When Silas awoke what greeted him was a blue, purple, and black sky that felt as if it were going to swallow him whole at any moment, and a throbbing pain that wouldn’t go away.

 

Silas: W-where am I…

 

 

???: I’d always known that I wouldn’t be safe from my husband, even here. However, I never imagined that he would send YOU here, boy…

 

 

Silas got up, turned around, and was met with a familiar face in this unfamiliar land.

 

Silas: Val—Lady Valerica!?! But you went missing centuries ago! Did Tinira—

 

 

Valerica: That is a name that I wish not to be spoken in my presence… Although, I do smell her scent on you… After all this time, are you still under her thumb, son-in-law?

 

 

Silas: *sigh* It’s complicated…

 

Valerica: It always is, isn’t it. *grins* So if it isn’t by Harkon’s will, why have you come to such a wretched place?

 

Silas: I don’t even know where ‘here’ is.

 

 

Valerica: That would explain the stench of HER magic on you. Nevertheless, you’ve been transported to the plane where the poor souls that become soul trapped spend the rest of their days. You’re in—

 

 

Silas: The Soul Cairn…

 

Valerica: Exactly, boy.

 

Silas: So… Tinira wasn’t lying to me… Have you possibly seen the soul of an Imperial woman by the name of Lisaly?

 

Valerica: …That name belongs to—

 

 

Silas: I know ma’am, but please… I was told that she was here, and I need to know—

 

Valerica put up a hand and the Vampire Lord went silent.

 

Valerica: I’ve seen this woman, however I don’t believe—

 

 

Silas: Please Valerica, I need to know where she is! I have to tell her what happened the day she died, I need for her to know that I would never in a million Eras ever have it in me to kill her! I—

 

 

Valerica: That’s enough Head of Volstikar. It seems that you weren’t honest before when you told Serana and I that you harbored no lingering feelings towards another.

 

Silas: She was my wife, Valerica!

 

Valerica: And my husband is the reason I’m in hiding here. Do you honestly think I care about the bonds of matrimony at this point in my life?

 

 

Silas turned away from her, anger burning in his eyes.

 

Silas: Everything always returns to Harkon with you… Then and now.

 

Valerica: And why wouldn’t it? The bonds of blood ARE thickest after all.

 

 

Silas: *sigh* Fine… I’ll look for her myself then.

 

Valerica: Silas, wait!

 

He stopped immediately and faced her.

 

Valerica: I know that you’ve no love toward my daughter. And although it pains me—

 

 

Silas: W-w-what do you mean!? For Serana I—

 

Valerica: Precious boy… That’s why I picked you, a man from an opposing clan, to marry my daughter. Even for as long as you’ve lived…

 

 

Valerica: And although your appearance begs to differ, you still carry yourself with the honor you had as a mortal… You still wish to believe that you’re no different than them, save when you must.

 

 

Valerica: And that is perhaps the reason why the man before me, is constantly struggling to maintain his cool demeanor, all the while being in dire constant pain. Was it your Mistress?

 

 

Silas felt his chest ache and shook his head.

 

Silas: No… It was by someone I now consider to be family… As I do Serana… She doesn’t know what she’s done to me, and I’m not going to put this on her.

 

 

Valerica: As you said, everything always seems to return to my husband. I’m sorry that the curse he put upon you still afflicts you.

 

Silas shook his head.

 

Silas: Don’t apologize… But answer me…

 

 

Silas: Lady Valerica… Is this all real? Isn’t this just another fantasy that Tinira made to torment me?

 

Valerica: Everything you see here is as real as your lingering affections for your wife…

 

 

Valerica: …And that mortal…

 

Silas: *sigh* Even from here you’ve been watching me and Serana? Looks like lying to you won’t solve anything…

 

Valerica: *wink* Not that you were ever any good at it.

 

Silas: (No… Not to you… Or your husband…) Um… Well…

 

Valerica: How are they? My Serana and the mortal? Are you treating them well? Have you made your feelings aware—

 

 

Silas: We’re NOT doing this Val!

 

Valerica: *smiles* I’ve always asked you to call me that but you were too honorable to call a Daughter of Coldharbour in such a way. I thank you Lord Silas.

 

 

Valerica: Silas… *bows* …Please keep those two safe. For all of our sakes.

 

Silas’s brain failed him but his instincts as a former knight did not.

 

Silas: *kneels* I shall not fail you, m'lady.

 

 

Silas got to his feet and looked Valerica in the eye.

 

Silas: Serana and Liri are safe. They’re together protecting one another. They’ve formed a bond so strong that even here I can feel it.

 

 

Silas: From now on, if I ever feel that they’re in danger I’ll—

 

Valerica: Your wife is in a ruin close to where my portal back to Nirn should be…

 

 

Silas’s eyes widened and he could hardly contain his emotions.

