A feeling had been building up inside of Lucari over the past month. It’d been a week since she last fed, and she thought that may have contributed to it. She felt weak, weaker than she would have imagined and she also felt like her mind was slipping.

 

“…Niyle…” Unconsciously she kept muttering this to help keep herself calm. However, whenever she thought about what it meant she felt confused and her chest began to ache. She wanted the pain to go away more than she wanted to abate her hunger.

 

(What am I doing…) She’d been walking since night fell but felt like she was going nowhere. She was hungry, tired, confused, the clothes she had picked up a few weeks ago had become tattered, and she didn’t want to go on.

 

Preoccupied with these thoughts, Lucari ended up losing her footing and slipping backwards. It didn’t hurt, but the act in itself reminded her of the direction she was going from her ultimate goal. (Becoming a hero… it feels like a lifetime ago since I’ve thought of that.)

 

(Maybe… Maybe I deserved this. Maybe I was never to become a hero…) She thought remembering her first meal. He was an unsuspecting lad. Sweet and kind just like… Suddenly, that pain in her chest welled up causing Lucari to lose herself. “…hunger…”

 

This had become a normal thing since her first meal. It was something of a cycle. She’d remember how it felt to feed, remember how kind the poor soul was, then she’d feel pained and hungry. Lucari had been trying her hardest not to feed, not to give in to her nature, but it was hard and the more she fought the more of her she felt slipping away.

 

(I should just give in and act like what I am… a vamp—) A noise behind Lucari gained her attention and felt an all too familiar presence.

 

Enraged, she jumped up, faced the stranger and felt an urge to kill overwhelm her. (You…) She didn’t remember who this person was, but something within her told her both to run and to attack. It was a carnal feeling, instinctive, and even though those instincts pulled her more in the direction of flee, her heart told her to fight. To kill…

 

Hatred, anger, sadness, they came over her wave by wave until Lucari could barely contain herself. It wasn’t too late to run, something in the back of her head kept prodding her, but she ignored it. Her prey, the cause of all of this, was right here and Lucari wasn’t about to let this chance go to waste.

 

“How have you been, my progeny?” The woman said with a hint of sarcasm in her voice. “I’m sorry that I just threw you into the wild like that—not teaching you which way was up—but you, well the former you, spit in my face and I couldn’t just coddle you like I’d normally do.” The woman looked her over and smiled. “Haa… well, you could have ended up worse. I’m surprised you’re still alive.”

 

(Surprised I’m still alive!?) Something snapped within Lucari and she pounced. The thin thread of reason—of sanity—that she’d been clinging to for weeks finally broke... and she was no longer Lucari. She was an animal, a monster controlled by her instincts and those instincts had finally unified telling her to do one thing. “…kill…”

 

“Nice agility, and pretty good fierceness you got there,” the woman said. “However, your posture is weak and—”

 

Lucari leapt into the air, throwing the woman off.

 

But only momentarily. “Ahahahaaa! An aerial attack? Smart. Almost caught me unawares,” the woman said unfazed by the impending attack Lucari was about to unleash upon her. “Amateurish to be certain, but for you never to have committed to vampire-on-vampire combat before, you could have done worse…”

 

The woman stuck out a single finger. “…For instance, you could have run.”

 

Something tight wrapped itself around Lucari’s neck, keeping her suspended in air, but when she grasped for it there was nothing.

 

“Surprised?” The woman taunted. “Figures, seeing as you know nothing of our world. But I will teach you. I will raise you, and help you embrace this gift of My Lord.” The woman smiled. “It didn’t have to be this way Defiler, wait… my progeny would never have such a name. My progeny would be a devout follower of My Lord, and thus wouldn’t be feeling their pathetic life fleeing from their body right now. Now then, what should I call you, hmmm?”

 

“…Lu…cari…” she said bitterly still struggling against the invisible hold on her neck.

 

The woman sighed. “It seems like you don’t get it. That name belongs to the Defiler. And if you were the Deflier, I’d crush your throat and twist your head off this instant!”

 

“Why do I bother…” The woman flicked her wrist and sent Lucari soaring through the air.

 

Clumsily, Lucari tried to gain her balance midair, but only succeeded in turning over and landing face first in the dirt.

