"Still no word from her!" Delphine angrily sifted through the letters she received from the Courier.

There was a bill for the repairs done to the Inn, and a complaint letter about her Bathwater being "too toxic"-what do they know?-but not so much as a Note from Cura. What on Nirn was going on?

Esbern sat at the planning table and crossed his arms. "Perhaps she has other affairs to take care of, at the detriment of our world. It is clear that she lacks the discipline required to face Alduin."

"Well, she was trained by the Vigil of Stendarr." Delphine laughed off their incompetence. "I don't think any of them knows what it means to be tactful or prepared, especially in light of what happened to them recently.'

"The very same thing happened to us, Delphine. Cloud Ruler Temple was destroyed by our enemies, as you remember." Esbern pulled her off of her pedestal and brought her back down to earth.

"Esbern, we tried to prevent it." Delphine tried to distinguish. "We knew it was coming."

"Does that make things better, or worse?" Esbern posed the truthful question.

Delphine truly had no answer she would like to give in response. She only returned to the map on her table. "Cura had better respond soon... or we'll have no choice but to hunt her down and drag her back here... which I don't think anyone will like."

Esbern opened one of his books and began to read, drowning out her bravado.


Dimhollow Crypt was gloomy and ill-intended. Draugr lurked in the catacombs below and fought against Vampiric intruders.

Cura, Tolan, Inigo and Erandur faced no real trouble there, as the foes were already half-defeated by the time Dawnbreaker struck.

Erandur covered the exit point to the northwest of the room; furthest from the other exits, all metal bars with pull chains beside them. The Dunmer prayed to Mara and listened intently for forces around. "There are many more Vampires out there. And Death Hounds... and Frostbite Spiders."

"That just means we'll go in, fire blazing." Cura stated with dark confidence as she moved on into the dusken shadows beyond. "Let me take the lead."

"Good idea. Wouldn't want to wind up with a scorched behind." Vigilant Tolan remarked as he shifted around Cura.

The next room was a carved-in cave that seemed to hold a graveyard that was flooded by a stream. The torchlights dimly reflected their light on the dark, wet surface, daring adventures to set a foot within.

"I do not like this place," Inigo began. "I can feel a strange energy..."

Immediately, three skeletons slowly began to rise from their sunken graves.

Cura looked at Erandur, who then went down on one knee and placed his hands in the mud. The skeletons began to run towards him, but he called out to Mara. "Lady Mara, I call upon you now; bless this soil!"

Golden light filled the ground, eliminating the encroaching skeletons; causing their bones to molt into ash and dust in the air, forever vanquishing the undead menaces. "That'll do it. Safe passage ahead, I hope." Erandur wiped sweat off his brow with his forearm.

Vigilant Tolan looked on with pleasant surprise, and yet, with a twinge of envy. If Mara could do this, where was Stendarr when they needed him? Cura could feel the same way, in unison by comparison to her own experiences. She could have used her Divine's help against the Markarth Guard, as well; then perhaps Lydia would still be here with her right now.

Her heart was still heavy with the loss of her friend. It hasn't even been a week, and the sorrow continued to grip her. Would she ever move on from that? And now Keeper Carcette on top of it all; it was too much. She could not even mourn either properly due to her quest.

Up the hill beyond, a lurking vampire caught sight of this and foolishly ran into the blessed soil and burned on impact.

"Nice work, Erandur!" Cura praised him, then

continued through the northwest door, into another cryptlike area.

There was an urn straight ahead, and Cura noticed that the passage onwards continued to her left. Inigo joined her and slid open the lid to peer inside.

"Looting's all well and good, but let's save some coins for the dead, aye?" Vigilant Tolan called them out.

"I do not think they will be buying designer shoes." Inigo scoffed as he took an emerald.

They headed down the path to their left only to hit a dead end. Fortunately Erandur noticed a sly door to the left that was easy to miss on first glance.

The dead end had a Health Potion on the floor embedded within the recently spun cobwebs, and to the left were two more burial urns, which Inigo took a sum of 160 gold from, much to Tolan's protest.

"Spirits don't take kindly to looters." Vigilant Tolan warned him.

The dead frostbite spiders lying around the next room alerted Cura to another vampire's presence. "Die!" Cura shouted as she threw herself at the fiend, Dawnbreaker blazing.

On impact, the blue flames of Meridia connected with nearby webs, spreading through the crypt and immolating another vampire and a couple of Death Hounds who rounded the corner to attack.

The exit to the southeast led them to a cavernous ledge, where someone has built a railing overlooking the flooded cavern where the skeletons rose from the water.

Erandur could still see Mara's influence over the water and soil, so he took solace in knowing that evil could not follow them from behind.

Vigilant Tolan warned Cura to stay back by pushing her to the side with his arm slowly. He gestured to a large gate, and on the other side,

There was another vampire, but he was fighting a wounded frostbite spider. Easy pickings.

Tolan wanted this one. He nudged his head at a lever on top of a rock to the left of the gate.

Cura pulled the lever, and Tolan ran in swinging, plunging his Warhammer into the Vampire's skull from behind.

Inigo finished off the Giant Frostbite Spider with a well-formed arrow, clipping it between the rows of eyes.

"Your aim is immaculate!" Erandur praised Inigo, which made the Khajiit blush.

"Years of practice!" Inigo stated coyly. He was a natural talent with the bow, to be sure, but a straightforward compliment like that caught him off-guard.

Cura and Tolan exchanged glances, and then nodded and pushed open the wooden door that stood before them.

The wooden door led them to what must be Dimhollow Cavern if the stalactites on the ceiling further away were evident enough. The group entered a room adjacent to a balcony overlooking the large, water-filled cavern, with a Scroll of Fire Storm on a pedestal in the room, seemingly placed there for potential use.

"Adalvald must have left this here." Vigilant Tolan stated as he lifted the scroll. "He must have come prepared, but was caught off-guard."

"We have to -" As soon as Cura approached the balcony ahead, she heard a conversation between Vigilant Adalvald, and an insidious vampire.

Adalvald was stripped of his garments and covered in cuts and bruises. He was bound behind his back and forced down onto his knees. It seemed as though the vampires were unable to remove his Amulet of Stendarr, however, as it hung over his chest, catching the light from the torch beside him. "I'll never tell you anything, vampire. My oath to Stendarr is stronger than any suffering you can inflict on me."

"That's one of the vampires that attacked the Hall!" Vigilant Tolan pointed at the speaker, his eyes flaring with vengeance.

Cura pursed her lips as anger washed over her. It was as if her Dragon soul itself were threatening to burst forth from her body and consume the cavern in flames-the very same soul she enchained within herself for so long. The essence she continuously denied, and denied, and denied, with seemingly no quarter or respite from the beginning of her journey. The desire to dominate, to destroy, to lay her foes to ruin; it was becoming more powerful than her will to Human. It was becoming her; eating at her bit by bit.

The vampire looked at his cohort and then back to Adalvald. "I believe you, Vigilant. And I don't think you even know what you've found here." His voice was dripping with smugness. "So go, and meet your beloved Stendarr."

He raised his sword and focused his target on Adalvald's chest.

The Vigilant closed his eyes and braced himself to meet his god. He had held out for almost a week, enduring torture and threats at the hands of these devils, and now had nothing to lose. If the Vigil was truly destroyed, he would be happy to join his fallen allies.

