The air in the room was tense, and the magical energy rippled amongst all in its wake, distorting the vision of the surroundings in a warped red light.

The Vampiric Altmer Warlock held firm to the Staff. "Well? What are you waiting for, Mongrel? Fight!" She pivoted to the side and shot a lightning bolt at Cura, who simply activated her Dragonskin, and absorbed the attack into her being, and then channeled her anger and magic into a torrent of fire, burning the Vampire before her.

Lydia and Moric were trading blows, and Lydia was careful to keep herself a barricade between him and Cura.

"Why have you done this?" Cura shouted angrily. "What was the point of it?"

"What was the point?" Minorne chuckled. "The Point, my dear, was to have servants to feed on, who would worship me. It was really rather easy, using the staff of Ruunvald." She held up her black staff, and blasted red energy at Cura, who quickly leapt to the side, dodging it.

"...And your group... the Vigil of Stendarr." Minorne spat venom. "You're all just so laughable. You made for the perfect cattle. You've been meddling in the Clan's affairs quite a bit, now... we could bear you hunting the Feral Vampires in the wild, but Lord Harkon has become increasingly tired of your group. If I could bring all of you here, I'd have a steady supply of Thralls to rival those of the Castle."

She extended a had outwards, and a red light emitted from it, sucking away at Cura's health. She could feel herself growing weaker by the second.

Vampiric Drain, naturally.

Cura lunged forward and cracked her shoulder with her mace, halting the stream. Thanks to the fire, Minorne was weakened.

"Kehh!" She hissed as she recoiled from the Paladin's blunt weapon. "Moric! Kill her! Kill her and then kill the Breton! I command it!"

Moric said nothing. He lunged forward and hit Lydia in the head with his pickaxe, causing her to stagger backwards, blood now pouring from her frontal lobe. A moment of her swinging her sword faded as the Nord lost her balance and fell down the stairs, blood rushing down her face.

"Lydia!" Cura exclaimed with fright.

Moric quickly set his sights on her, as Minorne hit her from behind with the staff. Cura stumbled forward, but was quick to drop and roll away from Moric's sharp pickaxe.

"Moric Sidrey!" Cura exclaimed. "How can you allow this to happen to you? How can you be so stupid? I'd heard you were a smart man with great ambition! Not a Vampire's puppet!" She was trying to ease him out of the control, but to no avail.

He continued to swing at her. "Minorne completes me!" With each thrust, he became more and more aggressive. "I don't expect you to understand, you cur!"

"Then why do you still wear an Amulet of Stendarr?" Cura asked, stepping backwards and narrowly dodging a side-swipe. "If you've forsaken Stendarr entirely, you would have long since rid yourself of it. A part of you knows that this is all wrong!"

Minorne began to laugh maniacally. She paused for a second and glared condescendingly at the young Breton. "Darling, you can't reason with him. He's entirely under my contr-"

And that moment of pause was her mistake.

"YOL!" Cura shouted at Minorne, enveloping her in a blast of fire, seizing the opportunity her distraction presented.

"Kyaa! AAAH! GYAAAAH!" Minorne wailed as she flailed about, engulfed in flame. In the moment of shock, her hand released the Staff.

Before Moric could bring his pickaxe down on Cura again, his eyes suddenly began to change: his dilated pupils began to recede to their natural width, and the red cloud above his head began to slowly fade. He brought his pickaxe within inches of Cura's forehead, but halted.

Cura took the opportunity and ran down to tend to Lydia.

Moric turned to Minorne, who was beginning to lose the flame. "MORIC!" She commanded. "Why-why is that bitch not dead yet?! KILL HER, I SAID!"

"I've done enough killing in your name, demon." Moric spat as he rushed forward and buried the pickaxe in Minorne's chest. A loud, audible gasp exited the Vampire's mouth as the blunt, and sharp object penetrated her flesh and pierced her heart. "Those who don't believe in mercy must believe in fear."