 

“Now then my child,” the woman said as the shadows wrapped themselves around Lucari and herself. “How shall I train you…”

“AFTER HER!”

 

These were words she had heard numerous times throughout the past month, and due to a slight slip up, she was now hearing them again and was again being chased by the city guards.

 

Leaping through the air, a though passed through the woman’s head, (Security’s tightened up a lot for little ole me…)

 

Niyleen’s little prison break had not only been bad for the Halfling, but for her as well. As a known accomplice, she was presumed to be involved and a bounty of seventy five hundred Septims was placed on her head. Can’t have people escaping from Cidhna Mine.

 

Landing roughly, she realized Markarth had finally become a no fly zone for her. She was now being set up by informants she’d known for years. A strange thing bounties, the things they’ll make people do.

 

“SHE’S OVER THIS WAY!”

 

“Crap…” They were gaining on her, and though she didn’t want to, she grasped her only means of escape: jumping down into the city’s water.

 

“Where did she go?”

 

“I don’t know. You, you and you, go that way. The rest of you, with me!”

 

Keeping low, the woman took a sigh of relief. “This’ll buy me some time. Wish I didn’t need to get my armor wet though…”

 

“Who am I kidding? I should just turn myself in… I’ve got no one, nothing. I lost Niyleen, Lucari ran away, Sorene and Sorerica went their separate ways… Why am I running? What am I fighting for?”

 

“I tried to be strong Sis, I really did. But I’m not strong like you or Niyleen, I’m not tough like Lucari. I don’t have a reason for any of this anymore…”

 

“I wanted vengeance, revenge… but you took that away Sis and gave me a new purpose. But now that’s gone…”

 

“Tell me what to do Sis! I need you now more than I ever did.” Carciel couldn’t contain it anymore. She always had… someone. Whether it was someone to depend on or someone to hate, there was always someone she could cling to—good or bad—whenever times got rough. But with Eolri dead, Niyleen and Lucari missing, and now this latest betrayal Carciel couldn’t hold back her feelings anymore.

 

“Why haven’t you contacted me since that day? I can’t do this anymore. It’s too much, it’s too—”

 

“Now this is the Ciel I remember, my little crybaby.”

 

“C-Ciel?” Carciel said wiping her eyes. “No one calls me that except for—!!” Carciel’s eyes widened and her jaw hit the floor. “No way… It can’t be…”

 

“But it is Ciel. It’s a plain as these washed out walls you see before you.”

 

“E-Eoly?”

 

“The one and the same,” Eolri said with a smirk. “I’m assuming you’ve missed me?”

 

Carciel’s heart began to race. (She’s always been there when things got too rough, too complicated… when I was young, with Niyleen, and now…)

 

“What’s wrong Ciel? Something on my face?”

 

“N-n-n-no! No no no! Not at all!” (But it can’t be her…)

 

“Hmph, I come back because you practically beg me to, and this is how I’m received?” Eolri frowned. “For all of this, I could have continued with my Hunt.”

 

“W-what!?” Carciel said, understanding that which was untold. “Y-you’re a—were a—when? Where? How?”

 

“Got bit a little after I domesticated my pet, I mean, after I beat and captured Niyle, but that’s not what matters right now. You needed my help, and here I am.”

 

“Why now? I’ve needed you for so long, YEARS before I finally confronted Niyleen,” Carciel said turning from her sister. “Then when Sorene and Sorerica left and I was all alone, I needed you. But you were nowhere to be found.”

 

“It’s not like I can just stop the Hunt Ciel. Stop being impractical.”

 

“I’m not! I just…”

 

“I see… you just can’t wrap your head around it,” Eolri said sighing. “Fine, I’ll play nice then, so dry your tears little Ciel.” She pounded on her chest. “Big Sis Eoly’s going to make everything right.”

 

And then the impossible happened. A blinding light enveloped Eolri causing Carciel to shield her eyes, and when she finally was able to face her sister, that’s exactly who she faced; Eolri, her flesh and blood sister.

 

“Will this do?”

 

Without warning, Carciel hugged Eolri and wouldn’t stop repeating her name. (This feeling, this warmth! It’s really her!!) Her sister was back, and there was nothing she was going to let tear them apart again.

