The cavern extended well beyond the colourful lake, and Cura and her allies were mesmerized by the exotic realm surrounding them.

Inigo stood under one of the sparkling stalactites. "Hey Serana, look at this! I have never seen a large cave cone glisten in the darkness before! Maybe we should go back to Skyrim and hire some Bards from the College and have one big dance party!"

"It would be fun though, wouldn't it?" Serana concurred. "Far more exciting than filling a stupid glorified vase with water."

"It's not just a glorified vase; it's the Initiate's Ewer." Cura corrected her hasty friend. "It merits respect."

"Right. I forgot you worship a god whose entire shtick is pouring liquid." Serana rolled her eyes, and Cura shook her head in response. Now, was that really necessary? Though, it seemed Serana was warmed up with the group enough that she seemed at home making snarky remarks, so that was all right, at least. Cura appreciated that her friends felt free to be themselves.

Lucien continued to pick some of the exotic plants and place them in his satchel. "I'm just surprised that nobody has come down here before."

"It's called the 'Forgotten' Vale for a reason." Serana reminded him. "Nobody's been here in centuries. It just... faded into memory."

"Did your father ever come here?" Cura leaned to her undead friend.

"I... don't know." Serana admitted wryly. "If he had, though, the Tyranny of the Sun would be a distant memory, as well."

"Cura, I just thought of something, my friend." Inigo approached the Breton.

"What is it, Inigo?" Cura stopped next to a gloomy cavern entrance.

"You are made by Akatosh, yes? The Snow Elf said that." Inigo asked, receiving a nod of confirmation. "Then Auriel's Bow is your birthright! It is a family heirloom to you, technically!"

Cura pondered that. He wasn't wrong. If she truly was a child of Akatosh, then his bow would certainly feel welcome in her grasp. Well, regardless, hopefully Aela's bow training would come in handy.

"If nothing else, it explains the heat of a Dragon Soul." Serana recalled the intense burning heat contained in Cura's Soul Gem back in the Soul Cairn. "Dragon souls must carry the power of the Sun itself in them! Cura, handling your Soul Gem was like touching fire."

Cura was surprised herself. "Well, I promise not to burst. Don't worry about it."

"That's a really unique perspective to look at it from!" Lucien took note of what Serana had said. "And how I have lucked out, befriending the Dragonborn! Coming to Skyrim turned out even better than I'd hoped!"

Inigo laughed. "We are quite the interesting friend group, aren't we! Here we have a Half-Elven Dragon Sun Goddess Paladin, a Vampire Princess objected to her own kind, a meek little Imperial scholar with a brain bigger than his eyes, and a psychotic blue cat man. Skyrim has nothing to fear!"

Cura massaged her forehead and sighed. "You make it sound so silly."

"Though he's not wrong. We are every bit the oddballs people would never anticipate going on a mission to regain an Aedric Artifact to save the world from the vampire menace." Lucien remarked. "I daresay we are quite the ragtag crew of oddballs, indeed!"

They headed through the northern passage, with patches of standing water along a wavy natural path and Lucien ran into an odd-looking cocoon of sorts.

"Ooh!" He exclaimed with surprise. "What is this? It looks... different. It kind of reminds me of those Chaurus I've read so much about!" He knocked on the solid chrysalis a few times.

"Then perhaps it would not be the best of ideas to tap on it and wake it up." Inigo warned the curious scholar.

Lucien flinched away from the cocoon and slowly moved backwards. "Yes, that's probably a good idea."

Farther ahead was a Falmer village, noted by the Chitin architecture.

"I've always found it fascinating, how a blind society could sustain itself, and even manage to build huts." Lucien wondered.

"They're blind, not deaf." Serana reminded them. "Maybe it'd be best to keep it low, or quiet."

A skulking Falmer next to an empty hive immediately spun around and shot an arrow at Serana, catching her left arm.

"HYAUGH!"

Her sudden shriek alerted the others and they immediately swarmed the group from all directions, some dropping down from stalactites.

Cura was careful to remain silent the whole time, and batted one of the falling with her mace, knocking them into one of the Hut's, breaking it.

These were the Betrayed that Gelebor spoke of. The origin of the Falmer as they knew them, perhaps.

The battle was fierce, and the Falmer kept it up close and personal.

Inigo dispatched a couple of them with his sword, and Lucien ran behind Cura for guard as he cast fireballs against the gnarly creatures.

Serana drained the life of her enemies and raised their dead against them. The vampiress pitied the creatures, but pity would not save them from her wrath. Her friends came first.

Cura's bludgeoning put down several, as well. Though she felt sympathetic towards her foes, they were still her foes, who desired her death. She spared them no quarter, even as a poisoned blade caressed her thigh. Thankfully, her armour beneath the robes protected her.

Eventually, the fighting quelled, and with a bloody path trailing down the rocks, the group pressed onwards.

The gloom-filled passage continued, and after a couple of twists and turns, led to another cavernous Falmer town, with another Falmer standing a short distance beyond. Once he heard the group he lunged towards Cura, receiving her shield to his face.

Behind the stalagmite pillar was a flooded cavern shaft which the group reluctantly entered. Lucien particularly was not pleased with all the dirty water.

Serana was just happy she was a Volkihar vampire, and was this immune to running water.

Inigo hated how sticky his fur became when they crawled out of the water into an earthen chamber.

The chamber held a skeleton beside an elven bow and arrows, and a large coin purse. Cura paid respects to the fallen and Serana pocketed the coins for herself.

Two gleamblossom plants were also next to the skeleton, and Lucien took the liberty to harvest them.

After all, those rare plants were only found in Darkfall Passage and the Forgotten Vale, and thus were very rare, and very valuable. How many adventurers would risk their necks to come in here? If it weren't for Cura, he would never have dreamed of it.

The skeleton also carried a note, which Inigo read aloud:

"I made it farther than I thought, but I'm afraid I can't go on. I choose not to.

I am content to die here, in this quiet little room, alone with my thoughts. The creatures won't follow me here. No more danger. The silence is welcoming."

"Depressing." Serana stated. "Maybe we should keep going, unless we want to join him?"

"Agreed." Cura said as she led the way past.

They left the hollow, little chamber and returned to the previous one, where they followed a narrow passage flanked by glowing pink plants heading westward through the underground channels.

Ahead along the main passage was a pillar erected in the middle of the passage with a claw trap on the back. A tripwire beside the pillar caught Inigo's eye and he warned his friends against heading there.

On the right just after the pillar was a chest made of Chitin, baiting them towards the trap. The group was wiser than that and ignored the obvious bait.

