Movarth, being a Master Vampire, also has his wits about him. All that he's done here, he's done willingly, with full knowledge of right and wrong. He could have resisted, sought a cure, or even had he indulged in blood, there was never a need to resort to this barbarism." She pointed to the corpse pit and the bloodied clothes in many sizes. "He did all this because he wanted to. Not because he was compelled to by black instinct." The former Keeper angrily kicked some of the rubble, causing rock to fly into the cavernous ceiling.

The Vigil of Stendarr and the Dawnguard were justified in their mission to eliminate the creatures of darkness; for the few decent ones that existed, the overwhelming majority were sick and depraved.

How did the Vigil miss this?

This cavern was here all this time, and the sheer incompetence of the novices she'd sent allowed this carnage to occur. They deserved what happened to them, she began to reason. There's no wonder Stendarr allowed this fate to befall her; it was her ineptitude that wrought this upon the land.

"It's so easy to devolve into... that." Serana gestured towards the brutality in the room. "I've seen many vampires go from enlightened nobility to bloodthirsty carnage addicts. It's such an easy trap to fall into, especially when we become complacent." She nodded towards her Clan's own terrifying dining hall and Thrall prison.

Carcette quickly spun around and faced her protege, interlocking her fingers with her hands held in front of her stomach as she slowly paced the floor. "Cura, I want you to promise me something."

Cura was surprised by her sudden shift from anger into anxiety. "Er... all right?"

Carcette fixed her gaze into Cura's eyes, and her expression fell very dire. "If I come close to, or if I can no longer hold myself... I want you to strike me down." Before Cura could raise a question or object, Carcette cut her off, raising a hand, preemptively rebuking her. "Don't. Cura, don't. Don't make this difficult."

The young Breton stifled herself, and raised her eyes in horror at the request.

"If I can no longer keep my oath to Stendarr... if I... if I am going to give in to the bloodlust, I want to be put down before I can commit blasphemy." Carcette stated as she gripped her left arm tightly. "I never want to find myself indulging in such darkness."

Cura walked up to her and touched her arm. "Is... is it becoming too difficult for you? Resisting temptation?"

"Every waking moment..." Carcette's eye flared like a lion's when a gazelle enters into view. "Not a minute goes by when I'm not tempted to drink Human blood... or Elven blood..." As the perverse thought crossed her mind, her voice dripped with ecstasy while the black fantasy swept her. Then she brought her index finger up to her mouth and bit down on it in an effort to calm herself. "No! I mustn't speak of it. Let's... let's keep moving." She turned away from Cura and walked ahead of the group.

Cura was already feeling concerned for Carcette, but now she was greatly troubled. Strike her down? How could Cura ever bring herself to honour such a horrible request? She would rather be struck down than strike down a loved one.

Lucien picked up on Cura's troubles and spoke to her. "She'll hold on. I know she will. That woman has some of the strongest willpower I've ever seen, next to my own Mother and Father. She'll hold on; just be positive."

"I've been positive before." Cura stated sadly. "It never ended well."

"That's definitely something I can relate to." Serana interjected, taking Cura by the left shoulder "I know she means a lot to you... we'll figure out another way. Just keep an eye on her."

The next tunnel split into two pathways: one leading higher and one leading straight. The higher path was bridged with wooden planks, and there was a dried-up iron ore vein in the wall. Lucien walked this path and turned around the wall to find a makeshift bedroom of sorts.

The lower path led to the main chamber, where the Master Vampire, a bald Imperial man and Alva were feasting. Lucien immediately caught sight of the fiend and ducked further in against the wall, ensuring he would not be seen in a panic.

There wasn't much in the main cave. The table was covered with normal food and drink; goat cheese, Alto wine, and Leg Roasts, with a medium coin purse, two small coin purses, and a fair bit of loose gold rested upon the table, glistening under the torchlight, as well as remains of the Human victims, and shredded clothes on the platter around the bloodsoaked bones.

"Ah, it would appear we have guests." The Imperial Vampire outstretched his arms as he noticed Carcette and Serana first. "And quite lovely, they are. If I'd have known you would grace my halls, I would have had the servants tidy up more. Oh, well."

Alva looked up from the Human hand she was chewing on and glared at Cura directly. "Couldn't stay away, could you? You little whore."

Cura unsheathed Dawnbreaker. "Your reign of terror in Morthal is over, Movarth Piquine!"

Movarth studied Cura, and Carcette as well, and he quickly surmised their vocations. "Damn those Volkihar vampires." Movarth sneered. "In their efforts to destroy the Daedra Hunters, they've brought doom upon all of our doorsteps."

"Doom was already here for your kind; it's just closing in on you now. Next, the Volkihar Clan will fall." Cura expressed.

Movarth smirked and leaned back in his chair. "You know my name. Then you must know that I too was a Vampire Hunter, once upon a time."

