With her stomach full and being drunk off her gourd, Carciel went into what seemed to be the innkeeper room and took a nap.

 

With no one in the inn, it was easy for her to become tired after such a meal. However, she didn’t sleep peacefully. For some reason she couldn’t get comfortable and tossed and turned the entire time.

 

Carciel awoke feeling groggy, but was still alert. Her head wasn’t pounding but it felt like an alarm was going off and she didn’t know how to disarm it. Gathering herself, she noticed her naked body and the garb set out for her and frowned. “Right… My gear…”

 

 

 

Rather than putting on that wench outfit, Carciel began shuffling through the innkeepers things. “Can’t believe all he has is more of the same…”

That worker’s outfit… Sure it’d be better than the wench’s garb. At least people wouldn’t be staring at her breasts all day, but either way both protected little. “I’m not her to settle down and become some man’s wife!”

She continued to rummage through the innkeeper’s belongings when she came upon a small footlocker. “…Why is this here?” Carciel said after opening it and seeing some skimpy light armor that no male should probably ever have.

 

Putting it on, she sighed. “It’s a good fit, although a bit on the skimpy side. Huh, what’s this?” She bent down and picked up a aged book and began to sift through its pages. “Huh, a diary? I didn’t expect the innkeeper to have something like—”

 

She stopped flipping when she came upon a page with the header ‘To Eveun:,’ it read, To Eveun, My love your birthday is coming up and although little Erik is probably all you think about these days I know that you often yearn to go out and adventure from time to time. So, take this. I hope you like. It’s an exact replica of the armor I first saw you wear. If you ever need to—

Carciel heard someone clear their throat and she dropped the book like it was plagued. “H-hi Mralki.”

The innkeeper looked from the dropped book to Carciel and frowned. “So, a good meal and a good rest and you were about to be off? I mean, after taking some additional armor of course.”

“It’s not like that!” (Yeah, it is.)

“Then tell me what it’s like? Why are you wearing my wife’s armor?!”

“You never even…” Carciel swallowed her words and took a deep breath. Antagonizing Mralki was going to do more harm than good now.

“I never meant to come here. I’m actually on important business. I only stopped here for a meal and I only slept here because you gave me a key and I got tired waiting around for you to come back.”

“And the armor?”

 

“One of your patrons stole mine,” Carciel said with a huff. “You’re not going to wear it, and there’s no way I can leave here wearing that garb you gave me.”

“Then why leave? Why can’t you just stay?”

 

Carciel blinked and took a step back. It was then that she noticed the flushed look on the innkeeper’s face. “W-w-what are you talking about? Me? Stay here? Why?”

Mralki took a step towards her. “I’m going to need an extra hand around here, what with managing the inn and training Erik. I think you’d be a perfect fit.”

(Why do I have to be sober now?) “I think you’re getting ahead of yourself. I need to be going.”

Carciel tried to exit the room, but Mralki blocked her. “Listen, I don’t know what’s gotten into your head, but I think you’ve taken this game far enough.”

“It’s no game, Eveun. Think about it, we can just settle down and run the inn. It’ll be like nothing ever changed.”

“By the Eight, what are you—Eveun?” Carciel could feel her rage boiling over, and before she could control herself she kicked Mralki out of the way and hightailed it out of the inn and Rorikstead.

 

 

 

She ran, and kept running, she was just trying to expend her energy so her anger wouldn’t run wild again, but no matter how hard she ran it stayed with her. Finally she stopped and just let out a piercing scream made all the creatures in the area shy off.

 

 

(Come on Carciel, calm down. Calm—) “No… I thought it was over, but no… I had gotten used to it, used to people seeing Eolri when the saw me, but even Mralki is seeing his wife in me…”

She wanted to hit something, anything, to let out her frustration, but seeing as nothing was in sight, she simply dove into the river to cool her head.

 

After floating for a while she finally said, “Maybe it was the same… Maybe she wasn’t looking at me either. Maybe she was simply looking for a replacement for Eolri as well…”

Carciel opened her tear stained eyes and looked toward the sky. “Niyleen… is that all I was? The ultimate replacement for both Lucari and my sister?”

