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Machinations of a Lich - Chapter 4 Reality Asunder Useful information for the reader: Skanas thoughts are written in red. Skaal absorbed the flames of his transformation to fuel his magic even further, emanating a metallic and etheral roar of rage. Auronus was just standing there, eying the lich as he was accumulating magicka. "I don't know why the architect allows you to use the eye, but know this lich. I can feel all of the lords watching us right now. One of them, not being welcome even among their own ranks. Should you defeat me, i am certain he will take action, due to his nature. Consider this a warning. Will you doom Nirn, or do you surrender and be destroyed to save it?" As Skaal began to shape flame in his arms, he ignored Auronus question entirely and spoke to himself, analyzing his opponent."Magical resistance present due to daedric nature, metallic surface, logical choice; intense heat." Skaals personality underwent a change when he transformed, being focused solely on magic now, his courtly manners and way of speaking being exchanged for cold logic and analytical thinking. "Follow-up depending on results. I sense no immediate retaliation or preventive measure incoming." When he unleashed his spell, the temperatures could be felt increasing significantly in the boneyard, a stream of such intense heat, the flames were almost white. The spell dispersed on Auronus iron body, merely throwing fiery sparks from the surface of his skin. "I see. An attempt to probe your opponent. It is been a while since i last fought a lich, but it seems your kind never changes." Skana couldn't believe what she saw. She could feel the intense heat even from where she was standing, a spell like that should have left less than ashes behind. "You have to be joking, it simply ..dispersed?!" Ylfa who knew more about magic than Skana was just waiting for something. "I have seen two liches battling in an Ayleid ruin, in Cyrodiil, two centuries ago. I left the ruin really quick after they were done testing each other and got serious." Skaadi was confident in her husband, for a good reason at that. "His phylactery is indestructible, so is Skaal now. Even if it would be possible, destroying the Eye of Magnus would propably unmake Nirn. Auronus is already dead." Contrary to what Skaadi said, Auronus is trying nonetheless, attempting to summon his kin to fight Skaal. "The warlord of dawn summons thee, my kin and army, heed my call! Let us crush this abomination together!" Skaal nullified Auronus conjuration immediately when he drew the magicka of the spell into his hands, crushing it, denying the Auroran any chance of help in the fight. "No, you don't." A loud screeching sound, as if iron scratched over plain stone, could be heard when Skaal charged his hand with unfamiliar magic."Analysis irrelevant, there is no need for old habits. Extreme measures are alway sufficient." What Skaal projected from his hand, was unreal, it looked like a dying version of mundus like it is seen often in study rooms of wizards, scribbled onto panels and blackboards, encircled by fire. It was incredibly loud and a form of pressure could be felt when he casted it, as if gravitation just increased its force in the Soul Cairn. The space around Auronus got twisted, torn apart and pieced together all at the same time when the spell hit him. This was magic belonging to no school known to man or mer, this was Magna-Ge magic. The projectile didn't just explode, the effect was surrounding Auronus until it began to twist him as well, tearing him apart at one end, without piecing him together at the other, like it did to the surroundings. Auronus spoke in a tone no one would ever expect from a daedra, while the spell destroyed him, sadness. "I see it now, i can see it all. All the planes, the realms, even aetherius. I served Meridia so long, but the sight of hers was never given to me. It is beautiful.." Auronus had trouble to speak as the spell did its work. "I was....blind... my...kind got never.... rewarded for our service. Yet ...we continued to... destroy...the undead...in blind faith...i wish.....i could......amend.....". The auroran warlord took the rest of his dying words with him into nothingness. Skaal showed no reaction to the aurorans dying speech as he viewed the boneyard for a few seconds. "It is done." When he changed back into human form, Skaal found himself back on his knees, exhausted. However it did not prevent him from giving a snide comment. "Shors bones, what a poet!" Skaadi was shocked and ran immediately over to her husband, never having seen him on his knees before after a fight worried her. "Skaal! Are you alright?" Skaal was about to get up when Skaadi reached him. "I'm fine Skaadi, i'm just not used to wield this kind of magic. I couldn't destroy his animus, i only managed to damage it, that auroran must've been ancient." Skaadi noticed that Skaal wasn't satisfied with the outcome. "Only. None of us could have done this, don't undervalue yourself so hard." Skaadi hugged her husband from behind after he got himself into an upwards position, speaking into his ear in a playful tone."Save the kneeling for later when we're back in the castle." After chuckling a bit to herself she added;"I love you, Skaal." Skaal visibly happy to be in the arms of his wife, just closed his eyes and savored the moment. "I love you too Skaadi." Skana just stared at the undead couple and thought about Ylfa and herself and when she should tell her about her feelings directly. Ylfa however seemed to read her like an open book when she asked Skana."Want to tell me something?" jokingly. It happened in a flash, just as Skana wanted to give Ylfa a matching answer, Skaadi and Skaal were encased in a huge strange crystal. Ylfa gasped as she ran together with Skana to the crystal. "No! No! No! This must be a bad joke. Auronus wasn't lying, but i never thought he meant...this. I've only seen in it books before." Skana thought Auronus prediction of doom for a cheap trick herself, just like Ylfa, but she had unlike Ylfa no idea what was going on. "So what is this? And how do we get them out there?" When Ylfa replied, the sudden, silent appearance of a giant humanoid figure in the boneyard, made her interrupt herself."Thats an order-" "-Crystal." The giant figure closed Ylfas sentence. The giant who materialized a great sword matching