It was certain that the Falmer still retained some intellect, at least, as they were capable of fixing traps like this.

At the far end of the main passage was an unoccupied Falmer town and an empty cocoon leaning against one of the huts, stuck to it by a green, sticky fluid.

As the group turned towards the town, they saw why it was abandoned; dead Falmer lay strewn about in pieces, and a flying Insectoid fiend seemed to be devouring one of them.

"Chaurus!" Lucien cried out, calling attention to the beast.

The Chaurus immediately noticed the group and shot out toxic fluid from its abdomen, which Cura blocked with Spellbreaker.

Serana raised a couple of dead Falmer and unleashed them on their murderer.

The Falmer attacked the insect, and were both torn apart for a second time, after curing off one of its wings.

The monster staggered as it attempted to stay levitated.

Inigo fired an Exploding Fire Bolt at the insect, lighting it up once and for all.

Cura approached the husk and carved some of its Chitin and presented it to Lucien.

"Thanks, Candle." Lucien accepted it and placed it in his bag. He would keep it as a souvenir.

The passage turned westward, and the group passed a table made from chitin holding a random potion, two chaurus eggs, and another piece of chaurus chitin. At the next corner were three more chaurus cocoons, all of which were busted open, empty.

"It feels like this tunnel goes on forever." Serana complained. "It's like I'll be the only one walking out of here because you're all going to die from old age by the time we reach the outside."

"Do not exaggerate, Serana!" Inigo laughed. "I will only be about eighty. I hope I can still wield a bow by then."

Serana laughed and shook her finger at him humorously. "Okay, that was a good one."

"Heheheh." Inigo giggled as he jumped over a jagged rock.

Following the cavern passage, they found a large chamber containing many more chaurus cocoons, most of which were empty. The group took care to avoid disturbing the filled ones.

A ramp with railings led up to an empty Falmer tent ahead. Off to the right, beside a rock pillar was yet another chaurus cocoon. This one was sensitive, however, and when the group came near, out burst forth another Chaurus Hunter.

Its body was still damp with fluid, so Serana took the liberty to blast it with a Lightning spell, which was conducted through the fluid and made short work of the Chaurus.

The group moved onwards through more Falmer-occupied territory and cleaved a bloody path through the toxic-bladed assailants and the magic-wielding former Elves. Some Falmer managed to escape into burroughs in the walls and floors like Skeevers, retreating from combat.

After passing the Falmer territory, the group came upon a dead end near a crevice leading deeper into the caverns with another flowing creek below.

"Deja-vu..." Lucien remarked as he followed Cura down.

"I have been in enough water to last a lifetime." Inigo stated. "I feel like a wet rag."

"At least we won't need to shower for a while." Lucien laughed.

"At least until we get soaked in blood during the next fight." Serana groaned. "Do you think we could try and avoid conflict for a while?" She asked Cura.

"We can try." Cura responded. "But that depends on the other creatures."

They swarm into a natural ramp and took the path upwards to find a skeleton and an empty, open chest. He must have died there with it.

To the left side of the corpse was a path rising up past more of the odd, glowing, pink tubular plants that led downwards on a slope to another chamber inhabited by more Falmer.

That chamber held several tents and Chitin Huts, with a Falmer to the west on a ledge acting as the lookout. An empty tent was on the lower level, with a wooden chest surrounded by three Gleamblossom plants and scattered skeletal remains.

"I don't like the looks of that. Another obvious trap." Lucien pointed at it.

"Then we're just going to head past it and slay the lookout." Cura planned.

"No problem-o!" Inigo aimed his regular bow at the Falmer on the ledge and loosed an arrow, which stuck in his head silently and efficiently, killing him without alerting the tribe, or more importantly, ruining their clothes some more.

The tension cable to the claw traps above the conspicuous chest was on the near side, and Lucien grinned smugly with a knowing nod. What buggery!

The group crept along the bridge and Inigo took out a Falmer witch who hid behind the waterfall, and caused her body to plummet below. The sound alerted some of the Falmer, and they began to investigate the noise.

Cura and her friends left the vicinity before discovery.

Deeper in the cavern was a fenced, gated compound and three occupied Falmer huts on the chamber walls. Inside the compound, at the center was a grisly statue formed with various human bones standing on luminescent, blue crystallized rock and surrounded by fencing.

A lovely sight, to be sure.

The group warily passed it by, but not before Lucien made a rough sketch of what he saw with some notes attached and scientific speculation.

To their west was a separate chamber with a large pile of the crystallized rock and stretched across the path is a string of bone chimes. Many more Falmer homes were on the walls at differing heights, but none were occupied. The path first circled downwards this chamber, passing three more Gleamblossom plants among the crystal, and then turning east as it started to rise.

At the top was yet another chamber with a large gated pen in the middle where two chaurus were sleeping near a near of fifteen egg sacs.

Lucien theorized that the Falmer would farm Chaurus for food and for materials, given what they've seen.

Maybe there was hope for their race after all.

Behind the pen on a raised section of earth was a large, ornate tent, decorated with bones and Chitin linings. In front of the tent was a platform where a Falmer stood.

Serana snuck up from behind him and slit his throat with her dagger and the group continued.

They crossed over a bridge and tread through many more tunnels, and encountered many more Falmer. They snuck past some, but found themselves locked in combat with others.

Eventually Cura came upon a pull chain beside a large, ornate door. She pulled it and the door slowly crept upwards into its holdings by chains.

The scenery changed drastically beyond the concealed door, with more Vale deer and Vale Sabre Cats. The Cat immediately lunged for the group upon notice and they were quick in uniting to throw off the creature's target, each leaping in another direction.

"That has to be the weirdest cat I have ever seen." Serana mused.

"Don't let yourself get distracted! For all we know it could have magical properties!" Cura expressed concern over its markings.

"Back, you pernicious feline!" Inigo hissed at the Saber Cat as he dodged a few swings of its claws by backwards cartwheels.

"Don't worry, Inigo! I'll teach this cat a lesson!" Lucien exclaimed as he fired a bolt from his crossbow straight into the cat's right abdomen.

As the bolt hit, the cat was tossed off the nearby ledge due to the momentum of the bolt, and plummeted into the small lake below.

"Wow, nice shot!" Inigo exclaimed.

Cura approached to see if her friends were all right, and after a short examination, found them to be so. "Everyone is well. Good..." She sighed with relief. "Let's continue onwards. I see a light at the end of the cavern!" She pointed towards a nook in the magenta-coloured cavern walls across the small walking path ahead of them. Within that nook, was a Wayshrine, surrounded by bright bushes and plants, as well as blue crystal. If their past experience was any indication, the Wayshrine would be the exit.