"This... this isn't over..." Minorne spat up blood. "...When they hear about this... your Vigil... is going... to be razed... to the... gr..oun..d..." Final words cut out as her voice weakened. The burning airs of Coldharbour consumed the fiend as she gazed into the wrathful eyes of her former slave. Her body slowly crumbled into dust and fell to the floor, leaving behind only her cloak and a key.

"Thank goodness that's over." The Priest in the cage looked up from his prayers. "She was beginning to get on Arkay's nerves."

"Lydia, are you all right?" Cura asked as her Housecarl came to again.

"My... Thane..." Lydia groaned as she held her forehead. "I... failed you..."

"No, Lydia, you didn't." Cura shook her head. "You almost lost your life for me-and bought me time in the fight. I'm very grateful for that. You'll be all right, too. Don't fret!"

Lydia slowly stood up again with Cura's aid, and leaned on the Breton for support, as the dizziness remained. She held a hand to her head. "Where is that bastard?" she grunted as the two walked back up the stairs.

As soon as Cura noticed the pile of ash, she placed her mace back on her hip. Moric opened the cage, and freed the Priest of Arkay from within it.

At that instant, Vigilant Tolan and Brother Adalvald emerged with a couple of free Vigilants.

"The spell wore off!" Tolan exclaimed. "Did you succeed?"

Cura nodded. "Yes." She took the Staff of Ruunvald off her back and held it outwards, exposing it. "She was using this to control people. I'll bet it's a Daedric Artifact. We'll have to put this in the Vault."

"That's no Daedric artifact," Moric interjected from some distance away. "it's the Staff of Ruunvald. An artifact of great power... I was unsure of just what it could do, but I believed it could be of use to our cause."

"Vigilant Moric!" Brother Adalvald exclaimed as he reached the altar platform.

"Brother Adalvald!" Moric exclaimed as the two embraced, friends reunited after many years passed.

Vigilant Volk also joined the group shortly, running up the stairs. "We're freed! We are finally freed!" He exclaimed, jumping for joy. "Praise be to Stendarr!" He then hurried over to Cura. "And thank you, Vigilant!" He gave her a half-bow.

"Indeed!" Vigilant Tolan explained. "This would have never come to pass without Vigilant Cura's initiative."

Cura grew bashful. "Well... I..."

Moric slowly approached the young Breton, and took her hand. "There are no words to express my gratitude to you, young Lady." He spoke softly. "Vigilant Cura, was it?"

"Yes." Cura said with a nod.

"I've heard of you." Moric explained. "The Runt of the Vigil. I'd seen you in the background on a couple of my visits, though Brother Adalvald had spoken of you in a couple of his letters, as I travelled across Tamriel." He chuckled. "Perhaps it was an act of Stendarr's great foresight, that he would deliver a saviour into our ranks."

The Priest of Arkay walked over to see Cura directly. "Hmm... Arkay has told me that you are someone of great importance to our world in these recent times."

"Are you Florentius Baenius?" Cura asked him.

"Why, yes, I am!" The Priest exclaimed. "That Minorne character thought she could control my mind as well, but little did she realize, Arkay protects me."

"So she saw fit to lock you away?" Cura asked.

"Yes. Because she could not touch me, nor could she control me." Florentius laughed. "Thankfully, Arkay sustained me for a year in captivity."

"Well, you must be hungry!" Cura exclaimed, as she reached into her bag. "Er... I have some Bread. I hope that'll do until we can get you to the Hall of the Vigilant." She quickly handed the loaf to Florentius.

"Helpful and generous?" Florentius exclaimed as he took the bread. "Not the normal characteristics one would expect of one with the Dragon blood, but I must admit, I am impressed! Arkay, as well. Thank you!" He quickly began to take bites out of the bread.

"The Dragon blood?" Volk looked at Cura. "Wait..."

"She's the Dragonborn." Lydia stated, matter-of-factly.

The Vigilants stared at Cura blankly, and Florentius looked up from his meal. "Indeed. That Shout would have been difficult to miss."