Cura's eyes widened with horror, and without a second's thought, she leapt off the balcony and blasted through the air. "WULD NA KEST!"

In that instance before the vampire could drive his blade through Adalvald, he found himself impaled through the back by Dawnbreaker. "You are not going to kill him!"

She twisted the blade, causing the vampire to howl in agony.

Adalvald was astonished. In those brief seconds, Cura; their beloved Cura, came for him. She dropped everything she was doing and returned to them, to help him.

"Lokil!" the other vampire shouted as Inigo stuck her through the back with his ebony sword.

Cura leaned forward, into Lokil's face. "Your entire group is going to pay for what you've done."

"Y-you're the... the Dragonborn..." Lokil spat weakly as the divine power destroyed him from within.

Cura pushed him backwards and turned the burning vampire towards the lake. "FUS RO DAH!" She blasted him straight off the blade, and the burning husk was disrespectfully discarded into the water, where Meridia's flames could still be seen working under its surface.

Vigilant Tolan already began to untie Brother Adalvald. "Are you all right, Adalvald? Can you stand?"

Brother Adalvald pushed a foot down on the floor and managed to stay steady. "Aye." he responded.

"Here, Brother; allow me to examine your injuries." Erandur said as he approached slowly.

"Cura?" Brother Adalvald called out to the Breton, and she seemed to be preoccupied with the flames beneath the water, watching intently as they slowly fizzled out.

Inigo examined the cavern around them. In the center of the lake was a little stone island adorned with gothic arches spanning it's circumference in a circle, joined to the landmasses by bridges.

Cura faced Adalvald . Slowly but surely, when Erandur finished healing broken bones and cuts, she embraced the older Vigilant tenderly. "I'm so happy you're alive..."

Brother Adalvald clenched her tightly. "I'm so happy to see you, as well. Surely you will tell me more about your adventures once we get out of this dungeon, right?"

Cura smiled and nodded. "Of course."

Adalvald turned to Tolan. "Did Keeper Carcette send you? Is she all right?"

Cura looked away sadly, and Brother Adalvald immediately understood that something bad must have happened.

"Oh... I see..." Brother Adalvald held a hand to his chest. "Keeper, we will see you again someday, in Aetherius."

Vigilant Tolan reached into his bag and pulled out a spare set of Apprentice robes, and handed them to Adalvald. "I hope what you were searching for is worth it."

Adalvald nodded. "It must be something very important. Where is Vigilant Moric?"

"He's dead, too." Cura spoke sadly. "I saw his body."

"Such a shame..." Adalvald shook his head. "He was a good man."

"I'm going to kill all of these vampires." Cura assured him. "They signed their death warrant in the Keeper, Moric, and the others' blood."

"You plan to engage the Volkihar clan alone?" Adalvald asked in shock. "That's a little bit foolhardy, Cura."

"They can't get away with this, even from a pragmatic standpoint; if they go unpunished, they'll strike other Vigil Halls around Tamriel. We can't let them become emboldened!" Cura justified her case.

"We have the Dawnguard to help us!" Inigo stated. "That is what they are for, yes?"

"I think Isran is in over his head, to be honest." Vigilant Tolan sneered. "He has not yet seen these vampires up close."

The group crossed the stone bridge over to the small puzzle island in the center of the cave.

"If only we could read these markings," Adalvald mused. "imagine what we could learn!" He looked at the foreign writing on the arches around the center.

A lone skeleton rested on the floor; probably another snooping adventurer from ages ago.

Inigo shivered. "I hate these places..."

"Do not fear; we are under the watchful eyes of Mara and Stendarr." Erandur reassured him as he began to examine the silver braziers that seemed unlit and running along a course of some kind.

Cura approached a small pillar in the center of the circle with a button on it. "I think this may do something." She mused as she pressed down on it.

"Cura, be-" Vigilant Tolan's warning came too late, as a sharp blade shot up from the mechanism below the button.

"Gah!" Cura cried out as she nearly fell to her knees. The blade penetrated her right hand and exited through the top of it before retreating back inside the mechanism. A valve beneath the button opened up and her blood began to seep inside it, filling it generously.

Cura cast a quick healing spell to save her hand from potential putrification.

Inigo rushed over to examine his friend before the others could move in. "Ooh! That looked like it hurt! Are you all right, my friend?"

Cura held her hand with careful pressure. "I will be..."

As soon as Brother Adalvald was sure of her condition, he looked around as the floor began to emit a violet light, which ended by the long side of the brazier path. "Yes, I see..." He pushed the brazier to the end of the path to meet the light, and then it caught fire, and the path of the light continued.

Vigilant Tolan examined Cura, and then noted the light source. "Are you sure we should be doing this? It could be evil-look what it did to Cura!"

Erandur nodded. "There could be something foul at play. I don't think..."

"The vampires killed the Vigil for whatever this is!" Adalvald continued to line up the braziers with the light. "We owe it to our fallen comrades to ensure that whatever it is stays out of the Volkihar clan's hands."

Once the final brazier made it in place, the floor began to descend in the middle, stretching further out and revealing an odd stone monolith.

Cura walked forward and examined the large slab out of intrigue, and upon touching it, the cover fell down, and a mysterious woman fell out.

She had dark, shoulder-length hair partially-tied in an ornate braided fashion, a black and purple cuirass of sorts, and a black cape. On her back, however, was a strange, decorated Scroll.

Brother Adalvald took a step back instinctively. "Cura, look out! She could be..."

Encased in a stone coffin, with no oxygen in a crypt abandoned to the centuries, still alive and breathing, seemingly? She was without a doubt a vampire. Cura held her mace firmly as the woman slowly began to stand up. As much as she wanted to smash this fiend's skull in, something seemed to be stilling her hand. She felt as though this one needed to be kept alive, for an inexplicable reason. Perhaps it was the will of the Divines; she could not be certain, but she would proceed with caution.

"Unh... where is... who sent you here?" The mysterious woman asked as she collected her bearings. Her eyes glowed ominously in the dimly lit cavern.

"That's not your concern." Cura responded coldly as her allies approached from behind her.

The woman was fast to clap back. "I think it is, actually. Why would someone who isn't... like me... come all the way down here?"

"A vampire. The treasure all along, was a vampire." Vigilant Tolan sneered at Adalvald and reached out a hand and pointed firmly at the fiend before them. "We lost our people because of this wench?!"

"Do you see what she has, though?" Adalvald pointed to the scroll on her back, whispering discreetly. "I think it was that that attracted the vampires, not the girl herself."

Vigilant Tolan scratched his chin in thought concerning that scroll on her back and what it could be.

"The Dawnguard and the Vigil would want me to kill you." Cura informed her.

"Not fond of vampires, are they? Well, look. Kill me, you've killed one vampire. But if people are after me, there's something bigger going on. I can help you find out what that is." The mysterious woman offered rationally.

"I do not trust her, Cura!" Inigo stated as he clenched the Breton's shoulders anxiously. "Burn her! Burn her!"

"Why were you locked away like this?" Cura asked the vampiress. She had to extend a small bit of leeway to understand what they were dealing with, exactly.

"That's... complicated. And I'm not totally sure if I can trust you all, either." the vampiress issued a bargain. "But if you want to know the whole story, help me get back to my family's home."

