1,218A.N. Hey guys! Hope you're all doing alright.
Fair warning for this chapter, the first part has a lot of character stuff. I kept it as concise as I could, but he just turned into a vampire, so there's quite a bit.
Thanks for reading!
(I own OC's and nothing else)
I'm hungry, and my chest hurts. Scratch that, my everything hurts. What the fuck happened?
I slowly open my eyes, and immediately close them again.
Christ it's bright! I thought we were underground!
I try to sit up, but I feel a hand press into my chest and gently force me back down.
Gentle or not, it hurts like a bitch.
"Lie still." I hear Serana's voice from above me. "You are safe."
"Wha… appen?" I croak, my eyes still closed.
Damn I'm thirsty.
"Later." The vampiress responds. "For now, drink."
Something wet presses against my mouth, and I part my lips to drink the offered water.
Wow, water tastes really good when you're thirsty.
I slurp up the drink. Desperately trying to wet my parched throat.
I hear a hiss of pain, and the drink is pulled away.
Huh, I actually feel a lot better now. Cool.
"That is all I can spare. You will have to endure for a short while longer, but do not worry. I have a plan in place." Serana says.
I feel her stand and move a little away from me with my soul magic.
Slowly, I open my eyes. Letting them adjust to whatever light blinded me last time. Looking to my right, I see a torch hanging on the wall.
Seriously? I got flash-banged by a torch? How long was I out?
That's actually a really good question.
I rise up to a sitting position so I can better look at my surroundings. I'm lying on a restored fur bed that's in a destroyed room. The far wall collapsed inward at some point, and there's rubble and rusted metal littering the floor.
Serana stands in a deteriorated doorway as she analyzes me.
I turn my head to face her. "How long was I out?" I ask.
"Almost two days' time." She responds calmly. "We are still in Labyrinthian as is apparent, but Svarline and myself have taken turns eliminating any undead that strayed too close to your location."
For probably the first time since I've met her, she breaks eye contact with me, and looks to the ground. It's almost as if she's… uncomfortable? What the hell happened while I was out?
"What happened?" I verbally echo my internal question.
She straightens her back, and reestablishes eye contact. "Thank you Dusk." She begins genuinely, catching me slightly off guard. "Without your actions, I would assuredly be dead. You very nearly died trying to save me." She stops herself, and starts walking up to me.
I let her close the distance as I processed the fact I nearly died.
She stops less than a foot from me, and holds my gaze. "Thank you." She repeats. She leans forward and wraps her arms around me. Pulling me into a kiss.
I hesitate for a brief moment, before I pull away.
Serana looks at me confused and… hurt?
"You already know Serana. I'm with Svar." I say gently.
Serana's eyes light up as she laughs softly. "The two of us have discussed things. I care for both of you, you obviously care for both of us, and Svarline cares for both you and I. So long as you can agree to this arrangement, I see no issue with it." She looks at me questioningly.
I need to clear this with Svar, but if she's alright with it.
I wrap an arm around Serana and kiss her softly.
Serana smiles against my lips, and presses herself against me. She forces her tongue past my lips. She licks along my tongue, along my te…
I have fangs.
I gently pull away once more, and look Serana in the eyes.
She seems surprised at me suddenly extricating myself from her arms a second time, but she recovers quickly.
"I have fangs." I say to her.
Her features harden. "Yes, you do."
"You turned me."
She doesn't noticeably react. "Yes, I did."
I close my eyes and take a deep breath. I open them again and focus on her. "I would have died if you hadn't turned me." I state.
She nods in confirmation.
"Thank you." I say seriously.
Serana allows herself a smile. "You are welcome." She moves forward once more, and our lips meet again.
We stay locked together for a long while. This time, Serana is the one to pull away.
"I will inform Svarline that you are awake. She has been beside herself with worry." She walks towards the door, and turns around at the threshold. "Thank you again Dusk. You very well could have left me to die. Instead, you risked yourself for me, and will now be forever changed as a result. I will not forget that." She about faces and walks from the room.
I take a deep breath, and sit heavily back onto the bed.
I was not expecting this. What the hell does this even mean?
[I can help with that Gamer!]
Race Changed!
[Vampire Lord]
Immortal undead creatures of the night who persist by devouring the blood of the living.
Vampires grow more powerful by devouring blood, aging, and feasting upon powerful foes.
You do not require air, food, rest, or drink(aside from blood)
Your senses are much more acutely tuned than those of a mere mortal.
You possess sharp claws and fangs which can be utilized in combat.
You gain access to hemomancy.
All stats receive a one-time increase of 75 stat points
HP, MP, and SP regen receive a permanent increase of x1.5
You are 50% resistant to frost damage.
You are 175% weaker to holy damage.
You are 125% weaker to damage inflicted by silver, and HP, MP, and SP regen are reduced by half when struck by silver.
You are 100% weaker to fire damage.
You are 30% weaker when exposed to direct sunlight, and HP, MP, and SP regen are reduced to one-fourth normal when exposed to direct sunlight.
Unique perk gained!
[True Daughter's Childe]
You were turned by a Daughter of Coldharbour. The purest vampires on Nirn. You are stronger, and will grow in power much more quickly than your brethren.
You start with more powers than a typical vampire, and your transformation to vampirism is much more empowering than normal.
Vampiric Powers
[True Form]
As a Vampire Lord, you possess a greater form which increases all stats by x5, and HP, MP, and SP by x2. Your hemomancy's effectiveness is increased by x3 while in this form as well.
[Summon Gargoyle]
Summon a stone gargoyle to fight for you. Can only be used 3 times a day.
[Vampiric Seduction]
Toy with the minds of mortals, forcing humanoids to see you as they would their true love. Mortals under the effect of Vampiric Seduction will be fanatically devoted to you. Making them do just about anything for you. May only be used on a single target at a time.
[Nightstalker's Footsteps]
You are 25% harder to detect while sneaking
[Enthrall]
Create a vampiric thrall by letting a mortal willingly taste of your blood. Thralls will do your bidding without question, but still maintain their old beliefs/values.
[Alternate Form]
Vampire lords may shift into a variety of different forms
Available forms; Mist, Bat, Bat Swarm, Rat, Raven
[Embrace of Shadows]
Become invisible at will. May only be invisible for an accumulative 5 hours per day.
Hemomancy proficiency gained!
You are as proficient in hemomancy as a beginner in the discipline.
[Vampiric Drain]
Cost varies
Drain the target's blood, damaging them while healing yourself
[Control Blood]
Cost varies
Control the movements of blood
[Enhance]
Costs 150 MP
Imbue the blood of your allies, or your own blood with mana to alter various aspects of the target to your will.