"You're Dragonborn... like the Emperors of old!?" Moric exclaimed, awestruck. "Then that vision was a sign from Stendarr..."

"A vision?" Cura asked him. Another person had a vision?

"Yes." Moric explained. "Many years ago, when I was in Chorrol, in Cyrodiil, praying at the Chapel of Stendarr, a vision came to me, of a Blackened Winterland. In that winterland, a White Dragon rose up over the mountains and cleared the blizzard that consumed the lands below, bringing in the sun, which vanquished the darkness around."

"Keeper Carcette also had a dream about Cura, as well." Vigilant Tolan stated.

"Carcette..." Moric said her name in a low tone. "I really threw much onto her shoulders, didn't I?" He scoffed and shook his head shamefully. "It wasn't right, and ultimately, my efforts have been in vain, largely."

"Moric," Adalvald began. " I have to wonder; did you bring the Dovahzul Manuscript with you here to Ruunvald?"

Cura's eyes lit up. Could she finally gain knowledge on herself, and of the language of the Dragons?

"No." Moric put it plainly.

As quickly as her eyes lit up, Cura's eyes dimmed with disappointment. "Oh..."

"My apologies." Moric stated. "Even if I had, it would be gone now."

"Minorne forced us to burn most of our books." Volk confessed. "Only a few remain back at the excavation site, though they are mostly History books and How to Remove Ice Wraith Teeth. Nothing so extravagant."

Lydia placed a hand on Cura's shoulder. "I guess you'll have to see the Greybeards after all, my Thane."

Cura nodded. "I suppose so... but I will wait on it. I'll need to train some more, with Jorrvaskr."

Lydia nodded. "Couldn't hurt."

Vigilant Volk turned to Cura. "Perhaps there is something I can teach you, and I am certain it will help you in your travels."

"What is it, Vigilant Volk?" Cura desired the knowledge intently.

"I can teach you how to Fast Travel." Volk beamed proudly. "A spell from ancient times that can be used to warp oneself to a location where they have left a Spiritual Signature. It is a Magic that hails from the Ancient study of Thaumaturgy; forgotten to the ages."

Lydia crossed her arms. "Probably because we don't particularly appreciate Magic here in Skyrim."

"Say what you will," Florentius began. "but magic just saved your life, through Miss Vigilant Cura's actions."

Cura signalled for Lydia to come with her. "All right, so, Volk... let's Fast Travel to the Hall of the Vigilant. I'd like to see how it works."

Volk nodded. "It's my pleasure."

The small cavalcade headed out the door that rested beside Florentius' prison, and turned down the small spiral stairwell, maintaining their guarded focus in the event of other potential threats.

Thankfully, there were none.

Vigilant Tolan cracked open the door to the outside world, slowly moving the thick, carved ebony. When the group made it outside, the snow was first to greet them, and the cold air like a slap in the face. Cura quickly pulled up her hood, to avoid wind chill.

"All right, Cura." Volk gestured for her to close in. "This is how you do it; picture where you wish to go, from memory. Feel the location as you know it, and allow the magic to carry you."

He and the others quickly vanished, and Lydia continued to hold onto Cura for support. The Breton closed her eyes, and memories of the coldness of the Pale circled her mind. The winds blowing the snow off the roof of the Hall of the Vigilant, the Vigilants outside, chopping wood, tanning leather, caring for the horses, training with dummies, and tending the hounds in the kennels. A warm sensation overcame her, and once she opened her eyes, she was there.

"See? Was that hard?" Volk laughed heartily.

Cura shook her head, and walked on inside. Lydia slowly separated herself, able to walk alone once more.

As per usual, the Keeper was hunched over before the Shrine of Stendarr, in prayer.

Cura was quick to hurry over to her. "Keeper! I've brought as many back as I could, but... not everyone was able to make it."

"Cura... good work." Carcette said cordially. She turned to face the rescued, and immediately, her eyes met Moric Sidrey's. "Well." Her tone dropped. "It's been a long while, Moric."