his size out of nowehere, leaning on it, giving him the charisma of a judge, introduced himself with a speech overflowing with formality. "I am Jyggalag, daedric lord of order. The actions of the one you know as Skaal have provoked my reaction. The laws of mundus are not to be touched by the lesser races and I disagree with the architect who has subjected one of his eyes to Nirn. However he has not shown any signs of objection. I am to restore order to Mundus hereby, judging you accordingly." Jyggalag lived up to his daedric personality of order and deduction. "The vampire and lich known as Skaadi and Skaal will remain in stasis for eternity, to prevent further meddling with the laws of mundus. The vampire known as Ylfa is hereby judged to remain in the soul cairn for eternity as punishment for collaborating with the former named beings. The vampire known as Skana, who became the cause of all this when the daedric lord of domination, rape, slavery, vampirism and corruption Molag Bal, also known as god of lies, turned his interest towards her, will have her past corrected. The event of Molag Bal taking an interest in her will have never happened, she is to remain a dead thrall reanimated by an imperial necromancer known as Illia. Before Ylfa and Skana could say anything, a portal swallowed Skana. Skana didn't know where she was, but noticed she was lying on a hard surface, she felt as if she just went through a door into somewhere unknown. Or rather, like her soul found the way back into her body. As she got up, Skana tried to recollect her thoughts about what just happened. She couldn't remember how she got here from the soul cairn. Her head felt like a sponge. Soaked in black mud. Rubbing her head, trying to get her thoughts together, she noticed her sense of smell was gone. The place seemed awful familiar to her as well. After she got up from the altar, she was perplexed when she noticed this was the room where she was reanimated years ago. Years ago. Her sense of taste was gone as well. When she tried to call out for Ylfa, she could only bring out a growling noise. After ultimately noticing that her fangs are gone, panic overwhelmed Skana. "This can't be. Why am i dead thrall again?!" Hastily she began to try to get her collar off, even more panicked as she remembered what Jyggalag said in the soul cairn. An eternity as dead thrall, the thought alone fills her with fear. She remembered being subjected to Illias sadistic whims every day even as vampire. It branded her. A scar on her soul that would take years if not decades to disappear and to be under the thumb of that woman again, is the last thing Skana wanted. "No! Gods, please no!" Illia entered the room, looking at Skana with her cold gaze. "Ah, at last, you're awake. How wonderful. At least one of you bandits withstood the ritual, i'm afraid your friends are dead." With a demanding gesture Illia pointed onto the ground infront of her. "Now, come over here like a good little thrall and kneel before me." Skana was paralyzed in fear when she heard Illia speaking after all those years, but her body moved on its own. She knelt infront of Illia as Illia had demanded. Despair was seeping into Skanas thoughts. "I don't want this all to happen again, why do i have to endure this again?" Another person entered the room and spoke with Illia, Skana did not recognize the voice, but the name. "What common markings for a thrall, Illia. Did you learn nothing from Uthrang?" Illia gave a sharp reply as the other person clearly was provoking her. "Shut up Maera, just because Uthrang reanimated you as revenant instead a thrall, doesn't mean you're not serving him." Maera just snorted."We will see about that. It's none of your business anyway though. Now, shall we see how good you control that little pupped? There's still one of her friends left, I left him alive extra for the occasion." Illia was delighted to hear that and conjured a familiar great sword. "How very thoughtful of you. It should be entertaining at least." Illia commanded Skana to stand up before she handed her the great sword."Get up, you got a friend to kill." Holding her sword once more, Skana was just standing there, gritting her teeth and looking down. Depression began to gnaw at her. "Why? Why is it different from what i remember? I didn't got the sword here and i didn't had to kill a ...friend." Illia looked at Skana as she turned around to follow Maera."What a splendid expression, you are propably drowning in despair right now. Follow me, let's further that sensation of yours." Skana had no choice, she followed Illia and Maera into an adjacent room. They were standing infront of a kneeling man, one of Skanas friends, as Illia had put it. The man was shocked when he saw Skana. "Skana? By the gods what have they done to you?! Do you recognize me? It's me, Angvor." Maera was excited. "Command her to kill him! I so love it to see the look on their faces!" Illia obliged, apparently anticipating the moment herself. "Of course, kill him!" Skana did not recognize the man. Nor had she memories of him. But something in her was screaming not to kill him. When she talked to Skaal back in the castle, she thought she wouldn't care. She realized, this man is the only link left to her past. Skana wanted to say something, but she could only accomplish to growl. "Why can't i speak? Why can i not ask him who i was? Who he is?" Angvor looked at her, sadness adorning his face. "Skana, it's me Angvor. Don't let her turn you into a monster. You were always strong-minded dear, i know you can fight it." Skana felt the effect of the dead thrall spell controlling her again when she raised her sword to strike the man infront of her down. There was an emotion in her she could not discern, but it froze her in motion resisting the spells effect for a moment. Skana remembered that her vocal cords were damaged when Illia killed her the first time, she put every bit of effort into it to say something. "I....aahhng...sorrhg". Angvor smiled sad, knowing his words cannot prevent what will happen, but it seemed he understood what Skana said. "May the gods forgive you for i will. I hope we will meet one day again in Sovngarde, Skana." Illia grew impatient and she commanded Skana again with an almost agressive tone. "I said, kill him!" Skana felt her resistance against the spell dwindling. The spell kept pressing harder the more she tried to resist, she