 

“W-woah, Ciel?! Why’re you so emotional all of a sudden,” Eolri said surprised by her sister’s actions. “I mean I know you missed me and all, but I was already here and—”

 

“Eoly… Eoly… Eoly… Eoly… Eoly…”

 

“Sis…”

 

“It’s… it’s okay Ciel, I’m here. I’m right here. You don’t have to worry, I’ll always be here when you need it,” Eolri said going into big sister mode. “So if you need to cry, then cry. If you need to be weak, be weak. Just be you Ciel. You don’t have to be me or Niyleen or Lucari. None of us wanted you to be, none of us liked you because you imitated us. We liked you for you. So be you!”

 

Carciel wanted to shout, she wanted to let it all out, but remembering herself and the predicament she was in, she just cried softly into her sister’s shoulder for a good long time.

 

When Eolri thought Carciel had cried long enough, she pulled away from her sister and said, “Listen, what I told you before still stands. I need you to help out Niyleen.”

 

“That doesn’t matter anymore Eoly,” Carciel said sweetly. “We can finally just be together again. We could get a house, and—oh you know what? We could go back to Karthwasten and—”

 

“Carciel! Stop screwing around,” Eolri yelled causing Carciel to look around nervously for guards. “I know how much you missed me, how alone you felt. I wanted to come, I wanted to help you out, but I couldn’t. I’m here now. But the situation hasn’t changed for you. The Daedric Princes want her, along with the Dragonborn. Shit, Ciel, there are bigger things going on than you even realize!”

 

“But none of that matters to me. None of that involves me,” Carciel said pouting. “Sure, Niyleen’s a good person. She’s better than I’d like to admit all things considering, but even if the Daedric Princes get her, it won’t matter all that much to—”

 

“You’re… broken,” Eolri said painfully. “God’s you’re broken. Hircine… Julianos, guide me.” The Forsworn took a deep breath and then said, “Ciel, this is not you. A month completely by yourself has turned you into this? Think about Niyleen. Think about what Lucari’s going through. She could be dead. Killed by a Vigilant somewhere!”

 

“…’t matter.”

 

“What did you say?”

 

“What’s it matter? They left me. I didn’t leave them. I have never left anyone, but I’m always left behind. First it was father, then mother. You, Niyleen and Lucari. Why can’t I want… why can’t I make my own happiness?”

 

“Why…” Carciel bit her lip. It was always like this. When she was younger, Eolri would leave the house for weeks at a time leaving her alone. Sure their neighbors would try and help out, but that absence left a rift within Carciel. She had to be strong so her sister always came home to a smiling Ciel, but in truth Carciel had gradually become tired of the façade. Sure she kept it up after Eolri’s death, but it only lasted as long as her bitterness toward Niyleen did. Once she began to feel for the Halfling like a friend she knew it was the beginning of the end, same for Lucari.

 

“Stop being so selfish,” Eolri said slapping her sister. “Grow up Ciel! You’re older than Niyleen, and yet why do you aspire to be her when things get dire? She’s no better than you. She just has unfortunate circumstances surrounding her.”

 

“Like I don’t…”

 

Eolri scratched the back of her neck. “I was a terrible sister.”

 

“N-n-no! You were a wonderful—”

 

Eolri put up a finger silencing Carciel. “I was a terrible sister Ciel, I know I was. When… when mom and dad left, I tried so hard to be the elder sister you needed, but I couldn’t. Those times I left you alone, I was trying to find myself. I was only your elder by minutes for god’s sake. How was I supposed to know what to do for you when I didn’t know what to do for myself?” Eolri sighed. “But I kept trying, kept doing what I thought was right so that you could survive. And look at you now,” Eolri said smiling. “You’re a wonderful young woman with friends that care about you, and you outlived me! That’s more than what I thought I could do for you.”

 

Carciel dropped to her knees. “I-I don’t—”

 

“You don’t care about any of that. You just want things to go back to the way they were. I know Ciel, I know… I know about it all.”

 

“Then why are you doing this? Why are you making me—”

 

“We all have to grow up Ciel, some sooner than others. Niyleen and I had to grow up way too soon, you and Lucari’s time is now. So do this for me Carciel. I’ve never asked anything of you, and I never wanted to. But Niyleen needs—I need—your help.”