Cura looked to her allies, who were intent on keeping an eye on this mysterious vampiress. "Where do you need to go?" the Breton asked.

"My family used to live on an island to the west of Solitude. I would guess they still do. By the way... my name is Serana. Good to meet you." The vampiress extended a hand for a shake. Just who was this girl? Was she in opposition to the Volkihar Vampire clan? Was that why she was hiding with this mysterious object, and they sought her out. Just what had the Vigil stumbled upon, exactly?

Cautiously, Cura took her hand and gave it a firm shake. Her own hand still ached from the maiming spike earlier, but Serana didn't know about that... right?

Erandur walked back to the entry the group came from, only to find the gate fallen and unmoving. Possibly due to Cura's Shout. He cursed under his breath as he rejoined the group. "Any idea how to get out of here? Entry's jammed shut!"

"Your guess is as good as mine." Serana's voice reverberated on the cavern walls. "This place looks pretty different from when I was locked away."

It must have been quite some time ago. "How long were you in there?" Inigo asked out of curiosity.

"Good question. Hard to say. I... I can't really tell. I feel like it was a long time. Who is Skyrim's High King?" Serana asked the open forum.

"That's actually a matter of debate." Brother Adalvald scratched the back of his neck. As of right now, the land was without a High King.

"Oh, wonderful. A war of succession. Good to know the world didn't get boring while I was gone. Who are the contenders?" Serana asked in her snarkiest manner. It only served to prove that no matter how much the world has changed; people never have, after all. The fallible nature of man leaves him doomed to forever repeat the mistakes of the past, they say.

"The Empire supports the lovely Elisif the Fair, but there are many in Skyrim loyal to the great Ulfric Stormcloak." Inigo tried to romanticize the situation in the hopes of bringing some kind of levity into the current socio-political climate in the realm.

"Empire? What... what empire?" Serana raised an eyebrow, prompting strange stares from all around.

Vigilant Tolan was the first to speak up. "The... Empire. From Cyrodiil."

"Cyrodiil is the seat of an empire? I must have been gone longer than I thought. Definitely longer than we planned." Serana placed her index and thumb on her forehead and exhaled deeply. "Please, let's hurry. I need to get home so I can figure out what's happened."

"Tell me about your home." Cura insisted as she walked closely to Serana.

"It's on an island near Solitude. Hopefully we can find a boat to take us there. It's my family home. Not the most welcoming place, but depending on whose around, I'll be safe there." Serana assured her.

Cura was a little confused. "Why wouldn't you be safe there? It's your home. That should be the safest place." She was definitely speaking from her own personal experience, disregarding the hellish masquerade the Vigil had to contend with days ago.

"Let's just say that my mother and father had a bit of a falling out. Don't worry, I'm not in any danger or anything like that. It'll just be more unpleasant to run into my father." Serana crossed the bridge ahead of the group. "My father and I don't really get along. Ugh, saying it out loud makes it sound so... common. "Little girl who doesn't get along with her father." Read that story a hundred times."

Inigo laughed. "And thousands more times it has been written since then."

Cura smirked, as well. "Well, don't worry; I won't judge you for that." She told Serana, attempting to bring a friendlier tone into the fold. What had she learned since her adventure began, after all? Not all Daedra were necessarily out to harm mortals, and not all werewolves were downright abominable. Perhaps even among Vampirekind there could be decent stock, and perhaps this Serana was one of them. After all, from firsthand experience, having become a werewolf against her own will, Cura could confirm that these transformations were not always consensual. There were certainly flaws in the Vigil's teachings.

Brother Adalvald called out from behind them. "Is that an Elder Scroll?"

Immediately, Serana became defensive, and turned around to face him nd obscure the powerful tool from his sight. "Yes, it is, and it's mine."

"Why do you have an Elder Scroll?" Brother Adalvald attempted to pry more information on the subject, but Serana would not broach it.

"It's... complicated. I can't really talk about it. I'm sorry." The vampiress apologized. It clearly held some discreet importance. To be locked away for so long, it must be very important.

Inigo began to fret. "Is it fragile? Do we need to be careful with it?"

"Ha. Nothing can destroy an Elder Scroll. Worry more about protecting your hide, and let me worry about my things." Serana shirked off his remark and held the scroll tighter with her hands behind her back.

"Fair enough." Inigo shrugged.

"Why were you locked away?" Erandur stepped in. "It must be for something sinister. Lady Mara tells me within my heart that this scroll is connected to something dire."

"I'd... rather not get into that with you. If that's all right. I'm sorry, it's not that... it's just that I don't know who I can trust yet. Let's get to my home, and I'll have a better sense of where we all stand." Serana sighed. Her noncompliance only served to reinforce the sentiment.

Cura nodded. "All right, if it helps. My name is Cura of the Pale." She tried to fraternize. "My Khajiit friend is Inigo, the Dunmer Priest is named Erandur, and the two Vigilants are Brother Adalvald and Vigilant Tolan." She gestured towards the two of them in sequence. "We just want to stop a potential threat." She half-told the truth. If Serana could get her anywhere closer to the court of Volkihar later down the line, she could destroy them all. Dawnguard or none, she was filled with so much boiling rage that she would bring down the building or cavern upon them.

Cura was all in all glad that this came to light; if that truly was an Elder Scroll, this could be far deadlier than Alduin himself. Then she caused to wonder; she hadn't come across a Dragon in a while, now, since she and Delphine encountered the one in Kynesgrove, if her blurring memory served her well. With the mental state she was in these days, it was a miracle she could even recall her own name. Why was that, anyways? What was the "World-Eater" waiting for? He could have killed her a long time ago, and yet he seems to be biding his time, as well.

None of it made any sense.

"Erm, hello?" Serana tried to snap the delusional Breton back into the real world. "Are you... all right?"

Cura shook her head quickly as she snapped back in place. "Yes, let's go."

That was, of course, a blatant lie. Exhausted, run-down, filthy, highly-strung apart, a white patch in her hair now, and sunken eyes. She hadn't truly rested in over a week, and it certainly showed. Cura was anything but all right.

"Watch out!" Inigo pointed ahead as his keen Catlike senses picked up a dark anomaly further ahead.

Out from the shadows above a staircase ahead. two Gargoyles burst out of their stone encasings, coming to life and attacking the group.

"I knew there was more to those things than they let on!" Vigilant Adalvald blasted the fiends with a firebolt, which did some damage, to be sure, but not enough to rend their stony hide.

One of the fiends closed the gap between them and attempted to claw the Vigilant, only for Cura to intervene with her shield, protecting Adalvald, who was armourless.

"I don't know where I would be without you." Adalvald said with an anxious laugh.

Cura grunted as she pushed the fiend back into Serana's icicle, which impaled it through the spine, destroying the demon in place. Inigo and Tolan attacked the second fiend head-on as Erandur concentrated his meager flames on the beast. The heat from the fire did very little to sway the battle, but the warhammer Tolan used was quick to dispatch the macabre monstrosity, rending its bones and stones to dust.

"Wow, I am glad you are on my side!" Inigo remarked freshly to the large man. "That looked like it would surely hurt."

"More than that; it would have pulverized you." Tolan hung the weapon back on his body.

"Yes, that, too." Inigo shuddered.

"That swing is how I made it to the top of the Vigil." Vigilant Tolan beamed proudly as he adjusted his Apprentice Robes, which were worn by the higher ranked members in the Hall, traditionally.