“Haa… If that’s all you were, she would have made a move by now. Niyleen was so weak for me…”

Carciel rose from the water and saw who she never expected to see there with a big smile on her face that caused the Breton to tear up again. “By Hircine, you need to read people better Ciel. You may also need to get a hold on your emotions. Can’t have you tearing up every time we meet.”

“I—You’re here! The Hunt! I’m so—“ Carciel reached out and hugged her sister tightly. “You’re back Eoly… you’re back…” She took a step back from her sister and raised an eyebrow. “You’re back? No ghost form or anything?”

 

A smirk appeared on the older Breton’s lips. “Catching on are you? I’m still on the Hunt, but things have gotten a bit…”

Eolri turned and showed her sister a werewolf’s head that she was keeping on her hip. Seeing Carciel blanch, Eolri frowned. “I guess fierce is the word. Apparently there’s some top grade game that Hircine wants us to go after and only the best of the best can chase after it.”

 

Carciel nodded. “Hehehe, I knew my sister was the best! So this game… Any news of where it may be?”

 

“It’s… close.”

 

“Ah! That’s wonderful,” Carciel said as she beamed at Eolri.

She took her sister’s hand and began to pull. “Well then, what are we waiting for? Let’s get this over with so we can get you back on the Hunt.” However, Eolri wouldn’t budge. “H-heh, always such a kidder. Come on let’s go.”

She took her hand back from Carciel. “Carciel…”

“I mean, I’m sure you don’t want your game to get away,” Carciel said trying her best to get Eolri to come with her.

 

But Eolri stood her ground. “Hey Ciel, can I tell you a story?”

Carciel nodded slowly. “Sure, go ahead.”

“Well, there once was this girl, two girls, twins in fact. They depended on each other for everything. The older sister did a lot of things behind her sister’s back so she could provide for her. And the younger sister did everything in her power to support her sister as best she could. They were literally two peas in a pod.”

“Sis… please…”

“One day the older sister leaves,” Eolri said ignoring her. “She leaves and never comes back. Now the younger sister is all alone and must figure out how to be an adult all on her own…”

She wiped the tears from Carciel’s face. “And become a fine adult she has. The young girl who was always at her sister’s side has grown up, has friends, and although she has some issues—I mean who doesn’t—she’s quite independent and dependable and loved…”

 

“Eoly…”

 

“However, the older sister, the one that never came back, she ends up making deals with the old gods in order to keep her sister alive for as long as possible and sadly ends up borrowing from one god to pay another. She also ends up finding out somethings about her sister, herself, and the world that almost caused her to lose her mind.”

Caricel leaned forward and looked Eolri in the eye. “What are you talking about? Two gods? Finding out something about us? About the world? What’s going on—”

Eolri pushed Carciel away and turned from her. “As one sister rose, another sister fell. This continued until finally the older sister gets a task from both old gods. One that will ultimately bring the two sisters back to each other one last time.”

Carciel retrieved her iron dagger and stood in a defensive position. “So, who are you now Eolri? You say two gods, but I know you mean Hircine and another Daedric Prince. Who else did you become Champion of!!”

Eolri sighed and looked at Carciel sideways. “Is there anything you wish for? Anything at all? Just say the word, and I can make it happen for you.”

 

“I want you to come back with me! I want you to come and see NIyleen and her sister. I want all of us to live together happily, with Lucari. I want the Cycles to end!” By the time she finished, fresh tears were falling from Carciel’s face. She knew what needed to be done. (But it’s my sister…)

Eolri flinched. “So you know?”

She then took a sigh of relief. “Thank the gods. Now I won’t feel so bad about this.”

 

“Are you crazy!?! How can me knowing make you feel any better about killing your sister!!”

“Oh, I see…” Eolri sucked her teeth. “Dammit Niyleen… or was it Nega? Omitting things because you don’t want anyone to get hurt. That’s a move I’d do if time weren’t so critical.”

“Niyleen? Wai… What are you talking about?”

 

Eolri exhaled deeply. “You, whatever you are, you are not my sister. In fact, the person known as Eolrianna or Ceolrianna was an only child. And as evidenced by the past cycles, I am Eolrianna. You… you are an abomination created by Azura and Mephala because the balance between good and evil shifted too much towards evil every time Eolrianna died.”