 

Carciel got back to her feet and sighed. “I… I could never disobey you Eoly.” She shrugged. “Haaa…. I just wish you would have let me vent a little more.”

 

Eolri smiled. “You’re such a child.”

 

“Ehehe, can’t be helped.” She wiped all the signs of her crying from her face and said, “So, what’s really going on?”

 

“Now this is the Ciel that I wanted to see,” Eolri said causing Carciel to smile brightly. “Okay then. I know where Niyleen is.”

 

“Good. Point me in the direction and I’ll be right—”

 

“No! You must not go there for five days. Events are unraveling as we speak and if you interfere, there’s no telling what may happen.”

 

(I hear you Eoly… but…) “Alright, fine fine fine. So where is she?”

 

“Wormstone Lair, just outside of Whiterun.”

 

“That’s a two day trip on foot by itself!”

 

“And that’s if you don’t get into any trouble and of course if you’re actually running the entire time,” Eolri said jokingly.

 

“Not funny, AT ALL. But… I think I got this Sis,” Carciel said with a smile.

 

“Hmm… Carciel Syliel, Saver of Worlds. Ehehe, nice ring to it huh?”

 

“Indeed it does.”

 

“W-well then.” Carciel froze for a moment before saying, “I love you Eoly.”

 

Eolri nodded and said, “Time’s not waiting for you Ciel. Make haste.”

 

Carciel nodded in turn and then ran out of her hiding place. “THERE SHE IS! GET HER!!!” And once again the chase was on.

 

“I said you need to grow up, but it’s amazing how much you already have,” Eolri said as she saw her sister off. She swallowed a lump forming in the back of her throat and said, “I love you too, Carciel,” as a tear rolled down her cheek.

 

“Enough with the melodrama bullshit,” said a coarse voice from Eolri’s mouth. “You’ve fulfilled your part, and now you’re stupid sister is off to participate in Niyleen’s trials. Aren’t you proud Big Sis? AHAHAHAHAHAAAAA”

 

(I’m so sorry Ciel…)

“Hey guys, I’m back.”

 

“Oh great… the Pretender returns,” Telind said crossing his arms. “And here I thought you were going to be skeever bait…”

 

“Bite me fool,” Niyleen said looking around. “Where’s my sister? Sleeping?”

 

“Yes, the true Niyleen is indeed sleeping.”

 

(She’s been doing that more and more lately…) Niyleen noticed how the Altmer was eyeing her and narrowed her eyes. “Can I help you?”

 

“I don’t like you.”

 

Niyleen rolled her eyes and rubbed her forehead. “What’s new?”

 

“I don’t like you and what you’re doing to my Mistress. If you weren’t her sister—”

 

“You’d still get your ass handed to you. But are you serious right now,” Niyleen said rubbing her temple. “I just got back from doing some mercenary work, and now is when you want to fight?”

 

“I do,” Telind said coolly giving Niyleen a chilling look.

 

(Sis is going to be so mad…) “You know what? I’m game.” Niyleen threw off her cloak and got into a fighting stance. “Try not to wake Nyleine up, and don’t cry when I kick your ass.”

 

Telind cracked his neck and settled into his own fighting stance. “I shall enjoy this thusly.”

 

Telind rushed at Niyleen throwing fist after fist at her, but Niyleen dodged them all with ease. Something about her time here had made her feel lighter, stronger, and keener to the world around her and it was as if she was seeing Telind in slow motion as he tried to take her down.

 

“Hold still damn you!”

 

(This idiot. When will he ever—!!) Niyleen was forced to jump backwards to dodge an incoming straight from the Altmer. Though it meant nothing to her, for some reason it definitely got Telind’s blood pumping.

 

When she landed, she noticed that Telind had yet to move from his position and was about to question him when suddenly he said, “It’s not fair. IT’S NOT FAIR! Mistress had me, ME first! And yet she cares about YOU! NOT me, NOT Telind who was with her… FORCED to be with her and has dutifully done EVERYTHING she bid.”