"It's a shame you became what you did." Cura admitted. "Were the situation different I would have extended to you an offer to join the Dawnguard, but no. It's just not the way."

"You relinquished that right when you turned." Carcette informed him. "You assimilated into the darkness, and now you must be dealt with."

"And you've managed to stay in the light." Movarth's tone was dry and weary. "For how long, I wonder? Those greater than you have fallen, Vigilant."

Carcette bit her lip with frustration as she looked at the bloodstains all over the dining table, as well as the rotting corpses that disgusted her, and yet seemed to allure her more and more. "...For as long as I must." She clenched her fists.

Serana stepped forward. "Are we done talking? You're stalling the inevitable."

Alva shifted in her seat and scrambled up quickly. She walked to Movarth, who began to levitate upwards from his chair. "Well, you'll find that I will not be taken so easily! Farewell, Vigilants!" He conjured a spear made of ice and launched it at Cura.

Quickly, she rolled to the right and the spear lodged itself into the stone floor.

Carcette flew into the air and rammed herself into Movarth, causing him to crash into a stalactite hanging from the ceiling, and breaking it into falling pieces of jagged rock.

Serana shot a couple of icicles at the Master Vampire while he continued to linger in the air. "Skyrim isn't your land!" Why did her father tolerate these foreign Vampires in their territory? Was he unaware?

"Skyrim has been my land for a hundred years!" Movarth laughed. "Your clan has lost control of the region!" He swooped down and smashed into Serana, knocking her into the cavern wall.

Lucien faced Alva directly, clenching his wooden stake in one hand and an Imperial Steel Sword in the other. "You could charm men... you're a dangerous one."

Alva moved forward, swaying like a cat, sharing her gaze with him and luring his mind in. "Men... women... animals... none can resist my power."

She ran her hand up his collar slowly, tracing the center of his chest, and caressed his collarbone. Slowly, she twisted her hands around his garlic wreath and wrenched it off his neck by pulling in two directions, snapping the rope and causing the cloves to drop to the floor and roll. "Mere myths. Garlic cannot harm us!"

"Lucien!" Cura exclaimed from a distance as Alva began to softly caress his neck with the back of her frozen hand.

The vampiress grabbed the Imperial's jaw and gently angled his face to the right, and slowly opened her mouth, revealing her fangs, and her intent.

"WULD NA KEST!" Cura blasted forward in a tunnel of great force, and plunged her Dawnbreaker through Alva's back, causing the vampiress to wail loudly as the blue fires of Meridia engulfed her and exploded outwards, catching Movarth, as well.

Unfortunately, Carcette and Serana were also impacted by the flashfire, and both grunted in pain as the flames bored into them. Thankfully, it was not enough to kill them, but dissipated almost as quickly as it caught them. Cura grit her teeth when she witnessed that unintended, yet very foreseeable side effect. "Whoops. Sorry!"

Movarth, as well was spared the demise promised by Meridia due to the distance he held against the burning shockwave. He grunted as he dusted off the remaining embers. "Meridia's energy... not what I would have expected of one of your ilk." He dashed forward with incredible speed and brought his clawed hand down on Cura, but she blocked with her shield and was knocked backwards.

The Vampire continued to thrash her about, being obstructed by Spellbreaker. Still, his blows were powerful, and kept Cura on her toes, being staggered backwards with each hit.

Serana launched an icicle through Movarth's back, drawing the fiend's attention away from Cura, who turned her attention to Lucien at the corner of her eye,

With one final attempt to kill Lucien by slashing his throat, Alva received a wooden stake in the heart, and gasped one final time as she fell to cinders. There was a pile of ashes where Alva once stood, and the silent wind pushed it onto Lucien's boots.

The young Imperial man gasped when he fully came out of the trance and realized what just occurred. "Candle! You saved me! That... was you that made that big blue explosion, right?"

"It's not over yet." Cura nodded as she sheathed the powerful sword. Quickly, she examined Lucien. "Okay, you're good. She didn't reach you."

"Gods, I hope not!" Lucien began to rub his neck, searching and dreading potential puncture holes. Thankfully, he found none, himself.

Movarth scratched Carcette across her throat with his claws, and she recoiled backwards in the air. Quickly, she cast Healing on herself, and brought out Stendarr's Hammer, and bored it right into Movarth's stomach.

The force launched him into the wall, which he bounced off of like a pinball and skid across the floor.

Cura ran forward to meet him now that he was downed and clubbed him in the head with her Elven Mace, causing his head to bounce painfully against the stone. Cura spared no quarter; once the vampire was stunned from the shock of the blow, she raised her shield on a diagonal angle, and then proceeded to bring it down onto his neck, severing his head from his shoulders in one fell swoop and getting lodged in the stone floor.

The beast's head rolled a couple of feet, an expression of shock worn across its pale face, and it slowly began to dissolve into ash, the body following.

"Nice shot, Cura!" Carcette exclaimed proudly as she approached.

