Teresa: Get up Faith-Broken! Dammit, this isn’t working… You have the potential, but you just won’t push yourself to your limit.

 

 

Teresa: You’ve been here for what? A week? You’ve been here for a week and you haven’t made any progress whatsoever! And don’t give me that you’re worried about that man in your heart.

 

 

Liri sighed and simply stared at the castle’s ceiling trying to tone out her ‘trainer,’ however doing so left her mind wide open for the vampire to peruse. There was no escape from her onslaught.

 

 

Liri: (My past, my gratitude towards Rosalie, my issues with Innis… the Shadowswords… Silas… She forcibly found out about all of them and expects me to full cooperate with her and her inane methods…)

 

 

Teresa: That I do. And you will have to, else you be drained like the meat sack that you are. Now get up before you get the whip again! I DO have more important things to do after all.

 

 

Liri: (The whip…)

 

Liri slowly got to her feet and glared at Teresa.

 

Liri: Alright vampire! Do your worst!

 

 

Teresa smirked and wagged her finger at the Nord.

 

Teresa: Did you honestly think I’d allow you the honor of facing me again after your insolence?

 

 

Teresa: Besides… I think we’ve made your training partner wait enough already.

 

 

At her cue, a woman—a mortal woman—entered the room with a grin on her face.

 

???: So I finally get to size up the one who’s been keeping little Tesa away from me.

 

Teresa gave the woman a sharp look.

 

Teresa: Call me ‘Tesa’ again and I’ll finally give you the death that you’ve wanted for so long.

 

 

???: *smile* Hehehe, you know that’s in the past. Now then—

 

 

The woman turned to Liri and her demeanor completely changed.

 

???: Go about your business Tesa, I’ll handle things from now o—

 

 

Teresa hit her on the head and although the woman grimaced, Liri wasn’t sure that she was actually hurt.

 

Teresa: You… You blockhead… Hmph!

 

 

Teresa turned and briskly exited the room and slammed the door behind her, leaving Liri alone with this woman.

 

 

Liri: (Hmmm, I’ve seen her around but she’s always just been in the background. Is she even that strong—)

 

 

The woman stopped feigning her pain and scowled at Liri.

 

???: Listen, I’ve done a LOT to better my relationship with Tesa, and then here you come trying to ruin everything!

 

 

Liri: (W-what!?) I-I’m not trying to ruin anything! I don’t think you understand what’s going on between—

 

 

???: It’s YOU who doesn’t understand anything!!

 

The woman cloaked herself in darkness and Liri felt a power emanate from her that was similar to that of a vampire, but much more sinister…

 

 

The darkness completely engulfed the woman, and Liri could see it… changing her…

 

???: WHEN TERESA ISN’T HAPPY… NO ONE IS HAPPY!!! WHICH MEANS… IT’S TIME TO… EDUCATE YOU… IN THE WAYS… OF MY LADY…

 

When the darkness dissipated, the woman had indeed changed… She garment was much skimpier and her she and gained Daedric protective covering here and there…

 

 

But the main thing that was different was how menacing and animalistic she seemed now.

 

???: TIME… FOR A TEST RUN…

 

 

Without warning the woman rushed at Liri at a speed that made the Nord almost freeze up…

 

 

However, she was able to keep her wits about her and turn herself ethereal before she was impaled through the chest by the woman’s—monster’s—claws…

 

 

Liri: (She’s faster than Foran!! Are there monsters like this among all the vampires!? How hasn’t Skyrim already been overrun—)

 

 

???: INTERESTING… BECOMING INTANGIBLE… THAT ISN’T SPECIAL…

 

 

The monster did exactly what Liri did shocking the Nord.

 

 

Liri: (How!? I didn’t even feel a shift in her magicka!! What in the world is she—)

 

 

Her ‘training partner’, as Teresa had put it, suddenly lunged toward Liri once more…

 

 

However Liri wasn’t staggered by the suddenness of her attack this time, and was able to get out of the way…

 

Liri: (Since we’re both incorporeal, let’s see if our attacks even affect each other…) 

 

Liri hurled a mixed assault of flames and lighting bolts at the woman…

 

 

However they simply phased through her...

 

 

Liri: *sigh* Even though I expected as much… This does put us in quite the predicament.

