Liri: Why did… ow! I ever… ow! Deal… ow! With… ow! Vampires… owOwOWWWW!!!

 

 

Liri made her way back through Redwater Den her body wracked with pain. The effects of overcharging those spells and breaking her seal had set in, and the skooma had already worn off…

 

 

If it wasn’t for the vampire blood, she wouldn’t even be able to move, and she could feel the effects of that waning…

 

 

Liri: *gritting her teeth* (Oh right… It was because I was ambushed by Silas… That seems a lifetime ago… I was so sure that he was an asshole, but now…)

 

 

With her thoughts wandering, Liri tripped over her own feet and braced herself for a hard fall…

 

 

…That never came.

 

Liri: H-huh!?

 

???: I knew you couldn’t resist me, why’d you even try?

 

 

Liri tried to pull back, but couldn’t find the strength to do so.

 

Liri: *tears welling up* Silas…

 

 

???: So you DO love him. At least your heart is honest.

 

Liri: S-Serana!

 

Liri wanted to get mad, wanted to be furious even for Serana playing her like that…

 

 

…But she didn’t even have enough energy for that and simply fell back into her lap.

 

Liri: Rana?

 

Serana: Hmmm?

 

Liri: Make sure the chalice is filled, and let’s go home…

 

 

Serana picked Liri up and beamed at her.

 

Serana: Yeah, sure thing.

 

 

Meanwhile in Solitude… Innis stopped in front of Proudspire Manor and sighed. It was the fourth day that she’d come here, but something about the place stopped her from ever knocking.

 

 

Innis: Liri is… Liri was here. I’m sure of that. But why do I feel like something happened here that’s irreparable?

 

 

Utilizing the last bit of her courage Innis knocked on the door and waited…

 

 

And waited…

 

 

Until finally someone came to the door. It was a Nord dressed in a maid outfit. ‘Weird fetish’ is all Innis could think of when she looked at the woman.

 

Aere: Greetings stranger. If you are looking for—

 

 

Innis: I’m looking for my sister, Liri. She’s a bit older than me, and we resemble each other quite a bit. Also she’s a nudist. I was told she’d been seen coming in and out of here.

 

 

Aere: Ah yes, of course. We had been previously lodging her here, but it seems her travels have taken her elsewhere I’m afraid. I’m sorry I can no longer be of assistance.

 

 

Innis: (And another led goes cold…) *sigh* That’s… that’s okay. (So what now? I can’t return to the clan without her… but would I even want to now?)

 

 

Innis: Thanks anyway.

 

Innis bowed to the maid and took off towards the city’s gate.

 

Innis: (Perhaps the people of Dragon Bridge have seen her…)

 

 

Aere: So that’s her sister… Seems like I’ve found the perfect bait to lure that bitch back to Mistress Tinira…

 

 

Upon exiting Solitude, Innis finally felt that ominous feeling she was having recede, but it didn’t make her feel any better because now she was back to step one… Find a trail…

 

 

Innis: I’ve never been bad at reading people, and it was clear that that maid knew more than she was letting on, but… I’m sure if I’d stayed there, I would have—

 

 

???: Hey nudist! I mean, former nudist! Wait up!!

 

 

Innis looked around for her sister, but frowned when her search came up nil.

 

Innis: Must be another nudist walking around…

 

 

???: I said wait up!

 

A female Nord jumped in front of Innis blocking her path. Innis noticed the woman was holding her weapon and smirked.

 

Innis: Can I help you?

 

 

???: Oh no… you’re not the nudist… But I was sure you were. You looked so similar from behind. I thought you’d gotten a haircut… My apologies.

 

 

Innis: (A haircut? She can’t have known sister!) Stop! Wait!

 

The Nord stopped in her tracks.

 

???: Yes?

 

Innis: Who are you? Who do you know my sister?

 

 

???: So you’re the nudist’s sister? I can finally find out a lead to where she is! Blessed be the Divines, this is a glorious day

 

 

Innis: (So she’s got nothing either…) *sigh* If all you wanted from me was my sister’s location, I’ll be going then.

 

 

???: No wait stop! Please! I… Let me train with you!

 

‘Let me train with you,’ five words that mean utter humiliation and degradation for Innis back in her clan. The words made her stomach knot up, and caused her to get the chills…

 

 

But coming from this woman it sounded like a sincere plea.

 

Innis: Who… who are you? How do you know my sister?