Serana nodded and pursed her lips. "Could have taken a cleaner angle, but the deed is done. That's what's important."

Cura maneuvered the shield and yanked it out of the stone and dust. Then she slowly raised herself off the ground. "Let's tell the Jarl. She'll be pleased to know that Movarth is now truly dead, and her town is safe."

"She probably already knows," Lucien stated whimsically. "the spirits in the air probably are already on their way to her ear right now."

"Don't mock her." Cura scolded him. "Jarl Idgrod is a wise woman. She was right about Helgi, and she was right about the Thalmor, and about me. I'd believe anything she reveals."

Truly, Idgrod had an incredible gift of prophecy. Morthal could stand to appreciate the wise old mystic more. Her judgment was sound.

Cura looked forward to bringing her the good news.

Lucien bagged some of Movarth's Vampire Dust and stole his boots from the pile. "These will make for great souvenirs-and evidence for when I tell everybody I know about the time my friends and I fought against Vampires!" He showed it off to Cura, and the Dragonborn gave him a shrug.

"If they're the sheltered sort, it's sure to impress them." Cura lead the way out.

"Try not to make it all about you, all right?" Serana rolled her eyes as she walked ahead of Lucien.

As the group reached the entrance to the cavern, the ghost of Helgi materialized before them. Cura was caught by surprise at first, but she gave the child a friendly smile. Lucien yelped and hid behind Serana before he realized it was only Helgi, and Serana's annoyed fangs were more of a threat. He quickly detached and walked over beside Cura.

"You did it! You killed the bad Vampire!" Helgi exclaimed excitedly as she addressed the small entourage.

"Your home is safe now." Carcette spoke gently as she approached the child's spirit. "I'm sorry we couldn't have saved you... that we didn't prevent this mess." A tear ran down the former Keeper's cheek, at long last.

Helgi nodded. "It's okay! It doesn't hurt anymore anyways. You saved Laelette, too. You're very nice for a vampire."

Cura turned to look at Carcette, where she noticed the sentimentality in her former mentor. She could actually recognize her again, even under the hideous deformity.

"And you, you both helped prove that papa was innocent." Helgi turned to Lucien and Serana. "Thank you. Thank you so much." After all, they discovered Alva's Journal and learned the true nature of the crime.

"It's nothing," Serana said in her friendliest tone.

"No trouble at all!" Lucien exclaimed enthusiastically.

Helgi faced Cura again. "You cared when nobody else did. You came to help me and mommy, when everybody else was too afraid."

Cura flashed a bittersweet smile. "I've avenged you and your mother., and now you can rest in peace, in Aetherius, where you belong. This world is no place for you, any longer, spirit."

"Mother's calling me. It's time for me to sleep now. I'm so tired..." Helgi said after a small pause. "Thank you for making her feel better."

Cura lowered her head and smiled. "You're welcome."

With a final farewell, Helgi's soul began to raise into the air, and in a gentle flash of white light, vanished from the mortal plane before their very eyes. A warmth returned to the atmosphere around them.

Cura looked up towards the ceiling and felt a twinge of sadness in her chest. But, oddly enough, she also began to feel a sort of peace, or rather, a sort of relief. The child, at the very least, was safe. She was nowhere near Molag Bal or any malignant Daedra's clutches and was going to have a peaceful afterlife. It's all she could ever have hoped for.

The aurora lit up the sky like an iridescent curtain, blanketing Masser and Secunda as they rode high above the mountains. Cura could feel the peaceful winds blow, and the songs of nights from long ago. Perhaps it was the work of Kynareth, the guide of souls. Perhaps many more were lost in this dark swamp, and now were going to their proper resting places.

Perhaps Falion could have something to do with it, even. Cura did not know for certain.

Soon enough, the group returned to the town, and were greeted by Jarl Idgrod, her husband Aslfur, and her Housecarl at the edge of town. When Cura noticed her, she sped up her steps and hurried to the Jarl.

"Ah, our little Vampire Slayer is back." Jarl Idgrod stated playfully.

Cura confirmed it. "Movarth will trouble you no longer."

"By the Eight! I didn't think you could do it!" Jarl Idgrod stated in shock, with a drizzle of pleasantness. "Take this, as a token of our gratitude." She reached into her pocket and took out a Gold Ruby ring. "A Ring of Major Alchemy. Might help you in your Potion-brewing endeavours." She handed the ring to Cura.

Cura accepted it graciously, and the Jarl's Husband handed bags of 350 gold to Serana, Carcette, and Lucien.

Gosh, if I only would have been stranded here that time when I needed 1000 gold. Cura recalled the catalyst of her adventures in Skyrim and laughed internally. It seemed like such a long time ago that she was struggling to retain her coin for the Vigil, and now that she didn't need to bring any to them, coins and precious jewelry were just falling into her lap. "Thank you, my Jarl." Cura bowed her head woth respect.

"No, thank you!" Jarl Idgrod turned it around. "You have done us a great service, Vigilant. And now, I have another matter to discuss with you."