The group continued to move through the darkness on uncertain landscape. Inigo helped guide Cura through the darkness, but she insisted on using her Flames as a torch of sorts by maintaining the fire in her hand. It casted some dim lighting in the consuming blackness.

"How did Carcette become the Keeper, then?" Inigo asked him. The thought did cross his mind, given the harsh attitude she seemed to have and the things Cura had said concerning her.

"The previous Keeper left the Hall in her care, signed it over to her before she could protest." Vigilant Tolan stated. "Former Keeper, Vigilant Moric Sidrey. He wanted to do more for the organization without being tied down to the Shrine at the Hall, or its general vicinity. It was a bit sleazy of him to do, but he did build Stendarr's Beacon near Dayspring Canyon, and helped the Vigil back in Cyrodiil for all these years. He always was an adventurous type... may he rest in peace. And Carcette, too. For all she's had to struggle with all these years, she helped raise the Dragonborn, and that deserves one heck of an acclamation. She was a good woman; don't let anybody tell you otherwise. A looot of people would have quit in her shoes, but she stayed and fought like a Nord. She gave it all she had against those bloodsucking vermin." He then turned to Serana, who was ahead with Cura. "No offense to present company."

Serana rolled her eyes, and though they were in the darkness, when she turned to Cura, she could see silent tears exiting her eyes and slowly trailing down her cheeks. The vampire felt a twinge of sympathy for the girl, but decided that it would perhaps be best to not bring it up.

Brother Adalvald chimed in."Moric was a good friend of mine. Carcette, as well. I remember the first day I was recruited into the Skyrim division, when they were embarking from High Rock. I tagged along with Keeper Moric, and he found good use for my skills of research. At the time, Carcette was one of his subordinates. How many Daedra fell beneath our feet. Damn shame that they're gone..."

They walked up the eastern ramp made of natural ground and quickly found an enclave of stone with a wooden door within. Serana was the first to take notice. "Ah, this is beginning to look like the right way."

Erandur scurried ahead of the group and laid a hand on the door, and closed his eyes. "I sense a great many Undead past this point. Be prepared." He shared a gaze with Serana. "Hm... Lady Mara gives me some interesting feelings about you. Did you know her, once?"

Serana fell silent. "Let's just keep moving." She pushed the door open and led the way.

Inigo and Cura exchanged a confused expression before following her through.

Vigilant Tolan laid a hand on Cura's shoulder. "Carcette would be proud of you for all you accomplished; just know that. She always spoke very highly of you, when we were alone."

"I don't think she would, after all that's occurred..." Cura sighed sadly as she pulled away from his hand and continued her walk through the shadow. What was there to be proud of? She got her Horse killed, brutally killed another respected Vigilant because of a Daedra, and got arrested, and became allied with a domestic terror group. Things were not looking good for her.

Within the next room has a lever that stood upon a small ledge, which, when Inigo pulled it, opened the gate to their left, above the stairs, that was formerly blocking the passage. "Ha-ha! The genius strikes again!"

"Lady Mara!" Erandur called out as the sarcophagi that leaned against the walls bust open and Draugr began to pour out of them. It reminded Cura of her scene with Farkas in Dustman's Cairn some time back, though thankfully, she was no longer a Werewolf.

Brother Adalvald clasped his hands together, and was about to call upon Stendarr's Aura when Cura halted him. "No! You could hurt Serana!" She exclaimed, and showed why she was wielding her mace and not Dawnbreaker. Adalvald stopped himself in remembrance and nodded. He opted instead to burn the undead with his flames.

"Thanks." Serana gestured kindly to Cura, upon realizing that she may have just saved her unlife by proxy. Cura nodded to her and proceeded to smack a Draugr in his kneecaps to drop him so Inigo could behead him from behind.

The Khajiit was the best fighter in the dark, next to Serana, because unlike Tolan, who was missing half his warhammer swings due to mostly guesswork in the very dim lighting, Inigo had catlike night vision. He danced in the shadows and plucked several of the zombified Nords off one by one, with flawless arrow shots to their faces, extinguishing those cold, frightful blue eyes forever.

Erandur was barging through with his mace, swinging wildly against the blackness of the room. "A little light would be nice, I think." He ducked behind a sarcophagus and casted a Magelight spell, sending a ball of light up onto the ceiling, illuminating the most of the room.

The group utilized the light to mitigate damages and strike faithfully against their foes.

When the battle was won, the group traversed the dank realm of the dead and eventually found themselves in what looked like an open forum of some sort with throne and stairs surrounding the area, culminating to the center where a bonfire was lit; the only source of light in that large room. Each section was marked by the four large pillars in the room.

Cura could hear a faint whispering from the northeastern corner of the silent room. It sounded like chanting of some kind; a Word Wall. She took a small step forward, and then Inigo quickly pulled her back and fired an arrow into the darkness.

A loud, demonic wail was heard as it entered the eye of a Draugr Deathlord; ancient, forbidden beings of untold hatred they were. The zombie quickly pulled the arrow from his right eye socket and stamped his foot down.

Suddenly, skeleton mages began to stand up from their thrones and head towards the group.

Before they could divide and conquer, the Deathlord made known his power. "FUS RO DAH!" His taxed voice simmered the air and sent Vigilant Tolan flying backwards onto the steps, Erandur into a pillar, and caused Cura to stagger.

Inigo held his ground and turned to Cura. "My friend! Now would be an excellent time to sing some opera!"

Cura nodded and rushed forward. "Cover me from behind!" She told Brother Adalvald, Inigo, and Serana. The three took their positions, covering the left and right flanks and fending off skeletal mages and soldiers.

Cura spotted the Deathlord due to the orange glow of the firepit. He was lumbering along the stone balcony above, about to head to where he knocked Erandur down. She was not going to allow it. "WULD YOL TOOR!" Cura combined the Whirlwind Sprint with her Fire Breath Shout, causing her to blast through the air with the force and combustion of a meteorite, smashing the balcony railing, throne, and treasure chest behind it and shredding the Deathlord to pieces, but having the unintended side effect of causing her to smash into the stone floor and nearly lose consciousness in a burning crater.

The allies made short work of the skeletons, and Inigo cheered and laughed with delughtful excitement as the Deathlord essentially exploded before their very eyes,

"Stendarr's Mercy!" Vigilant Tolan's jaw dropped as he witnessed the deadly spectacle.

Serana too looked shocked, and she slowly approached the Breton, and helped her dizzy self out of the crater. "That was... are you Dragonborn?"

Cura nodded and placed a hand on her forehead. She then turned to the location of the Word Wall, where the whispers of ancient words spoken called out to her. She was becoming more sensitive to it all; perhaps that was a sign of her power growing.

Brother Adalvald followed after her, and Erandur approached as well, after he'd finished purifying the room around them to avoid any other potential nasty surprises. Serana kept her distance from him, standing instead by the exit.

"Cura, can you read that script?" Brother Adalvald asked.

Cura nodded. "I'm getting better at it, but I need to concentrate, so everybody, please be quiet." The group gave her space and she moved her hand along, sweeping the text as she began to read it aloud:

"HET NOK KOPRaaK DO SVOLO

WO PIRaaK MULaaG Wah KRiiN

DOVah NUZ NI GaaN Wah

KRiiN POGaaN"

Cura looked to Adalvald, who stood beside her, fully intent on learning the translation. She focused until it came to her naturally, as instinctively as the breaths she took on a daily basis. Perhaps it was true that to Dragons, language was intrinsic to their very being; and having six of them absorbed into her own Dragon Soul only seemed to increase her mastery over the language.