After all the Falmer, Chaurus, and everything, it seemed even more welcoming.

"Candle, would it be okay if I collected a sample of the... I suppose... Sapphire stone over there?" Lucien pointed towards the blue rock. "It could help to research in the Arcane University."

"Oh, by all means. Go right ahead!" Cura permitted. "Just be quick, because we're going to be out of here very soon."

"Say no more!" Lucien got a head-start, running towards the amorphous crystal body.

"Lucien, if I help you it will go twice as fast!" Inigo withdrew his pickaxe and joined the Imperial at the chisel.

"So... this is it, then." Serana mused as they approached the Sun Statue, identical to the one earlier on in Darkfall Cave. "The Wayshrine, I mean. It feels like we went through so much to get here."

"We have, and it's not over yet." Cura touched the Sun Statue, examining to see if anything would shift or change. "What's on your mind, Serana?" She could tell that she wanted to say something.

"I was thinking about you." Serana stated. "And the way you treat your friends..."

Cura paused for a second and looked at her, a little baffled. She hadn't done anything wrong, had she?

"It's... nice. It's nice to see somebody who doesn't treat their partners or inferiors like trash." Serana stated. "I know what I'm going to say will sound weird, but we could have used someone like you in the Castle. Perhaps then my Father..." Her voice stunted for a second, but she continued. "Perhaps then Harkon wouldn't have gone mad."

"You and I both know that he would have gone down this path no matter what, Serana." Cura corrected her. "You said it yourself; the moment he first heard that prophecy, it was all over. He became a man possessed by it. He would have just seen me as a threat to his rule, and we would still be back here, looking for these Wayshrines, looking for Auriel's Bow."

Serana pondered on it for a second, and accepted her speculation as true. "You're right." She shook her head sadly. "I wish you were wrong, but you're not. I know it in my heart of hearts."

Cura left the shrine and held Serana's hands in her own. "Are you sure you can do this, Serana?" She looked into her friend's eyes. "You are going to be slaying your father. It's a very tall order, and I can't promise you anything but pain and sadness from here on out." Truly, nothing she would ever wish upon a friend.

Serana nodded. "As I've said before, I've made my peace with it. He's not my father anymore - he doesn't even see me as his daughter, just his property."

Cura felt nauseated by how little regard Harkon paid his only child when they first set foot in that Castle. The first thing he asked her was concerning the Scroll. An inanimate object meant more to him than flesh and blood. He gave a warmer welcome to Cura, a Vigilant of Stendarr, simply because she returned the Scroll to him, as he saw it.

It was a disgusting display.

But little did Harkon know that when trying to recruit a Vigilant to his cause, perhaps leading them to his castle due to him destroying their home was not the best of ideas.

"Well, you're more than just 'property' to us, Serana." Cura reassured her with a gentle nudge on her right arm. "I'll make sure that the Tyranny of the Sun never comes to pass."

Serana nodded. "I have faith in you. Don't let him kill me."

"I wouldn't dare allow it." Cura stated firmly.

Serana felt the need to stress the importance of the matter. "Keep in mind that this isn't Movarth. It's my father. A far more powerful Vampire Lord. He won't go down easily."

"Neither will I." Cura responded with confidence. "And neither would Inigo or Lucien, or the others. You're safe with us."

Serana smiled. "I know you'll all do your best, and so will I. To the bitter end! I might have felt a bit nervous - just a bit - but I've seen you in action, so I'm pretty confident we'll do great. Between your Thu'um and my magic, we could topple just about any foe."

Cura looked over towards Inigo and Lucien, who were chipping away at the blue crystal geode. "What do you think of them, Serana? I'm curious, but I never asked."

"Oh, which one?" Serana asked.

"Inigo first." Cura wondered what her vampire friend thought about the fun Khajiit. Cura adored him, but she knew that he could be a bit much sometimes. Not everybody could handle him, as Lydia could attest.

"He's great company. I can tell you that much." Serana complimented the feline. "Inigo always finds a way to lift our spirits, doesn't he?"

Cura was happy to hear it.

"If there's someone - besides me - to always keep by your side, I think it should be him." Serana gave her Dragonborn friend a bit of friendly advice.

Cura agreed; she would love to have Inigo around for as long as she could. And so, she would do her best to keep an eye on him on the battlefield. She would not allow her cat friend to fall. And if he does, she will pick him up and carry him to safety if she must.

"And what about Lucien?" Cura asked.

"He's surprisingly chipper for a fresh-faced young man on his first venture from his homeland in Cyrodiil - thrust into a series of deadly vampire-hunting quests where he's had to trudge through a dark castle, nearly lose his life, and go through a cavern infested with demented Snow Elves and vicious, carnivorous insects." Serana laughed lightly. "I think he'll do all right, if he can handle this much insanity thrown his way so well. I think most of it we can owe to you."

"To me?" Cura asked, pointing at herself.

"Yes, he trusts you to protect him on his journey, and if I'm being honest, I think he has a little schoolboy crush on you." Serana giggled as she pointed towards the Imperial discreetly.

"No-!" Cura exclaimed in disbelief. "I don't think so."

Serana bit her lip and tried to force herself not to laugh, but failed and let a giggle escape. "It's true; it may be sappy, but I see it. Cute, shy, and reserved Imperial Scholar boy has a crush on a strong Breton girl who fights like a Nord. It all sounds like one of those cheesy romance books I've read back in the day. They're all dust now, but it's fun to watch it unfold."

"I don't think so." Cura repeated. "I like Lucien as a friend, but I don't think anything romantic could ever form between us."

"Okay, but don't be surprised when everyone in Skyrim is saying it." Serana shrugged her shoulders.

A moment of silence passed, and Cura finally said something again once Serana's impish grin subsided.

"That was a good talk." Cura stated.

"Likewise." Serana smiled.

"Now, how do I open this thing...?" she took out the Ewer as she returned to examining the Shrine.

Then, as she approached it once again, a ghost of a Snow Elf emerged; one of the Prelates of Auriel, of course. "Welcome, Initiate. This is the Wayshrine of Illumination. Are you prepared to honor the mantras of Auri-El and fill your vessel with His enlightenment?"

Cura smiled and bowed her head, and held forward the sacred pitcher. "Yes."

"Then behold Auri-El's gift, my child. May it light your path as you seek tranquility within the Inner Sanctum." The spirit of the Prelate fused itself within the Shrine, and the Wayshrine shook the earth as his elevated up to the surface.

Cura and Serana exchanged glances and headed towards the Font in the center, where Cura took a scoopful of the holy water within. As the fluid entered, the Ewer glowed with a faint white light following the liquid seeping within. Sparkles came up from the mouth and disappeared into the air.