"Oh?" Cura was confused for a moment. Had she missed something? She and her allies exchanged glances amongst each other in that moment, opening up the conversation.

Jarl Idgrod smiled serenely under the moonlight and a gentle wind passed through them all. "There is room in my court for a new Thane. It's an honourary title, mainly, but there are a few perks someone like you could make use of." She addressed Cura directly.

Serana's eyes opened wide. "Cura... Thaneship is valuable! Accept it and you'll be Nobility here in Morthal!"

Carcette placed her hand on Cura's shoulder. "Take it, Cura. You deserve it." She praised her protege.

"I... know what Thaneship is. I have it in two cities..." Cura whispered before addressing the Jarl. "It would be my honour to accept your offer, my Jarl." She went down on one knee and bowed her head.

"Good, because I was going to force you if you said no." Jarl Idgrod laughed jollily. "Ahem. By my right as Jarl, I declare you Thane of Morthal! That is the greatest honour that is within my power to grant. I'll assign you Valdimar as your own personal Housecarl. And take this weapon from my armoury, to serve as your badge of office. I'll also notify the Guards of your new title. Wouldn't want everyone to think you're part of the common rabble, now would we?" She gestured for her Guards to go and retrieve the weapon of choice, which turned out to be a Steel Sword, the Blade of Hjaalmarch, prepared for a new Thane.

Cura chuckled lightly and awkwardly. She accepted the sword, but couldn't help but feel her friends were getting ripped off by comparison. She had to speak up. "Do my allies get anything? They played a big role in helping bring down Movarth."

"Well, my court has only enough room for one Thane at the time being," Jarl Idgrod began. "but I can ensure that future stays at the Moorside Inn will be without charge for them, and they can have a great discount at any of our shops. "

Lucien rubbed his hands together. "Time to see if the Alchemist has any Scathecraw!"

Aslfur decided to interect. "Idgrod, you forgot to mention the property."

"Right. Sorry, dear Husband. My mind was in the clouds again."

Aslfur gently tapped her shoulder and continued. "There's a plot of land not too far from here, which will become the first in a new settlement later down the line. The plot sits on the lightly forested banks at the delta of the Karth and the Hjaal Rivers, close to the western border of The Pale. The land could be purchased for 5000 gold."

"Well... I'll think on it." Cura stated. "We'll spend the rest of the night here before embarking. I will have an answer by tomorrow."

"Of course, take your time." Aslfur dismissed understandingly as he and Jarl Idgrod turned around to return to the Hall.

Cura and her allies returned to the Moorside Inn where Hroggar seemed to be drinking at the front counter. The Inn Keeper waved to Cura and caught her attention. "You did it, I heard! All of Morthal owes you all a great debt. I'll be the first to pay up; first rounds are all on the House!" She tossed a few bottles of Honningbrew Mead at Cura and her friends, who caught the bottles with great caution. They could rest easy, knowing the stay was going to be free, by the Jarl's decree.

"So, Cura, have you considered it?" Carcette asked. "Buying your own property... I never would have foreseen this."

"Then you'd be surprised to know that I own a house in Windhelm." Cura informed her, shocking Carcette then and there. "I still have yet to set foot in it, though... cleaned up." Recalling the brutality she had seen in Hjerim, it was a hard image to shake from her mind.

"Huh... next thing I know, I'll turn around and you'll be married with children." Carcette laughed, and Cura blushed vividly.

"The future is all well and good, but you said we'd investigate the Castle after this." Serana reminded her. "Have you forgotten?"

"Of course not." Cura reassured her. "After I inform Isran of our success, we're going to Fast Travel to that cursed little island. Won't take long, I promise."

"Uh-huh." Serana crossed her arms in doubt. "I'll believe that once we're there."

Cura knew she had a tendency to become sidetracked, but not this time.

The group made their sleeping arrangements, and slept well over the rest of the night, into the midday. The sun extended its grace onto the land, vanquishing the horrible night.

As soon as Cura took her first steps out of the Moorside Inn, she was greeted by Virkmund, and Stendarr's Little Helper, who ruffed happily beside the boy. Cura rubbed her eyes, as she was beginning to wake up. "Oh! Er... Virkmund! Hel-" Before she could finish, the little boy wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into an embrace.

"Thank you so much, for everything!" Virkmund expressed. "For saving my mom!"

"Well, that was actually Keeper Carcette's doing." Cura pointed to the vampiric Breton who just came outside behind her, and Virkmund detached himself and approached the former Keeper, embracing her, as well.

"Oh!" Carcette was caught off-guard by the swift hug. "Er... you're welcome." She then turned her gaze to Stendarr's Little Helper, who was sitting upright and panting happily.

Lucien and Serana exited as well, and both seemed to be laughing this morning.

Laelette and Thonnir walked together under the midday sun, hands together, and fingers interlocked. Thonnir smiled brightly for the first time in ages, and it showed quite well. They joined their son in addressing the Town's saviours.