knew she cannot hold it for much longer, but she didn't want to kill this man. There was something in her that broke at the thought to strike him down. Before she could finish the thought, her arms were moving on their own, her sword slashed Angvor, but it didn't kill him. The palefire enchantment discharged and he writhed in anguish. When Skana looked into his face, she was on the verge to go insane, something broke in her, she did not know what, but seeing him in pain made her almost feel it herself. Not for long, The second strike was deadly and she wanted it to be deadly herself, to end that mans suffering. Skana was overwhelmed by grief for reasons she did not know. She dropped down on her knees, emanating bizarre noises due to her still damaged vocal cords, as she began to sob. No tear left her undead body though. "Why...? What did i do to deserve this? What did he do to deserve this?" Maera was irritated at the outcome. "Bah, that was far less thrilling than i have anticipated. To make it even worse, i think your thrall has a few screws loose, it has emotions." Illia lectured Maera with her own snide theories. "I intend to find out if emotions might not be able to shape how a thrall develops, surely Uthrang never needed to do this, since you're perfect and all that. But i do admit, it's not the outcome i would have hoped for.." Illia did something. As Skana knelt there in grief, she noticed her mind getting cloudy, her thoughts began to slow, it felt like wading through black mud. Mere seconds later, Skana collapsed onto her back and lost her consciousness. When Skana awoke, she found herself in a familiar place again. The cage in Illias hideout. The sticky black mud was still in her mind, albeit lifting, she couldn't grasp a thought long enough to keep it. "...this...the end...?" Illia and Maera had a casual conversation with a few snide remarks here and there, about torturing someone and witty banter about necromancy. Skana could hear the words but her mind was working too slow to make sense of them. "...daggers into her side... ... stretching rack!.... ...studying her bones...." As Illia noticed Skana being conscious again, she just looked at her and renewed the effect of the spell without having to say anything. Skanas eyes immediately became heavy and her thoughts came almost to a standstill. She was at her breaking point, she wanted to give in. A mindless thrall would feel no pain and perhaps Illia would overdo it one day and she could die the final death. "...don't...care.....anymore...." Skana closed her eyes, looking forward to embrace nothingness. Anything to escape what would await her. A hollow and morbid voice spoke in her mind. "In our final seconds, we realize what we want most, what we did wrong. Tell me Skana, are these your final seconds? I can tell you have done nothing wrong, but what do you want most?" Somewhere in the backyard of her mind there was still a spark of thought, remembering a person she had feelings for.. "...Yl..fa....?" The voice said nothing, but suddenly she saw Ylfa infront of her, with a questioning look on her face. "Who are you?" Skana was back in Castle Volkihar, but everything felt surreal. Ylfa would never ask her who she is, Ylfa knows her. "It's me Skana! don't you remember me, Ylfa?" But Ylfa walked away. "I know no one by that name and i don't meddle with dead thralls, we will tolerate you here, but you should go back to your master and serve him." Skana was shocked, she didn't understand what was going on. "Ylfa?.." But Ylfa ignored her, it was as if Skana wasn't there for her. Skana couldn't believe what happened. "No, this is wrong, this is all wrong!" But Ylfas words sparked an idea and she sprinted through the castle. "There must be an altar here, this is a vampire castle, there has to be one." She didn't had to search for long. The room was an exact copy of the one she was in when Molag Bal took her by force and turned her into a vampire in Coldharbour. Skana almost ran towards the altar, harboring hopes to be able to flee from this nightmare. "This has to work, please let this work!" She kneeled infront of the altar intending to present herself to Molag Bal. "Molag Bal, lord of domination. I come willingly to you, i beg of you. Let me serve you." Waiting for a response from the daedric lord, Skana kneeled for minutes infront of the altar. Nothing happened. Skana tried it again, she couldn't believe Molag Bal would turn down a willing slave. And it was better than beeing Illias torture puppet, even if mindless. This was at least a chance. "My lord, please. I beg of you, enslave me, take me, do whatever you want with me, i am yours, body and mind." As Skana realized Molag Bal wouldn't respond to her pleas, she dropped onto her side. She began to sob again, this time out of her own emotions. Depression overwhelmed her together with a sense of futility. "I don't want to live like this...what use is undeath when i only get tortured by the hands of a madwoman?!" When the morbid voice spoke to her again, Skana knew it wasn't Molag Bal. "There is a way out, there is always a way out. For some, it takes aeons to open its path and others are afraid to walk it. What are you?" Black mud clouded her thoughts again as she closed her eyes lying infront of the altar. When the fog lifted itself from her mind again, she was standing in meridias temple, surrounded by shades. The shades were repeatedly hissing the same words at her. "It's corrupted, it's corruped, take it, take it, free yourself, free yourself!" Skana realized the shades are referring to the Dawnbreaker. As she walked up to the podium, the shades became even more agitated, reciting some kind of oath. "He swore! To serve!" "He swore! To serve!" She took the Dawnbreaker from its podium without hesitation, to her surprise, nothing happened, the shades were speaking the truth, the Dawnbreaker was corrupted in this reality. As she eyed the blade with disdain the shades continued to recite. "He died, he prayed!" "He died, he prayed!" Skana saw her only option to prevent the future Jyggalag had given her. She thrusted the blade into her body. She knew it was weak to make a runaway in suicide, but there was nothing left for her. She had no intention of becoming Illias toy and Ylfa did not recognize her anymore. The few days she had with the Volkihar clan was the best thing ever happening to her since her reanimation. Jyggalag