Suddenly, just ahead, the wall of the Wayshrine seemed to manifest a portal, revealing a fogged, grassy landscape on the other side.

Lucien and Inigo returned to join them.

"Well, I've collected a few crystal samples. Science will thank you for it!" Lucien exclaimed as he held up his pouch.

"Maybe Science will thank me for a few more things." Cura pointed to the portal ahead. "Let's enter the Forgotten Vale and see what's to be found within, shall we?" She walked around the Font and quickly headed through the portal, and her allies followed quickly.

After emerging through the intermittent darkness, the group entered the Forgotten Vale.

It was like nothing they'd ever seen before; having emerged high in the mountains overlooking the vale, the group could gather a splendid view of the verdant turf ahead, adorned with ancient ruins of columns and Elven Architecture. There were many more Gleamblossom plants found throughout their vicinity and many torchbugs flying around in the night air. Off to the west, up an natural incline, Cura immediatly spotted a Frost Troll in its lair, which contains the bodies of a dead Vale deer and Vale sabre cat. The Troll seemed to jump up and down gleefully. To the Troll's right was a silver ore vein with two more superimposed above the first, to the northwest, glistening in the moonlight, adding to the shimmering glory of the realm.

A realm undisturbed for millennia.

This was the domain of the Snow Elves, once. Now home to the Falmer, or as Knight-Paladin Gelebor put it, the Betrayed. So the group knew this beautiful exterior merely masked the Chaurus tents and the gnarled fallen Elves. Though, regardless, Cura wondered how it would have looked long ago. It was all so sad to see it in its dilapidated state. It was the Dwemer's fault for blinding them and mutating them like that. More reason for relief that the Dwemer no longer existed; unless, of course, they turned out to be hidden somewhere, but there are no documented cases of such.

If only she could communicate with the Falmer, rather than face their ire. She knew it wasn't because of her more Nord appearance, because their vision was comparable to that of Bats, at best.

"Wow... this is amazing! I'll be the talk of the town when I return to Cyrodiil with all of these amazing tales!" Lucien exclaimed as he began to illustrate the landscape.

Inigo was searching around with feline eyes, and was captivated by hiss surroundings.

"Oh Wow. This is gorgeous. I'm glad you're here with me." Serana expressed her gratitude to Cura.

"I didn't think it was possible, but it feels just like Skyrim to me." Cura admitted. "Like Skyrim, but more... sacred. Special. I feel that I'm desecrating this land by walking in it." She walked forward and a couple of Vale Deer ran past her and down the mountain path.

Lucien quickly finished his sketching and hurried to catch up to her pace. "You know, Candle, I've been thinking; you've done so much for me. I'm really thankful; I mean that!"

Cura gave him a small smile. "It's all right. I'm always happy to help a Scientist discover new things."

"That's the thing; you've helped me so much! I feel as though I'm just riding your coattails, truthfully." Lucien admitted shamefully. "I feel like I should be contributing more to the group rather than just simply tagging along."

"Well, just keep watch around us." Serana added in. "An extra pair of eyes in an open plain could only be helpful."

"And maybe we can entertain our friends so our long, tedious task does not have to be so long and tedious!" Inigo expressed in a manner almost as if he were hinting to something.

Lucien picked up on what he was saying. "Ah, I see."

"Just like we practiced." Inigo stated, to Cura and Serana's confusion.

What did they practice, exactly?

Lucien cleared his throat, and then began to sing. "Oh, there once was a hero named Inigo the Brave. He saved us all from many a close shaaaave..."

"Hehehehehe." Inigo chuckled naughtily as the giddiness overwhelmed him. Then he picked up the next verse. "Oh, there once was a Scholar named Lucien the Bright. He was slight but surprisingly good in a fiiiiiiight!"

The pair began to chuckle in tandem, and Serana joined in. Cura scoffed and rolled her eyes. "At least there's no Cura the Wise who kills Draugr with fists and big men with her thighs."

Inigo nearly burst out laughing. "You remembered that?!"

Cura shook her head amusedly. "Why would I forget? You're hilarious, Inigo."

Inigo chuckled. "Hehehe. I live to please."

Heading north from the hilltop, they noticed an arched open cliff, which was being used as a lair by an angry Vale sabre cat. The creature lunged towards them, but Lucien, holding to his word, fired a bolt through the feline's head, killing it.

Inigo gave him a thumbs up in reaction to his sharp shooting.

Just to the north was a silver ore vein tucked into the cliff with a Falmer guarding the entrance to a Cave coated in permafrost. The group looped around it, following Cura's stead. She decided not to engage the Falmer in battle and leave him in peace. Northwest from the cave's entrance over some rocks and crags was another Wayshrine, out in the open, surrounded by ruined columns and collapsed architecture. Another ghost Prelate patrolled the grounds, and Cura was fast to flag him down.

As the spirit noticed the young Breton's approach, he held his hands forward over his abdomen and bowed serenely. "Welcome, Initiate. This is the Wayshrine of Sight. Are you prepared to honor the mantras of Auri-El and fill your vessel with his enlightenment?"

"I suppose the Wayshrine hasn't helped the Falmer, then." Lucien remarked sarcastically, prompting Inigo to elbow him and laugh. Serana shook her head, unamused. Really? They were going to ridicule the Snow Elves in front of one?

Cura maintained a respectful disposition before the spectral monk. "Yes." She held out the Initiate's Ewer, presenting it to the Prelate. "I seek to fill this Ewer with Auriel's unbridled wisdom."

The Prelate responded in kind. "Then behold Auri-El's gift, my child. May it speed your journey to the Inner Sanctum." He raised his hands and transported his soul into the Shrine and raised it up out of the ground.

Cura then walked inside of the small chantry and placed the Ewer into the Font, receiving more of the Holy Water. The level of fluid raised therein, to a quarter of the way full. That was two out of five. She hung the Ewer back on her belt and firmly adjusted it.

It seemed that the Wayshrine contained portals to both of the Wayshrines she visited prior; their locations reflected in portals like an art gallery on the wall divides. Peeking into the Darkfall Cave section, she could see Knight-Paladin Gelebor sitting against the other Sun shrine, looking into the water his knees were sunk in. He looked mournful, and contemplative as he remained in lonesome solitude. Cura wanted to cheer him up, but she knew that perhaps he valued his privacy more at this time. And she had other tasks at hand for the moment.

She was certain that she would see him again, regardless.

She pulled back from the portal and headed out of the Wayshrine, ready to continue her pilgrimage through her creator's shrines.