"'Ho. there!" Thonnir reached out. "I just wanted to thank you all, for everything. You've given me back my wife, and you've saved us all from the Vampires!"

Laelette looked down at her shadow cast by the sunlight onto the floor and rejoiced. "It's good to be alive again, and to be able to think clearly. I'll never be able to make amends for what I did, but I'm happy to know they can rest easy."

"What did you do?" Virkmund asked his mother, to which his father shook his head.

"Don't bother." Thonnir snapped at him. "It's none of your concern. Just be happy to have your mother back safe and sound."

Laelette gently moussed her son's hair and cleared her throat. "Er, anyways, I'm sorry about your Dog."

"Stendarr's Little Helper? Is he alright?" Carcette quickly looked at the slobbering Husky and examined him for obvious sign of injury, but there was none.

"He's fine," Laelette expressed. "but he doesn't seem to want to leave Virkmund." She noted the dog standing beside her son. "Ever since the dog walked with me to the house, he took an immediate shine to my son. They're inseparable now."

Carcette smiled and lowered herself to one knee and began to stroke the husky's forehead. "Is it true, Stendarr's Little Helper? Do you want to stay here?"

The dog responded with a bark and a series of happy squeaks and a sagging tongue.

Carcette was amused and brought out a small chuckle. "All right, then it's settled." She slowly stood up and faced Virkmund. "Looks like he's going to be your family's protector against Vampires. Take good care of him, and he will do the same for you, I promise."

"Wait, you're giving him away? Just like that?" Cura asked the former Keeper, surprised by the spontaneity of it all.

"Just like that." Carcette admitted. "I think that somehow this is where he truly belongs."

Thonnir clapped his hands. "Up, boy!" He whistled a couple of times to keep the dog's attention as he extended both hands forward. "Up here!" Stendarr's Little Helper leapt upwards and high-fived the lumberjack, and Thonnir laughed jovially. "Ha, ha! He's a smart one, this one! I can tell! What's his name, again?"

"'Stendarr's Little Helper.'" Carcette stated proudly.

"I like the sound of it." Thonnir agreed. "A great mercy was extended to my family last night, and I'll never forget it. I think... maybe we'll put a Shrine to Stendarr in our cellar. It's really the least we could do."

"I'd like that, too." Laelette nodded in agreement. "We don't have much in the way of money, but we can offer prayers."

"Come on, boy! Let's go play with the others!" Virkmund ran off to join the other children, and Stendarr's Little Helper followed after him, turning around one last time to face Carcette, who waved sadly to the little hound, sending him off one last time.

"Are you all right, Carcette?" Cura asked, noticing the sadness formed in her expression.

"I grew attached to the dog. What can I say?" Carcette admitted. "But, I'm happy that he's going to have a better use here in Morthal. He'll be happier here than out in the wilds."

Cura rested her head on Carcette's shoulder and closed her eyes. Carcette noted this reaction, and a small bit of relief washed over her. Perhaps, even with their complicated history, there was room for forgiveness between them after all.

"I'm going to kind of miss him, too." Lucien admitted. "He was kind of cute to have around."

"There are other huskies at the Fort." Serana stated. "Though... he was the friendliest of the bunch. I can't even get in the same room with Bran or Sceolang."

The town Alchemist, Lami, approached the group, and snarled at Cura and her friends angrily. "The Gods know what you've done."

Cura was confused, and taken aback. "Wait... what?"

"Alva." Lami expressed her ire. "You've killed her. She was a victim of the vampire as well, and you struck her down. She was my friend."

Laelette interjected. "Alva was nobody's friend! How can you not see that? She chose Movarth!"

"I'll never believe that." Lami spat on the ground, and pointed a sharp finger at Cura, Lucien, Serana, and Carcette. "You're all murderers, the lot of you. You're not welcome at the Thaumaturgist's Hut. Never will be." She effectively closed her business off to them, much to Lucien's disappointment.

"Er... you do know Alva tried to kill me, right?" Lucien explained. "It was self-defense."

"And what would you have done if you weren't too cowardly to go into the Vampire's Lair?" Thonnir raised the question to Lami. "Would you not have slain Alva or the others?"

Lami stiffened up for a second and began to think on that night.

"What if Alva attacked you?" Thonnir asked. "Would you stand there and allow it. and then fault us for prying her off you with a sword?"

Lami had no real answer to give, and so she scoffed in annoyance as she walked past the group and headed inside her alchemy shop, slamming the door behind her.

"Well, that was something else." Serana remarked.

"Don't mind Lami. She'll come around." Thonnir excused her. "No matter what else, we'll always be thankful for what you've done here. And you're welcome to our house anytime." He handed Cura a copy of their house key. "Drop by for a visit anytime you're in town."

Cura avvepted it graciously, and the couple went their separate ways from the group.