took it away from her when he altered her past, changing reality itself. It was strange, it didn't hurt, rather it felt comforting. As the world around her darkened, the shades were frantic, finishing to recite an oath to someone Skana didn't knew. "Betrayed by his lord! Vengeance he swore!" "Betrayed by his lord! Vengeance he swore!" Skana did not know where she was, but this looked very much like the form of afterlife the undead get. Everything was dark around her and even with her eyes she head problems to see in this place. "This must be the void." As she got up from a ground she could not see, she noticed something nearby. Something big. A giant humanoid figure, which seemed to be stuck in the invisible ground, with a body made of bone and a cloud of whirling darkness as head with two blue burning lights as eyes stared at her. The being spoke to her with the same morbid voice she heard in her mind. "Correct, this is the void, but you did not die your final death, Skana." Skana was perplexed at the being knowing her name."Why do you know my name? Who are you?" The being spoke, while its glowing eyes stared at Skana. "We are aquainted, but we do not know each other. That is not important. The matter of causality is important however. The one who caused this desaster was not you. Neither was it Stonefire. Jyggalag himself was it in his own arrogance. The Soul Cairn is now connected to both realities. You need to undo what has been undone." "Undo what has been undone? Only Skaal could do this and i'm not good with magic myself. But Skaal is..." Skana stopped to speak when a sense of futility went through her. The being however seemed to sense this."I saw it all. Do not despair little one. I was defeated aeons ago in another reality, but not in yours. Yet my reality is older than yours while it is not. I was shaped by the void to what i am now, but the one you know as Uthrang is a tricky one. Know this, Magnus has more than one eye, as you have two, so does he. Uthrang banished it into the void using an elder scroll. I am unsure how he managed it, for my sight does not reveal their mysteries." After a short pause a little orb manifested between Skana and the void being. "This is Magnus' second eye, it is blind and much of its power is lost however, it allowed me to form this pocket in the void, preventing myself being absorbed into it. I shall grant it to you, for i am sure you wish to return both realities being into one again. You must make haste though, both realities will collide into each other, destroying all of Mundus if unprevented." The small eye floated towards Skana and stopped above her hand, Skana could feel its power radiating, this small eye was almost overwhelming, she had trouble to imagine how Skaal could handle the other one. "Jyggalag would go that far?! But how can i stop it? I can only swing my sword, i have no idea what to do with the eye! And what do you mean with it is blind?." The being seemed to think for a moment before it continued. "A single eye cannot see through the void. Magnus did not object with Jyggalags intentions because he could not see them. Uthrang planned this all to take the lich Skaal out of the picture, but bringing Jyggalag into this was his miscalculation. By banishing the eye into the void, he hoped Jyggalag would make an appearance, placing bets on the most powerful of daedra lords seems logical at first, but Jyggalag goes to extremes to execute his sense of order. When Mundus would be destroyed, that is his idea of perfect order. There can't be disorder where nothing exists. A fatal flaw in Uthrangs machinations." When Skana touched the eye, she absorbed its power. The feeling was utterly overwhelming. She staggered when the immense amounts of magicka entered her body. "Shors bones! I feel like i'm about to explode, what insane power is this?!" "The tools of creation, little one." The being explained. "And this is just a tiny fraction, like a hair to yourself in comparement, of the power the god of magic wields, but enough of that. You don't need to be a wizard to use the eyes power. You can discharge it with a weapon of daedric craftmanship. Go to the Soul Cairn, where the spear still lies, use it to shatter the crystal, once the lich is free and the eye connected to him again, your eye will resonate to the other and Magnus will see what is happening. But be warned, the eye has only enough power left for a single reality shaping and Jyggalag will not stay idle when the time comes." Skana was frowning. "I don't know how to get into the Soul Cairn, and how can we battle Jyggalag? He's a daedra lord." The creature apparently has thought this through for a longer time, regarding Jyggalag. "I do not know how to enter the Soul Cairn, the order crystal is hindering my sight on it. But the revenant known as Maera knows it. As for Jyggalag, do not fret. I made a vow once and i intent to fulfill it. Summon me when Jyggalag appears, i will serve you as i have served my old lord." Not having any clue about magic made Skana repeat herself. "I told you, i have no experience with magic, i can't summon anything even if i wanted to." After a short pause, and feeling terribly awkward she added."Besides, Illia can command me." The void being being chuckled with its morbid voice. "You will find yourself rather resilient against the dead thrall spell with the eye in your posession. Also when the time comes and the eyes are resonating, you will know everything you need to summon me and more. No go, before it is too late!" Skanas mind became clouded again and she passed out. Skana found herself on a bloodied wooden table when she regained consciousness. Illia and Maera were discussing what to do next to her. She awoke in the middle of whatever sadistic experiment Illia was doing to her. "Oh look she's conscious again, what do you say? Time for the stretching rack?" Maera lifted Skana from the table and dropped her onto the ground like a wet stone. "Yeah, no blood in her veins anymore, time for the bones." Skana groaned in pain, they must have stuck all sorts of daggers and knifes into her, she noticed how weak she was, there was no blood left in her body. But she had no time for this. She crawled towards her cage in hopes to amuse the two sick idiots who were gloating at her, getting herself some time to recuperate. Judging from Maeras reaction it worked. "Aww how cute, the slave