"Is it just me, or does the Ewer seem to be glowing?" Lucien pointed to the slightly luminescent bottle hitched on Cura's waist, calling attention to the small light sparkles emerging from the spout of the pitcher.

Cura nodded. "It's divine water, so I would expect nothing less. I can't wait to share this tale with Brother Adalvald and the others. They'd be awestruck!"

"Don't doubt it. I'm here and I'm awestruck, myself." Serana admitted as she gazed at the lonely, but mystifying landscape that surrounded them from all sides. "Ever since we began our journey, we've gone to some incredible places, haven't we?"

Cura agreed. "Absolutely. If you would have told me two years ago that I would be here, today, with all of you, in this amazing place, I would have scoffed it away as a joke."

"Are you glad we met?" Lucien asked as they began to walk, and Inigo looked at Cura, intent on hearing her answer.

"Of course I am!" Cura responded with steadfastness. "I don't know where I'd be without all of you. You've all done so much for me, even if you don't realize it. Just having you here, by my side..." she looked over at all three of them: Serana, Inigo, and Lucien. "I'd... I think I'd have gone down a very dark path."

The group followed the frosted crag wall south and eventually reached what appeared to be the main dirt path, then marched west underneath a stone arch. As the path sloped upwards, the group was descended upon by three large Frostbite Spiders, who were quickly spotted by Lucien and dispatched by Cura's Unrelenting Force Shout.

Once they were dealt with, the group moved slightly towards a broken pillar on the left of the path, and climbed down the Rockwall at Cura's lead to the south, as she swore she saw something glistening off in the distance.

Suddenly, a Giant Frostbite Spider leapt over the crags and attacked them.

Cura recalled her tour through Bleak Falls Barrow with Sven back in the day. That large Spider in Arvel's chamber was daunting; intimidating.

This one was fodder.

With a "YOL TOOR!", Cura incinerated it mid-flight, proving the single arachnid to be a nuisance rather than a threat. Serana quickly maneuvered backwards, narrowly dodging the whirling flame. Thankfully her reflexes kept her from being singed.

After an awkward exchange, Serana smiled confidently; Cura's display inspired the vampiress, even if the potential that she could have been accidentally immolated terrified her. With Cura's Thu'um, they were practically invincible. She was just relieved she was on her side.

The pass descended into the next valley, where the group could see a large waterfall to the west and a wide semi-frozen river ahead.

As they descended, they saw a skeleton on the right lying across a ruined stone chest. On the ground beside the chest was a large coin purse and a book with an indiscernible title.

"This is odd..." Cura looked upon it from many angles, uncertain as to which direction to read it from. "What is it...?"

"Maybe the College of Winterhold could figure that out." Serana proposed. "But there's no time for that yet."

"You're right." Cura pocketed the mysterious novel. "If I remember, I'll bring it there. Let's keep moving."

"I'll remind you, friend! Just remind me to remind her, Lucien." Inigo stated, and Lucien sighed in response.

Following the riverbank south, they soon reached another ghostly Prelate by the Wayshrine of Learning. The process repeated and Cura filled the Were halfway with the third Wayshrine's Holy Water.

Looking down to the riverbank and following it to the far southern end, Cura saw a waterfall disappearing underground. She would take note of that for the time being.

West of the waterfall was a slope with a malachite ore vein partway up, and a dangerous-looking Trollike Giant was watching the group like a hawk beside it.

Inigo insisted they remain on their side of the river.

The group passed some more broken stone pillars. A short distance before the next waterfall was a dead Ice Wraith that seemed to be guarding a locked stone chest, near the skeletal remains of its slayer, and a Fire-enchanted war axe beside it.

Serana paused for a second and stared at Cura blankly, prompting the Breton to turn to her with a raised eyebrow. "What is it?"

"Just sensing your magicka reserves... you truly are incredible." Serana realized now that they were standing still under the moonlight, and she could feel Cura's potent energy radiating like the sun itself.

Cura blushed from the sudden comment. "Er, thank you. I've never had anybody comment on my magicka before."

"Because only a true Vampire could sense it." Serana explained. "I could sense peoples' magicka, stamina, and their general vitality. Only a true child of Coldharbour could do that."

"Wow, I'm taking notes!" Lucien quickly got out his journal and began to scribble within,

Serana scoffed. "I guess there's no stopping you now that I've said that out loud. Let's keep going." She initiated the march onwards.

"Serana, I'm curious; indulge me. What's your opinion on my being the Dragonborn?" Cura picked her brain a bit from genuine curiosity. Surely in Serana's time she'd seen many of them. She wanted the insight of one from so long ago.

Serana was pretty quick to answer. "The moment I met you, I knew your blood had some power to it." She scratched her chin. "Turns out you have the literal blood of a god. Who would have figured?"

Cura shrugged in response. "Really nobody, I suppose."

Serana continued. "I've also noticed that your "Shouts" or whatever you call them can be rather... loud, and uncomfortable." She seemed to want to nitpick now, and Cura slowly turned her face away. Serana did not stop, however, as she had an important matter to stress. "You probably don't feel it, but just... try not to hit me the next time we get into a fight with some people, okay? I definitely would not like getting blown halfway across the continent of Tamriel."

Cura rubbed the back of her neck and chuckled awkwardly. "I try my best. Just stay to either of my sides and it won't happen."

The river at its end was partially frozen, enabling Cura and her allies to cross to the west side of the large waterfall, where she continued to tread in hopes of locating another Wayshrine.

The path turned north, following the riverbank, where a natural stone bridge crossed over to another grassy area. On the far side, to the south was another Wayshrine, it's glistening catching Cura's eye. According to the Prelate who stood guardian, it was the Wayshrine of Resolution, and he raised the Wayshrine containing the fourth basin for Cura to graciously draw water from.

When Cura examined the glowing Ewer, she could see that it was three quarters of the way full now, and it began to luminate with a golden hue. "Wow... it's very bright now. One more to go and we'll be all set to get into the Inner Sanctum."

Inigo rubbed his hands together with excitement. "And then we will have the bow and we can really kick some vampire ass! Yes, I cannot wait!"

"Me, neither!" Lucien forced himself to appear confident. "And it will be an incredible experience, just to enter the ancient Chantry itself! I'll bet nobody in the Arcane University could ever boast such a feat! Sure, they may have explored the Ayleid Ruins before, but this is much different, I have the feeling."

"There's only one way to find out!" Cura swung her hand enthusiastically. "Let's get going!"