 

Silas: Bless you Lady—Val! Bless you Val!

 

Valerica: *smiles* Take care. I hope you get the answers you seek, ‘mutt’.

 

 

Silas let out a proud howl that echoed around him and made Valerica laugh like a child. Then after exchanging goodbyes, Silas ran off in search of Lisaly.

 

 

When he got far enough away from the structure Valerica hid herself in, Silas felt his body collapse on him. It wasn’t due to the wound Valerica had mentioned or the torture he’d recently endured…

 

 

…No this collapse was of a baser nature Silas.

 

Silas: Damn… When was the last time I ate…

 

He asked the question aloud, but he already knew the answer. Although he ate mortal food regularly…

 

 

…It could not sustain him, and more often than not made him vomit. However, it was worth it to him just to be able to feel as if he were mortal once again in those instances… But the last time he fed…

 

Silas: It was fifteen years ago to the day… A sweet, blonde haired Breton girl that was visiting Solitude from the Imperial City… Damn… Fifteen years… That’s half the time of when I fed before…

 

 

He got to his feet, ignoring his screaming muscles, and prepared himself mentally. The combined physical pain he felt was nothing compared to the mental anguish that was to come.

 

 

He took a step and the pain made him wince.

 

Silas: Maybe this is punishment from the Divines for daring to right something that I’ve long since wronged…

 

 

He stopped, finally noticing the undead creatures that had encircled him.

 

Silas: *sigh* Or maybe this is Molag Bal’s way of forcing my hand…

 

 

Silas snapped his fingers and the rags he was wearing were instantly replaced with clothes he hadn’t worn for decades.

 

Silas: Either way, I’m not going to let anything stop me from seeing Lisaly!

 

 

Rather than his enchanted sword he was used to using, Silas conjured am unorthodox weapon and began tearing through the undead.

 

 

Bonemen. Wraithmen. Mistmen. None of them could withstand Silas’s furious tempo as he quickly…

 

 

…Turned them all to dust. Silas gripped his sword tightly in his hand and smiled.

 

Silas: It’s been a long time old friend. Much too long…

 

 

Sheathing the weapon, he once again set off to find Lisaly once more…

 

 

…Only to find his thoughts to wonder of towards another…

 

Silas: (If this isn’t a lie… If I’m really in the Soul Cairn, and if Tinira is to be trusted… Then is Zaleria here as well?)

 

Silas remembered Tinira’s account vividly. Zaleria, having been found out to be guiding Silas to be a proper vampire—albeit against his sire’s wishes—was tortured by a multitude of vampires…

 

 

…That is until she ultimately admitted to her ‘wrongdoing’ and was killed for her actions…

 

 

Silas: (But was she killed? Like killed and that’s it? I thought that was Lisaly’s circumstances, but… what if Zaleria’s here as well?)

 

 

He then stopped in his tracks, and a smile formed on his face.

 

Silas: Heh, there’s no way that she’s here! Neither of them are! They would have had to have been soul trapped to even BE here!

 

 

Silas: According to Tinira, that didn’t happen with Zaleria, and I sure as hell didn’t soul trap Lisaly so this HAS to be another one of Tinira’s lies! I’m sure of it!!

 

 

Psyching himself up over the fact that this was all a ruse, Silas set off running again to unveil his sire’s deception…

 

 

…And happened upon numerous creatures that he didn't hesitate to vent some of his pent up anger towards his sire on, even going as far as to implement some new maneuvers on them…

 

 

…It was as if Silas was a man possessed, for it didn't matter how fast or powerful the for before him was…

 

 

…Because before his unrelenting fury, they all were dealt the same fate by the Vampire Lord.

 

 

After what continuing that for what had felt like hours, Silas stopped once again, this time in order to catch his breath.

 

Silas: Dammit all… Valerica was right…

 

Silas: Ever since Rosalie stabbed me, it’s felt like my body’s been cursed by an escalating pain that I can no longer ignore… Maybe this is payback for me calling her short so many times…

 

 

Silas: Heh, but whatever it is… Sorry Lisaly… Liri… I don’t think… I’ll be able to make it back to either of you now…

 

 

Silas fell to the floor and closed his eyes. However, his ‘eternal’ rest was cut extremely short as he heard the footsteps of someone walk up on him.

 

 

???: Rise vampire, for my Masters have plans for you and shan’t allow that.

 

 

???: Silence Keeper. He belongs to me! So go tell your Masters to shove it before I’m finally forced to end them myself!

 

 

Silas couldn’t see the faces of either being that stood near him. However…

 

Silas: (That voice… Why does it sound… So familiar…)

 

 

Keeper: You… The scourge that’s been plaguing the Soul Cairn for decades now.  You may have defeated the others… But I am nothing like them.

