After a detailed search throughout Markarth bared no fruit, Niyleen and Carciel returned to the Silverblood Inn feeling beaten and tired.

 

“This is pointless,” Carciel said as she plopped herself down on the bed. “Other than that one Forsworn there’s nothing in this god awful corrupt city.”

 

“Nothing that’s not being covered up,” Niyleen said, kicking off her boots and sitting down at the bedside.

“I wonder how Lucari’s doing…”

 

“You know how it is,” Carciel said with a laugh. “If she’s not back by now, then Markarth has her now.”

 

“Don’t joke about that!” Niyleen’s heart ached as the reality of the situation finally set in and she realized that she left her friend to fend for herself in this terrible city, and if yesterday’s events were any indication then Carciel may not be too far off from the truth. “D-don’t joke about that…”

“I don’t even worship them, but even I have to say ‘By the Divines’ would you stop acting like such a sap,” Carciel said, sighing. “Even if something happened to the girl we could get her out and to safety. It’s not like you’re not accustomed to demolishing upwards of thirty people in a single instant, right?”

 

“Your jokes are getting more and more unfunny by the moment.”

 

“Well, excuse me Princess. I’m sorry that I’m not blessed with your sense of comedy or importance in the universe. Please, enlighten me on how to be hilarious and almighty, oh great Inferno.”

“Shit…”

 

“Listen Flame-Child,” Carciel said coolly. “I’m only here because of my sister. I don’t like you, I don’t care about your lesbian friend, and pardon me if I don’t care about your feelings in the least bit.”

 

“I know, I know.” Niyleen rubbed the back of her head. “But I thought we could at least act like partners for the time being.”

 

“You thought wrong.”

“And why are we staying at the Silverblood Inn?” Carciel continued. “I know this one of your favorite spots, but don’t you have—”

 

Niyleen laughed. “Blame Lucari.”

 

“Figures that no nothing Nord would be behind—” Suddenly the doors to the room flung open and standing there in shock looking at the sad state the room was in was a female Nord clad in red. “Ha, well speak of the daedra. There she is.”

“Lucari!” Niyleen said as she got to her knees. “It’s so good to see you. I’m glad you made it back safe—”

“You don’t get to utter those words Niyle.” Lucari pouted. “Not after the day I had.”

 

“It couldn’t have been that bad,” Niyleen insisted. “I mean you’re not in Cidnah and you didn’t meet of with Forsworn or anything.”

 

“Say another word,” Lucari warned. “I had a terrible day! I was attacked by vampires, threatened by a Daedric Prince, almost drowned, told off and threatened by the Jarl, and worst of all… I was left to fend for myself in this miserable city by someone I considered to be my friend.”

(I must admit, she looks kinda of cute when she’s mad.) “Come on now, you made it back didn’t you? I knew you’d be alright when I left. And I said I’d be back this evening.”

 

Lucari started to tremble. “You’re so… so…” She paused, then gave Niyleen an evil look. “I should have let that Forsworn have her way with you in that abandoned house.”

 

“Y-you don’t mean that…”

“Screw all the melodrama bullshit,” Carciel interjected. “Just say you’re happy to see each other and get the sappy reunion over with so we can get on with more important matters.”

 

“Who on Tamriel is she?” Lucari said directing her question toward Niyleen.

 

“Oh you know, just another stray I picked up along my way.” (If only it wasn’t true.)

 

“Does it matter,” Carciel said. “I have a deeper relationship with her than you ever will.”

 

“Why you…”

“Anyway, if your romance drama is over, can we please get on with finding these ‘forces beyond Niyleen’s control’ my sister was talking about.”

 

“Who do you think you’re—”

 

Carciel sighed. “I’ll tell you what I told Niyleen: I don’t like you, your non-lesbian lover, or either of your feelings. So before you step to me, know that I wouldn’t think twice before piercing you with my sword.” She chuckled to herself after realizing what she just said.

“And I won’t have a problem putting an arrow through your skull either. You seem to not understand who you’re dealing with.”

 

“Oh my little apple dumpling, I’ve already done the whole ‘act tougher than you really are’ bit and to be honest, mine was immensely more convincing,” Carciel said shrugging her comments off. “So what if you’re a great shot? I could kill you from where I am before you could even nock an arrow.” She waited before adding, “Try me.”

 

“Grrrr…”

“Come on guys,” Niyleen said. “We need to work to—”

 

A piercing scream from outside made the three woman stop and turn in its direction.

Wordlessly, the three of them geared up and exited the inn and they felt a chill in the air. Turning the corner they came upon an unusual scene: a vampire clad in all black fighting off three other vampires. From what they saw, the one had separated a vampire from the others and was excitedly going to work on it as the other vampires watched.