They continued towards a larger stone arch, with stairs leading down towards a large, frozen lake. Under the arch was another skeleton, a deadly the eastern side of the lake they could see three large moonstone ore veins glistening under Secunda and Masser's light. The last vein is just past a small bunch of trees and some more time-broken masonry scattered near the lake. Moonlight shone across the thick sheet of ice in a blue gleam that luminated the scenery itself.

Something about the lake drew Cura towards it, but she could not determine exactly what.

Kich. Kack. Kich. Kack.

Her steel plated boots scratched the surface of the cold ice and Cura could see her breath rising in a plume of fog in the night, catching the celestial light. Inigo, Lucien, and Serana reluctantly followed her, though Serana feared not the water below. Her kin could handle it well.

Lucien, however, was the most uneasy, having had bad experiences with a large body of water already. "C-Candle, are you sure this is a good idea? The... the ice is sturdy, right? Please tell me the ice is sturdy."

"The ice is sturdy." Cura reassured him as she stomped her foot down on it to make certain of it. "See?"

"Phew. All right, then." Lucien wiped his brow with relief.

Suddenly, a faint roaring sound could be heard in the skies some distance away.

Cura stopped walking and paused. A look of looming dread crept upon her hooded face as she exhaled into the night and looked around, scanning the area.

That sound was very familiar.

Helgen.

"What was that?" Inigo asked. "Did you guys hear that?"

Hrooooar!

The sound resonated louder. It was approaching, fast.

Cura's Elven mace slipped out of her hand and landed on the ice, as she was frozen with terror. The Dragonborn became a statue there, paralyzed in place as she could only look up into the sky.

"Cura?" Serana noticed this shift in behaviour.

HroooAAAR!

The sound grew louder.

Not here. Not now. She wasn't ready!

"C-Candle?" Lucien made it to his friend and picked up her mace and handed it to her. "Wh-what is that sound?"

"It sounded like a Dragon!" Inigo exclaimed.

"A-Alduin..." Cura trembled.

HROOOOAAAAR!

The cry emerged louder, shaking the very foundations of the landscape itself.

"HROOOOAAAARRRRHHH! Vokras Strunkelm! Fey kolos hi kriist, Vokras! Do not move!" The black Dragon snarled threateningly as he made his way to the Dragonborn, zeroing in on her location.

"Alduin!" Cura cried out as her heart began to race.

With a swift glide, the black Dragon plummeted from the higher skies and flew over the mountain nearby, and hovered above the group.

Lucien screamed like a little girl and Inigo gasped loudly.

"THAT'S ALDUIN?!" Lucien cried out as he could see his entire life flashing before his eyes. Tears ran down his cheeks as he quickly began to search for an escape route.

Inigo nearly hyperventilated as the World-Eater itself loomed above, like the Grim Reaper, readying to claim their souls. He knew there was nowhere to run, so he simply took out his bow.

Serana held out both hands in a battle stance, readying for the potential fight of her life. That was Alduin - the fiend Cura warned them all about.

Cura held up her shield and mace and swallowed hard. She stared down the dark Dragon - the demon before the ages.

The Black Dragon merely spoke to Cura directly, ignoring her allies entirely. "Zu'u lost lingraav hi, Dovahkiin. I have been watching your progress, from afar." With each flap of his mighty wings, Alduin rocked the land below him, causing the ice to tremble. "Ni mul ganog - ig you think you can defeat me, you are very mistaken."

Cura looked at him with furrowed brows. What did he mean? Just what was this serpent planning? She swallowed hard, and deigned to ask, since Alduin seemed more interested in conversing at the moment. "What do you want with me?"

"Jur. I seek to challenge your strength! With every Thu'um, I can feel your suleyk- your power - grow. I want to see for myself!" Alduin's voice caused the earth to tremble with his enthusiasm.

He could feel her Thu'um? Every time she unleashed it, Alduin could sense it? How could this be?

Then again, the Greybeards could hear her first Shout at the Whiterun Watchtower, so perhaps there was some truth to it. Just how much did Alduin know about her?

Cura stole a glance at Serana, who returned in kind with a fearful, and yet, puzzled glance.

Inigo was a bit confused, himself, and Lucien seemed to fall into a state of relief. Maybe they weren't going to lose their eternal souls on this day after all.

But still, Alduin was terrifying! And Cura had to face that? Lucien looked up at winged death, and down at Cura - a Paladin in robes. Then back at the great flying ghoul, and then at the knightess in glistening armour. Then at the black devil, and then back at the little warrior.

She was strong, there was no question about that, but...

...against that thing?

Lucien shivered as he feared for Cura herself. The gods were cruel to force this life upon her. Why did she have to bear this burden? To have the weight of the world pressed down on her shoulders like a solid, burning anvil? Why couldn't it have been anybody else? All Lucien could envision when he saw Cura and Alduin was his new friend's demise and erasure. He didn't want to think this way, but he couldn't help it. How could she measure up to that? She was an Elf, at best, and a Human at worst! What could she possibly do to fight that black, winged terror? He almost found himself weeping for his friend's accursed fate in the grand scheme of things. It really wasn't fair.

Even under the frozen air, Cura could feel herself sweating.

"A challenge? Is that all?" Cura asked. "I don't understand."

"I want to see if you are a worthy paalikot - adversary." Alduin stated plainly. "You defeated Durnehviir, and Seven of my aar - servants. We will see just how strong you truly are." He lifted himself higher up into the air with a mighty push of his wings and flew in a circle around the ice rink. With each lap, the ice began to shake and rumble, causing the Group to stumble about as they attempted to hold their footing.

Parts of ice began to crack and the cold water underneath began to splash upwards and spill onto the ice.

Alduin roared with authority. "Naaslaarum ahrk Voslaarum, ziil gro dovah ulse! Slen Tiid Vo!"

His voice resonated mightily, and Serana herself began to almost fall into panic.

It was exactly like what he did in Kynesgrove, with Sahloknir, which meant...

CRASH!

Immediately, two Dragon Skeletons burst upwards out of the ice with violent roars with wings wrapped around their bodies. They moved upwards towards Alduin, pulled in by his gravity.

Lucien tried to maintain his footing as water crept up under his boot. This caused him to panic and run manically back towards dry land, away from the lake. The young Imperial cried out in horror as he hid for his life beneath some of the ruins, ducking for cover.

"You all will die, make no mistake - but perhaps not on this day." Alduin snarled apathetically towards his food. "Today it all depends on your fahdon - friend. In later times yet to come, it will depend on the Dovahkiin." With that, the black Dragon took to the skies and flew away.

The two skeletal Dragons, Naaslaarum and Voslaarum, began to return to form, developing orange-hued scales and blue markings all across their bodies. They seemed quite different from the Dragons Cura was used to fighting.

