Chapter 5: Dimhollow Crypt

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

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

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

Vilkas grunted, "Hmph."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Farkas said, "No."

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

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

Vilkas raised his gauntlet to his bite and mumbled, "I… was cured already."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Aela blurted behind him, "Try to be civil to her, Vilkas!"

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

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

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

Vilkas kept scouring the Fort Dawnguard for Mimzi, but had no luck finding even a trace of her. The annoyance of his search brought rage.

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

"Master…" muttered Vilkas.

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

"Mimzi is gone," coldly stated Vilkas.

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

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

"What's going on?" Isran's croak echoed off the stone walls.

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

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

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

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

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

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

"But she did," stated Vilkas coolly.

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

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

Vilkas muttered under his breath, "Me too…"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The male vampire began to laugh deeply in his throat which echoed ominously off the cave walls, "Spectacular, blood was positively pooling in the streets. The Whiterun guard were fat in blood, their wailing fear let us sink our teeth in without a fight. It wasn't even a fight; it was a banquet," the vampire began to cackle heartily and the other joined in.

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

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

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

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

"Tolan! No!" Mimzi cried and sped after him. A death hound came sprawling from the shadows and clasped Tolan's neck, jamming its jagged teeth into his flesh. Tolan screamed in agony. As Mimzi went to draw her sword, an ice spike went colliding to the wall next to her, and a lightning strike hit her arm which followed a massive surge of pain through her body. She whammed into the wall from the impact. An almost unbearable sting led through her veins and bones. Mimzi clenched her teeth and wailed in pain. She was crippled stiff and fell to her backside against the stone wall. She could see the dark figures of vampires leading up to herself and Tolan, who continued to harrow in excruciation from the death hounds gnawing. The death hound crunched down hard on Tolan's neck, creating an audible crack which silenced his screams and his body lifeless. The death hound dragged the body of the Vigilant away to feed where Mimzi helplessly watched. The vampires shared husky chuckles as they approached where she sat. She tried to move her fingers but were numbed. The male vampire used a thrust of lightning over the entrance they came, which caused an avalanche of rocks to flood over the door, blocking the way out.

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

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

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

"Oh, come now, can't we share?" The male vampire looked back to his companion, "A mortal like this is far too good to pass up on. Just smell her… so untainted."

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

"So gracious of you..." the vampire man crawled closer to Mimzi. She gasped as the female vampire walked over her. She couldn't resolve from the effects of the lightning strike fast enough to stand, but the power of her throat still endured.

"FUS… RO… DAH!!"

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

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

"I can smell you, fool!"

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

"It's you."

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

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

"And you killed my friends," she gritted, "…now I get to enjoy killing you."

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

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

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

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

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

"I'm sorry," she quaked as she closed her eyes and stood straight. She wiped the blood on her sword from the hound over her cloak and continued through the caves- leaving Tolan behind.

She carried on through a tunnel, which harboured silence. She walked over the rocks through a stream and up over a sloped ridge. On top was a gate with a lever to open. Mimzi gripped the lever and pulled down, which pulled the gate up. She could hear distant combat within the cave. The caves turned to Nordic crypts and hand-crafted halls, reminiscent of her times in old Nordic tombs.

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

She waded through the water to the other side, but skeletal hands began to emerge from the water and reanimate. The skeletons eyes glowed white and their movements jaunty as they came at Mimzi with their weapons drawn. The four skeletal warriors wielded axes and shields. Mimzi stuck her shield up and blocked the attack from one axe. She swiped her sword through the fragile bones of the skeleton; to where it collapsed into a pile of fragments. She was quickly surrounded by the other three, who acted much like breathing warriors— preparing the right time to attack. Studying her approach.

Mimzi quickly kicked back one, and swiped her sword at the other's pelvis, which tipped the bones over in remains into the water. One flurried behind her and swiped its axe, Mimzi only hearing the start of the whipping blade, she dodged out the way of the swipe and with the sword in her left hand, she spun and thrashed at it. It fell as the other jumped on Mimzi's back with its sword to her throat. She squeezed her arms before it's elbows trying to keep the blade from her throat. Mimzi let out a roar as she dropped her sword. Then grabbed its arm with one hand and punched the blade from its grasp. She flourished her head and waist down, throwing the skeleton off. It splashed into the water, where Mimzi lifted her boot and crashed it down- separating the skull from the spine.

Mimzi panted heavily and gripped at her arm in gritted teeth at the pain. The hounds bite stung like the bitter cold. She knelt down into the water where the skeletal remains floated and dipped her arm. The pain went sharp then tapered in the water. She washed off the blood and kept her arm in the water for a time till the bleeding ceased. She grabbed Dragonbane from the bottom of the shallow pond and kept on through the other entrance. The entry way led up a bridge incline. Mimzi dragged up the soft soil which had been rutted in other feet before her. She followed the footprints to an entrance and kept through it. The path led down Nordic halls towards an opening with streams and another gate. The walls were lit dim with glowing mushrooms, but there was wandering torch light from behind the gate. Mimzi walked to the light to see another vampire inside. She pulled the lever where the gate shot open, alerting the attention of the vampire.

It roared, "Finally! Food!"

Mimzi grumbled, "I don't think so," she marched to the vampire with an icy glare and Dragonbane in her clasp. The vampire casted a drain spell at her, but Mimzi breathed through the pain and marched faster. The vampire backed up but reached a wall. The dominate elation in the monster's eyes dwindled to panic. She swiped her sword up and thrashed down over its head. The drain spell ceased as the vampire cried. He clasped the blade in both hands and pulled it up and out of his skull against her strength- slicing into his palms. Mimzi pulled the sword out (slicing his palms even more) and dug it into his chest.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mimzi breathed fast as she prepared to charge the two vampires. She was certain the relic Isran and Tolan spoke of was here just before her. If she did not act now, Tolan's death would be for nought. She could see a death hound behind the female vampire, patiently awaiting demands from its master. Three targets, two of which vampires. Her time in the shadows was at its end. She sprawled down the steps and ran across the bridge fast, and emerged through the platform, still running to her left.

The female vampire bellowed, "A mortal!"

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

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

Lokil shrieked, "A Tongue?!"

Mimzi said aloofly, "Hi," she Shouted again, "FUS!"

Lokil went sliding on his back with his legs in the air and thudded his head on a pillar of an archway. Mimzi ran and slammed her boot on his chest then stabbed her sword into his hand.

Lokil yelped, "RAAAAGH!"

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

Lokil raggedly wheezed, "Vermin."

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

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

Mimzi gritted her teeth, then went cold and stoic, "Okay."

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

Lokil's voice curdled her skin, "It's been too long since I've straddled the warm body of a mortal woman. I nearly forgot my fondness for it." Mimzi glared up at him with disdainful hate. He kept his hand clasped over her mouth as he continued to speak, "Don't worry, my pet. I am only saving you from the unimaginable horror that awaits your kind. This is a kindness. Do not struggle." Lokil raised his fangs and pulled Mimzi's head right; revealing a part of her neck. Mimzi raged and rammed her knee up to Lokil's groin, causing him to yelp in pain and release his grasp of her. She clutched his collar and head butted him back.

"Kindness, my ass!"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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