[Blood Scourge]
Costs 300 MP
Infect the target's blood with disease, dealing 20 magic damage per second until healed, or death. Passes to other targets who come into contact with the infected blood
[Blood Seed]
Costs 75 MP
Harden's the target's bone into sharp spikes that shoot out of the target's body. Dealing 5 magic damage per spike.
Dusk the Master of the Storm
Level- 194
Class- Saber - LVL 95/100 [12%]
Crafting Class- N/A [0%]
Race- Vampire Lord
Tier- Immortal
Alignment- True Neutral
HP- 15060 [4518 per minute]
MP- 18220 [13665 per minute]
SP- 15060 [4518 per minute]
STR- 749
END- 753
DEX - 555
INT - 911
WIS - 911
CHA - 515
LUK - 519
MP Regen= WIS x (10x1.5)=15
MP= INT x 20
SP/Health Regen= END x (4x1.5)=6
SP/HP= END x 20
For reaching 700 STR you have gained a perk!
Bladesmen
Sword strikes are 50% faster, and deal 10% more damage
For reaching 700 END you have gained a perk!
Sated 2.0
You require half as much blood as a typical vampire
For reaching 500 DEX you have gained a perk!
Wall Run
Your vampiric power synergizes with your natural dexterity, allowing you to walk on walls and ceilings. Defying gravity.
For reaching 900 INT you have gained a perk
Magus
You are able to use any magical items/artifacts. Regardless of their requirements.
For reaching 900 WIS you have gained a perk!
Learner
Skills learned through [Broken Limiter] are now learned at 7 times the pace of a normal human
For reaching 500 CHA you have gained a perk!
Sweet Talker
You have a silver tongue that can convince weaker minded people to do what you want. So long as you do not press too far.
For reaching 500 LUK you have gained a perk!
Felix times two
Felix Felices is now twice as effective.
Holy crap that's a lot.
I read through the notifications a second time. My mouth pulled into a wider grin by the second.
There are some pretty major weaknesses associated with this little change, but they are so worth it. I'm freaking immortal now! I essentially got a hemomancy class, roughly 15 level ups, and a crapload of powers for free.
Looking over everything a third time, I cringe a little.
Pyromancers, witchers, and clerics just became my least favorite people ever.
Ok, so maybe I didn't really get all that stuff for free. The weaknesses are actually pretty damn worrying, but so long as I watch my ass I should be ok. I'm weak as all hell to some very specific damage types, but since they're so specific I can figure out a way around that. Between Godspeed and my lightning form I should be good for now, but I need to look into some better defensive options.
I guess I could abuse that masochism perk I got to reduce the various weaknesses by thirty percent, but I'll still be taking an insane amount of damage from this stuff. I'll think it over later.
Sunlight also isn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. Direct sunlight is pretty easy to beat. You just need a cloak or something else that can give you a little shade. Guess that's why Serana only ever wore a hood in the game. Real Serana will probably have some pointers for me dodging sunlight, so that's kind of low on the priority list right now.
Deciding to worry about the weaknesses later, I look back through all the perks and powers.
I was right. The weaknesses are worth it. I've got a whole list of new powers, and my combat effectiveness just increased roughly twofold. Hell, my out of combat effectiveness increased a lot too. I've got new stealth abilities, and Vampire's Seduction. If I can creatively use those two, I can probably avoid any serious conflict in major settlements. Just get in, grab whatever I need, and get out.
Wait…
Oh shit.
Oh fuck.
I'm a vampire.
I'm a vampire in The Elder Scrolls.
I'm a fucking vampire in The fucking Elder Scrolls!
Molag fucking Bal gets my soul when I die!
I close my eyes for a moment, and take a deep breath to calm myself. I may not need air, but this is the only way I really know how to relax.
Ok, let's think this over logically. The best way to avoid Molag is to just not die. For now, I should be able to manage that. Hell, even if something worse then the dragons shows up, Svar, Serana, and I can just run.
Maybe I can just hide from him somehow? I remember there was that one vampire guy in ESO who managed to pull it off. What was his name? I don't remember.
On second thought, that's not going to work. If I remember correctly, that guy's quest line ended with him willingly going to Molag Bal for whatever reason.
Damn I really wish my perfect memory extended back to my past life.
Ok, other options? Lamae Bal got away with blowing up Molag's shrines, so maybe she knows a way to get free?
But that option opens a whole can of worms I want nothing to do with. First I'd have to find the woman who just so happens to be one of the strongest vampires in Nirn's history, then I'd have to make it through her army's worth of children, then I'd have to convince her to tell me how she got free of Molag Bal. This is all assuming she even has a way free of him, and that she's still alive. It's possible she was offed at some point between the Planemeld and now.
I let out a long sigh.
That option is out. Ok, maybe I could do something with an Elder Scroll? Or maybe something with Auriel's Bow? I don't know.
The easiest way is probably just to get cured, but if Movarth controls Morthal, then Falion's either dead or turned. Which essentially means that isn't even an option.
I take another deep breath to calm down.
For now, it looks like I'm stuck like this. I don't have an easy way out, so I'll have to figure something out later. Vizier is almost available again, so I can use that to get information. I only need to wait three days.
Not the best plan, but it's the only one I've got. Until then, I'll give this vampire thing a try. If I like it, I'll ask for a way to free myself from Molag Bal. If I don't like it, I'll ask for a way to cure myself. Simple.
I hear footsteps. Someone's running.
I turn to look out the door, and wait. The footsteps grow progressively louder as they get closer. Vampiric ears are quite sensitive to sound.
A wide-eyed Svarline charges through the door, and her gaze instantly finds mine. Her features go from panicked to relieved as soon as she sees me sitting on the bed.
I stand up and look at her. "Hey." Wow that felt pathetic.
Her features harden and she glares at me. "Hey?!" She practically screams. "You almost die, and you say hey?!" She walks forward and sixth sense triggers.
I don't move, letting her fist connect with my jaw. Huh, expected that to hurt more than it did. She must be playing nice.
"You terrified me you moron! You said you'd be fine!"
I grimace. "I thought I would be." Ok Dusk, really need to put down the shovel buddy.
Smoke starts to rise from her shoulders as she fumes. "I am five seconds away from melting you."
I look her in the eyes. "I'm sorry Svar. We didn't have a lot of options, and between the two of us I was the only one who could've made it. You'd have died if we had traded places. Sorry I almost died, but I'm not apologizing for helping Serana."
Svar stares at me for a moment longer, and tears start to gather in her eyes. She slowly walks forward and pulls me into a tight hug.