Their names: "Voslaarum" - "Claw, Water, Twin." "Naaslaarum" - "Tooth, Water, Twin". It gave Cura a pretty good idea to what these two orange Dragons were all about.

But, what Alduin called her as he descended; "Vokras Strunkelm" - "Cure, Storm, Coat".

Cure Storm Coat. Cura Stormcoat? Or, Stormcloak?

How could Alduin possibly know that?

He knew so much about her, and yet she was at a heavy disadvantage. She knew nothing about him, save for him being defeated by a Shout in the past and that he was the World-Eater. But perhaps that was enough.

No; she had to learn more. She would definitely head straight for the College of Winterhold once the Vampire business was dealt with. There were just too many questions.

But for now...

Author's Note: Best song for this fight is "Watch the Skies" from Skyrim - have fun! ^_^

Immediately, the battle began with great ferocity as Naaslaarum dove down into the ice and Voslaarum took to the skies and flew circles around the group. Serana could see the drake swerving beneath the ice, through the ice with her Vampiric vision.

"Inigo, leap to your right!" Serana cried out to warn the Khajiit, who obeyed just in time to avoid Voslaarum's gaping maw emerging from below, smashing a large hole in the ice beneath where he stood.

Cura flipped backwards to dodge a blast of ice from Naaslaarum, but part of her was caught in it regardless, and a thin layer of frost formed over her right shin, slowing down her movement. Cura reacted quickly, melting the ice with a flame spell and jumping forward over a sweeping claw from Voslaarum, who slid avross the ice with fervor, eager to rip and tear at her.

How did these Dragons wind up beneath the lake in the first place? Was it the Snow Elves' doing?

Naaslaarum interrupted her train of thought by dropping down directly on top of Cura and sinking her down into the frozen lake, gripping her tightly in its claws. Cura could not Shout, lest the water would flood into her lungs and drown her quicker.

The Dragon slammed her down against the lakebed, into a broken column - a remnant of sunken ruins beneath the waves - and the shock caused her to gasp loudly, intaking lots of water on the spot. She began to struggle and choke, but Naaslaarum kept her pinned down, and to add to the cruelty, readied a Shout underwater!

Not happening.

Cura pushed back with her mace, and swiped the Dragon's claw with all her strength, breaking one of its toes and causing the Dragon to wail. As it was stunned, Cura tried to swim back up and away from it, but her armour was heavy and she could not outswim the wyrm.

Though she didn't have to.

Serana had joined her under the water and grabbed Cura by both of her arms from behind and practically flew through the water, out-speeding the drake like a Penguin fleeing a hungry Sea lion as the lizard repeatedly attempted to snap at them like an infuriated Alligator.

Serana performed a barrel roll on the last possible moment before reaching the ice, and fooled the lizard into tearing through it and making a closer opening for them to escape through.

Inigo continued to distract Voslaarum with crossbow bolts and many a taunt. "Come at me, you big, smelly gas bag!" the Khajiit mocked as he leaped over the Dragon's head and fired a bolt straight into its eye.

The Dragon slid across the ice and fell down into the water through one of the large gaps.

Lucien heard the crash and slowly looked out from his hiding place, and saw the others fighting. Guilt crept its way into him as he watched his friends fight both lizards and he was hiding off to the side. "No, Lucien... you aren't a warrior, and you'll only be killed if you go out there!" He tried to tell himself, rationalizing his position while his body was involuntarily moving towards the fight. "You... you can't. You're only going to get in their way, Lucien." He found himself, though trembling, raising his crossbow and aiming it towards Naaslaarum, who circled around his friends.

Serana brought Cura onto more solid ice and she began to cough up the water. The vampiress patted her friend on the back as Cura was doubled over on all fours, spitting up as much of the water as she could. With a loud gasp, she regained her faculties.

Naaslaarum took this moment to plummet back down, in attempt to drown her once more, and Lucien saw this.

"No you don't, you winged BASTARD!" the Imperial shouted loudly as he loosed an Exploding Bolt of Shock, which burst against the Dragon's stomach, causing it to fall backwards onto the ice and the electricity coursed along the water, rendering it deadly to the touch. As well, the ice conducted, creating a deadly thunder shockwave within the Dragon's vicinity, electrocuting the Drake some more.

Inigo looked at Lucien with shock of his own, and Cura was impressed. Serana continued to focus on the second dragon, who swooped down towards Lucien as he was loading another bolt. The winged tormentor lifted the young man up into the air.

"Whoa!" Lucien exclaimed fearfully.

"LUCIEN!" Cura exclaimed before being tail-whipped by a rebounded Naaslaarum, who was now angrier than ever and used the distraction to its advantage.

As Cura hit against the ice, she dropped her mace, which slid off in another direction. The Dragon flew overhead. "YOL TOOR SHUL!"

The Dragonborn was quick to the draw, rolling over three times to dodge the moving stream of fire as the drake arched back up towards the sky.

Cura was fed up with this. If only she could fly, herself. Though, she did have a friend who could. Looking up to the skies, Cura called out. "DUR NEH VIIR!"

With a purple flash of energy, the decomposing Dragon emerged, and landed atop the ice. "Qahnaariin, do you require my aid?"

Cura simply nodded as she retrieved her blunt weapon, which was mere inches away from falling down a hole and sinking into the lake.

"You need not say it. Voslaarum and Naaslaarum - the lowest of the Dovah - fight with zin they do not." Durnehviir snarled when he saw the familiar foes circling about. He took to the skies himself and rammed directly into Voslaarum, who then dropped Lucien into the water below.

Cura quickly rushed to her friend's aid as Lucien began to scream and flail. He was suddenly transported back into the moat under Castle Volkihar in that instant as he began to sink and try to climb back up, but to no avail due to the ice's nature.

Durnehviir maintained Naaslaarum and Voslaarum's attentions in the sky, buying Cura time to grab Lucien's arms and pull him up out of the freezing lake. "It's okay, Lucien!" She attempted to calm him, but he was frantic. Cura took him into a quick embrace. "You're all right; please, stay calm! You're all right..."

Inigo and Serana regrouped around the two of them and readied for the Dragons' return.

"This isn't looking good. We need a plan. Fast!" Serana stated firmly.

Lucien finally caught his breath and stopped panicking. He began to look around. "S-Serana... you... " he swallowed some excess water. "you take the one with the injured eye, w-with Durnehviir distracting it. Cura can - can find some way to knock the other one out of the sky..." he reasoned. "Inigo... and I... we can offer distractions so you can get a move in there." He slolwly left Cura's arms and stood up, adjusting his collar.