She looked Carciel square in the eye and said, “You are a backup plan. Nothing more!”

Carciel’s knees buckled as something within her finally clicked.. “I always felt like I didn’t belong…” She glanced up at Eolri. “When you… when you found out, when you found out…” Realization came to her all at once and Carciel’s heart sunk. “When we last spoke… you knew…”

“Aye.”

 

“I see…” Carciel wiped her tears and rose to her feet. “So when I told you I loved you, did you just laugh at my ignorance? Is that why you didn’t say I love you back and you just rushed me off to Niyleen?!”

“Aye,” Eolri said after hesitating. “I just needed you to fulfill my Lord’s will. There were no feelings shared then, just as there were none every time—”

Carciel saw red. She attacked Eolri with a flurry of punches and kicks.

 

 

 

After a while of this she realized that she wasn’t meeting up with much resistance, but she didn’t care so she pushed Eolri to the ground and began choking her. Eolri began mouthing something, but Carciel couldn’t hear or in all honesty see Eolri right now. All she saw was a faceless woman that was causing her rage to boil over.

 

Sounds kept coming from the faceless woman and Carciel’s anger continued to peak. “You won’t die,” she yelled as she gripped the woman’s neck tighter. “You won’t die. You can’t die! Not until I get through with you!”

It took a while, but the woman stopped making sounds and Carciel’s hands began to cramp up. After releasing her grip and taking a second to catch her breath, she sat away from the woman, but was still infuriated at her.

 

“If only I had my weapon, if only I had it. I would cut you into pieces! I would spill your blood from here to Winterhold!”

“Then… here…” the woman said weakly.

Carciel blinked and suddenly her blade was in front of her. Taking it in hand she rose and lifted it above her head and stopped. (Wait wait wait!!! Think for a second! Calm down!) “I won’t calm down! I want her dead… DEAD!!” Carciel swung her blade down and when it connected the woman went silent.

 

 

“Was I just a backup plan to you?” Carciel said as she drove her blade into the ground. Tears of both anger and sadness flowed down her cheeks. “Did our time together amount to nothing? Was I worth that little to you?”

Eolri glanced to her side where the blade narrowly missed her and smiled. “You… still care for me? Even after… even after knowing that you’re just a figment of the Daedric Princes’ imagination? You… fucking idiot! You mean… nothing to me! Nothing to the world! Let it all out, because if you don’t kill me Carciel, I’ll kill you… and it won’t be swift.”

She backed up slowly and looked back at Carciel. “Kill me Ciel!” She saw the enraged look in Carciel’s eyes and contuned, “I said kill me! You talentless, good for nothing, useless, lonely sister!”

Carciel retrieved her weapon and froze. “Did… did you just call me sister?” Carciel looked at Eolri and saw that she was crying. “You did! You called me—”

 

 

“Shut up and kill me before they come,” Eolri snapped. Shaking off carciel’s prior offense, she got to a knee, glared into Carciel’s eyes and Carciel could see that it was her sister, the one that would often scold her, looking back at her. “If you get it done now, there’ll be nothing left between you, Hircine, and Clavicus Vile. So just do it!”

Carciel dropped her weapon and gathered her sister in her arms. “I can’t! I don’t want you to leave me again. Eoly, I love you so much!!”
Instinctively, Eolri embraced her as well.

“Shit… Guess there’s no helping it…”

 

“What are you talking about Eoly?”

 

“Touching,” said a voice in behind her.

Carciel released Eolri, stood, and found a gentleman that looked somewhat like a bandit standing before her. “Very touching,” he said as his body began to slowly transform. “But now I get to show our Lord that I am the superior hunter. That I not YOU should have been his Champion all along! Game, Eolri, prepare to be hunted.”

 

 

“Be on your guard!” Eolri said standing at her side. “Bazogra isn’t like your average werewolf…”

 

“Heh,” Carciel smiled, reading herself as well. “Don’t worry about me sis, my guard’s always up!”

 

“Atta girl, now then—” She was suddenly interrupted by Bazogra’s roars. “…Target my sister will you? You’re going to see why the Syliel’s were once the deadliest family in the Reach!”