Neither of us moves for a long time.
"You're not allowed to die. If you die, I'll kill you." She says into my shoulder.
I chuckle softly. "I won't."
"I'm glad you're not dead." She says seriously.
"Me too."
She takes a deep breath and pulls back. She wipes a tear from her eye, then gives me a quick peck on the lips. She takes a deep breath and motions for me to follow her.
"Come on." She says. "We found some stuff while you were asleep, and we could use that information spell you've got."
I nod, and follow her out of the room.
"May not be the best time," I begin as we walk. "but Serana made a move on me. She said you approved of an open relationship, so is she fucking with us again? Or did the two of you actually talk things out?"
"We talked." Svar says. "I like you, and I like her. I made it clear that the two of us won't just be sharing you. If she wanted in, she had to like me too."
"And?" I prompt.
She gives me a smirk over her shoulder. "And she pinned me up against a wall and made out with me. It was pretty hot, you could've watched if you hadn't almost died."
I nod, shutting up, and we continue walking.
Guess that answers that question.
We walk through a few hallways until we come to a storage room with two nether liches playing sentinel at its entrance.
I hesitate slightly as we approach. "Those are Serana's right?" I ask Svar.
She raises an eyebrow at me. "No, they just decided not to kill us yet because they're nice beings of pure concentrated hatred."
I sigh and follow her into the room.
The room, like the rest of Labyrinthian, is in ruins. The wooden furniture and supports have rotted, the floor is uneven, and the walls are collapsing. However, in this room there is an almost pristine rectangular table situated in the middle of the room. Svar must have fixed it up with her alteration magic like she did the bed they put me in.
Serana stands at the table and looks down at the various objects that lay atop it.
"Is that Yamato?" I ask as I approach.
Serana nods, and holds said artifact, as well as another sword out to me. "And your hound's sword. You did not return them to your storage space before you fell unconscious, so we kept them with the other artifacts in this room to keep them safe."
I take the blades back with a nod of thanks, and return them to my inventory. "So what have we got?" I ask as I turn to the table.
The things that catch my eye first are the Staff of Magnus and Morokei's mask.
I turn to look at Svar. "Why did you just leave these on a table? The Staff is kind of one of a kind."
She raises another eyebrow at me. "Where were we supposed to put it? Not everyone has a magical nowhere they can pull random bullshit from."
I suppose that's fair.
I turn back to the table and see three other objects. A ring, a small golden knife, and a pair of boots.
I turn to Serana. "Couldn't you figure out what this stuff does?"
She hums. "Given an hour or two with each item, yes. However, that is a waste of time when you can accomplish the same feet in but a moment."
I shrug and pick up the mask first.
Morokei
Mythic Item
Mana regenerates 100% faster while equipped
Ring of the Lich
Uncommon Item
Necromancy is 15% more powerful
Dragon Priest's Dagger
Common Item
Deals STR + 5 Slashing/Piercing damage per hit
Absorbs 10 MP from the target per hit
Boots of Rejuvenating
Common Item
Stamina regeneration is increased by 5 SP per minute
Huh, that took a lot out of me. Why am I so tired all of a sudden?
I shake my head to clear it and pick up the ring. I turn to Serana, and toss her the ring. "You're the only one of us who can use that. It buffs your necromancy. The dagger and boots suck, but we can use them as batteries for something else I guess. The mask makes your mana replenish twice as fast."
"So nothing I can use?" Svar asks, sounding disappointed.
I raise an eyebrow at her. "You could use the mask." I say.
She shakes her head. "It's not as useful to me as it would be to one of you. Alteration magic isn't all that expensive when you know what you're doing, and the thu'um doesn't really use mana. I was hoping to find something I could use in this place."
I tilt my head. "I mean, you could use the boots and knife, but it's just not worth it." An idea comes to me, and I pull an item from my inventory. "But," I say, drawing her attention back to me. "I pulled something out of my ass the other day you might like." I toss her a ring.
She catches it and turns it over in her hands a few times. "What is it?"
"Ring of invisibility." I answer. "It basically lets you turn invisible at will. You can still be smelled and heard, but not seen."
She grins and puts it on. She disappears for a second, and I hear her walking closer. I wait until she's a foot away, before poking her on the forehead.
She reappears with a frown.
Serana smiles at her. "As Dusk said, invisibility is far from unbeatable. It is a great tool, but do not rely overmuch on it."
Svar nods to her, then turns back to me. "Thanks." She says.
I smile. "No problem."
Svar turns back to the table. "You've gone over just about everything, but what about the Staff?" She asks.
I gently pick it up and look at the orb. "It absorbs magic. That much I'm pretty sure you already knew, but it also absorbs the life force of the target, and empowers the wielder depending on how much mana is stored within it. I'm pretty sure there's some more esoteric properties, but I can't determine them."
Serana hums. "What leads you to believe there are abilities that you are unable to reveal?"
I shrug and pull Yamato from my inventory. "This." I say holding it up next to the Staff. "I know of quite a few people who used this sword before me, and they were able to pull off some insane shit with it. You already know my ability isn't perfect from when I used it on you, so there could be more to the Staff than I'm able to pick up." I put Yamato back in my inventory, and gingerly set the Staff back on the table.
Observe isn't perfect. It's a great tool, but it can't pick up on some things. I'm willing to bet that Magnus's staff is probably one of those things. I might experiment with the Staff a little later to see if my theory is right.
Svar looks at me curiously. "What else can Yamato do? If cutting through ghosts is one of the less interesting things, then I want to know the interesting stuff."
I chuckle. "It involves getting into a really long drawn out story. I'll tell you about it when we get back to Sky Haven. For now though, I want to get the hell out of this place."
"Not yet." Serana says firmly, but not coldly. "It is currently noon, and you are a freshly turned vampire. It is better we leave at night. The sun will not be present, and you will be able to hunt. You have not fed enough. A situation we must remedy quickly."
I raise an eyebrow at her. "Can't you just teleport us back?"
She nods patiently. "Yes, but there are few sources of blood near the Temple. The nearest encampment I have found with my undead is well over eight miles away, and it would put us too close to Morthal for my liking. I would prefer to avoid confronting Movarth's children unless he forces our hand."
I nod. "I guess that makes sense, but do I really need blood that badly?"
Serana's eyes narrow. "Yes." She states with certainty. "It is a miracle you are on your feet. All you have drank is what I have been able to spare. Both of us must feed soon, or we will starve."
I raise my hands placatingly. "Alright, you're the vampire expert. I'm going to go lie back down. Come get me when it's time to hunt."