wants back into her cage." Illia just laughed as they both watched Skana crawling along the floor. She began to feel better when she almost reached the cage, feigning weakness to have Illia open the cage door and close it behind her, to gain a few more precious seconds. After Illia locked the cage door, she and Maera went into the antechamber of the cave to construct the stretching rack, at least that's what Skana was willing to hear from their conversation. This would give her enough time. Skana stood just there in her cage, concentrating on wearing the dead thrall spell on her mind down and regaining her strength. Much to her surprise it was easier than she had expected. After a few minutes, she felt like she could rip a mammoth with bare hands apart. She easily kicked the cage door open, making the lock fly away with a loud clanking sound. Skana knew Illia and Maera must have heard that. Skana had little time to search for her sword, she could hear Illia and Maera coming back to the room. Luckily Illia hadn't much places where she stored something as large as a great sword, Skana found it after a few seconds in the large ornamented chest standing next to Illias bed. As Maera and Illia entered the room, Illia couldn't suppress a surprised;"What in oblivion?!" when she saw Skana at her chest."You stupid corpse, get away from my belongings!" Maera just stood there, saying nothing. Skana turned around with her great sword on her shoulder, swiftly walking towards Illia, her face was a grimace of anger while she snarled;"Come here, you little strumpet!" Illia was sure of herself and the dead thrall spell, as usual. She stepped forward and pointed at the ground infront of her. "Get your ass here and kiss my feet, your stupid piece of dead flesh!" Maera warned Illia. "Illia, i don't think this is working." Illia ignored Maeras warning, seemingly insisting that the dead thrall is working. "I told you to get on your goddamn kn-" Was all Illia could say before Skana abruptly decapitated her with one wide swing of her great sword when she got close enough. Maera had Skanas complete attention now, being threatened at the tip of her great sword she raised her hands to signalize surrender. Skana wanted to know only one thing. "How do i get into the Soul Cairn?" Just like the one in Skanas original reality, Maera became snappy."Ha! The Soul Cairn. You must be looking forward to commit suicide. But that's not my problem when the crystal kills you, I'll be there and watch you dying. Be my guest, go to the maze at Labyrinthian, if there's anything left of it, that is"" Skana was satisfied with that answer, but came to the conclusion that killing Maera here and now might save her a lot of trouble later."You will watch nothing when i have killed you." Just as Skana was about to attack, Maera teleported herself away with a portal. Much to Skanas disappoinment, the Maera is this reality was the same wuss like the one in hers. Skana just snorted as she made for the cave exit, speaking to herself. "Figures. running away, now i know why Skaadi hates her." At the cave exit, Skana noticed it was day outside. She didn't liked the sun since the day she became undead, but at least it wouldn't burn her to a crisp like it would when she was a vampire. Being a vampire again. Skana missed that, but more than most she missed Ylfa. Her resolve grew with every thought, she has to fuse both realities together, if she ever wants to see Ylfa and her clan again.

Machinations of a Lich - Chapter 2 Bloodlust Skana turned on her back after a while as she slept through the day, not minding the hard ground she was resting on. Sleeping like a stone, she didn't notice the heavy footsteps coming closer. Her mind began slowly to stir when she heard a male voice speaking to her. "No, really. I know vampires can develop odd habits, but i have never seen one sleeping on the ground, what were you actually before you got reanimated?" Skana awoke, being mildly annoyed to have her first real time of rest in years interrupted. "I only remember I was a bandit chief at some fort somewhere in Skyrim, but those times are over and i don't really care." As Skana got up she noticed it was Skaal who was talking to her. "I have to admit, you surprise me. Considering what happened to you in the last three years, you seem to take this whole situation with ease." Skana expected herself to yawn, but her undead body had no such intention. "Should I sit in a corner and drown in sadness until the end of days? I don't think so. I got what others only dream of, albeit through a lot of suffering.." Skaal said nothing for a few moments on that and Skana used the moment to get up while asking him. "What's with the long face?" Skaal just stood a while there and stared into the wall before he continued to speak. "I had an apprentice once. Her name was Illia, i'm sure that rings a bell to you. If i hadn't taught her the dead thrall spell, this all would have never happened to you." Skana didn't really cared about any of that and joked around. "Oh come on, being raped by a daedric lord isn't that bad, although i would've propably enjoyed it if it was Azura or Nocturnal instead of Molag Bal." Skaal couldn't suppress a slight hint of a smile. "I think i understand what you're getting at. Anyway, good to see that you are unaffected by all this. Now follow me, i want to introduce someone to you and we got something for you." As Skana began to follow Skaal she remembered something she saw yesterday. "Say, why is Skaadi wearing a collar? She doesn't really appears like a person who would bow to anyone." Skaal kept walking while he elaborated on the topic. "The former ruler of the castle, Harkon, used it on her. Sort of a way trying to discipline her because she was rather disobedient from what i heard." "Unfortunately, I was at Saarthal at that time back then, discovering and studying the path towards becoming what i am now. I deeply regret that i never had the chance to annihilate that cretin personally. When Skaadi killed him, the enchantment on the collar entirely ceased to work ." He continued with a grim face. Skana was surprised. "Why isn't she taking it off then? I mean man or mer wearing a collar is usually a sign for slav-.." She paused abruptly as she noticed what she was about to say and let out a deep-drawn sigh. "That was awkward." Skaal explained."When i told my wife that it reminds me of a