"Here lies the body of Svolo,

Who possessed strength to kill a

Dragon but not the stamina to kill many."

Brother Adalvald looked at her surprised. "You can already read that much of it? I suppose the Greybeards taught you well." If Cura could gleam something from this, then perhaps this discovery of his was put forward for good use after all.

Cura focused on one particular word and scratched her chin as she began to contemplate it.

Gaan.

Stamina.

The force of energy held within every living creature; the measure of their capabilities. It can be improved through tempering and willpower, like a refined, hard blade. As well, it can be siphoned; taxed away.

Energy is transformed; stamina is regained. Stamina is the deciding factor in a battle between foes of equal measure.

Cura nodded with understanding as she turned back to Serana, who waited by the exit still. "Let's get out of here. We've found all there is in this crypt."

"Well, Adalvald, old boy," Tolan teased him by pushing his shoulder. "this is all on you. You came across a real Ancient Nord burial site, discovered a Vampire girl with an Elder Scroll, and helped Cura expand her language. How do you feel about that? Is it worth it?"

Brother Adalvald shook his head. "No, it was not. No matter what good may or may not come of it, it was still not worth the price we've paid; we've lost good men and women for it, and Human life is irreplaceable. But... then again, what this means in the grand scheme of things is yet to be revealed."

Erandur laid a hand on his shoulder supportively. "Whatever comes of this, I'm sure it will be in capable hands." He stated. "If Cura has a part to play in it, I am sure it will work out. I trust her." He gestured to the girl, who was already leaving the cavern with Serana and Inigo.

Brother Adalvald accepted it, and gave off a lighthearted smile. "It seems that it was just yesterday she was sitting on my lap and we were reading through Herbane's Bestiary together in front of the Hearth."

Vigilant Tolan recalled the peace of days long passed. "Aye, but Kolb & the Dragon was always her favourite. Almost every other night she'd memorize the pathways of the story until she cracked the right sequence. Time flies."

Their moment of nostalgia was cut short when they realized they were some distance away from the others, and needed to catch up.

"So, Tolan, Stendarr's Beacon, right?" Brother Adalvald asked, and Tolan nodded in response.

"Yes, we're needed there now more than ever." Vigilant Tolan stated. "We can face the others and explain all that's occurred. Maybe we can even offer some kind of assistance to that stubborn fool, Isran."

"Isran?" Brother Adalvald asked. "He's on the move again?"

"Aye, he founded the Dawnguard. In that Old Fort Keeper Carcette didn't want to ship men out to to excavate." Vigilant Tolan explained. "Saw it on my way to Dayspring Canyon. The Beacon's up. We've got to get over there."

"I'll be staying at Fort Dawnguard." Erandur stated. "I think my talents as a healer could be beneficial to them, and I want to do my part to help against the vampire menace."

"Erandur, you've already done so much." Vigilant Tolan spoke softly. "And thanks again, for helping me see past my grief, and saving my life."

Erandur smiled. "Of course. I'd do it again if I had to."

When Cura, Serana and Inigo reached the outdoors, Inigo kissed the ground. "Ahhh, I am so glad to be out of there! I hate those horrible, smelly, creepy Draugr crypts!"

"I'm sorry you had to go through that, Inigo. But thank you for being there for me." Cura expressed her gratitude. Truly, she may have had the flashy Shout ability, but Inigo was the real star of the show, with how he meandered through the darkness like a graceful pirouette.

Serana took in the cold air. "Ah, it's so good to breathe again! Even in this weather, it's better than the cave."

"Vampires can breathe?" Cura looked at her dumfoundedly.

"Well... yes, but it's not needed to keep us around." Serana explained. "I can take in the air without being affected by it, you know."

"That is kind of creepy, not going to lie." Inigo responded with mild disgust.

"Well, nobody asked you." Serana informed him before taking a couple of steps into the snow. She touched a tree and began to examine her surroundings.

Vigilant Tolan, Brother Adalvald, and Erandur exited the cavern and approached Cura.

"Cura, we're going to Stendarr's Beacon; we have to coordinate with the other Vigilants, let them know we're still alive." Vigilant Tolan expressed his regret. "We won't be coming with you, but I'm sure you can escort her to where she needs to go."

"Keep your eye on that scroll." Brother Adalvald tried to remind her to place importance on it, and Cura nodded.

"I will, of course." Cura tried to express understanding. "I will see you all after I finish what I must."

"Stendarr be with you, child." Brother Adalvald gave her a tight embrace.

"And with you, as well." Cura blessed him back.

She then took Erandur's hand. "I can't even begin to tank you enough, Erandur. You saved Vigilant Tolan, and helped us so much back then! I will repay you someday."

Erandur humbly shook his head. "No, no. I repaid you. You don't owe me a thing. When we went through Nightcaller Temple together, you did more of a service for me than you'll ever realize, Cura." He slowly released her hand. "Now, I'm going to head to Fort Dawnguard. Maybe I can help out a bit against this growing threat. Help put Skyrim at ease."

Cura agreed. "That's a great idea! Even though I'm not exactly an official member, I would welcome you to the Dawnguard with open arms."

Vigilant Tolan walked up to Cura and ensnared her in an embrace. "We'll see you later, kiddo. Keep yourself healthy in the meantime, eh?"

Cura reciprocated, though she could not exactly promise anything. "I'll... try."

"Don't let life beat you down." Vigilant Tolan explained. "You're stronger than you know. In time, you're only gonna discover more about yourself; don't fear it. Embrace it, and always be true to Stendarr. No matter what. He's shown me that he still cares for us."

"How so?" Cura asked.

"He brought you back to us in our hour of need. He reunited the remainder of us." Vigilant Tolan explained. "If you weren't here with Erandur and Inigo, I can almost be certain I would have been killed in the entrance of the crypt. Stendarr has shown us mercy."

Cura pondered it for a moment. There was truth to his words. Had she not discovered the Vigil burnt down due to Ondolemar's off-hand remarks, she would not have been in Whiterun to learn of the Dawnguard from Durak, and would have surely missed Tolan, Erandur and Adalvald. She was there, right when she needed to be, because events around her placed her there. It began to feel less like a coincidence and more like Divine Intervention.

The Breton looked up at the heavens, which were illuminated by an aurora in the night. "Stendarr..." She could only whisper.

"See you later, Cura. Stay vigilant!" Tolan said as he, Erandur, and Adalvald all cast the Fast Travel spell.

Inigo nodded to Cura. "It is true; this is all beginning to feel like the turning wheels of fate! Just as our encounter was!"

Cura agreed. Meeting Inigo turned out to be a shining diamond beneath a bed of quartz. He has proven himself to be a very reliable and steadfast ally, and she did not know where she would be without his optimism and friendly nature. Every time she was about to take a nose dive off the precipice into the abyss, he would pull her back.

Cura reached into her satchel and took out two Sweetrolls; a Sprinkled one, and a Golden one, and handed them to him.

"Sweetrolls!" Inigo became excited. "For me?"