The small entourage entered the Highmoon Hall, where Cura would inform the Jarl of her decision.

The Jarl was speaking to her husband there in the Hall.

Aslfur beckoned to her. "Have you made a decision about Falion?"

Jarl Idgrod crossed her arms as she asserted. "What decision is there to be made? I allowed him to live here. I stand by that."

Aslfur sighed and scratched the back of his neck as he recounted one of the innumerable complaints he's received as of late. "Yes, but there are concerns. Rumors that he's up to something."

Jarl Idgrod nickered dismissively. "We are all up to something, my dear. All is as it should be."

"I'll take it." Cura stated as she hurried in, addressing Idgrod in regard to the property.

Aslfur cleared his throat and caught Cura's attention. "If you've business with the jarl, I'd ask that you speak to me first."

"I'll take it." Cura restated with the same amount of enthusiasm as the first time but directed it at him instead. She handed 5000 gold to the letter to Aslfur, leaving 1043 gold to her name.

"Well, look at you!" Jarl Idgrod mused. "Congratulations, dear. You're going to love the view."

The young Breton accepted the charter and the Homeowner's guide that Aslfur handed her. "Thank you, my Jarl."

"Take care of yourself, now." Jarl Idgrod wished her well. "You walk a path of darkness, but it shall lead you unto the light, if you follow as intended. Stendarr guide you every step of the way, and Kynareth preserve your breath."

Before Cura could exit, she was approached by a bald man with a long moustache wearing scaled hide armour. "Thane Cura?" He asked.

"Yes, that's me." Cura nodded politely.

"I am Valdimar." the bald man extended a hand for a shake, which Cura reciprocated. "The Jarl has appointed me to be your Housecarl. I will guard you, and everything you own, with my life."

Those words left a hollowness in her heart as she remembered Lydia once again. Quickly, she got on top of the feelings and accepted what he told her. "Well... that pleasure is all mine, Valdimar. And I have instructions for you."

"Aye?" Valdimar crossed his arms and leaned against the wooden column near the entrance to the hall. "What is it?"

"I appoint you as my Steward, of... 'Windstad Manor'." Cura held out the Homeowner's Guide, where she found enclosed the charter with the property's formal name.

"It would be my honour, my Thane." Valdimar stated briskly, holding a fist to his chest.

"Well, here's 1000 gold." Cura handed him the sum, leaving her with only 43 gold in her pockets. "See to some contractors; I give you permission to decide the fate of my house; just ensure that there will be a full-sized bedroom, a kitchen, an armoury, or perhaps a library." She quickly skimmed through the options in the book. "The style is up to you."

"Very well, my Thane." Valdimar bowed politely. "I'll get right on it." He quickly exited the Hall, and Cura followed suit with her friends.

"Well... that was quite the adventure, I must say." Lucien remarked to close it off. "We came to a swamp town, met a ghost, solved a murder mystery, hunted vampires, reunited a family, and saved the town itself! Oh, and we all got special privileges in this town. All's well that ends well!"

"Well, I'll need to earn some more coin, but if that's the worst of it, I won't complain." Cura mused. "Now, let's return to Isran."

The group took one last look at the now lively town, and after gripping onto Cura, they warped through time and space itself, leaving it behind for the time being.

Fort Dawnguard was under attack, and this much was apparent from the moment the group landed there.

However, it was not like the last time vampires attacked; this time the floor was littered with ash and dying vampire corpses under the sunlight. Vigilant Tolan was operating the ballistae with a few other Dawnguard and Vigilants on the rooftops while Celann, Vori and the other ground troops fought off the fiends below.

Cura couldn't help but announce her return in the best way she knew how.

"FUS RO DAH!"

Her voice rippled through the air and caught several bloodsuckers who tried to escape Celann's war axe.

This got the Dawnguard's attention, and they waved to Cura and her allies when they approached the fortress, marching on the bodies of dead vampires. "Invasion?" Cura asked.

"Demonstration." Celann corrected her as a ballista bolt tore through a few vampires who happened to be within an angular proximity to one another.

"I guess I'll leave this to you." Cura could see that they had it under control, and Celann allowed her to enter the Fort.

Cura couldn't help but smile with amusement when she heard Vigilant Tolan yelling; "COME GET SOME!" as he continued to fire more large bolts through the skies.

Carcette looked up at the spectacle and shook her head. "Where was that fire all these years?" She wondered as she followed Cura inside.

Serana was quick to run inside as well, not wanting to potentially 'be mistaken' for a hostile. She was sure to keep in close proximity to Cura while vampires fell around them in the field.

Lucien rushed inside, wanting nothing more than to be out of the fray.

Dawnguard members were posted inside before the door, and Agmaer launched a crossbow bolt at Cura was she entered, but fortunately, his aim was off and the bolt ricocheted off the reinforced door instead. Cura held up her hands. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! It's just me! It's just us! Relax!"