 

 

???: My name is Aumida the Ironclad. Your sister, she… She wasn’t necessarily the nicest person, but she DID open my eyes to the fact that I was too naïve about the world. But she also intrigued me…

 

 

Aumida: She said that she couldn’t beat me, but something in her eyes told me it was only a temporary thing. That I was but a babe before a sabrecat when it came to her.

 

 

Innis: (You have no idea…) That definitely sounds like my sister. But why train with me? If she was giving it her all, there’s no way I’d match up with her.

 

 

Aumida: This isn’t about you being stronger than her or not. I… I want to test my might, my mettle. I want to see if I even have what it takes to become an adventurer.

 

 

Innis knew she shouldn’t waste her time with this but she knew the feeling of wanting… NEEDING to prove herself.

 

 

So as much as she didn’t desire to, she drew her weapon and waited for Aumida to do the same.

 

Innis: Follow me.

 

 

Innis: My name is Innis Faith-Broken. You’re stronger than me, but I’m much faster and from the look of it, I also outclass you when it comes to magical prowess. So I won’t use and spells against you.

 

 

Innis: If that’s fine, then come at me!

 

Aumida: *nods* Okay Innis! Here I come!!

 

Innis came at Aumida low, and the blonde Nord responded with a wide swing that left her a bit off balance…

 

 

Innis: (One, two, three… I could have killed or maimed her four times if this were a real fight… Let’s see how durable she is.)

 

 

Before she could regain her footing, Innis pushed off from the ground and kicked Aumida square in her chest, sending Aumida flying through the air…

 

 

Until she crashed hard into Thaer’s carriage…

 

 

Thaer: Hey back there! Take your horseplay somewhere else! I’ve got a business to run.

 

Aumida got up and tried to catch her breath.

 

Aumida: S-s-sorry… I’ll be right out of your—

 

 

Innis: Always pay heed to your surroundings!

 

Innis rushed at Aumida and her knee connected so hard with the blonde’s chin that Innis swore she broke it when Aumida went flying once more…

 

 

Innis: Stop, don’t get up for a bit.

 

Aumida: But I can still fight!

 

Innis: I know you can, but you’re trying to keep up with me and… I can’t in good conscience let you continue only to hurt yourself.

 

 

Aumida: But then what does that mean? Am I not cut out to be an adventurer?

 

Innis saw the emotions welling up in the girl’s face and shook her head.

 

 

Innis: That’s not what I’m saying at all! You’d make a fine adventurer, but you’d have to practice and train more, and gather much more experience before you could become something of legend.

 

 

Innis: Don’t worry about it, these things come along with time. As for right now, how about we relax over a drink at the inn?

 

Aumida’s face brightened up slightly.

 

Aumida: Sounds good to me.

 

The pair opted to go for Dragon Bridge’s Four Swords Tavern rather than Solitude’s always overcrowded Winking Skeever, and after a few rounds they retired to Aumida’s room…

 

 

Innis: You stay at the inn? Like permanently?

 

Aumida: Well, I’ve helped out here since I was little, and now that I work here Faida decided to just let me board here. It’s a convenient arrangement.

 

 

Innis: Heh, I’d say… So what’s your deal anyway? You’re no pro, but if you wanted, you could have already started to make your name as an adventurer.

 

 

Aumida: You know, I’ve thought long and hard about that… At first I said it was because the elders and Imperials didn’t want folks out on the roads unnecessarily, but that was just an excuse…

 

 

Aumida: I’m… I’m scared… I’m afraid that I might go out into the world and never come back, just like my best friend…

 

 

Innis stood up and went to the door.

 

Innis: If that’s the truth, you need to stay right here in Dragon Bridge and live your cozy little boring life.

 

 

Innis: Just because you’re a bit good at fighting doesn’t mean shit. People… ADVENTURERS are threatened, mugged, kidnapped, beaten, tortured, mutilated, sold into slavery, raped, and killed every day.

 

 

Innis: Heck, none of that even had to happen to your friend. She might just not have wanted to come back home to this boring little hamlet. Or maybe she found love out there.

 

 

Innis: Just because you haven’t heard from your friend doesn’t mean you have to assume the worst. Heh, you never know… You might just hear from her any day now…

 

 

Aumida: Innis… You… You really do hope for that… Don’t you…

 

Innis: H-huh? What are you talking about?

 

Aumida: Who left your life for you to make that face?

 

Innis: (What is she—!? Huh?) I’m crying?