Cura smiled. "For all you've done. Thank you, Inigo."

The blue Khajiit happily began to scarf them down on the spot, leaving no sugar grain untouched. "Wishes really do come true!" He sang happily.

Cura noticed Serana standing beneath a tree and approached her. "So, your home is west of Solitude?"

Serana slowly moved away from the tree and faced her. "Yes, but with geographical changes over time, some things may have changed... if it's still on an island, we can take a boat to it."

Cura pondered whether or not it was along the channel leading out to the Sea of Ghosts, the western half. "All right. I have an idea; everyone hold onto me." Inigo took her arm, and Serana reluctantly took her other arm, and Cura cast Fast Travel as well, taking them to Northwatch Keep's back exterior. She resisted the dizzy spell that overcame her, and after a short walk they found the outer coast and headed westward.

After a couple of hours under the shroud of night, Cura and Inigo noticed a small boat docked on a wooden pier, and off in the distance a castle could be vaguely seen by shape only, obscured by fog.

"That's it!" Serana exclaimed, recognizing the shape immediately, almost surprised how it was left unchanged by history.

Cura and Inigo hesitated as they stared into the black water that caught very little moonlight.

Serana addressed the pair. "Umm... this is the part where we usually get in the boat. You with me?"

"Somebody used this recently." Inigo examined the craft. "I suppose people go to and from that castle. Can you be sure your family still lives there?"

Serana nodded immediately. "Of course they do. They wouldn't go anywhere else. We vampires crave stability more than anything else." She sat down on the jetty. "Coming?"

Cura and Inigo reluctantly obliged and stepped onto the boat. They each took an oar and began to paddle along the frozen sea.

After an hour or so, they transcended the rolling fog and passed sharp crags and icebergs. The Castle only seemed to grow closer and closer, revealing its Nordic splendor to them all. Dark Hawklike creatures with skulls for heads flew the skies, screaming death in the air.

Inigo was washed with discomfort, but it was only death below him in the freezing water, so it seemed the best idea to stay on the boat. Cura herself was hung with unease at the dark surroundings, but it made sense, given that these were vampires.

The boat came to a halt, docking at the pier on the castle island. To the east was a small fort, perhaps there to watch the boats come in. It was currently abandoned.

Serana was the first to disembark, but stood behind as Cura and Inigo got off as well. Cura turned to Inigo. "Inigo, I want you to stay here and watch the boat. If I don't come back in a couple of hours, return to Fort Dawnguard and warn them."

"Roger that." Inigo saluted her. "Be careful!"

Cura walked ahead with Serana, and they came to a long stone bridge adorned with Gargoyles, all identical to those in Dimhollow Crypt. Cura clenched her mace tightly in case they should come alive.

"This is it. Home sweet... castle." Serana shrugged, not sure how to end the statement.

Cura was bewildered by the sheer scope of the architecture. It was twice the size of Fort Dawnguard! How did nobody notice this before? "Why didn't you tell me it was so huge?" Cura asked, surprise littering her voice.

Serana crossed her arms to attempt to conceal her embarrassment. "I didn't want you to think I was one of those... you know, the women who just sit in their castle all day? I don't know. Coming from a place like this, well... it's not really me. I hope you can believe that."

"Well, I wouldn't think of that, necessarily. I was more focused on its construction. It's impressive." Cura marveled the stonework.

"It's something all right." Serana's tone went dry.

They continued to cross the bridge when Serana called out to Cura before the castle entry gate. "Hey, so... before we go in there..."

Cura turned to face her. "Are you all right?"

"I think so. And thanks for asking." Serana seemed to brighten up a little. "I wanted to thank you for getting me this far. But after we get in there, I'm going to go my own way for a while. I think... I know your friends would probably want to kill everything in here. I'm hoping you can show some more control than that. Once we're inside, just keep quiet for a bit. Let me take the lead."

"Fair enough." Cura agreed. "You'll know them better than I."

As they approached the gate, the Human guard examined them. As soon as he saw Serana, his eyes widened. "Lady Serana's back! Open the gate!"

The metal bars were slowly lifted up into their sockets, and Serana exchanged a glance with Cura before inviting her in.

As Cura entered behind her, the Guard tugged on the back of her robe. "Lord Harkon's a great man... Best show him the proper respect." He warned.

Cura nudged herself out of his grasp and continued on inside with the vampiress.

Immediately, they found themselves in a dark vestibule with potted plants and seating benches, and immediately, Vingalmo, the Altmer vampire approached. His first notice was Cura, whom he did not recognize. "How dare you trespass here!" Before he could fit her description, however, Serana caught his eye. "Wait... Serana? Is that truly you? I cannot believe my eyes! My Lord! Everyone! Serana has returned!" He headed to the balcony and shouted it in announcement.

Serana turned to Cura and gave an expression of surprise. "I guess I'm expected."

Feran Sadri, the Dunmer spoke from across the large dining hall. "I can't believe it."

Harkon held up his chalice as he stood before the court. "My long-lost daughter returns at last. I trust you have my Elder Scroll?" He had certainly been expecting her arrival, one way or another.

Serana vecame defensive almost as if on instinct. Truly, the air was more frigid in here than outside. "After all these years, that's the first thing you ask me? Yes, I have the scroll."

Hestla, a Nord vampiress exclaimed in restrained excitement. "She has the scroll!"

Harkon sneered."Of course I'm delighted to see you, my daughter. Must I really say the words aloud? Ah, if only your traitor mother were here, I would let her watch this reunion before putting her head on a spike. Now tell me, who is this stranger you have brought into our hall?"

Serana pointed to Cura. "This is my savior, the one who freed me."

Cura looked around with disgust. She could see the horrors of vampiric lifestyle all around her; fresh corpses, body parts strewn about, and more blood than on a battlefield condensed in a reeking room that made her stomach churn. And then, a familiar sight hit her, and completely drew her attention away from the horrific scene around her.

Entering the Dining Hall from the Northwestern entrance after hearing the commotion at that moment was Keeper Carcette. She was unmistakable with her short, blonde hair, pointed, yet short nose, Apprentice Robes, her gaunt way of walking, and her confident posture.

Immediately, Cura's eyes lit up and she rushed across the floor towards her, bypassing the bloodsoaked table around Serana and dashing past Lord Harkon. "KEEPER!" Cura shouted with heartfelt joy as she plummeted into her arms. "Keeper, you're alive! I can't believe it!" Cura buried her face in Carcette's shoulder and she began to sob with joy. "Don't worry! I'll... sob... I'll get you out of here! We'll fight them together! We'll..."

A great sense of relief found its way into Cura's heart as she melted down into her mentor.

She thought Carcette was dead!

But she's not dead!

Stendarr be praised!

She lives!

She's alive!

...And she's cold.

So, very cold.

"Quite presumptuous of you, Cura." The Keeper spoke with a light hiss as she placed her hands on Cura's upper back, giving into the embrace for the moment.

Cura noticed the lack of warmth and slowly removed herself from the embrace, though she was still bound, and then horror struck her. The unwrapped glowing orange left eye was the first telltale sign. Then she noticed that her Amulet was missing, and there were two puncture holes in her neck. Cura gasped and quickly thrust herself backwards. Carcette's face was slightly warped and gnarly, and her flesh was cold as the grave and pale as, well, the Pale. She sneered lightly, revealing one of her long, sharp fangs.