"Carcette..." Moric could only seem to get her name out.

A clear bit of disdain was hidden behind her tongue, but the Keeper decided to keep it civil, considering all he'd been through. Through near-gritted teeth, she spoke. "Vigilant Moric. Make yourself comfortable. The rest of you, as well. By tomorrow, I want a full written report of the Ruunvald incident."

"Cura was very heroic, Ma'am." Florentius stepped forward. "Arkay thinks you should be pleased with the successful rescue."

"Oh... the nutcase..." Carcette muttered under her breath as she placed a hand on her forehead. She'd forgotten the eccentric Priest of Arkay was imprisoned there, as well. "I am pleased with her." She gestured at Florentius and Volk. "We have limited beds, but there are Bedrolls in the cupboard downstairs."

"Thank you, Keeper." Volk said as he walked downstairs.

"Stendarr be with you." Carcette stated as he left the view.

Moric took a seat at one of the benches, and lowered his eyes to the floor before the Shrine of Stendarr.

Florentius whistled 'Ragnar the Red' as he passed Moric, Cura, Lydia, and Carcette and headed down the stairs himself.

"What happened in there?" Keeper Carcette asked. "What was Minorne? Was she a Vampire?"

"Yes, and there was a Vampire Vigilant Enforcer, as well." Cura explained.

"An enforcer? Here in Skyrim?" Carcette questioned. "An incredibly rare sight, indeed. And a Vampire, no less. It's a little hard to accept."

"Fenrik. I called him here from Bruma, Cyrodiil." Moric confessed. "When I was under that smirking whore's control." His tone was pained with contempt and disgust.

Cura fell silent. A Vigilant was infected, and tried to bite her on first sight. Clearly, he was dangerous, but the young Breton could not help but feel pity for him in hindsight. "Keeper, can we find Fenrik? Maybe there's a way we can help him."

"You mean besides death?" Carcette put it plainly. "Vampirism mangles and destroys the body so horribly that it's beyond natural remedy-whether contracted from Sanguinare Vampiris, Porphyric Hemophilia, or Noxiphilic Sanguivoria. The most merciful thing we can do is put an end to their suffering." She then walked closer to Cura and placed a hand udner, her jaw, examining her face and neck. "You'd better drink that Cure Disease potion, I think. You're either paling from Ataxia, or early onset Sanguinare Vampiris."

"Drat it!" Cura exclaimed as she quickly pried open her Potion flask and chugged the wax-tasting solution down. "I always get sick..."

"Well, Minorne did use her Drain ability on you, my Thane." Lydia reminded her. "Vampires can sometimes give when they take."

Brother Adalvald got up from his bench and walked over to the Shrine, confronting Keeper Carcette. "While we're on the subject... apparently Minorne was connected with the Vampires of Castle Volkihar, Florentius told me."

"Yes." Moric nodded. "Apparently her cousin is one named 'Vingalmo'. She had me write letters to him frequently. They have it out for our organization, Keeper."

"Still think I'm crazy about Dimhollow Crypt?" Brother Adalvald exclaimed smugly.

"Did I not give you permission to search within?" Carcette stated firmly. "If it's an issue, why not continue just that?" She gestured towards the outdoors.

Cura sat down, and examined the many holes in her favourite new robe, and sighed. She was very reckless back in those caverns. The young Breton was well aware of what dangers letting one's emotions form their actions could pose, and allowed it regardless. Images of fellow Vigilants, possessed, being thrown countless feet below, bones snapping. Vigilants, impales, crushed, maimed. The Husky...

A deep sorrow filled her heart and Cura simply kept her head down in mourning for their fallen.

Vigilant Tolan was silent, as well. He raised a cup of ale in their names as he took a drink. "Here's to our successful rescue... and to those who didn't make it. May Stendarr's peace guide them to Sovngarde... and to Aetherius."