Agmaer lowered his weapon and grit his teeth. "Oh... sorry, Vigilant Cura. I reacted faster than my brain could process."

"Be careful about that next time, will you?" Lucien snapped, coming around Cura and walking into the main area. "If that bolt would have got her between the brows, we'd all be doomed."

Serana scoffed and wandered into the Fort.

Carcette tried to make peace. "You didn't, and that's all that matters. Do you know where Isran is?"

"Oh, er, he should be upstairs... or... oh, nevermind." Agmaer was attempting a guess when Isran entered the main area, and immediately addressed Cura.

"You're back! Colour me surprised, ankle-biter." Isran remarked. "Has the Vampire threat in Morthal been rooted out?"

Cura nodded with enthusiasm and a big smile. "It has! Movarth Piquine was the fiend who tormented the town of Morthal. He hatched a scheme to turn the civilians into his own personal feeding Thralls, and caused a house to burn down, and all these other horrible affairs... but it's been dealt with. Morthal is safe now, and that's all that matters."

"Did you meet Falion, the wizard?" Isran asked.

"Briefly, yes." Cura stated.

Isran turned his gaze to Carcette, and studied her for a hot minute before saying; "And you're not cured? I'm starting to think you enjoy this, Carcette. I hope I'm wrong." He squinted his eyes as the venom spewed forth from his mouth.

Carcette was taken aback and decided to explain what transpired between herself and that wizard. "Falion had only one Filled Black Soul Gem, which I asked him to use on one of the locals instead. She needed the cure more than I."

"You're such a fool." Isran shook his head. "Every day you exist as a vampire, you become more and more of a threat. I only allow you in here out of respect for Stendarr's judgment; don't betray that."

"Oh, and here I thought you were just being sentimental." Carcette scoffed and rolled her eye.

"Sarcasm is a new stripe on you." Isran remarked as he walked up to Cura. "Anyways, here you go, kid. You did well." He handed Cura a Dawnguard Cuirass with a Healing enchantment on it. "A gift from Adalvald. He made sure to put a 'Fortify Healing rate' enchantment on it, or something like that. Should keep you out of trouble."

Cura accepted the Cuirass and ogled it. "Great! I'll put it on." She ran around the corner and hid behind some barrells as she removed her Apprentice Robes and her Skyforge Vigil Enforcer Armour, which she placed inside her carrying bag through some ancient magic and slipped on the Dawnguard Cuirass in its place. She then placed the robes over it. Now she bore the signs of the Vigil and the Dawnguard on her being.

Cura leaned against the wall briefly and closed her eyes. She reminisced of her old home, the Hall of the Vigilant, and felt a twinge of sadness, Was there nothing that could be done? It was an old shack, sure, but it held a lot of sentiment. Surely the bodies were removed by now, and perhaps it could be reconstructed. Maybe she would try to approach the next Keeper with the subject.

The next Keeper.

Words Cura never considered.

Carcette was always Skyrim's Keeper.

Now, there would be a stranger in her place. Cura knew she had to treat them with respect, but it was still an alien concept to wrap her head around. Who would they be? Would they be a kind individual, or a cruel one? Would they be practical, or would they be flippant? Stubborn like Carcette, or a pushover? How would Cura approach them? Where would she even go to approach them? Would the new headquarters be Stendarr's Beacon, or would they reappropriate the Ancient Temple in Stuhn's Ravine?

She would learn with time, she supposed. For now, it would be best to stay in the now. Focus on the bigger issues at hand.

"Thank you for the Cuirass, Isran." Cura expressed her gratitude to her old mentor.

Isran crossed his arms. "Wear it well, and it'll serve you when you need it."

Before Cura could dismiss herself however, Isran cleared his throat. "And speaking of 'need', there's a bathhouse on the top floor. Might wanna give it a go, just saying,"

Cura realized that she hadn't taken a bath in over four days at this point and hurried up the stairs. Maybe sometimes the smaller things were important to deal with as well.

The bathhouse was fitted with Dwemer technology. Must be Sorine's favourite room in the Fort, Cura mused as she looked at the golden pipes adorning the walls around the large, filled basin.

She stepped out of her new armour and moldy robes and placed them atop the cleaning washbasin. She kept her Amulet of Stendarr on and entered the lukewarm water, which was cold to the touch in her first dip. The coolness quickly subsided with the seconds as Cura sunk further in and leaned against the poolside to relax a little. She took a cloth from the side with some soap and quickly scrubbed behind her ears.

She began to wonder; what did the populace think of her, the Dragonborn that reeked of mud, blood, and wilderness? What did they expect of a Dragonborn, anyways? What were the expectations, aside from putting Dragons down? It was never clearly defined beyond that. Was she on the right path? Probably. Or perhaps she only thought so.

All Cura knew was that she hated seeing innocent people suffer.

Vampires, Dragons, Brigands, Cultists, Daedra, Corrupt Politics. All things that inflicted suffering onto the people of the province, and Cura could not seem to find herself away from them.