I leave the room and make my way back to the room I woke up in, being careful to watch for any unfriendly undead that might be wandering the halls.
I summon Mr. Rogers when I get back to my room, and scratch his ears. "Hey bud."
He nuzzles his head against my arm and whines sadly.
"I know. Don't worry though, I'm fine. Here." I pull his sword out and give it to him. "I'm going to go back to sleep. Can you make sure nothing comes and kills me while I do?"
He bobs his head up and down. His sword catching awkwardly on the wall in the process.
I laugh softly. "Good boy." I pat his head one last time and lie down.
Wow I feel really weak all of a sudden. I'm also thirsty as all hell.
I close my eyes, and lean back against the pillows.
Night better get here fast. This sucks.
I wake feeling like my throat is on fire.
I gasp, and roll out of the bed.
My eyes dash side to side as I search for anything with which to quench my thirst.
"Dusk." A voice says from the doorway.
I snap my head towards the sound and lunge.
I grasp nothing but silvery mist as I fall to the ground. A heavy weight comes to rest against my back, and the same voice hisses down from above me.
"Control yourself. You need only wait a little longer."
I close my eyes and grit my teeth.
Come on, am I really going to let a little bit of thirst be what finishes me off?
I relax, and the weight lifts itself off of me.
"Good." Serana says. "Stand and come with me. We have no time to spare."
I pull myself to my feet and walk over to her. "Where are we going?" I ask.
"A bird I raised has located a camp of bandits. We are going to pay them a visit, and drain every single one of them." She answers matter of factly.
I feel a sense of anticipation creep to the front of my being, and pause a moment.
I turn to Serana. "Is it normal that I'm looking forward to slaughtering a bunch of people I've never met?"
She nods. "Yes. In time, you will develop more control, but for now it is normal."
I shrug. Nothing personal random bandits, but I'm hungry.
I look at Serana. "Lets go."
She smiles at me, baring her fangs. She holds a hand out and creates one of her portals. She walks forward, and I follow her through.
We emerge on the edge of a sheer cliff that looks out over a forest. My new eyes zero in on a speck of light far away from us.
"While we are both parched, now is the best time to teach you of your new abilities." Serana says softly from my side. "Every vampire has traits they share, but the stronger of us have abilities unavailable to lesser vampires."
Serana turns to look me in the eye. "You were turned by a Daughter of Coldharbour. Not just any Daughter, but me. I will not have my first Childe be an embarrassment. You will be strong, even if I must force greatness from you." She says with a gleam in her eye.
Wait, back up.
"You haven't turned anyone?" I ask.
She tilts her chin up and looks at me. "No. None were worthy of my gift."
I raise an unbelieving eyebrow. "And I was?"
She hums. "We shall see. Follow me." Her form shrinks down on itself, and feathers begin to sprout from her skin. In a moment, she has gone from a woman, to a beautiful great horned owl. She hoots at me and flies off in the direction of the camp.
Guess she never showed Svar and I all her tricks after all. I kind of figured as much.
I use my new power to change my form. I feel my bones and muscles changing, but it doesn't cause me any pain. Slower than Serana's transformation, but still quite fast, I have changed into my raven form.
As I have just discovered, flying with actual wings is much more involved than just deciding not to fall, so it takes me about forty-five seconds even with vampiric instincts to figure out what I'm doing before I can fly after the owl.
I chase after Serana for what feels like forever. Each wingbeat reminded me just how thirsty I am. I see Serana's owl form descend a few hundred yards from the fire, and follow her to the ground.
By the time I land, Serana has changed back. "You continue to adapt quickly." She says. "Good. Now continue after me." Her form shimmers, then disappears entirely.
I change back and listen for her, but can't hear her movements. I fall back on my soul magic, and feel her soul slowly moving away from me. I activate Embrace of Shadows and follow her towards the camp. I do my best to stay quiet, but I can hear some of my own movements, which means Serana definitely can.
I feel Serana stop at the edge of a clearing, and kneel down next to her.
"You are not a good person Dusk." She whispers into my ear.
I narrow my eyes at her, knowing she can't see me. "I never claimed to be." I quietly say back. "What does that have to do with anything?"
She rests a hand on my shoulder. "Because you are also not an evil person. You do not enjoy the suffering of others, but you are willing to inflict suffering on others. You are not like Harkon, but you are still willing to do what must be done. If you and I do not kill everyone in this camp, we will die. We need more blood than just one of them can provide. Are you willing to slaughter people whom you have never met in order to preserve your own life?"
I growl at her. "What the fuck is the point of your little mind game here?" I say slightly louder.
Serana's invisible form moves until her face is inches from my own. "I turned you into a monster Dusk." She says sadly. "You must play the part, but you must not let it change you overmuch. I turned you not only because you saved me, but because I believed you can overcome the lust for power that consumed Harkon. Prove me right."
There is a gust of wind as she speeds towards the camp at vampiric speeds. I hesitate only a second before I follow after her.
I cross over a hundred yards in moments using my new speed as I enter the camp. I hear a scream, and look over.
Serana has a bulky nord male in her arms. Her fangs dig deep into his neck as he cries out in pain.
I see and smell his blood, and almost go crazy. I hear footsteps to my left, and snap to look over.
A blond breton woman is charging towards Serana with an axe drawn.
I run up behind her and sink my fangs into her neck. Becoming visible as soon as I grab her.
With my fangs firmly planted within her neck, I begin to drain her. Savoring the taste of her blood.
She tries to bring her axe around to strike me, but I shove her arm away and continue to feast.
She flails a little more, but starts to slow. A moment longer, and she stops struggling all together.
I drain the last of her blood, and let her drop to the ground. I look at her still form for a moment while I contemplate what just happened.
"Do you regret it?" Serana asks, suddenly standing at my side.
"No." I respond.
"Did you enjoy it?"
"No."
She nods. "Good, but we are not done yet."
The two of us turn to look towards the tents that are being thrown open. The screams of the man Serana fed upon finally moving people into action.
The two of us charge together, and continue our feast.
The sun is beginning to rise when we've gathered up everything of value from the camp. I've stored the bodies we drained in my inventory for Serana's necromancy, and taken all of their weapons. The three that we didn't drain still went in the inventory, but I'm not taking them out unless we have another emergency like the one that caused this whole situation. Aside from their weapons, they had some gold, but nothing else notable.
"We should go before the sun rises." Serana says as she walks up to me.
"No." I say. "I'll feel its effects eventually. I'd rather do that here, in a controlled environment, than in combat."
Serana regards me for a moment before nodding. "Very well then." She walks up next to me, and we watch the sunrise together.