 

Niyleen rose to her feet and sighed. “Keep it down,” she said reminding him of his Mistress’s slumber. “Besides, you’re just a pawn. Literally, you’re a thrall that she keeps around because you’re useful.”

 

“You think I don’t know this? You think TELIND doesn’t know this!?” Telind got back into his fighting stance. “Come at me bitch! I’ll have you faced down in the dirt like a Nord after too many drinks.”

 

“It’s your funeral Alt—”

 

I wish Niyleen and Telind would get along…

 

Niyleen swallowed her words and looked over towards her sleeping sister recognizing that she could feel her sister’s thoughts flow through her. (But he… fine, whatever.) Looking back at Telind, Niyleen said, “Look Telind, we should probably stop this now. You’ve had your fun, now settle down and—”

 

“I WILL NOT SETTLE DOWN, YOU LOW LIFE HAG!”

 

Niyleen looked over toward her sister. (Don’t say I didn’t try Sis.)

 

Before she could face the Altmer again, he struck with a sneak attack in the face. The blow stunned her more than it actually hurt her, but it enraged her all the same. As he came in to strike her again, Niyleen countered with a knee to the stomach. She then tripped Telind and elbowed him as the two of them fell to the ground, causing Telind to lose his breath.

 

Pinning the Altmer to the ground, Niyleen said in a low voice, “We are done, Telind. Test me again, and I don’t care if you are my sister’s thrall, I will beat your face in until all it looks like is a mound of shit. You understand?”

 

Telind swallowed hard. “T-T-Telind understands…”

 

“Good, now then…” Niyleen felt something against her bottom. “Can you please do something about your hands?”

 

“W-well, it was just there,” Telind said as he removed them from her butt.

 

As Niyleen pushed off of him she felt something else poke her. At first he thought it was his knee, but when she found out what it was her eyes widened. “Y-you!!!”

 

“Thrall or not,” Telind said flatly. “You did press your masses of fat you women call breasts against me. Things happ—eeeeeek!”

 

“I’m NOT my sister you perverted fuck,” Niyleen said as she walked away from her handiwork. This wasn’t the first time in the last month that he’d reacted to her like this. But with that knee to his dick, she’d hope it’d be the last.

 

Quietly, Niyleen crept up to her sister and overlooked her as she slept. She knew it was creepy but at times like this she felt calmest. The closer she was to Nyleine the more ‘whole’ she felt. Thinking back on it, she can’t believe that she ever thought that she was anything close to complete before she met Nyleine.

 

(Ah she went to sleep while trying to decipher one of those Ruined Books of hers. I keep telling her it’s a waste of time but…) She brushed her sister’s hair gently. “She just won’t listen.”

 

No she won’t. Maybe it’s time to permanently feel complete, hmmm?

 

Niyleen looked down at Nyleine with a deep longing in her heart. (That’s not a bad idea…)

 

No it’s not. So come on. DO IT! Hey, I’ll tell you what. If you kill her, I’ll give you my powers no strings attached.

 

Niyleen bent over to see her sister’s sleeping face. It always amazed her how similar they looked given the means their father went to to create Nyleine. “Am I really that cute? I mean, disregarding the markings on her face and all.”

 

Of course not, you have that horrible looking right eye. It should be red.

 

“Dammit Nega… Just go away, I don’t need your shit right now,” Niyleen said, finally overtly acknowledging her presence. “Three parts, two souls, ultimately one person…”

 

And I’m giving you the chance to become that one person. The physical power of you yourself, the knowledge of the necromancer, and the raw magical power that I hold, together we’d be unstoppable.

 

(Shut up… Shut up. Shut up! Shut Up! SHUT UP!!)

 

You know you want that power. The three of us combined are MORE than a match for any god. You know this. You FELT how strong just me and you were with HALF of my full potential!

 

Niyleen bit her lip. It was an amazing rush to be sure, but could she really kill… “Stop! I’m fine like this, I’m completely—”

 

You hate going on those mercenary missions because you’re away from Nyleine, away from the other part of your soul.

 

Niyleen sucked her teeth, not able to deny her.

 

You just want to get them done as soon as possible, and lately your work has been getting worse and worse. Face it, you only go out now so that you won’t sap more and more of Nyleine’s soul. But wouldn’t it be more satisfying to simply kill her and absorb all that she is?