 

 

???: Of course you are. One, you serve those bastards the Ideal Masters. And two…

 

 

Silas heard a small scuffle followed by a loud thud.

 

???: JUST as easily as the others, you’ve been slain by my hand.

 

 

???: Phew… Now that that’s done… Long time no see, kid. You look like shit. How’ve you been?

 

Silas didn’t remember ever answering them nor did he remember being transported by them to another location. However, when he awoke, he clearly wasn’t where he last thought he was.

 

 

???: Took long enough, kid. Had me worried that there was something actually wrong with you.

 

Silas: Cut the kid shit. And who are you anyway? Why’d you say that I belong to you?

 

???: You do.

 

 

Silas got to his feet and sneered.

 

Silas: NO ONE owns ME! Especially not some faceless peon like yourself!

 

???: Trying to talk all tough while in that terrible condition… Tinira’s taught you well.

 

 

Silas: Seriously… Who… Who are you?

 

???: *sigh* To be fair, it’s been a couple of centuries since we last spoke so it makes sense that you don’t remember… But it doesn’t make it hurt any less…

 

 

They took their hood off and smiled at Silas.

 

???: Does this cute face ring any bells?

 

 

Immediately Silas fell to his knees overcome with a hectic mix of both happiness and sadness at the person before him.

 

Silas: Zaleria… How… You shouldn’t be here… You should be—

 

 

Zaleria embraced him and smiled.

 

Zaleria: Reincarnated or being abused by Molag Bal til the end of time? This is a much better option in my opinion.

 

Silas: Dammit… So you were soul trapped…

 

 

Zaleria: Soul trapped?

 

She released him and Silas saw the confusion written on her face.

 

Zaleria: I believe that there’s been some mistake on your part as to why I’m here. I escaped to here.

 

 

Silas got to his feet and stared at her in shock.

 

Zaleria: Oh you thought I was… Right… I forgot that I did it so suddenly that it must have looked as if I died… But no. I’m not here because I was killed…

 

 

Zaleria: Although, that IS what’s keeping me here…

 

Silas: So… You ARE dead…

 

Zaleria: As good as. You know how Orcs want to be killed in battle when they die? I share that sentiment. Always have.

 

Silas could feel his rage rising towards the surface, but something in him didn’t allow him to truly be mad at the woman who allowed him to become the man he was today…

 

 

Silas: I mourned for you… You don’t know how much pain… How much hate I harbored towards vampires, towards my Clan because of you…

 

Zaleria: And you should hate them.

 

 

Zaleria: I was never asked to be turned, but when I was—by a ‘lesser’ vampire—I was the best damned vampire that I’d ever seen. I lived my own way, making sure not to kill any innocents.

 

 

Zaleria: Did I feed? Yes, but only on the old and dying, and only when they permitted me to. I was never overindulgent, and I never killed them when I fed. I didn’t lust for power, nor did I need to.

 

 

Zaleria: Immortality was its own blessing and curse that I was trying to figure out… Then you came along, all screwed up because of your sire and you reminded me of my mortality. How I could die…

 

 

Zaleria: …How after all that time, I yearned to die…

 

Silas: And yet you didn’t. And yet you stand before me, as if nothing you did was wrong!

 

Zaleria: What DID I do that was SO wrong? I lived!

 

 

Zaleria: And from the sound of things, I helped enable you to find love again.

 

Silas: I do not love her…

 

Zaleria: *sigh* Here I thought that becoming the head of a Clan meant that you’d matured.

 

 

Zaleria: But Valerica was right… Only after speaking to her will you finally be able to accept everything. Only then will you be able to move on and stop being stagnant.

 

 

Silas: Is this real?

 

Zaleria: You asked Valerica the same thing. Besides, if it wasn’t would I tell you?

 

Silas: …Where is she… Where is Lisaly?

 

 

Zaleria: Finally ready to commit to the truth? Good boy!

 

Silas rolled his eyes.

 

Zaleria: Always the sourpuss. Oh well… Head southwest. You won’t be able to miss her. And Silas…

 

Zaleria: Good luck…

 

Silas broke off in the direction that Zaleria pointed as fast as he possibly could. He wasn’t even healed to half his strength, but he’d be damned if he wasted another second.

 

 

It wasn’t even five minutes before Silas slowed to a halt. Not because of his injuries…

 

 

…But because he’d finally arrived to the sight he’d been dreading and dreaming of… The sight of his beloved… Lisaly…

 

 

She was exactly as he’d remembered her that is until he got closer to her.

 

Silas: Lisaly… No… You… You’re not Lisaly! This has got to be a trick! It has to be!