dangerous, leashed animal, she began to saw more my words in it than anything else, she took a liking to those workds and that's why she is still wearing it. And if i may give you some advice, try to forget your collar, eventually you won't even notice it anymore after a while." Skana played with the iron ring on her collar while she replied. "You have no idea Skaal. I feel it whenever i move, i can't just pretend it isn't there." Shortly before reaching the main hall of the castle, Skaal turned around and continued the topic. "Ronara propably told you already a bit about the oddities of being a vampire, you could also end up liking it." Skana still didn't really understand that part of being a vampire yet. "Considering i'm forced to wear it, does it matter if i like it or not? I only experienced bad stuff with it and while Skaadi propably won't break my neck, i'm not exactly looking forward to kiss her boots or whatever she'd have me do." Skaal advised her as they both went down the stairs into the great hall of the castle. "Skaadi looses interest if the subject is willing, perhaps knowing this helps you." Skana didn't liked that at all."Oh great... doing it willingly once or doing it a hundred times unwilling, i guess once is better." As they entered the hall, Skana saw Skaadi talking to another vampire. "just some remnants of the dawnguard, i don't get it myself why they try so hard to reestablish after we almost wiped them out decades ago, i guess they think it's fun to play vampire hunter." Skaal interrupted the conversion blandly. "Greetings Ylfa, what news to you bring from the holds?" Skana just stood there hoping Skaadi wouldn't do anything funny. The two vampire women turned to Skaal and Ylfa eyed Skana. "Greetings Skaal, just some unorganized dawnguard movement in Dawnstar. Considering we've almost destroyed them about 120 years ago i think we can ignore it aslong as they don't start to creep around the castle again. What's this? Does the clan enslave vampires now?" Skaadi answered Ylfas question. "Oh i forgot to mention our newest addition to the clan. This is Skana, she was a dead thrall before becoming a vampire, hence the bindings and all that. But that magic collar on her is nice, Skaal and I can force her to do anything we want, of course my husband would never do such a thing, but i certainly would, you know it's entertaining." Ylfa grinned amused."Skana Skaadi Skaal, that's quite the name trio we have here. But i do love new things, so why don't you show me that collar in action Skaadi?" Skaadi pondered for a second but asked Ylfa instead."Well, what do you suggest to have her do? I could have her kiss Orthjolfs ass, that would be hilarious and i really doubt he would mind it." Ylfa disagreed though."Nay, not Orthjolf, we can't do that to her, he's the only vampire i ever met who manages to smell like a barrel full of mead" Skana thought about what Skaal told her a few minutes ago and she certainly would like to avoid situations like this. She raised her arms as if signalizing to surrender. "Yes yes, make fun of the new pet. Whatever you want, should i lick the floor clean of blood or something? I'm thirsty anyway so let's just get this over with." Skaal apparently told the truth. Skaadi changed the topic. "Well, that would be certainly a less messy way to feed for you. You should've seen that Ylfa, she devoured half of a thrall and barfed it all on the floor afterwards." Another awkward moment for Skana, but better than licking the floor or worse, Orthjolfs ass, whoever Orthjolf is. "Oh come on, it was my first time and i wasn't in control of myself." Ylfa took word again although she changed to a more seductive tone."Perhaps someone should be in control of you, so you'd learn to feed properly. Should i show you how to do it? I can teach you many things." That was enough to make Skana more than just annoyed. She never liked seductive types and the topic isn't making it better. "Perhaps i should teach you what happened to the first person that was in control of me. I ripped her head off with bare hands and i wouldn't mind to do it again, if you catch my meaning." Ylfa was neither impressed nor intimidated by Skanas words."Oh she's a feisty one, i like her. I think i have a reason to stay at the castle now." Skaadi didn't really mind. "Be my guest Ylfa, you know where everything is. I think you two will get along just fine." Skaal who watched the introduction the whole time decided to take the word again. "Now then ladies, let's keep the pleasantries for later, i was actually taking Skana to the armory." Skaadi just threw in a "I expect a 'thank you' from you later Skana." Skana was still busy snarling at Ylfa and replied dry."Yeah sure. Whatever you say Skaadi." Ylfa just kept being amused by Skana. "I bet i can make you smile before the night ends." Skana turned to follow Skaal and just barked into her Scarf. "What an irritating woman." Skaal just laughed while he kept walking. "Ylfa isn't irritating Skana, having a discussion with Maera about council-rules, that's irritating. But i hope you'll never see that wretch again." Skana had no intention of trying to remember what exactly happened back in the Soul Cairn, as she followed Skaal to the armory, Ylfa was keeping her thoughts occupied. "What's with Ylfa? I just met her and it's like she's desperately trying to provocate me." Skaal noted cheerful. "That's just like her. Don't let it get to your head, she's just probing your personality. Talking of which, what do you think of her?" Skana didn't really know what to say so she just voiced the first thought that came to her mind."I find her attractive.. and irritating." The surprised look on Skaals face told Skana that wasn't the answer he had expected. "That's not really what i was asking for but i think i get what you meant with Azura instead of Molag Bal now." Skana was embarassed so she said nothing, but Skaal disarmed the situation, pointing at the weapon rack on the wall."My wife keeps her weapon very dear to herself, like any good warrior should do. I'm sure this blade is familiar to you." Skana couldn't believe her eyes at first. "But, that's my greatsword! That's my palefire greatsword!" Skaal elaborated on the weapon. "Palefire greatsword? I guess you could call it that way. When my wife forged it she named it Coldflame. You see, Skaadi is very fond of Akaviri swordmanship and according to history