Cura slowly stood up with him and cast a Grand Healing spell onto the whole group, remedying their injuries.

"I like it, and I have an idea." Cura stated as she noticed the two Dragons returning. One of them, Naaslaarum, had a large claw gash across its chest, from Durnehviir, who's time ran out and returned to the Soul Cairn.

It was all the time they needed.

Cura acted quickly, drinking a Potion of Waterbreathing and then directing her allies towards their stations; Lucien and Inigo to the East, and Serana to the West, and she thrust her mace downwards. "FIRE!" Cura ordered.

Serana loosed a few icicles towards Naaslaarum, and Lucien and Inigo loosed Exploding Bolt of Shock towards Voslaarum as the wyrms descended towards Cura. The attacks, however, prompted the pair to scatter to avoid being hit.

That was when Cura took her chance. "WULD NA KEST!" She blasted forward across the ice, gaining momentum from its slippery course, and with two hands, she swung her mace and bashed Voslaarum in the head, causing it to plummet through the ice and into the water.

Cura leapt onto the back of its neck and clung onto the spiky scales of the stunned Dragon on its way down into the murky depths. She proceeded to continuously ram the creature in its head with her mace, eventually breaking through its scales and into its skull. Voslaarum cried out one last time as it thrashed about violently, trying to smash Cura into the wreckage below.

Though she hit into the pillars, Cura refused to let up, driving her mace down harder and harder before the Dragon finally died from the trauma. The Dragon's lifeless corpse sunk to the lakebed and began to burn up and disintegrate, revealing the bones beneath. Its essence burst out of itself and flew directly into Cura, a declaration of her victory.

"FUS RO DAH!" Cura Shouted underwater, using the momentum from the Shout to push herself back up out of the water before the Potion of Waterbreathing lost its effects.

Naaslaarum seemed to sense its comrade's demise, because the Dragon flew into a vicious tempest of rage. "GAAN LAH HAAS!" A purple wave of dark energy emerged from its mouth and coated Serana, Lucien, and Inigo, and brought the living down to their knees as the beast sapped some of their vital life force from them.

Serana retaliated with an Ice Storm, which seemed to harm the Dragon.

Cura rushed to her friends' aid and cast Healing Hands upon them both, restoring their lost life force.

"Th-thanks, Candle..." Lucien said weakly.

Inigo however was trying to catch his breath; it was clear it seemed to have a worse effect on him.

"Cura, ice hurts it!" Serana exclaimed, catching her friend's attention.

Cura knew what she had to do. Activating her Dragonskin and readying Spellbreaker, Cura became the bastion to guard her loved ones. She stood in front of her friends as the vengeful drake crawled along the ice towards them, readying a Fire Breath Shout. "YOL-"

Cura quickly inhaled, and unleashed. "IIZ-"

"-TOOR SHUL!"

"-SLEN NUS!"

The powerful blast of Flame rushed forward, only to be met by Cura's powerful freezing tempest. The two powers collided, causing a powerful explosion that sent shards of ice and great blasts of water and steam through the air. As the fog remained, Cura ran across the remaining slabs of ice, hopping from one to the next towards the Dragon's form that she could make out.

Tearing through the fog, Cura withdrew her Dawnbreaker and leapt right into the Dragon's face. Naaslaarum tried to snap at her, clamping its jaws shut and missing, providing Cura with the great opportunity to use it as a footstool to springboard off of.

She then siezed the opportunity to give the beast a taste of its own medicine from the air above. "GAAN!" She Shouted, draining some of the Dragon's life, resulting in it becoming dizzy.

Now disoriented, the Dragon's attempts to snap at her in mid-air failed, as Cura landed on its back. Taking her sword in two hands, she silently prayed to Stendarr for strength to carry out justice on the winged menace, and then proceeded to plunge her blade between its third and fourth column of spikes, into its neck and through its spine. Then she turned to Inigo. "NOW! DO IT!"

The Dragon could no longer move, but it would not suffer for much longer, as Inigo equipped an Exploding Bolt of Frost, which he aimed and loosed upon the Dragon.

Cura quickly leapt off the lizard before the bolt could make contact, blowing the Dragon's enfeebled head off into the air. Immediately, the Dragon's body fell limp and met with the same fate as so many others; utter disintegration of the flesh, and its soul pulled out from its corpse and fed into Cura, where it could rejoin its kin.

Lucien clapped his hands victoriously. "Wow! I can't believe that worked!"

Serana was speechless. She had never witnessed such a thing before. "You... you really did take its soul!" She declared with surprise as Cura staggered about lightly as the essence finished filling her.

"GYAAAAH!" Cura roared as the energy seemed to overflow from her. Her eyes glowed with the powerful, burning essence of the 9 Dragons within her. Her allies were alarmed for the moment, but quickly subsided as calmness returned to the air about them.

It seemed as though Alduin only fed her more power, rather than sent for her demise.

"My friend, that was incredible!" Inigo exclaimed. "If I were Harkon I'd be shaking in my batty breeches right about now!"

"But that Alduin though... what was that about?" Serana asked, wondering why he came about. Even as she talked about the World-Eater, she spoke cautiously with fear of summoning him back.

Seeing Alduin up close was a completely different experience than hearing the stories about him. He was everything she'd heard growing up and more. Defeating a creature like that - if you could even call him one - was a tall order. She certainly didn't envy Cura.

"I don't know beyond what he said... wanting to... test me." Cura wiped some blood off her cheek. "I think I need a few minutes to relax."

"I agree." Lucien raised his hand. "I think when we get back to Fort Dawnguard, they should throw us a big banquet feast for all we've gone through! Whp's with me?"

"As long as there will be Sweetrolls!" Inigo raised his hand. "Golden Ones, because we stared death in the face and lived."

"No arguments there. That was more than intense, and we still aren't finished here." Serana exhaled as she followed Cura to the other side of the lake, past the headless Dragon skeleton and onto the permafrost-coated ground.

Cura opened her bag, withdrew a Bedroll, and plopped it down on the ground and threw herself onto it. "Ugh..."

Lucien did the same, as did Serana. Inigo set up a tent and started a small Bonfire. Perhaps it would be good to rest for the remainder of the night and find the last Wayshrine come the morning. After all, there was no way it would be easy.

That night, Cura wondered to herself if she was truly prepared for what lay ahead. Beyond Harkon, there was much for her to do. So far, all she was focusing on was her Dawnguard and Vigil endeavours, but that encounter with Alduin was a wake-up call if there ever was one. She needed to hone her skills more. Perfect her magicks, especially.

The College it would be, then.

But for now, she just needed to rest.