 

 

The ghost of Lisaly finally noticed him and the surprise and happiness in its eyes was so genuine that Silas wanted so desperately to take back his prior words.

 

Lisaly: Hmph! What took you so long?

 

 

That’s when Silas knew that it was her. Only his wife would be perturbed at how long it had taken for them to be reunited, rather than emotional that the meeting was happening in the first place.

 

 

And so Silas held back his own tears as he put on a controlled front.

 

Silas: I’m sorry, darling. I was caught up with some things back home. I came as quickly as I could.

 

 

Lisaly hung her head and slowly crept towards him.

 

Lisaly: You’re such a bad liar…

 

Silas: I know, love. I know.

 

He then threw his arms around her....

 

 

…And felt her warmth as she suddenly became tangible…

 

Silas: Lisaly… Why… You sound and act exactly like I remember… But why don’t you look like I remember… Why do you have HER face?

 

 

Lisaly pulled away from Silas and smiled.

 

Lisaly: So that’s why you were late. You met up with the bloodline that inherited part of my soul… And you mean why does SHE have MY face… Right?

 

Silas: ‘Inherited part of my soul’? What’s that supposed to mean? And I said what I meant. Why do you have Liri’s face?

 

Lisaly: *sigh* If you’re asking these questions, then I guess you don’t know…

 

 

Silas: …Know what?

 

Lisaly: *sigh* Tinira always DID love to play the villain… Not like all of this isn’t her fault in the first place…

 

Silas: Why… Why do you know that name?

 

 

Lisaly was silent for a long time as she struggled to find the words.

 

Silas: Say something! Why are you speaking of her as if you KNEW her!?

 

 

Lisaly: Because I did. Tinira and I… We were rivals. But before that, we were actually best of friends… That is before we were turned…

 

 

Lisaly: …And especially before you.

 

Silas: Me?

 

Lisaly: *nods* You see, at the time you were but a regular man, but we saw your potential and we made a bet.

 

Silas: A… Bet?

 

 

Lisaly: Damn, she really didn’t tell you anything did she… The bet was that whoever could make you theirs would be able to ask of anything from the one that didn’t. It was a deal sealed with blood.

 

 

Silas walked past Lisaly and began to laugh hysterically.

 

Lisaly: S-Silas!?

 

 

Silas: Bwahahahahahaa!! This is rich… This is insane! So the reason that Tinira’s been turning my life into Oblivion is because the woman I loved… THOUGHT I loved asked her to? Heh… Hahahaa…

 

 

Lisaly whipped in front of Silas and stared him dead in the eyes.

 

Lisaly: I told her no such thing! When I won… The day after we got married I told Tinira exactly what I wanted.

 

Silas: …Which was?

 

 

Lisaly: …In the event that I died before you, I wanted her to make you into the greatest vampire that our Clan… No… That Tamriel has ever seen! That's all I asked of her…

 

Silas: So you were a vampire huh? Since the beginning?

 

Lisaly nodded and Silas looked away from her.

 

Silas: I just knew that you weren’t one. But that’s what Vampiric Seduction does… Isn’t it?

 

 

Lisaly grabbed his head and forced him to look at her.

 

Lisaly: I NEVER used any magic or spells on you. The ONLY thing I did was alter my appearance. I swear!

 

Silas: Will you swear on our child?

 

 

Lisaly: …Silas, I—

 

Silas: *sigh* That hesitation means only one of things… Either you’re lying… Or our child was just a lie as well. Well, which one was it Lisaly?!

 

 

Lisaly: I always imagined this day—

 

Silas: Just tell me the truth dammit!

 

Lisaly: Let me finish Silas, please. I knew when you heard the truth that you’d be disillusioned, and I’m… glad.

 

 

Silas: Glad!? GLAD!?! Do you know what I’ve been through because of your stupid bet!?

 

Lisaly: Yes, love. Periodically Tinira would keep me updated with what she’d done to you.

 

 

Silas: And you were okay with it!?

 

Lisaly: Not everything… But… I understood—

 

 

Silas pushed her away, unable to believe the words spoken from her.

 

Silas: You UNDERSTOOD!? Who in Oblivion are you? How could you enable her? Did… Did I EVER mean anything to you?

 

 

Lisaly: Silas, my love, the air I breathe and the ground—

 

Silas: Stop the bullshit and answer me!

 

Lisaly: …This… ‘Bet’ wasn’t in order to play around with your life… We both had… Feelings for you…

 

 

Lisaly: It was our way to put our feelings out there without the other enacting revenge or being spiteful. In a sense, it was done to protect you from either of our wrath. But… So much went wrong…

 

 

Lisaly: I promise you, Tinira was never supposed to turn you unless I died. And everything else that happened—

 

Silas: I’ll give you one chance. Tell me everything, and do NOT lie to me.