the Akaviri believed a warriors weapon is his soul, so they gave names to their weapons. It's obviously just metaphoric but a warrior has to find meaning in something just like a wizard does in his studies. Skaadi wasn't satisfied with that sword though, so she forged a daedric blade some years afterwards." Happy to see the blade again, Skana didn't thought of any fancy Akaviri names. She just wanted to have it again. "So when Illia went that day out of the cave, she came here to steal it i guess. Skaadi said i should thank her later, so she'll let me have the sword i take it?" A simple "That is correct." could be heard from Skaal. Skana happily fastened the sword on her back, noticing the familiar blue flames of the palefire enchantment."Who created the palefire enchantment actually?" With a proud tone to his voice Skaal replied. "That was me. Something to counter those pesky dawnguard cretins." As Skana wanted to say something, commotion could be heard from the main hall of the castle. Skaadi was angrily discussing something with someone, someone with a rather hoarse and raspy voice. Skaal rushed towards the room exit. "I don't like the sound of that voice." An odd clothed old Aldmer was standing in the hall, facing a very angry Skaadi with her weapon drawn. "The last Aldmer who annoyed me in these halls lost his limbs before i decapitated him, your chances to leave here intact are getting dangerously slim, Elf!" Skaal raised his voice."What's the meaning of this intrusion?" The old elf stayed calm and spoke with his raspy voice. "Lady Skaadi, with respect, all i want is to talk to your husband, i assure you after that i'll be gone, let's not make this a big deal. Skaadi was seething. "A big deal? You'll shove your bony ass out of my castle or i'll show you that you and my husband aren't the only ones who can transform into something nasty." The elf seemed to think for a moment, propably choosing his next words very carefully. "I have no intention to ignite a fight in your home, i came here with disturbing news, regarding recent dawnguard activity." Skana had no idea who the pompous elf infront of her was but Skaal knew him. "Uthrang spare us the formalities, what do you want and why do you intrude in my wifes castle?" Skaadi had her weapon sheathed again when she noticed Skaal being present. "Husband, you know i can't stomach this clown, i trust you will tell him to leave. Now excuse me, i need to find Nei before i loose my temper." Skaadi hastily left the hall after those words. "Ah cold and beautiful as always, your wife." As Uthrang laid eyes on Skana his interest seemed to be piqued. "And i see the slave is still accompanying you but what's this? Molag Bal turned her into a vampire eh? Yes that's just like him." Skana remembered the name Uthrang from that time back in Coldharbour, he was the other Lich, the one who spoke as if he was delusional. Calling her a slave made her rather angry. "I'm no ones slave you wannabe necromancer!" Skana noticed her temper gets increasingly shorter over time and she tried to suppress her anger. Skaal seemed to notice it."Calm yourself Skana, don't let those words agitate you." Skaal turned to Uthrang and spoke sternly."Skana is now a member of the Volkihar clan and you will treat her with the respect she deserves, are we clear on that?" Uthrang changed to his formal tone once more."Of course, apologies, i meant no disrespect. Now on to the current matter, i'm sure you'll be quite surprised to hear that i've seen the former Dawnguard leader Isran in dawnstar with a few of his troops." Skaal became slightly annoyed. "That's nonsense, Isran got killed decades ago. And last i remember the Dawnguard doesn't practices necromancy. We are well aware of some unorganized remnants that desperately try to reestablish their old order but Isran is nothing more than dust by now. You're wasting our and your time, i suggest you leave now before i show you the door." Ylfa took word on the matter. "No wait, this actually makes sense now that he says it, i remember seeing a bunch of dawnguard recieving orders from a bald redguard. When i think about it this could've been Isran, as unlikely it seems." Skaal turned to Ylfa in disbelief. "How in oblivion would that be possible? Even if we didn't killed him, He would be around 140 years old by now, no mortal man lives that long, especially not if he despises necromancy and vampirism like Isran did." Uthrang had a throw in again."Yes, like i said it's quite disturbing considering the facts about the Dawnguard." "Perhaps i should also note, he fights exactly like he did decades ago. I was curious and sent some minions in, he burned them to a crisp with his aura spell. Now that said, i will take my leave, i trust you will handle this accordingly since i have had no real business with the Dawnguard before." Uthrang vanished into a portal. Skaal turned to Skana and Ylfa. "I hate to admit this, but Uthrang is right, this needs to be investigated. I'd like you two to handle this, it's also a good possibility to get to know each other. And Ylfa, i'm sure Skana noticed it herself by now, her temper grows rather unstable, her body wants to catch up the three years without blood she had in the Soul Cairn, i trust you take care of her. In the meantime, i'll head into the Cairn, i'd like to know how Maera managed to get in there yesterday." Ylfa faced Skana with a smug grin."Well, you heard the Lord, Looks like i'll get to show you the ropes." Skana had trouble to handle her mood, Ylfas choice of words didn't made it easier for her either. "I'll show you the tip of my sword if you order me to do anything." Ylfa put on a playful face. "Only if you want me to order you, that's a difference and some people actually enjoy that." Skana didn't understand what Ylfa was getting at."Why i would i want to be a slave again? Care to tell me? You're so damn irritating." Skaal just shook his head. "You should learn to take a hint Skana. Anyway i trust you two can handle a mysteriously reanimated, or whatever happened to him, redguard crusader. Now off with you two." As Skana and Ylfa made for the exit of the castle, Skana thought about being in a town full of mortal men and mer and hoped for the best."So, my first time as vampire in a town, won't they recognize what we are when they see our eyes? I mean you all have glowing red yes, i think it's safe to assume my eyes look the