I hiss when the rays come into contact with my exposed skin. It doesn't exactly hurt, but it just feels wrong. The light touching my skin feels as if it's slowly draining my power, which I guess it is really.
I take a cloak from my inventory, and put it on. The wrongness fades, and my strength returns.
"If all it takes to beat the sun is a cloak," I say. "then why don't all vampires walk around during the day?"
Serana chuckles. "Because vampires like Harkon are arrogant assholes, and it takes more than a cloak for the vast majority of weaker vampires to resist the sun." She says. "You were turned by me, and I am likely one of the strongest vampires in Nirn. If you were turned by a vampire as old as Movarth, the sun would be crippling to you. Cloak or not. If you were turned by one of his children, it is likely the sun would harm or outright kill you. The more diluted a vampire's blood, the weaker they are."
I nod. "Makes sense." I turn to face her. "Ready to go?"
"In a moment." She hums.
She walks around me so she is facing the sun, and her features harden. "You saved my life Dusk. Very few can claim to have done the same, and the majority of them betrayed me at one point or another."
I narrow my eyes at her. "Are you asking if I'm going to stab you in the back? Warning me that's a bad idea?"
The corner of her lip pulls up, and her features relax. "No. In the time I've known you, it has become apparent to me the lengths you would go to for those you care for. While we have had something of a strange relationship, I am now certain you count me among that number. No, I am not threatening you, I am explaining my actions."
She pauses for a moment before continuing. "As I told you, I have never turned anyone. However, I did not tell you the reason. That reason was cowardice. Would you like to guess what it is I'm afraid of?" She looks at me expectantly.
Didn't expect this.
Honestly, without even thinking it over too much I've got a pretty good idea.
"Your sperm donor." I say. "I'd guess he has something to do with it."
She smiles brightly at me. "Correct. Quite clever of you." Her features darken, and she holds my gaze. "Harkon is a blight upon this world. The man craves power over all else. He doesn't have the foresight to realize the consequences of his actions, and even if he did, I doubt he would care. I have never turned anyone for fear they would turn out just like him, and leave me with one more incredibly powerful megalomaniac I need to kill."
She moves forward a step and continues. "You saved my life Dusk, and in the short time we've been together I have grown quite fond of you, but do not walk the path he walked."
She moves forward until we are but a foot away from each other, her crimson eyes boring into my own.
Her voice is ice cold as she speaks. "This is a warning, and a threat. I saved you because I refused to watch you die, but if you take my gift and use it as Harkon has, I will kill you. It may take thousands of years, but I will find a way to destroy you. Nirn cannot suffer two Harkons."
I hold her gaze, but don't respond. I can't really think of a good way to reply to that. On the one hand, I'm totally behind that notion. Death to all Harkons and all that good stuff. On the other hand though, she just threatened to kill me if I act a certain way. I don't really know how I want to react.
Her features break slightly, and she continues in a quieter voice. "Do not do that to yourself Dusk. Do not do that to Svarline." She steps closer, and gently places a hand on my cheek. "Do not do that to me."
This is probably the most vulnerable I've ever seen the woman. She's taken off whatever mask she normally wears, and looks as if she's genuinely pleading with me.
I hold her gaze and nod. "I won't." I say with certainty. I don't plan on slaughtering people for shits and giggles. If I don't have a reason to want them dead, and they don't screw with me, I won't screw with them.
She searches my features for a moment longer, before she allows herself a small smile. "Good." She wraps her hand around the back of my neck and pulls me in for a kiss.
I wrap my arms around her and return the kiss.
She pulls away first, and hums contentedly.
"Come." She says. "I'm sure Svarline is growing more worried by the second." She waves her hand, and a portal opens in front of us.
I nod at her, and the two of us walk through.
On the other side, we are greeted by Svar.
She is pacing in the room where her and Serana kept the Staff, and seems to have been waiting for us.
She turns to glare at Serana. "You're late. You were supposed to get here before the sun came up."
Serana motions to me. "Dusk insisted we stay so he could feel how the sun now affects him."
I nod to Svar. "Better now, than in the middle of a fight."
Svar holds my gaze for a moment, and sighs. "Fine, but don't push yourself too hard right now. You nearly died."
I nod. "I won't. We've got some time to lie low now. I'll probably work on the portal, and not do too much else."
"Good." Svar says. She reaches down to the table and hands Morokei and the Staff of Magnus out to me. "Put these in your storage space. They're safer there than in the open."
I take the artifacts and inventory them.
"Are we ready to go then?" Serana asks calmly.
"Not yet." I say, and give a whistle.
A moment passes, then Mr. Rogers trots into the room with his sword in his mouth. A dead skeever skewered on it's blade like a kebab.
I don't ask.
I turn to Serana. "Ready."
She nods and opens another portal. The four of us step through and find ourselves in the foyer of Sky Haven.
"Let's never go back there." Svar says tiredly.
"Agreed." Serana and I say in unison.
Serana turns to me. "There is more the two of us must do to teach you of your new powers, but that can wait until later. When you are available, I will be working on the portal. The wispmother components if you would?" She holds out her hand.
Huh, I totally forgot about the wispmother.
I shake my head and pull everything out. Handing her what she can carry, and giving Mr. Rogers the rest to take with her.
"Thank you." Serana says with a nod, then she walks up to Svar and studies her. "Get some rest, Svarline. You desperately need it." She gives Svar a quick kiss, then turns and walks away.
"Come on." Svar speaks up from my side. She begins walking and motions for me to follow her.
I fall in step beside her, and raise an eyebrow. "I'm guessing it's not much of a mystery where we're going." I say.
"To bed." She says exhausted. "I've been awake for 48 consecutive hours by this point, so I'm fucking tired. I don't care that you don't need sleep. I do, and I want to cuddle."
Well when you put it like that…
We get back to our room, and Svar pulls her armor off before she collapses onto the bed.
I take my own armor off, then lie down next to her. She wraps her arms around me as soon as I lie down.
"Don't ever scare me like that again." She mumbles into my shoulder.
"I won't. You'll kill me remember?" I say as I pull her close.
She lets out a relaxed sigh. "Yep."
We lay in silence for a while, and I begin to think Svar has fallen asleep.
"Dusk," She speaks up quietly. "I love you, so don't leave me. I'm not sure what I'd do if I lost you, but it wouldn't be good."
I smile happily, and rub her head. "I love you too, so you're not allowed to die either. Got it?"
She hums, and snuggles closer. "Got it." She says.
We lie there for a few more minutes, and Svar speaks back up. "I can't go to sleep." She laments. "I'm tired but I can't sleep."
"Is there anything I can do?" I ask.