 

Niyleen turned around and looked at her sister once more. There was something about Nega’s words that ran true. The fact that Nyleine was sleeping more and more could only be contributed to Niyleen’s sudden good health. She knew that she’d been inadvertently sapping her energy for at least a week now, but she couldn’t stop it.

 

Do you want to stop it? Then KILL HER!

 

(NOOOOOO!!!!) “I won’t do it, I won’t!” Niyleen said defiantly, turning from Nyleine. “She’s me, and I’m her. If nothing else, it’d be like suicide!”

 

And yet it’d be easier than suicide. You wouldn’t even feel a thing. Just look at her, so defenseless, just ripe for the picking.

 

Niyleen couldn’t help but glance back toward Nyleine. Everything Nega was saying was true, for the both of them. Niyleen had thought about killing Nyleine before, and ever since she began sapping Nyleine’s soul, she found out that Nyleine had at one point wanted to do the same.

 

Come on… just do it. You know you want to.

 

“S-she is kinda just lying there…”

 

“NO! You twisted fuck! I won’t do it!”

 

Ahahahahahaa! I love this. The fact that I’ve been able to wind you up so much proves how much power I have over you when I want to exert it. Give in Niyleen, and you’ll be able to be with Nyleine—body and soul—forever.

 

“Aaaaagh!”

 

(Dammit, dammit, DAMMIT!!!) Niyleen dropped to her knees and laid on her head on the bed. “I don’t want to kill you,” Niyleen said softly. “But the urge is too strong… I… I…”

 

‘Am weak. And your death will be my strength?’ Is that what you meant to say?

 

(Stop it, stop it please!!)

 

“No, you know what? I won’t. I just won’t kill her simple as that.”

 

But Niyleen. Surely you don’t—

 

“I do. She’s my little sister, and I’ve gotta protect her. It’s as simple as that.”

 

Simple as that?

 

“Isn’t that what I said,” Niyleen said proudly.

 

I see…

 

Hehehehehehe.

 

“What’s so damn funny, Nega?”

 

Oh nothing. Just… what’s that in your hand?

 

“In my—!!!” Suddenly Niyleen felt her left hand grasped around a cool grip. She knew this grip without looking. (It’s not my dagger, it’s not my dagger…) Slowly peaking over towards her hand, her hopes were immediately dashed as her wishes fell on deaf ears.

 

Didn’t you say that wasn’t your dagger? Sure looks like it. Ahahahahahahaaa!

 

“I… I…” There was nothing she could say. It was a fact that she did not want to kill Nyleine. That’s what her heart and mind said. But deep within her, maybe at the very fiber of her being, something in her wanted to become whole. It had nothing to do with Nega’s power, it was just a feeling that she couldn’t shake… that she almost succumbed to.

 

Give it up girl. You’re no priestess. You’re a sinner just like each and everybody else. You’re not ‘holier than thou’, and you are NOT innocent no matter what you want to believe. Nyleine isn’t even real. She’s a fake imitation your father made. Purge the pretender and become one!

 

“I—eh?” Niyleen opened her eyes and noticed that Nyleine had rolled over to her and was purring softly.

 

(What am I doing?) Niyleen thought looking into her sister’s sleeping face. No matter how corrupted she may have become in dealing with their father, Nyleine was the closest thing to a pure soul that Niyleen had come across. Sure Lucari acted pure, but she like all others was ready and willing to make a name off of the downfall of others, though she couldn’t blame her. “I could never hurt you. You’re my Little Sis. You’re the only family I have left…”

 

NO NO NO NO NOOOOOOOOOOOOO! This isn’t right! This isn’t fair! I so close, SO CLOSE!!

 

(Well then, looks like you—)

 

“Mmmm… hmmm…” Niyleen froze as she saw her sister’s eye’s slowly open and readjust to the light. “Ah, Niyle,” Nyleine said so sweetly. “Aaaah….I’m glad that you made it home safely.”

 

“Umm… what’s with the dagger Big Sis?”

 

Niyleen yelped jumping backwards falling on her rear. “I… I can explain!”

 

Oh I can’t wait to hear this. AHAHAHAHAHHAHAAAHAAAA!!!!

To be continued...