 

Innis felt like she betrayed something deep within her to cry over something that had long passed, but she couldn’t help it.

 

 

Repeating the Elders’ words as her own reaffirmed Innis’s fears. Even with her revelation that killing Liri wasn’t her heart’s desired… Innis could feel her clan’s teachings running deep within her.

 

 

???: Innis…

 

‘Weakness equals death,’ words she’d lived by her entire life shot back at her, and made her remember the punishments she received because she cried over her sister’s disappearance…

 

 

???: Innis…

 

No, not her disappearance… Her sister’s betrayal. he purposely failed the trials to become the Matron of the clan… She’s the cause of all the pain Innis felt. She… Liri deserves to—

 

 

Aumida: Innis!

 

Innis’s eyes snapped open and darted to the Nord who wore a concerned expression.

 

Aumida: Innis, what happened? You were muttering things about Elders and betrayal.

 

 

Innis pushed Aumida away from her and stood to her feet.

 

Innis: It’s nothing.

 

 

Aumida: That sure was a lot for nothing.

 

 

Innis: I SAID IT WAS NOTHING, YOU WRETCHED WOMAN!! DON’T MAKE ME REPEAT MY—

 

 

Aumida wrapped Innis up in her arms, and Innis didn’t know what to do. It wasn’t an attack, it didn’t feel painful at all. In fact, it reminded Innis of her youth. Of a time she remembered dearly of her sister…

 

 

Innis: What… what am I supposed to do?

 

Aumida: Do what you want to do.

 

And so that’s what Innis did. As she let her emotions flow out freely and without regret for the first time in a long time.

 

Innis felt refreshed after letting go of all that she’d been keeping inside her, and, for a moment, she finally knew how it felt to feel what she believed to be ‘normal’.

 

 

Innis gave Aumida a sad smile.

 

Innis: So that’s what normal people do… It felt nice…

 

Aumida: What do you mean?

 

Innis: You know, normal people laugh when they’re happy, cry when they’re sad, etc.

 

 

Innis: In my clan, you must mask your emotions so no one will know how things affect you. Sometimes you laugh when you’re sad or act indifferent when you’re elated. Eventually you become desensitized to various things, and things like crying and genuinely laughing… Well…

 

 

Aumida: W-when’s the last time you were able to truly and honestly express yourself…

 

Innis: To be honest, I guess it was back before Liri was kicked out of the clan. That was… about five years ago I think? I can’t remember…

 

 

Aumida: You poor thing… How could you—

 

 

Suddenly a shadow entered the room and took out Aumida before Innis could act.

 

 

The shadow saw Innis grab at her weapon and hissed.

 

???: Stand down sister of Liri, unless you want this to be much more painful than it needs to be.

 

 

But seeing Aumida’s limp body on the floor threw Innis into an uncontrollable rage…

 

 

…Much to the shadow’s delight.  He caught Innis with a swift knee to her chin and she was out. / ???: And with that, Tinira has her bait for the mortal, and thus her bait for Silas. Muwahahahaa!!!

 

???: Knock knock, ‘Master’ Silas. Pffff! You have a visitor! Bwahahaaa!

 

 

The sound of a body hitting the ground before him made set Silas on high alert..

 

 

Silas: What… What is this… A body? And why… Why is its scent familiar…

 

 

???: Heh, wouldn’t you like to know, ‘Master’. Kek! Inhale Silas. Let her scent remind you of better times, before all of this.

 

 

Silas: STOP USING HER VOICE!!! *cough* *cough* *cough* Gods damn you…

 

 

Silas’s harasser stepped forward with a smirk on her face and snatched away Silas’s blindfold.

 

Lisaly(?): Her voice isn’t all that I’m using. How do you like it, ‘Master’? Kek!

 

 

Tinira: Stop it Aere, but good job on the mortal. She’s the perfect playmate for Silas here. Imagine, being stuck in here with a woman that bares resemblance to the love of your life REALLY did.

 

 

Tinira: It should be all but ecstasy to you, my sweet Silas. / His eyes immediately shot towards the body on the ground and Silas understood what his tormentor was saying.

 

 

Silas: If I’m to believe the lies that you’ve been telling me, this younger Liri lookalike… Liri’s… sister, is supposed to be the spitting image of Lisaly. Like I’d trust your lies over my memory!

 

 

Tinira: I’m happy for you Silas, I really am. I’m happy you’re so adamant that I’m wrong, because it’s only going to make the look on your face when I PROVE you right all the sweeter…