Lydia saw fit to interject. "Stendarr has nothing to do with Sovngarde-that's Shor, you're thinking of."

"Stendarr's Hammer, Lass." Tolan corrected her. "Spoken like a true ignorant. Didn't you know that Stendarr is Stuhn? Shield-Thane of Shor and brother of Tsun?"

'Sheor..." Cura muttered as she shook her head disapprovingly. How silly, equating Stendarr with the God of misfortunes and woes. Though, in the vision Carcette was given all those years ago, Stendarr himself appeared before her in Shor's Domain of Sovngarde, so perhaps there was some truth to what the Nords were saying. She looked to the Shrine, unsure of what to make of it. And then there was the matter of Dragons being Aedric.

She thought the Aedra were supposed to be wholly good; didn't they love Creation? If not, then why would they give up a part of themselves to sustain it? It made no sense to the Breton. None of these facts seemed to add up. They would sustain life and allow it to be subjected to torment and an eventual horrific end in the mouth of a Black Dragon spawned from Akatosh? Stendarr was the Shield-Thane to the God Sheor-bringer of strife and misfortune? But wasn't Stendarr a bringer of good fortune when Sai failed to measure up?

The more Cura pondered on it, the more it almost made them sound like the Daedra.

Lydia shrugged. "I guess if you look at it that way... but who knows, really?"

"Cura, I presume that the report will explain why your robes are riddled with holes." Carcette gestured towards her shredded clothes

"It's a long story..." Cura excused bashfully. "I'm going to sew it up before heading out to Whiterun tomorrow morning."

"You could Fast Travel there." Lydia reminded her.

"That's right..." Cura mused, before remembering another important matter. "Ah! Keeper, I have something you'd like to take a look at. This Staff caused the Mind- Controlling in Ruunvald."

She took out the ominous-looking rod and presented it to the Keeper of the Vigil.

"What is it, exactly?" Carcette asked as she ogled the staff in her hands. "I can sense great power emanating from it..."

"So did I." Moric confessed as he moved in closer. "This is the Staff of Ruunvald. It contains an inexhaustible source of energy-and it was believed to house the Soul of a Dragon from ages long passed."

Cura's blank expression spoke volumes.

"A Dragon Soul?" Carcette looked at Cura briefly. "Like our Cura?"

"That explains why it didn't work on us!" Vigilant Tolan exclaimed. Maybe the Lass' presence was combatting it?"

"I don't know..." Cura recoiled lightly. "But I want nothing to do with that thing! You can keep it, Keeper."

"If we broke it, would Cura absorb its energy, like with the Dragon's?" Tolan discounted her plea. "We should try it, Keeper!"

Moric shook his head. "It could be used to our benefit. Why would you want to destroy it? It's a powerful weapon!"

"So is Cura." Tolan explained.

Immediately, the hairs on the back of Cura's neck stood up as a chill swept her.

"The Dragonborn sits with us!" Tolan exclaimed. "I've witnessed her Shout! It was incredible!"

"You've shouted?" Carcette asked, and Cura sheepishly nodded, saying nothing to confirm nor deny it to the surprised Keeper.

Tolan laughed. "Why not do a demonstration, Cura? Show the Keeper what you can do!"

Carcette fixed her gaze onto the Dragonborn. "I would like to see what this Shouting business entails. It is clear that you've impressed the others... Show me your Shout."

Cura reluctantly raised herself up from the bench and gestured for her to follow her outside. When they went out into the snow, Cura walked a distance away from her boss, and turned to face the open field, away from the Hall. Lydia came outside as well, tethered to her Thane.

Vigilant Tolan followed them, eager to see it again.

It was at that moment when a villager ran haplessly through the snow, yelling in horror. "Help! Please! A Dragon! Dawnstar!"

No rest for the weary.

Smoke to the North. A few other villagers also came running in their direction, fleeing the assault to the hills. Sure enough, an orange-coloured Dragon came up over the hillside, and attacked the fleeing villagers in the hills. Cura was fast on her feet.