She had just unknowingly offered her her neck!

Cura quickly held a hand to her neck and took a few paces back. She continued to stare, as her brain attempted to understand exactly what she was seeing.

"K-Keeper C-Ca-Carcette..." Cura trembled. "Y-you're... you're... you're one of them now!"

"Just 'Carcette' now. I am Keeper no longer. You've done wisely, backing away." Carcette smirked at Cura. "Considering all you've done, at least you've had wisdom enough to recognize a vampire on sight. That's more than could be said for most people."

Serana and Harkon were both looking directly at Cura, as well as the other members of the Court. Vingalmo, the Altmer, was boiling with rage inside as the puzzle pieces quickly fell in place, and he spoke out. "What are you waiting for? Drink her dry!"

"No!" Serana quickly protested on Cura's behalf. "Let her be!"

"Serana, seeing you here is well and good, but how did she meet you, exactly?" Lord Harkon gestured towards the confused and disheartened Cura.

"She opened the tomb at Dimhollow." Serana informed him. "She and her friend escorted me home."

Cura was continuing to stare at the vampiric Carcette as she slowly backed away. How could this have happened? She trembled as the ramifications of this set in. Carcette, the former Keeper of the Vigil, was now a Vampire. Skyrim's Vigil was doomed. Obviously she knew about the Dawnguard and about Stendarr's Beacon, as well! She could direct the Vampires to all of their small safe spaces and have them torn out, root and stem!

Cura clenched her mace tightly; not for protection, but to regain some semblance of calmness in the storm. She had to kill her, otherwise they were all in big trouble! But then she remembered what happens to a Vampire upon their death, and where they go.

It was the Fenrik dilemma all over again.

Molag Bal was set to emerge the victor, again. If Cura killed Carcette, Molag Bal would have her soul; the very thing she prevented so long ago. If Carcette lives, the Vigil may suffer for it, amusing the Daedric Prince, regardless.

How many people had she lost to that fiend already?

Harkon spoke out to Cura. "For my daughter's safe return, you have my gratitude. Tell me, what is your name?"

Cura was frozen in time, she felt. She could only stare at Carcette as she tried to calculate the risks of keeping her alive, or if there was a slim chance she might not be evil now, as Serana was seemingly a reasonable vampire, so they do exist. Even werewolves have sense, as Cura experienced firsthand. Heck, even Fenrik wanted to rejoin the Vigil, even if he did terrible things. Maybe there was still hidden loyalty in her somewhere...

"Lord Harkon is speaking to you." Carcette snapped Cura out of it. "Don't be rude, now."

Cura shook off her stupor and turned to face Harkon. "C-Cura." She responded.

Vingalmo bit his finger angrily in attempt to self-soothe. This was the one who killed Minorne. However, his respect in Harkon's Court forbade him from acting on impulse.

"I am Harkon, lord of this court. By now, my daughter will have told you what we are." Lord Harkon extended his hands to display the grandeur of his overgrown slaughterhouse.

Cura was near ready to give up, now that she realized she was had. This was the Volkihar clan. Serana preyed on her tired mind and kinder nature, and lured her here. Carcette probably singled her out as a threat to their group, and now they were going to kill her. Cura looked at Carcette, hurt and defeated.

Carcette's own expression shifted from one of a dark stoic to one a little more concerned when she studied her former protégé. Cura looked awful. Her eyes were near vacant, filled with visions of death and sorrow, her features were lowered and mournful, her hair bore a long white patch on her right side of her bangs, and she had reddened bags under her eyes themselves.

Her health was horribly declined; it was certain that her quest had taken a hefty toll on her.

Carcette wanted to ask her what happened, and if she was all right, but the answer was obvious, and the circumstances did not allow for it. She only crossed her arms and looked at the young Breton sadly.

Cura snapped back into reality. "You're vampires."

"Not just vampires." Lord Harkon took light offense. "We are among the oldest and most powerful vampires in Skyrim." He began to pace back and forth. "For centuries we lived here, far from the cares of the world. All that ended when my wife betrayed me and stole away that which I valued most."

"She stole Serana away?" Cura asked, and Serana shook her head.

"He means the Elder Scroll. What do you think?" The Vampiress remarked snarkily.

"What happens now?" Cura asked, feeling her defeat imminent. She was too exhausted to fight. Her heart was drained. Her soul felt the weight of the castle pushing down upon it. Perhaps when she leaves this place, she could take a rest in the Sea of Ghosts. Everything was black and descending around her. She failed Tamriel.

Why could she not work things out? Why did it all have to be so impossible?

"You have done me a great service, and now you must be rewarded." Lord Harkon's tone lifted, defying expectations. "There is but one gift I can give that is equal in value to the Elder Scroll and my daughter. I offer you my blood. Take it, and you will walk as a lion among sheep. Men will tremble at your approach, and you will never fear death again."

What?

Was he really offering to...

...to turn her?

Become a Vampire? Defy everything she believed in?

Cura looked at Serana, who only seemed to stare back, as if to tell her it was her choice alone. "But... I..." Cura looked at Harkon, the slaves around catering to the fiends, to the fiends themselves, and then to Carcette, whose gaze was fixated on her, eyebrows raised.

She was telling her not to do it, without unsealing her lips. Her eye said it all.

"Your Leader is one of mine, now." Lord Harkon informed her as he gestured to Carcette. "If you'd like, you may join her, where you can serve under her again. I believe it would bring her some form of temporial happiness. Personally, I would gladly welcome you into my ranks. The many powerful deeds you have accomplished have reached my ears. You are quite the powerful entity, even as prey."

Cura did not want to become a Vampire. "You corrupted our Keeper and destroyed my home, killed many of my people. Why would I join you in light of all that?" She stated with fervor, and then considered the ramifications of the scenario she was bound to. "What happens if I refuse your gift?"

"Then you will be prey, like all mortals. I will spare your life this once, but you will be banished from this hall." Harkon put his foot down and established his ultimatum. "Perhaps you still need convincing? Behold the power!" In a matter of seconds, he was covered in blood and shadow, and metamorphised before her very eyes into a blue-hued bipedal batlike monstrosity and hovered above the ground. "This is the power that I offer! Now, make your choice!" He demanded.

"I don't want to become a vampire. I refuse." Cura denied him then and there. No; she could not allow herself to fall from grace. What happened to Keeper Carcette was horribly tragic and pained her greatly, but she was not about to compromise her principles and her loyalty to Stendarr and to Meridia to join her in damnation.

Oddly enough, she could see a nod of approval from Carcette across the room.

"In an age long forgotten to history, I ruled as a mighty king." Lord Harkon began. "My domain was vast, my riches endless and my power infinite. And yet, as my mortal life neared an end, I faced a seemingly invincible enemy - my own mortality. I pledged myself to Molag Bal, and in his name I sacrificed a thousand innocents. In reward, he gave everlasting life to myself, my wife and my daughter. And so I have defeated mortality itself." He beamed with dark pride. "You may earn the very same, and all you must do is agree to it. No sacrifices are required on your behalf. What I am offering you..."

"Is an eternity in Coldharbour should I die." Cura shook her head. "To sacrifice my relationship with Stendarr to spend the rest of eternity as your puppet. I don't think so." She sneered, catching on to his ploy.