 

 

Again the woman lunged at Liri and this time simply phased through her.

 

 

Liri: This is a complete waste of time. If neither of us can hurt each other… then why on Nirn are we even fighting? Isn’t this a pointless ‘training’ session!

 

 

???: EVERYTHING… HAS A PURPOSE…

 

 

The woman leapt toward Liri yet again and the Nord rolled her eyes.

 

Liri: *sigh* Listen here, I don’t know why you keep exhausting your strength, but I’m not going to—

 

 

???: I’VE… GOT YOU!!

 

 

Something unsettled Liri about the way she said that, and she tried to dodge at the last second… But was unsuccessful, and although she didn’t feel any pain, an eerie sensation crept through her…

 

 

Liri: (Wait a second… this feels like when I’m about to discharge my—)

 

Just as she thought it, Liri let out a resounding painful shriek as a surge of electricity coursed throughout her body…

 

After basking in the Nord’s cries, the woman dismissively threw Liri away from her, and as Liri became physical once more…

 

 

The intense menacing presence the woman had disappeared and her visage went to how it was before her transformation.

 

 

???: So you’re a thinker like Tesa… Not bad. But even though you’re probably stronger than her in terms of power, you’re lacking when it comes to knowledge and practical experience.

 

 

???: Also, just like Tesa, you’re complete shit at close range. Heh, but don’t worry. I’ll make you a bonafide fighter yet!

 

 

Liri: I… *pant* *pant* I don’t… want to be a fighter…

 

 

Liri tried to rise to her feet but was finding it rather difficult to do so.

 

???: I’m warning you mage, DON'T get up. That little shock I gave you bypassed your resistances so you may feel a bit—

 

 

The electricity that had been surrounding Liri’s body ceased, but in its place a wave of sickness washed over Liri and she curled up on the floor in a mix of pain and nausea.

 

 

???: *sigh* I told you not to get up… Oh well. Guess I’ll just see you when you awaken then. Sleep tight, cupcake.

 

When Liri work up approximately an hour later, she cried out again as the pain wrecked her body.

 

 

???: It’s okay, it’s okay. This will all come to pass, I promise you. As I said my attack bypassed your resistances. And as someone with… such high resistances both magical and physical…

 

 

???: It may take some time before you’re back to normal. As such, why don’t we take this time to get to know more about each other. Hmmm? We ARE training partners after all.

 

 

Liri put on her best angry face, as she ignored the pain and glared at her training partner.

 

Liri: Why don’t you ask ‘Tesa’ if you want to know about my past? And what am I laying on?

 

 

???: *sigh* I don’t wish to hear it from Tesa, I wish to hear it from you. And for your information, your head is resting quite nicely in my thigh.

 

 

Liri: (So my head… Is technically in her lap!?)

 

Liri suddenly felt extremely embarrassed about how she’d been speaking. After all, she couldn’t sound tough while her head was in the woman’s lap.

 

 

Liri: Well… I… Listen, I don’t like sharing my past… especially not with someone that I don’t even know. Who… who are you?

 

 

???: *smiles* Ha! So cute…So what do you want? A name? Jadina, Avitara, Laribia. A title? Knight-Captain, Champion, Slave. Or… do you actually wish to know the real me?

 

 

Liri looked into the woman’s eyes and the loneliness reflected in them reminded her of herself and how she’d always felt.

 

Liri: You let me in, I’ll… I’ll do the same.

 

 

???: You’ll… you’ll really do that!?

 

Liri nodded and the woman couldn’t stop grinning.

 

???: Hmmm… Well, well, well. Where do I begin?

 

???: My name is Sevetia Lusceius. Later in life I also went by Sevetia the Damned or just Sevetia. I am an Imperial who served under Titus Mede prior to him being crowned the new emperor.

 

 

Sevetia: I got bored with being a guard under Emperor Mede, and thusly retired. I then traveled to Skyrim with the hopes that something… ANYTHING could sate my appetite for adventure…

 

 

Sevetia: After traveling for some time, I eventually ran across Teresa and… well… she put me into Molag Bal’s good graces, causing me to become his Champion...

 

 

Sevetia raised a hand to stop Liri from asking.