The vampire clad in black continued to assert its dominance shooting Shock spell after Shock spell at the vampire to keep it down. It seemed like the other vampires weren’t going to get involved until a poor sod walked up and stabbed the vampire in the chest with a steel dagger.

Niyleen reacted just as fast as one of the other vampires and intercepted him before he could interrupt the fight between the two vampires. Landing slash upon slash, it wasn’t long before the vampire was felled to his knees but her onslaught. However the vampire had another trick up his sleeve as he stealthily resurrected the fallen Forsworn from yesterday, Weylin.

Seeing this, Carciel and a wondering Vigilant leapt into action and together they helped keep the vampire off balance rendering his Reanimate spell futile.

At the same time, the black clad vampire seemed to have everything under control on her end as she continued to dominate her opponent with ease.

Assessing that Carciel and the Vigilant could handle their vampire on their own, Niyleen surveyed the battle and saw a bandit with a far off look in his eyes approaching the black clad vampire with nocked bow and she leapt in the way to deflect the arrow. Infuriated, the bandit charged the one in black and Niyleen easily dropped him to his knees.

 

“Watch your rear, vampire!” Niyleen shouted as she slashed the bandit across the chest. (Shit. Where are all these random people coming from?)

 

“The name’s Teresa,” said the black clad vampire who was readying something in her left hand as she continued to wail on her targeted vampire.

After dispatching the bandit, Niyleen turned her attention to the vampire behind her and, with assistance from Lucari, began to overpower her as well. However something was off; no matter how many times she was slashed or pierced with arrows or no matter how much blood she lost the vampire just wouldn’t stay down. Even the Shock spells from Teresa were doing little to keep this vampire off her feet.

As Niyleen and Lucari handled her vampire, Teresa—now covered in blood—backed off and began to chant something. At the end of it, an ethereal blade formed in her hand and her demeanor—and that of those throughout the battlefield—changed.

As Niyleen went to land a killing blow on the vampire, suddenly Teresa took its place and together with the other vampire and a Markarth guard they began their assault on Niyleen.

“Friend of the Defiler, of the Unworthy,” Teresa said in an otherworldly voice as she continued draining Niyleen’s life away with every passing second. “She was warned and now you all shall perish.”

Niyleen separated herself from the three of them and felt rather fatigued. (What’s with the sudden 180? And friend of the Defiler, of the Unworthy? What the hell is she…!) At that moment she remembered Lucari’s words, ‘I had a terrible day! I was attacked by vampires, threatened by a Daedric Prince…’ “Y-you’re one of Molag Bal’s—”

 

“Most worthy of followers, yes.” Teresa said. “And that bitch, the Defiler, not only killed my brethren but also denied his blessing and even decided not to heed when warned by His Champion. Most unfortunate are you that must pay for the sins of one most unworthy.” Teresa, the guard and the vampire surrounded Niyleen each ready to attack. “Enough of this, goodbye friend of the Defiler.”

Hearing the loosing of multiple arrows, Niyleen attacked first charging straight for the more wounded vampire. The fight was harder than need be with arrow after arrow homing in on her, the vampire being continuously buffed by Teresa, and having to fight a vampire, but one thing was for sure; Niyleen’s attacks were working.

Continuing where she left off, it wasn’t long before Niyleen had the vampire on the ropes yet again.

 

“P-please,” it begged, realizing it’s time had come. “I beg you.”

 

Niyleen severed the vampires head from its shoulders and watched as it disintegrated into ash. “Tell Molag Bal I said screw off!”

 

“IEEEEEEEEEEEE!”

 

“What now?” Niyleen said as a female Khajiit ran through the vampire’s ashes. She looked in the direction where the Khajiit came and her eyes got wide. “By the Nine…”

Carciel had been literally backed into a corner and was surrounded by multiple warriors, guards, and the third vampire that was initially attacking Teresa. The Breton was trying all that she could to fend them off, but their numbers were far too great and like the time she fought Niyleen, her weapon wasn’t meant for such closed quarters combat.

Niyleen started towards Carciel and Teresa was right on her until an arrow that barely missed her knee whizzed by. The vampire looked at her attacker and smiled. “So the Defiler decided to accept her fate.” Teresa charged spells in both of her hands. “How foolish!”

 

“All I’ve got to do is buy them some time,” Lucari said with confidence. “So I may as well enter the fray as well.”

 

“I’ll bite,” Teresa said with a grin. “Hit me with your best shot.”

 

“Gladly.”