"YOL TOOR SHUL!" the drake shouted, bursting flame from its throat.

"Cura!" Keeper Carcette exclaimed in horror as Cura rushed into the Dragon's fire, which created a trailblaze in the snow as the beast flew overhead in a loop in its attempt to swipe the crowd.

Cura was diligent; she activated her Dragonskin, which protected her from the blaze as she pushed a little boy out of the way, taking the flaming torrent in his place. When the mist and smoke cleared, Cura began to heal herself of burn injuries.

"My Thane?" Lydia looked over at the Dragonborn, who had a fierce glare.

"Damn it." The young Breton grit her teeth. "Of course it would show its ugly face when I'm exhausted."

"Don't worry, Cura-keep your focus on the wyrm!" Vigilant Tolan suggested. "We have your back!"

Keeper Carcette whistled using her fingers to her mouth, and several other Vigilants who exited the Hall in response to the commotion joined them in the fight. The Bretons among them followed Cura's example and activated their Dragonskins, as well. The Dunmer did not have much to fear at all, as they were naturally resilient against fire. The Nords casted Oakflesh unto themselves to act for their defense.

"Protect the people!" Keeper Carcette ordered the other Vigilants, who then began to systematically round up the wily crowd and guide them towards the mountain nearby.

Lydia steadied her bow. and knocked an arrow. When the Dragon came trailing back in a sharp turn, she loosed it, catching the beast by its wing.

Vigilant Tolan laughed loudly as the flying demon fell lopsided and landed in the snow, skidding along clumsily. He rushed forward and smashed its tail with his warhammer, and Carcette followed suit with a blow to its right wing.

The dragon responded by hitting Tolan with its tail, knocking him a few feet backwards, onto his backside. When he tried to get back up, the Dragon swatted the tired Vigilant over with its tail once again.

The dragon turned itself around and snapped at Carcette. The sheer force, knocked her off-balance, and the wyrm managed to get a decent bite on her upper torso , causing her to cry out in shock and pain. She then held out her warhammer in defense, and managed to deflect its again approaching fangs, and quickly healed her wounds. She butted its face with the hammer's shaft, but the Dragon rammed her down with its horns in response.

"Dir, mey joor!" The Dragon hissed, as it began to inhale, readying to blast the Keeper with a breath of smoldering fire.

Keeper Carcette was struggling to get up and run, as the Dragon was too close to her for a fast escape. She closed her eyes and prayed to Stendarr, and hoped her Dragonskin would hold.

"Keeper!" Cura shrieked. She ran through the snow, but knew her feet could not reach her in time. Instead, the younger Breton cried to the skies.

"YOL TOOR!"

A powerful gust of fire consumed the entire left side of the dragon before it could shout itself. The snow in the path of the flame was blown around and melted in mid air.

Keeper Carcette was astounded by the sight, and by the heat of the flame. She slowly began to shuffle out of the reach of the Dragon's maw.

Truly, Cura was like a Dragon herself, in mortal form. Behind the mist, she looked like one, as well-looming in the distance, hunched forward menacingly; like a monster; after unleashing her great and terrible voice. Truly, it was like something out of a legend; or a nightmare.

The Drake writhed angrily and, with a flap of its wings, lifted itself up into the air again, knocking the people around it aside with a powerful gust.

"Pah joor fen dir wah Alduin! Keizaal los oblaan!" the Dragon hissed in its demonic voice as it attempted to flee.

"No, it's not!" Cura yelled back. "I'm going to destroy Alduin! You'll see!"

Vigilant Tolan and Keeper Carcette both exchanged confused glances as Cura poured all her hate into another shout.

"FUS!" A single, yet powerful word, fueled with the rage and grief pent-up within the Paladin. When the Dragon was hit mid-air, it dropped to the ground again, after falling off-kilter. Cura proceeded to rush towards it.

The Vigilants watched in shock and awe as they continued to guard the terrified civilians of the Pale, having grouped them together in a crevice of the mountainside.

