Duraza stopped in front of an entrance partially hidden by a waterfall. The orc opened her mouth to say something when cries echoed out from within. “…The Mistress’s lair is in there. I’d advise that you wait a few minutes for the spectacle to die down before you enter.”

 

Niyleen raised an eyebrow. (Something’s off…) “You’re… you’re not coming with me?”

 

 

Duraza shook her head. “Me and the Mistress don’t exactly see eye to eye,” Duraza admitted. “She’s still got it in for me because I stole a mace from her a while ago. It’s all stupid really.”

 

“Then why are you working for her?” Niyleen narrowed her eyes. “By the Nine, why should I even go in there myself? This has trap written all over it!”

 

“You go in or I kill you here and now,” Duraza coolly said. “I’ve already told you that your life is forfeit. Don’t make me collect so soon.” She then turned and walked off leaving Niyleen at the entrance alone.

 

 

More cries rang out from within, and Niyleen could have sworn she heard someone choking on their own blood. She stared at the entrance and frowned. (This is definitely a trap. Most definitely. But…) Something in her told her that Lucari was in there. She didn’t know what it was, what she felt, but in her heart she knew that no matter hold vindictive Duraza was, she’s never lied to her yet and though she probably should have taken that with a grain of salt Niyleen has always at least on an instinctual level trusted Duraza and her instincts have kept her alive this far…

 

Yet another death throe came from within followed by a large rumbling that made Niyleen feel a bit uneasy. (What’s going on in there?)

 

Go take a look, you fucking pussy.

 

“You never cease to amaze, Nega…” Niyleen said with an uneasy laugh. But now wasn’t the time. Curiosity and fear gripped the Halfling and she was unable to make a decision. Niyleen stood frozen where she was for minutes and it wasn’t until she heard a cry for help that she finally made up her mind to enter.

 

 

 

Upon shutting the door behind her, the Halfling immediately armed herself. (So quiet…) Slowly, she went deeper and deeper until she came upon an opening that made her stop dead in her tracks. The room was round and corpses of all manner of vampires and mages littered the ground. But Niyleen was used to death, and considering what she had heard from outside she expected there to be quite a few bodies to be lying about. No, what made her freeze was the supposed prize they had been fighting for. “Is that… a book?”

 

 

 

Fucking mages and their insatiable appetite for knowledge… The thing’s probably cursed any—h-hey! What are you—!?

 

Niyleen stood before the book in question and frowned. It was all written in some language probably either long since dead or that had a cipher to decode it. “Reminds me of something I’ve stolen before…” Niyleen said softly as she reached out for it.

 

You idiot! NOOOOOOOOOOO!

 

But it was too late. As soon as Niyleen touched the book, a black oozing magic surrounded her and before she could react she was there no longer…

 

 

 

The void surrounded her and although her mind knew it was only for but a second, it felt like she was sifting through that void for an eternity. And in the eternity a wave of regret poured over her. She pushed Nyleine away and all but abandoned her, she tried to use Carciel as a replacement for Lucari, and Niyleen had almost forgotten that Lucari was a thing to her until Carciel had brought it up. She’d done everyone she was close to wrong and there was no way a simple apology was going to suffice. Yet, now she was supposed to face the woman she knew loved her and everything was supposed to be okay?

Niyleen’s heart lurched as she was suddenly hurled out of the void and into what seemed to be the great hall of a castle. “W-where am I?”

 

 

“Welcome mortal, to my Lord’s humble abode,” said a scantily clad woman adorned in daedric armor. “So youare the one the Princes spoke of… You don’t seem like much.”

 

(Princes? Wait a second!!!) Niyleen went wide eyed. “Which one?” she asked with more surprise than venom in her voice.

 

“The greatest one there is. Lord Molag Bal of course.”

 

Molag Bal couldn’t shine Dagon’s boots!

 

“But… you’re not a vampire… are you?”

 

 

 

“Must one be a vampire to serve the Prince of Domination? My Lord is the Creator of Corprus, the Enslaver of Mortals—”

“The King of Rape,” Niyleen interjected.

 

But the woman didn’t even flinch. “I assume you’re here for the Nord. Heheheh, you should give up now, because even if you happen to make it to her, there’s no way you’re leaving this castle alive.”