Lord Harkon angrily swept some plates off the table beside him as rage overtook his composure. "I offer you the chance of a lifetime! I offer you immortality itself, and you dare to spit in my face!"

Cura nodded. "Why would I want immortality? Death seems much more apealing these days." Though it was meant out of snark, part of Cura's heart was bared before the court. She turned a glance to Carcette again. Perhaps she disappointed her in the end, but what more would she expect at this point? It's not as though the news she would have brought her would have been good anyways.

"So be it!" Harkon dismissed her angrily. "You are prey, like all mortals! I banish you." He extended a hand forward, and utilizing Ancient, dark magic, cast her through a portal and out of the castle.

Carcette turned away and placed a hand on her forehead. "Oh, Cura..." she spoke sadly. It hurt her terribly to see how horribly she was doing all this time. Cidhna Mine truly took a lot from her; and it was certain the entire chain of events destroyed her mental health. Cura was no longer he bright, shining, happy little Half-Elf she used to be. She was becoming something far darker, far more glum, and there was nothing Carcette could do to help her. That hurt the worst.

Lord Harkon transformed back into his humanoid form and approached the former Keeper of the Vigil directly. "She's your problem now." He turned around and walked back up the stairs to head to his private chambers, and then the court resumed as usual.

Vingalmo cursed under his breath. "If only he would have called for her execution... I would have happily obliged. Perhaps someday..."

Ronthil approached Carcette from the room beside her again. "So... that was your lackey, right? I'm sorry she didn't want to join you here."

Carcette shook her head. Cura made the right choice, to refuse it. In a way, she was proud of her for that stark defiance against the Vampire Lord. Still, she shrugged. "It does not matter. hat's done is done. Now, she is our prey." She walked away from Ronthil and headed towards the Thrall area to be alone.

She sat in silence against a wall and began to try and pray to ignore the powerful scent of blood that continued to pluck at her. She really needed to get out of the castle. Maybe find an excuse of some sort.

Her silence was broken as Serana entered the room. "You're her former mentor?" She asked.

Carcette turned to look at her, a tad irritated from having her peace disturbed. "Yes."

"You sounded like a caring parental figure." Serana deduced. "If those stories were true, I can only suppose you were putting on an act back there."

Carcette shook her head. "No. I was merely trying to make her see reason. In Lord Harkon's court-"

"Spare me." Serana rolled her eyes, her disbelief surprising the Breton. "I know falsehoods when I see them. I am his daughter, after all."

Carcette sighed. "I never was much of an actress. What do you want?"

"I wanted to tell you that not all of your lackeys are dead. Brother Adalvald and Vigilant Tolan helped us escape Dimhollow Crypt." Serana informed her.

"Tolan... Adalvald...!" Carcette's eye lit up. "They're... they're alive? Thank goodness!" She held a hand to her forehead in amazement and relief. Then all was not lost to the Vigil.

"One called Moric was killed, though." Serana stated, and Carcette's expression fell as quickly as it picked up.

"Oh..." Carcette murmured. "Moric... we never got to properly reconcile. I was harsh towards him... rather unjustly." She felt a twinge of regret. "I suppose if I can get cured of this, we can reconcile in Aetherius."

"Perhaps." Serana sat down on the table in front of her, and took a tankard filled with blood and began to drink.

It was beginning to look good to Carcette, and she quickly turned her eyes away. Her thirst was powerful, and only growing as time passed on. She decided to change her mind. "Cura..." she began. "...She looked awful. Dreadful. I fear for her... she isn't taking any of this well at all... though it is perfectly understandable."

Serana nodded. "She can still fight, though. She's quite good at it."

"I've never heard her talk like that before..." Carcette continued her thought train. "about how death seemed appealing." It truly worried her to hear Cura say such a thing. That sounded quite suicidal, and she feared for her mental condition. She looked to Serana. "I need to help her. Someway, somehow. But I can't. Maybe you can."

"Me?" Serana raised an eyebrow. "Are you crazy? My Father..."

"You're right." Carcette dismissed the notion. "I don't want to come between the two of you. I just need to get out of this castle for a night..." She decided to head back into the main chamber, where she saw Garan Marethi talking to Stalf and Salonia.

"I have a message from Harkon." Stalf declared to the Dunmer.

"Lord Harkon. Remember your place. Now, what is our Lord's wish?" Garan asked him, with arms crossed. He noticed Carcette approaching, and she settled on a spot between Stalf and Salonia.

"He simply said "It is time."" Salonia shrugged.

"Well, well. He wants the Chalice, then. You've heard of the Bloodstone Chalice?" Garan postured to the trio.

"Of course. Hasn't everyone?" Stalf tried to appear wise.

"No. Don't try and impress me. It only leaves you looking foolish." Garan shook his head disapprovingly.

Carcette also shook her head and rolled her eyes at the feeble attempt at grandeur.

"The Chalice has been in Lord Harkon's possession for quite some time now. It is, when used properly, able to increase the potency of our powers. He has neglected using it for ages. If he wants it filled now, then grander things are afoot. This is good. Follow me. I'll take you to it." Garan exposited as he walked down the Hall and past the Dining Area.

Carcette was mildly amused. Clearly, he saw Cura as a threat, if he had to resort to this.

Garan headed in the direction of the small Dining Hall library, where a chalice with an interior covered with spikes rested atop a table. Carcette had seen it already, and now understood what it was. Strangely, she had never heard of this artifact. Perhaps even Adalvald himself hadn't. Perhaps she could discreetly educate him about it somehow and throw a wrench in the vampires' plans.

Garan continued. "Lord Harkon has never cared to use the Chalice, relying on his more than adequate powers until now. This is an intriguing change."

Stalf looked at Carcette and studied her face, looking for any sign of betrayal or potential amusement on her part concerning the circumstances, but she showed him none. Salonia herself did not trust her, either, but kept that to herself.

A small distance away, Carcette noticed Vingalmo and Orthjolf arguing.

Orthjolf smugly crossed his arms. "Surprised you weren't at the last meeting with our Lord, Vingalmo. Too busy plotting to overthrow him to show up?"

Vingalmo was taken aback with forced offense, pushed outwards to defend himself. "What? What meeting? I wasn't informed of any such thing!"

Orthjolf laughed. "Oh I see. I just understand he'd sent for both of us. How awkward for you."

"Vingalmo and Orthjolf are Harkon's primary advisors. I'm sure they're quite surprised to learn that you're taking the Chalice." Garan Marethi remarked to the trio. They approached the goblet itself. "And here we are. Now, this Chalice needs to be filled directly from the bloodspring that is the source of Redwater Den. But that's not enough. Once that's done, the blood of a powerful vampire needs to be added to it. Keep in mind that Redwater Den has fallen into... well, let's just say less reputable members of society now dwell there. It's your choice whether to attempt to deal with them or force your way through. Hurry back. You don't want to keep Lord Harkon waiting."

"What is this bloodspring?" Carcette needed to know more.

"An ancient font, full of power. As much as it looks like blood, sadly it is not. Can you imagine if it were? We'd never need to hunt again. Still, its liquid is powerful, full of magic. Others have noticed, though they have never fully realized its potential." Garan mused the possibilities.

Redwater Den. In the Rift.

That's good. It's nearer to Stendarr's beacon.

Carcette nodded and joined the other two, and spread a false smile. "It will be done, my lord."

Garan nodded. "Good."