She wanted to make Skyrim a better place for everybody, but it was not an easy job, and she couldn't always do the things she wanted to, oddly enough, since people made it sound as though the Dragonborn would be above reproach.

Cura examined the scars on her thighs, on her arms, and on her torso. The last time she fixated on them was at the Riften Bathhouse all those months ago. Now she only seemed to have more. She could almost feel her right arm bend and shatter under the weight of Carcette's Warhammer again when she looked at the warped flesh on her inner elbow. It was fixed, but marked. Cura could see the flesh's thickened points as she flexed. It was surreal.

Same went with her left leg. Just above the knee, her flesh was seemingly stiff when she stretched it forward. She cringed lightly with memories of Redwater Den.

Cura sat there in the water for moments in silence, alone, peacefully. She examined the white in her hair. It was not one or two gray hairs; no; it was long, and thick. Permanent. A scar of another sort; a testament to the mind-boggling stress she'd gone through.

And now, here she was.

Alive, and somewhat well again. She feared the uncertain future, but at present, she has done well for herself. She was looking forward to seeing Windstad Manor once it would be completed, and she could also live in Hjerim, in Windhelm, close to her Father. A shame she could not come out and say it.

Did he know?

She wondered now. When she had slain the killer, Ulfric remarked "If you were my daughter, I would be proud of you", more or less. Could that be a hint? She would never know, at present.

Ulfric Stormcloak.

A man who fought for what he believed in. Right or wrong, he held firm to his cause, even in the face of Helgen. He made no attempt to flee his fate, knowing his death would have made him a martyr.

The man who hated the Elves, and yet fell in love with one.

Cura felt the pointed tips on her ears. It was still surreal to her.

Ulfric and Elenwen.

She agreed to Elenwen that she would visit her at her Solar one of these days, but should she? She knew that the Elves were not the most trustworthy. She knew the sort of mindgames they liked to play. Elenwen was fast to bring up Esbern in their last encounter, and now Cura knew where he was,

As much as Esbern and Delphine could irritate her, Cura would not sell them out to the Thalmor.

Choices, choices. There were so many choices, but which one was the right one?

What other seventeen-year-olds in Tamriel had to decide on these things, all the while being pitted against Dragons and Daedra? Not many, she could ascertain.

Cura exited the bath and dried herself off. She cleaned her robes and dried them with fire magic.

For the rest of the day, she called the Dawnguard recruits in for more training, Lucien included. Inigo returned with his Dwarven Crossbow schematics, and he dropped them on Sorine's workbench.

"Here you are! I think you are going to like this." Inigo stated as he caught his breath. "I had to outrun a large pack of werewolves. Turns out the Bandits were not normal humans."

"Thanks, cookie." Sorine smiled as she accepted the schematics. "Where would I be without you?"

"Is there anything else I can do, your highness?" Inigo spoke dryly.

"Think I'll be sad when we're done collecting these. Who knows though, maybe more plans will turn up in the future. But I can't wait to see these drawings. Go on, get out of here!" Sorine dismissed him in a playful manner as she began to pour over the schematics.

Inigo shrugged and walked out of the armoury and into the main hall, where he noticed that Cura returned from her endeavours. Creeping in the shadows, Inigo rushed and jumped on Cura from behind like an excited cat and embraced her. "My friend! You are back! Hehehe!"

Cura yelped in surprise as she was lifted off the floor. "Inigo!"

"That is my name! How good of you to remember" The blue Khajiit laughed as he put her down gently. "How did things go in Morthal? Did you shove a stake in the vampire's behind?"

"I'll tell you all about it after training." Cura gestured towards the sparring recruits, who had just finished laughing at her and Inigo.

Serana and Carcette were on the balcony above with Brother Adalvald, watching the spectacle.

"She's really come a long way." Carcette stated to Adalvald. "I'm very impressed with her."

"It's like we said, Carcette. Cura just needed a chance." Brother Adalvald stated. "I knew she would do well. She just needed some time."

"There's still room for improvement," Carcette reminded him. "but for now, she's growing. I'm proud of her."

Serana watched the recruits clashing blades and shields. "The recruits are in good hands." She remarked as she continued to track the spectacle. Thse novices before were begining to actually figure out how to block and how to swing, and when. They trusted their mentor, and placed their hopes and their futures in what she was teaching them.

Cura didn't realize it, but she seemed to have that ability, above all else; to inspire hope in others.

Before recently, Serana felt lonely and hopeless, but since they met, she's begun to feel purposeful. She could do something good for a change; she could find her mother again, and help save Tamriel from her father's insane plot.

She knew that if they left tomorrow morning and reached the Castle that Cura was going to be by her side, that she wouldn't let her down. She felt that confidence, especially after Morthal. This group was going to help her.

All that remained was to bring Justice to Harkon.

Serana looked to the sky above, through the open ceiling.

The day was still young.

They had ample time to prepare for tomorrow.