 

“I don’t think you know who I am. I’m—”

 

“Foolish Imperial bitch,” came a voice from Niyleen’s mouth. “I, Nega, Champion of Mehrunes Dagon, am going to make you pay for your insolence!”

 

A smirk cracked on the woman’s face. “You, a Champion? And of Dagon of all people? Tell me, how is your Prince doing these days? No one’s heard from him in the longest—”

 

“Say another word and your tongue won’t be the only thing I rip from you!” Flames began to gather around Niyleen’s body.

 

N-Nega!?! What are you doing!?

 

(Trust me stupid, this isn’t a fight you can handle.) “You take my ally, threaten me, and then insult MY Lord? You should have chosen your words more carefully, because all you’ve done is call for your own demise.”The flames increased with intensity as Nega became more infuriated. “I’m coming!”

 

Before the Molag Bal’s champion could react, Nega assaulted her with a myriad of blows with both sword and fist alike. Soon enough she was rag-dolling the woman around like was weightless and kept up the assault so that Molag Bal’s champion couldn’t get an attack in edgewise. Nega continued this insane assault until Niyleen had had enough and forcibly took control over her body.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You BITCH!

 

Tired, burning up, and almost completely spent, Niyleen ignored Nega’s furious shouts from with her head. It was at this time that Molag Bal’s Champion was about to mount an offense when Niyleen ripped the blindfold from the woman’s face and immediately felt a something change in the Champion. Dropping her to the floor, the woman’s daedric armor disappeared and was replaced with something more fitting of an adventurer. “So that was the strength behind her power…” Niyleen felt the blindfold pulse in her hand and threw it away. (Help from the Daedric Princes? I don’t need any of that.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Brava, brava… or so I would say,” said an omnidirectional feminine voice. “It’s a shame that you defeated Sevetia, but you spared me from having to break her down myself. The bitch never was a true follower of my Lord. And though he made her his Champion, I knew she never had his graces.”

“You you’re happy that an ally of yours was beaten on your own turf,” Niyleen said as she looked around for the source of the voice. “What kind of monster are you!?”

“You dare call me a monster when the same could be said about you yourself?” said a voice in Niyleen’s ear. Startled Niyleen jumped away and when she turned faced… nothing. “Hohoho, such a child. You seem a bit jumpy. Perhaps I should grace you with my presence?”

 

 

 

This bitch never changes…

 

Niyleen’s eyes darted around the room. (This bitch? You know her?)

 

Yeah…she’s T—

 

“Teresa Ice-Bourne, the right hand of my Lord,” said a voice behind Niyleen.

 

 

She turned around and was faced with the most pale… most alluring creature she had ever…

 

SNAP OUT OF IT! SHE’S GLAMOURING YOU!

 

“H-huh?” Niyleen blinked and suddenly she was two feet away from the creature. “W-what!?” Niyleen created distance from the woman and was met simply with laughs.

 

 

 

 

 

“You’re surprisingly docile compared to the other versions. It’s… refreshing.” She smile and flashed her fangs.

 

“So you know what’s going on?”

“Why wouldn’t I?” Teresa asked as she began walking towards Niyleen who in turn brandished her weapon she’d discarded earlier. Teresa smiled again. “Do you really think your mortal weapon will be enough to—”

 

“I came here fully prepared.” Niyleen gathered the spell flames in her left hand and pointed at Teresa with the blade in the other. “I came to save Lucari from you vampire swine and… if it came to it… take her down myself.”

“You really care for her,” Teresa said. “Well that’s sickening! So much so, that I may just have to do something about it!”

 

“If you want to burst into flames, then come at me.”

Teresa cocked an eyebrow, then scowled. “A silver blade… you bitch…” Suddenly her mood lightened and she said, “Well then. There’s no reason to be unreasonable. Besides, we both want the same thing when it comes down to it don’t we?”

“I just want to get Lucari back.”

Teresa snapped her fingers. “And I just want the two of you to see each other. It’s kind of the same thing.” Niyleen glared at her but the vampire waved it off. “Calm yourself you hot-blooded child.” She flashed a mischievous smile. “In a few seconds, we’re about to get what we both want.”