 

Sevetia: And if you MUST know, I’m no longer his Champion, but the immortality he gave me… I’m grateful that he hasn’t rescinded it.

 

 

Sevetia: After becoming his Champion I was subjected to numerous trials and punishments as Molag Bal and Teresa molded me into a weapon of their liking. And a weapon I did become.

 

 

Sevetia: Mindless, without a full will of my own… That… transformation I underwent against you, it is the culmination of 184 years of training and Daedric—Molag Bal’s—influence…

 

 

Sevetia: But everything changed two years ago… *smiles* Yes… We suffered a great defeat and ruined Molag Bal’s plans to take over Tamriel… But it made Teresa and I finally grow close…

 

 

Sevetia: It’s odd. She had been my Mistress ever since I’d become Molag Bal’s Champion, but once we failed him and he shunned us both, I was able to see Teresa for what she really was…

 

 

Liri: And that is?

 

Sevetia: A misunderstood woman whose life was stolen from her, and the only way she knew how to make it have meaning again was to devote herself entirely to Molag Bal.

 

 

Sevetia: Teresa felt like she was nothing without Molag Bal, nothing without the feeling of dominating and being dominated… But when she had neither, I was there for her… And she opened up to me…

 

???: Enough of the sappy stories! Especially ones that involve me!

 

 

The pair looked up and saw Teresa pouting as she looked at them.

 

Sevetia: Tes—Teresa!? I, er, WE weren’t expecting you so soon.

 

 

The vampire ignored the pair’s utter shock and continued on in her condescending voice.

 

Teresa: Of course you weren’t. I take it that you’ve found out what you need to in order to train her?

 

 

Sevetia: Ha! Who do you think I am Tesa, some stupid idiot? Of course I did! I’ve got a plan in mind already. Heehee, just leave everything to me!

 

 

Teresa rolled her eyes.

 

Teresa: Good.

 

Teresa then looked at Liri and frowned.

 

Teresa: So what happened here? Seems like you both went all out by the look and feel of things.

 

 

Sevetia: Not… exactly. I hit her with an attack that bypassed her resistances and considering how high they were—

 

Teresa: Say no more. *sigh* Since it’s come to this…

 

 

Teresa: Liri, come look for me as soon as you’re feeling 100%. Not before. I’ve got something important to tell you. And Sevetia, take her to see Serana. That might make her feel better faster.

 

 

Before either of them could get a word in edgewise, Teresa once again removed herself from their presence which caused the Imperial to laugh.

 

 

Sevetia: Heh, so how about it. Feeling up to me carrying you to wherever Lil ‘Rana is, cupcake?

 

 

Liri: (Cupcake!? She’s an anomaly that’s for sure, but she’s… Sevetia’s not all bad. She’s much better than any of the Volstikars were, that’s for damn sure…) *wink* Sure, why not.

 

Meanwhile a familiar face was relishing the predicament she was in…

 

???: Rise and shine ‘my Lord.’

 

 

Silas didn’t answer her as he blocked everything out in an attempt to recover from the intense thrashing his body had endured over the last week…

 

 

However, his silence didn’t sit well with the woman before him…

 

???: I said… RISE AND SHINE!!!

 

 

Silas took a sharp knee to his chest that jolted him awake while at the same time taking the breath out of him.

 

 

???: Heh, now this is how it should have been. Me, dominating you... You, being crushed under my boot… And yet, it’s taken way too long for us to get to this point don’t you think—

 

 

???: That’s enough Aere! Leave us… unless you wish to jog my memory of your numerous blunders in dealing with the mortal that I have yet to punish you for.

 

 

Aere quickly removed herself from the room, and Silas spat as he realized that he’d been left alone with his centuries-long tormenter… The woman who turned him… Tinira, the bane of his existence…

 

 

Silas: *cough* *cough* What in Oblivion do you want with me you malicious wench?

 

 

Tinira: Oh nothing. But I do love it when you try and act all tough. It’s kind of cute, in a pathetic sort of way. But as I said, I don’t need anything from you…

 

 

Tinira knelt down and looked into Silas’s eyes.

 

TInira: *grins* You simply have to listen as I disillusion you, and help you to embrace the truth about your ‘precious’ Lisaly…