Cura brought her mace down on the Dragon's nose bridge, cracking the cartilage that held and breaking the beast's nose.

She continued to hammer away ceaselessly like a maniac at the Dragon's head, fracturing various parts of the skull as the monstrosity tried vicariously to shake the Breton off.

Vigilant Tolan dug his Warhammer into the Dragon's ribs and Lydia hacked into its tail, severing the limb after splitting between its scales. The Dragon rose one last time in an attempt to thrust Cura, and its own head, into the mountain, but the Breton was fast to leap off, allowing the Dragon to finish itself off.

"Dovahkiin...aaz..." the Dragon croaked weakly as its body began to immolate before the group of people.

Vigilant Tolan and Keeper Carcette stared in horror and amazement as its flesh began to flake off and dissipate and its aura was pulled straight into Cura with a violent wail.

The townsfolk quickly pushed past the Vigilants and observed the skeleton left behind. "It may be dead now, but where did it come from?" a man asked, scratching the back of his neck.

The boy who Cura rescued approached her. "Wow! Did you kill it?! That was so cool!" he exclaimed enthusiastically.

Cura was entranced. That was the third fiend trapped inside of her now. She was beginning to feel like a walking Soul Gem.

Quickly, Keeper Carcette and Vigilant Tolan hurried to Cura's side. "Cura, that was incredible!" The Keeper exclaimed as she laid her hands on her left shoulder. "You... I had heard tales of the power of the Dragonborn, but to see it for myself..."

Tolan clapped. "That was amazing, Lass! That Dragon was dead before it landed in Dawnstar!"

Cura tried to maintain her composure, but the Dragon Souls within her writhed in fury as they fed her power. It took every ounce of her willpower to hold them back. She moved her shoulder away from Keeper Carcette. Saying nothing, the Breton walked past the Dragon's skeleton, past the crowd, and past the Keeper and Vigilants.

She needed to rest-lest she burn Dawnstar to the ground herself.

Pushing open the Hall of the Vigilant, Cura passed the Shrine and headed downstairs, and simply entered her room, past the cell that now held Silus Vesuius.

Cura took off her iron boots, and gauntlets, as well as her torn and singed robes, and placed her Amulet of Stendarr on the nightstand beside her head, and lay there in her bed, under the rough, coarse blanket.

Lydia came in after her, and saw her laying in bed. The Nord decided it would be best to let her sleep, and decided to sit on a chair outside of the room.

That night, Cura had another of her odd dreams.

The skies were red, but an Aurora lined the crimson, like a wondrous curtain, hung above. Dragons flew around the sky, and Cura sat in the snow, watching them majestically dominate the air above. They seemed to be flying around the mountain she sat upon for a reason indiscernible to her at the moment.

A voice called to her, softly.

Sky above, voice within.

She looked around, wanting to locate the source of the voice. It was another Dragon, who sat upon a word wall before her eyes; similar to the one she had seen in Bleak Falls Barrow with Sven.

This Dragon was different from the others. It was a pale, desaturated green colour, and was missing a horn on its chin. Cura stood up and slowly approached the Dragon, and a violent wind storm kicked up between them, pushing Cura back.

"Who are you?!" Cura demanded, fighting the icy sleet.

She struggled against the storm, but was ultimately unable to push through it, and was blown backwards.

Cura snapped awake: as if she weren't used to that by now.

"You're awake, my Thane!" Lydia exclaimed. "Did you rest well?"

Before Cura could respond, Keeper Carcette pushed past Lydia and entered the room. "Are you well, Cura?" she asked, expressing some concern for the girl. "We've all been worried about you. The way you behaved was... a little unnatural."

"I'll be fine, Keeper." Cura excused. "I was tired, that's all."

"We figured as much. You have a lot of pressure on your shoulders." Carcette gestured to the nightstand, where Cura's white robes were resting, fresh and sewn. "So, I took the liberty to sew the holes and clean the blood and soot off your Apprentice Robes. It was no easy task."