“Shit… is this really the end,” Carciel said. She took a defensive stance and slowly crept backwards. “This was just supposed to be a brawl with some vampires. How’d we end up fighting the whole damn city?!” She blocked a warriors attack and the faraway look in his eyes gave her her answer. “Damn Vampire’s Seduction… What’s going on?” She said noticing that some of her enemies had turned their attention elsewhere.

An angry feminine scream came from her right, and Carciel looked over just in time to see Niyleen hit the vampire with a blow so hard it sent him flying.

 

“Now that’s what I’m talking about!” Carciel grinned. “Let’s deal with this rabble and catch up with your girlfriend, shall we?”

 

“Definitely.”

“Haa… haa… is that all… you got…”

 

“This is crazy,” Lucari said as she retrieved another arrow. “Why won’t you fall down? Why don’t you just die?”

 

“I’ll never die… to you… Defiler,” Teresa said, grinning. “As long as you oppose my lord… I’ll oppose you…”

 

Lucari let loose another arrow and hesitated before retrieving another. “You’re insane.” She then headed off towards the others.

It didn’t take long for Niyleen and Carciel to dispatch their attackers and upon returning to the city market—the start of the battle—Carciel, reinvigorated by seeing Niyleen in action, went to work on any and everything that wasn’t named Niyleen or Lucari.

When Niyleen caught up with her, the two of them found themselves fighting the first vampire from before. However this time he had wrapped himself in flames and was shrugging off every attack he took.

However it wasn’t long before his flames turned on him and began to tear away at his skin. Knowing how vulnerable this would make him—having had the same thing happen to her before—Niyleen began an unrelenting assault on the vampire.

Meanwhile, Carciel saw that Teresa was back and trying to harm Niyleen, so taking a page from Niyleen’s book, she hit the vampire with a blow so hard it flung her to the opposite end of the market crashing her into a large rock. Trying to stand, she fell back to her knees in pain. “Shit, a broken ankle. That’ll take a night to heal…”

Surveying the market Teresa saw that her forces were losing. Having lost two of her most loyal brethren in this battle irked her and she wasn’t about to lose a third. Snapping her fingers, her vampire comrade, and most of the other battle participants vanished leaving Niyleen, Lucari, Carciel, and a lone guard as the sole people left in the market.

Relieved, Niyleen and her party each dropped to the ground and began treating their injures with Restoration spells and potions.

 

“Thank the Divines we made it out of that in one piece,” Lucari said with a slight smile after just downing half a health potion.

 

“No,” Niyleen said. “Thank ourselves for being somewhat competent in a fight. Are you both okay though? Make sure you check for any bites or scratches.”

 

Lucari smiled warmly. “I’m fine mother.”

“How about you Carciel? You okay?”

 

“Thank the gods…”

 

“Huh?” Niyleen raised her eyebrows. “I thought you didn’t pray to any of the Divines.”

 

“I don’t. And I won’t, but…” Carciel had a far off look in her eye. “I was going to die, and you just jumped into that mob and saved me…”

 

“I’m sure you would have done the same.”

 

“No.” Carciel said firmly. “Before that incident I wouldn’t. In fact I would’ve been happy to let you die like a dog, but now…” She took a deep breath. “I guess… I’ll try, to be somewhat… nicer to you.”

“That’s all I could hope for,” Niyleen said with a smile. “But as you already knew, that wasn’t even my final form.”

 

Carciel laughed. “Markarth would be in flames if you would have gone that far.”

“You have my thanks for that then,” the guard said as she approached Niyleen. “I know of the Nord, and I assume that you two are friends of hers, but…!”

 

“What is it?” Niyleen said still trying to calm her racing heart.

 

“It is… nothing,” the guard said narrowing her eyes. “Markarth owes you three a debt. So if you ever happen to get into any trouble, mention Heilda Oath-Keeper. I’ll try to help you all out.”

 

“Thanks,” Niyleen said, smiling.

“Anyway I must be off,” Heilda said.

 

“Take care!”

 

As Heilda walked off she stopped for a second to look back at Niyleen. (That fugitive doesn’t even remember me… what she did to me… This’ll make the look on her face all the more enjoyable when I take her down.)

“I’m so exhausted…”

 

“Well I guess you can have the bed,” Lucari said. “Me and Niyleen can share the floor.”

 

Niyleen noticed the horny grin on Lucari’s face and the upset look on Carciel’s quickly said, “We can just go back to my place, ya know?”

 

“You have a place! Why didn’t you tell me?”

 

(Well you had already spent my money on room in the inn and I wasn’t about to let my money go COMPLETELY to waste…) “Oh yeah, it slipped my mind.” Niyleen got to a knee. “Anyway, if neither of you mind a quick climb, we can sleep in warm beds tonight.”

 

“Count me in.”

 

“Me too!”