"Tell me a story. That used to help me back when my mother was still alive."
I think for a moment, and smile. "You wanted to know what Yamato can do right?"
I feel her nod.
"Well," I quietly begin. "it's from another world. A world where demons constantly assault the world. Kind of like what happened in the Oblivion Crisis, except much more frequent. The sword's first wielder was a demon lord named Sparda..."
I wake up to a shove on my shoulder.
"Hey." Svar says. "Paarthurnax called me, so I gotta go. Don't push yourself too hard for a little while ok?"
I sit up and look over at her. "Don't worry Svar. I'm fine now, but I will take it slow. Enjoy your training."
She gives me a light kiss on the cheek, and leaves the room.
I stand after she leaves, and exit as well. I walk through the halls until I come to the portal room. I walk in, and find Serana shifting various gems around on her work table.
"Did you rest well Dusk?" She asks without looking over.
"I didn't need it, but Svar did, so I'd say yes."
She nods. "Good. She also suffered heavily from our battle with the dragon priest, but she refused to recover as long as you were unconscious." Serana casts one final spell, and leaves her station.
"Come with me." She says, and opens a portal.
I follow her through, and the two of us emerge into a large cavern.
"Where the hell are we?" I ask as I look around.
"Part of a cave system that is connected to Sky Haven. One of my undead found this location before we left for Labyrinthian. I believe it will make for a good place to experiment, but first, take this." She holds out a thick black cloak similar to her own.
I take a moment to observe the cloak.
Enchanted Cloak
Uncommon Item
This cloak is enchanted to be extremely durable, as well as provide more shade than normal
I look back up at Serana. "Thank you." I say as I put it on.
She waves me off. "Think nothing of it. I had time to enchant it while you and Svarline slept, and decided you should receive the same protection I have made for myself. However, if you find something better I expect you to share." She says with a smile.
I nod. "If I figure something else out, I'll let you know."
She nods and clears her throat. "Now, before we begin, do you have any questions you want answered?"
"Yes actually." I respond.
She nods patiently. "Ask them."
"Ok number one, can I feed off animals in a pinch? Number two, do holy symbols or holy water have any effect on us? Three, are we able to go places without being invited?" I ask. Hitting the most common vampire cliches I can think of.
Serana hums. "To the first, yes. I would not recommend it, as animal blood is not near as satiatinging as humanoid blood, but if you are desperate, it will work fine. To the second, true holy water is a blight on our kind, but it is quite rare. Most 'holy water' you come across will be fake, and therefore harmless. Practice caution until you know whether or not your opponent possesses true holy water. Holy symbols on the other hand, are useless on their own. The symbol itself is nothing but a piece of wood, stone, or metal. In the hands of a true believer of the faith however, they become a potent weapon against our kind. The symbol doesn't matter you see, it is simply a focus for the believer's faith. It's quite difficult to deal with a zealot armed with a holy symbol. To the third, no. It is a legend that holds no basis in reality. Weaker vampires may be subject to such a weakness, but you and I are not. Do you have any other questions?"
I shake my head. "No that covers it. Thanks."
She waves me off again. "Thanks are unnecessary. It is my responsibility to teach you of your new nature." She smiles. "In the interest of pursuing that goal, change into your vampire lord form. You have seen my own, and I'm sure your knowledge provides you some information about it, but I value experience higher than I value academic knowledge."
I nod, and close my eyes.
Once again, my body changes. This time however, instead of shrinking, I grow. I rise up to just under seven feet, my muscles bulge, and two leathery bat wings emerge from my back. My skin grows paler, and my jaw widens. Sharp fangs replace what used to be my teeth.
Serana hums. "Your progress is impressive. Now, move about the space. You are stronger, faster, and your hemomancy is more effective in this form. You must grow accustomed to the increase in power, otherwise the form will be more of a hindrance in combat than a benefit."
I do as she says and begin sprinting around the space. An instant passes, and I end up in a wall. I peel myself out of the newly formed crevice to the sound of laughter behind me.
"That is why you are training Dusk." Serana says jovially. "Take it slow, and do not rush. I'm certain you will adjust quickly."
For the next forty-five minutes or so, I gradually increase my movement speed around the cavern. I fly, run, and walk on the walls in order to better control my new transformation.
Serana would occasionally throw spikes of ice at me to dodge, or give pointers when I mess up.
"Come down, and change back." She says. "It is time to familiarise you with blood magic."
I fly down from where I stand on the ceiling, and change back to normal while she waits patiently. It's a weird feeling to suddenly be significantly weaker than I was a moment ago, but I get over it quickly enough.
Once I have returned to normal, Serana paces back and forth as she begins a lecture. "Hemomancy, much like necromancy and soul magic, is considered a 'dark', or 'evil' magic. Since you are not a simpleton, you understand that magic is not inherently good or bad. It is a tool. Some of its forms are merely more costly to use than others. The simple fact is, in order to perform hemomancy, one needs blood. Whether your own, your allies', or your enemies' does not matter."
She comes to a stop and focuses on me. "Use hemomancy as it is, as a tool. If you have a tool that is better equipped to handle the task, use that instead, but always have spare blood in your storage space. That is an advantage many a vampire would enslave entire nations for. After all, one must have blood in order to use blood magic."
She demonstrates by holding up her hand. With my new eyes, I see as several small cuts open in her hand as blood is pulled out of her arm. The blood rises up in several small streams until it forms a ball an inch above her hand. She shapes the ball into a spike, then a knife, then a necklace, before letting the blood flow back into her body.
I blink and shake my head a little. "Ok vampire biology question." I say. "If you pull blood out of yourself, then just put it back, does it still work?"
Serana chuckles and nods. "Yes. So long as it is your blood. However, if you wish to drain another's blood, you must drink. Do not ask me why. My mother and I spent over a century searching for an answer to that question, and found nothing."
Interesting.
I cast blood control, and pull some of my own blood out of my skin like Serana just did.
This is a really weird feeling. It doesn't really hurt, but it doesn't feel nice. I shape the blood into the various kinds of dice I played dungeons and dragons with in my old life, before bringing it back into my body.
As the last of the blood returns to my arm, I shiver a little at the odd feeling, and the situation in general.
Serana chuckles once more. "It is strange when you first begin. In time, you will not react this way. Now, you seem to have a grasp of your magic and powers, and the only way to improve your control in your greater form is practice. As such, my work is done. You may continue working here, or assist me with the portal."
"I'll go with you." I say. "We need to get that damn thing done, and I did kinda promise Svar I'd take it easy."
Serana hums, and opens a portal. "Then follow me."