Cura looked over to her folded robes, and examined them. They looked well enough. "Thank you..." She spoke to Carcette as she slowly slid into them.

"Of course." Carcette clapped her hands together. "And Cura, I've read Jarl Balgruuf's response. Good job! Now perhaps we can act more in the other Holds. The Daedra-worshippers will learn what it is to fear."

Cura responded with a mantra. "None escape the Vigil; all come into the light."

"Now, Cura, you can rest for a while, if you'd like." Carcette informed her. "You've very much earned it! You've done enough."

Cura mused on it for a moment, and then shook her head. "Actually, I'm going to go to the Companions." She stated. "I'll train a bit with them."

Lydia was internally cheering. She loved being in Jorrvaskr, herself. Being sworn to Cura, she would have to accompany her on her Journeys, so her heading there was a double victory for the Nord.

"By all means." Carcette responded. "But Cura, if you could indulge me..."

"Hmm?" The younger Breton turned back to look at the Keeper expectantly.

"What was it like, absorbing the Dragon's soul? How does that feel, exactly? Is it a painful experience?" Carcette inquired.

"Not exactly..." Cura searched for words to describe the phenomenon, but she was sadly coming up short. "It's... I suppose it's like being hit by a large firebolt, but without the pain that accompanies it. I guess like being hit with a Firebolt when you're using Dragonskin, but less external."

"Ahh." Carcette acknowledged. "That's interesting." She looked Cura up and down. "And you mean to tell me you have three Dragons within you?"

"Their essences, yes." Cura stated. "I can feel their rage almost constantly, Keeper... I'm afraid, honestly. I've never felt like this before, but since I've been seeing Dragons and getting into battle after battle... I'm... I'm getting more and more brutal." She gripped her arm. "I don't know what to do."

"Pray to Stendarr." Carcette explained. "Ask him to help you... he is the God of Mercy, after all."

"I try, Keeper..." Cura confessed. "But I don't know if it's working. Maybe the Companions can help me."

"You can try with the Companions," Carcette spoke cautiously. "but you should rely on Stendarr first and foremost. They can help you control your technique and temperament, but Stendarr will guide your soul."

"But... isn't my soul a Dragon? Should I turn to Akatosh instead?" Cura scratched her chin. "I couldn't... Stendarr is my patron!"

"Follow Stendarr's teachings, Cura. Always keep the core values close to your heart, and let nothing sway you." Keeper Carcette instructed.

Cura nodded. "Of course."

She walked up the stairs with the Keeper and Lydia, and was immediately encountered by Vigilant Moric. "Ah, there you are, Vigilant Cura!" He began. "Good morning to you."

"Good morning, Vigilant Moric." Cura spoke cordially. "How are you?"

"I'm alive, thanks to your efforts." Moric said in a lighthearted manner. "But I'm getting along well enough with the others here. It feels good to be able to think for myself again. Thus, I've been organizing a candlelit vigil for the fallen of Ruunvald."

Cura was silent. It was a sad event, even if she'd seen the face of death before many times over now.

"I'll be there." Cura assured him.

"Good." Moric confirmed. "Just know that you've done right by the Vigil. They're free now, and on their ways to Aetherius and Sovngarde."

Cura found comfort in this knowledge, disregarding the veracity of it or not. Hopefully, Stendarr would take them in his merciful embrace.

Keeper Carcette placed a comforting hand on Cura's arm. "I'm pleased with your efforts. And so is Stendarr. Never forget that, especially when things seem at their darkest."

"Thank you, Keeper." Cura expressed, as she exited the Hall.

Lydia followed her, and Cura grabbed onto Lydia's arm, and with a moment of focus, she pictured the autumnal beauty of Whiterun; Adrianne's forge tp her right, and a string of houses heading North, leading to the marketplace.

In a flash, it would seem, the two of them travelled through space itself, and, in a move of Ancient Thaumatergy, they arrived in Whiterun.