We both walk through, and emerge in the portal room. Serana heads back to her workstation while I survey the area.
We still need to charge gems. I'll do that.
Wait.
I look through my inventory, but don't find what I'm looking for.
I turn to look at Serana. "Do you have the soul stone we got from Labyrinthian?" I ask her.
She smiles at me, and reaches into her cloak. When her hand reemerges, it holds the soul stone. "Did you truly believe I would leave it behind?" She asks, amused.
I shake my head. "No. I just didn't know what happened to it after I passed out. What can we do with that thing anyway?"
Serana hums. "I take it your information ability was not too specific on its uses?"
I nod.
"Well," She begins. "its most basic use is that of an arcane battery. Mages who do not know how to use it correctly will simply use it as a reusable soul gem, but there is much more to it than that. As you saw in Labyrinthian when we fought the dragon, it can bind the entities within it into servitude."
I raise an eyebrow. "Are you saying we could have a pet dragon priest?"
She smiles widely. "Yes. It will take quite a bit of effort to mold him into a proper servant, but it is possible. Alternatively, we could use his soul to augment the power of one of our group, but I feel that would be a waste. I am already quite powerful, Svarline is the dragonborn, and you were just turned into a vampire. It would be better to bind Morokei's soul to our service. We will need a great powersource to achieve such a feat, but once we have access to the Soul Cairn, that will not be an issue."
Great powersource huh?
I reach into my inventory and pull out a jug. "Will this maybe work?" I ask.
Serana tilts her head curiously, and walks over to me. She takes the jug and opens it, casting a few spells on the golden liquid within. "I have never seen anything like this. Where did you acquire it?"
"Same place I got Yamato." I say. "Occasionally I can pull things from other worlds. I don't get to choose what I get, but it's still pretty useful."
Serana focuses on me. "You are an enigma." She says, before turning back to the jug. "I sense power coming from this, but I do not believe it will work to properly tether Morokei. I also do not know enough about it to trust it with such a powerful soul." She grabs her chin as she thinks. "It almost reminds me of some dwarven oils I have come across. Perhaps if you used this to power a dwarven automaton something interesting would happen?"
Huh, that's actually not a bad idea.
I nod. "If I find any unpowered dwarven tech, I'll give it a go."
She nods and returns to her work station. "I would like to be there to view what happens, but for now, we should get to work."
I nod in agreement, and walk to the other side of the room. I pick up an emerald and get to work.
I lose track of time as Serana and I work. We talk only when we need to coordinate, leaving each other alone when speech is unnecessary.
We've made progress, but this thing is a monumental undertaking. The undead weren't factored into the original question, so we've been able to shave off time for manual labor. Everything that requires any amount of magic is left to Serana and I though. Given that it's a portal to the Soul Cairn, magic is required for quite a bit.
All told we've been working just shy of a month. My original estimate of seven months is looking to be off like I expected. What I didn't expect was that we would be under that time. With the undead, and Svar occasionally chipping in when she's not training with Paarthurnax, we can probably get this thing done in just under six months. Barring any major setbacks.
…
…
…
Huh, thought for sure Murphy was gonna fuck me over right there.
"Dusk!" Serana cries from the other side of the room.
Ah, there it is.
"We may have a serious issue on our hands." Serana appears next to me.
"What happened?" I ask seriously.
She shakes her head. "Not yet." She opens a portal, and the two of us walk through.
The portal takes us to the mess hall, where Svar is in the process of eating a rabbit leg.
Svar raises an amused eyebrow at us. "What? Not willing to walk around too much in case you get a dead leg?"
Serana shakes her head gravely. "I have made a mistake."
I narrow my eyes. "What mistake? I'm pretty sure I would've noticed you screwing up anything major in there."
She shakes her head violently. "Not the portal. My scouts. I sent a bird over the walls, and into Morthal. I was trying to gather information on the necromancer Movarth employed. I found her, but she is far stronger than I anticipated."
Svar's amusement fades, and she becomes serious. "Did you recognize her? What did she look like?"
Serana shakes her head. "I did not recognize her. She was a black haired vampire who appeared to have been a nord before her turning, but there was something wrong about her. It was as if her soul did not match her form. I have only come across something like this only once before. It was during the Planemeld, when a necromancer stole the body of his younger apprentice in an effort to live longer. Something similar has been done here."
I let out a long sigh.
I don't remember any Valkorion style body jumpers in The Elder Scrolls, so what the hell is going on?
"You're saying Movarth has a body-snatching necromancer at his beck and call that caught one of your scouts. Do you think she could track the bird back to us?" I ask.
Serana grabs her chin. "I don't believe so, but I'm hesitant to underestimate her because we know so little. I'm also not sure Movarth is the commander. He seemed respectful, if not outright subservient to the necromancer. I believe it is possible she is the ture mastermind." Serana turns to look at me. "Do you know of any beings who could potentially move their soul from body to body?"
"Uh… give me a minute." I respond.
Ok. Body snatching necromancers. What've we got?
…
…
…
"I've got no idea." I say aloud.
Svar turns to Serana. "Was there anything else that might help identify her?"
Serana thinks for a moment.
"She had a pendant around her neck." Serana begins. "It was a stylistic wolf with a third eye in the center of its head. Does that mean anything to either of you?"
That means all of jack shit to me.
"Sounds like Potema's banner, but she's been dead for hundreds of years." Svar says as she thinks.
I freeze.
Holy shit that might be it. If Solitude didn't send anyone to that one cave, she'd be out. There wasn't a dragonborn there to stop anything. Wait, wouldn't she have been bound to those cultists without the dragonborn? Wasn't that the whole point of the follow-up quest?
"Dusk?" Serana asks. Looking at me intently.
"You got something?" Svar picks up on how I'm acting.
"Maybe." I say. "I don't know what Potema's banner looks like, but I know she's not really dead. Or she is, but it didn't take."
Serana hums. "I take it this Potema was a powerful necromancer?"
I nod. "From what I know though, a group of necromancers should have bound her soul though. She kinda slipped my mind what with the dragons, and Miraak, and the portal, and…"
"I understand Dusk," Serana interrupts. "but is it possible she was able to free herself?"
I shrug. "It's possible, and given Movarth is bowing to someone, it's a safe bet to assume she runs Morthal at present. Can she track the bird back to you?" I ask again.
Serana thinks for a moment. "It is possible, but she would have to be as gifted as myself or my mother. Something I find quite unlikely. It is possible she sensed the direction it came from however."
Svar sighs. "So we might have a vampire army coming to say hello sometime soon? Here I thought we finally had a chance to catch a break."
"Right now let's assume it's Potema, and that knows we're in this direction. We set the undead up in defensive positions, and we make sure the Temple is completely secured. Having a vampire army doesn't help all that much if they can't find us." I say before turning to Serana. "Of course this hinges on her not knowing our exact location. How sure are you she can't track it back to you?"
She thinks for a moment, then meets my eyes. "How long ago did she die?"
I turn to Svar. "You know history better than I do."
Svar makes a so-so gesture. "I know some history. I don't really know all that much about Potema though. My best guess would be around six-hundred years ago give or take. Does that help?"
The two of us turn to Serana.
Serana grabs her chin and thinks. Finally, she says, "It is safe to assume she knows the direction the spell originated from, but not the exact location. She could send a scouting party in our direction, but it is in our best interest to let them walk past unmolested. They do not have our precise location. If one of their scouts sent to this area turns up dead, they will have confirmation that we are close."
I nod. "Lock the doors and pretend we're not home. Got it."
Svar frowns. "I'll need to talk to Paarthurnax about this. His illusions should be good enough to cover our training sessions, but he would know better than I do. I'll have to work something else out if he thinks there's any danger."
Serana looks between us. "I apologize for this. I grew overconfident, and we are all suffering as a result. It will not happen again." She says with steel.
I wave her off. "Everyone fucks up. It's how you deal with the fuck up that I care about. "
Svar nods in agreement. "So long as this isn't the start of a habit, everything's good." She says.
Serana relaxes slightly. "Thank you both. I need to see to it the undead prepare for an assault. Do as you will." She nods to us, and hurries towards the door.
"Wait!" I call out.
She turns to face me.
"The first two armories you come across after entering the Temple have fully restored armor and weapons. If any of the undead have lousy equipment, arm them there." I say.
She nods. "I will." She turns and leaves.
Svar lets out a long sigh, and stands up. "I've gotta talk to Paarthurnax about this. After that I'll probably go to sleep. What are you going to do?" She asks me.
I shrug. "Not much I can do. Serana controls the undead, and I can only kill stuff if they find us. I suppose I'll go back to working on the portal. It'll keep me busy if nothing else."
She nods. "I'll let you get to it." She gives me a kiss on the cheek, and leaves the room.
I let out a sigh of my own after she leaves.
If it's not one thing, it's another. We just killed a dragon priest for Christ's sake! Can we catch a break?
I make my way back to the portal room, and get to work.
There's not much I can do about Potema right now, so I might as well do something else productive.
(Interlude: Potema)
"Interesting." I say aloud as I study the dead songbird in my hand.
"If I may ask, what is it you find interesting my lady?" Movarth asks from my left.
I smile, and turn to him. "Someone has been spying on us."
His eyes narrow, and he bows his head. "I apologize my lady. I thought we had defeated the College's attempts to scry on us."
I chuckle softly. "You have Movarth. No, this is someone else. Someone very interesting." I hum to myself as I probe the dead bird with my magic. "Crone." I say over my shoulder as I study the bird. "How is your training progressing?"
"Steadily my lady." The Crone responds. "I am still no match for Movarth's warriors, but I have discovered I possess a gift for hemomancy. I am taking full advantage of this fact by incorporating it into my fighting style."
I turn to her with a smile on my face. "You could stand to be a little cheerful about such a discovery, my Crone. You speak as if speaking of watching weeds grow. Be more chipper."
The woman smiles a venom filled smile at me. "Of course my lady!" She says with exaggerated cheer.
I laugh at the display, and walk up to her. "Resist all you wish Crone, you will be mine in the end."
I hear a faint snarl escape the woman's mouth, and grin.
She will be perfect once properly molded. I need only be patient.
I give her a pat on the cheek, then turn to Movarth. "Gather a scouting party. Send them to the west, and order them to search for any necromancers in the area. If they encounter any, they are not to engage, but observe. They are to report back in one weeks time, regardless of their findings. And while you are among the troops, ensure we are on schedule for our upcoming assault."
My general bows, then leaves to carry out my orders.
I turn back to my Crone with a smile. "Perhaps you do not enjoy your training because you have yet to find a fitting partner? Join me in the arena." I turn and begin walking.
"Yes my lady." The Crone says through gritted teeth.
Ah, she's so much fun.
(Interlude: Just a harmless little girl)
I'm glad we could find a tall enough hill. This is quite an enjoyable show!
"Oh look!" I point. "There goes another one!"
My family laughs as we all watch the flaming guard run into a tree.
"What a moron!" Veezara cackles. "He had a pond to his left, and he ran towards the wood?"
We all laugh as the burning guard screams his last.
Gabrielle wipes a tear from her eye. "I can't imagine what the idiot was thinking. 'Those dragons can't live there! That's my mountain!'"
We all burst out laughing once more at her impression of the Jarl.
"As amusing as this all is," Astrid begins. "we must decide what we will do now. Falkreath is no longer a very appealing location for our little family."
"We could go to Whiterun." Festus offers. "It's been some time since I was able to kill any aristocrats."
Arnbjorn groans. "No Whiterun. I've still got scars from the last time the Companions caught me there. Damn elitists." He mutters.
"What about Morthal?" Gabrielle says. "I haven't been there in awhile."
"Please no." I say. "You all have long legs. You don't understand how horrid it is to walk through those marshes being as short as I am."
"Aww," Festus smiles at me. "is our little Babette afraid of the big bad swamp?"
I smile at him. "But grandpa Krex!" I faux-whine. "I'll get my dress wet!"
A new wave of laughs and chuckles passes through our family.
"How about Markarth?" Veezara asks. "We could probably lie low in the undercity easily enough."
No one responds in the negative.
Astrid looks around at each of us, and hearing no complaints, claps her hands together. "Markarth it is then! Be ready to leave in half an hour. I doubt the dragons will give us any longer."
We all stand and make our way back to the Sanctuary. It's a shame to leave it behind, but so long as we're together, everything will be alright.
A.N. So that's the chapter. Hope you liked it.
I've read quite a few good fics recently, so I'm gonna rec them. Cause I can.
As far as gamer fics go, World:1 Tutorial by Creature of Grimm, What is Real by Etherdir, The Z Gamer by Zero Rewind, To Fasten and Suture by The Axe Guy, and A new Player in the Force by USSExplorer are all good. Some just started, but they started strong.
In general, Harry Osborn by samchinmay(spiderman SI where MC is harry), An Essence of Silver and Steel by James D. Fawkes(Worm Alt Power), Chaotic Good by Mister Grin(Overlord SI), and Consumption by Grademaster(DxD SI) are all good.
Think that's it.
Thanks for reading, stay safe, and have a good one!