same." Ylfa elaborated on that casually."Non-undead are not able to see it, for them our eyes are whatever they were before we became vampires. You only have to watch out for magelight, as it is able to reveal what we are." It was a wonderful night when they stepped ouf of the castle and went the ramp down to the water. Skana wanted to ask how they will get off the island but discarded the thought when she noticed the small boat ashore. Ylfa however had a question. "We take the boat there, ...say are you always barefoot?" Skana would've liked not to answer but moody as she was she couldn't stay silent. "You're doing that on purpose, right? Imagine to wear a pair of boots with those ankle cuffs." Ylfa just laughed as they both got into the boat and made their way across the water to Dawnstar. Skana preferred to say nothing on the boat trip, she just enjoyed the night. A few hours later at the shore of Dawnstar Skana took word. "So, where do we start?" Ylfa just chuckled. "At the inn, you silly. It's the best place to get the newest talk in the town." Skana eyed every person they passed by with an interested look. This town is full of prey, a giant feast for a vampire. As she stared at a guard a bit too long she heard Ylfa behind her. "Hey, control yourself, we're not here to trouble the townsfolk." Skana saw the sign of the inn and steered straight towards it. "Shut up Ylfa, i know what i'm doing." Ylfa just chuckled to herself again. "I like it when you're so feisty." Skana wanted to give a matching reply to that as they both entered the inn, but the smell of blood interrupted her. There was a man lying dead on the floor, covered in his own blood. The man must've died only minutes ago, the smell of blood had a quality to it that made Skana want to sink her fangs into the corpse. Before Ylfa could throw another funny line at her, Skana spoke first. "I know, I have to control myself." No funny or sarcastic line this time from Ylfa when she commended Skana. "You didn't jump on the corpse the second you saw it, you're doing good i think." The short moment of acknowledgment went to waste when the man on the bar counter spoke in a burly voice . "That man, deserved no better. An innkeeper turning to necromancy to bring his dead wife back to life is just disgusting.." The bald redguard continued his stern speech as he turned around on the chair. "And here i was thinking to have a drink before i finish off the rest of his family. But i have to wonder since when does vampire scum like you tour the inns of skyrim? This man knew what they are without even looking at them, Skana and Ylfa were alarmed and drew their weapons. Ylfa remarked. "This is definitely Isran, i do remember that way of talking, he was even spouting this nonsense while we were impaling him on the gate at Fort Dawnguard." Getting called 'vampire scum' was exactly what Skana expected to hear from a guy like this. "Good, glad that the formalities are skipped, so i can cleave your ugly bald head." Isran was hardly impressed at Skanas words and readied a spell. "Ha, i've killed dozens if not hundreds of your kind, you won't be the last i'll kill." Having formed his aura spell, Isran began to provocate the two vampires. "You won't be able to even touch me, now come let me bash your fangs back into your head with my hammer!" Skana could feel the aura even from the other side of the inn, it reminded her of her encounter with Auronus. Being remembered of that day where the spear pierced her throat made her hysterical. "No! Not this again, no!" Ylfa did not realize what was happening at first. "Skana? Hey what's wrong?" Skana went down on her knees and began to stammer. "Not the spear, please no! I don't want to die again!" She saw Auronus' iron visage in her mind. The spear rushing towards her throat, everything. Ylfa tried to help her. "Skana snap out of it, that's his aura spell, you can will it away, all vampires can do that, i can do it and you can do it too! Think of something wonderful, something you'd like to have, something that makes you happy. Just will it away!" Something snapped in Skanas mind, she heard Ylfas words, to think of something that makes her happy, something she wants... Something she craves. Skana looked up at the ceiling of the inn, and began to mutter to herself. "Something i want, something i want, something i want.." she began to laugh silently. When Skana got up from her knees she kept muttering to herself the same words. "Something that makes me happy... something i want.." There was worry in her voice when Ylfa asked. "Skana, are you alright?" Skana began to laugh while repeating the same words over and over again. "It makes me happy, it makes me feel good, it makes me happy..." After staying silent for a few seconds, she fixiated Isran with her eyes. "Yes, you have what makes me happy." Skana snapped completely, she roared with laughter and began to shout. "BLOOD MAKES ME HAPPY, GIVE ME YOURS! GIVE ME YOURS!" Ylfa noticed too late that Skana flew into a frenzy. "No Skana!" Skana didn't heard Ylfas words and charged straight at Isran roaring like an animal. Skana did not care for Israns paltry aura, she didn't care how it tried to burn her undead flesh, all she wants was Israns blood. Ylfa could barely keep up with Skanas speed "Damn girl, you'll kill yourself at this rate!" and Isran was completely overwhelmed for a second, avoiding a fatal attack only by an inch. Isran parried the second attack, but Skana swung her sword with such force that his hammer almost slipped from his hands when his arms were flung behind his back due to the momentum. Momentum he used to execute a counter attack. Skana was acting more out of instinct than anything when she readied herself to parry Israns attack. Ylfa tried to help Skana but the aura burned her instantly. "Ah damn, i guess you're better in shrugging spells off when you're really angry." Skana parried Israns attack and disarmed him in the same moment by bashing the hammer out of his hands. Isran couldn't keep up with Skanas fury but in his own sense of pride he provocated her again. "What? That's it?! Come on give me your best shot, scum!" Skana intended to oblige, so she kicked him away from the bar counter and raised her sword to cleave Israns head just like she said. Isran did only laugh and his voice changed slightly. "The next time, I will fight you serious." Skana didn't care what the redguard kneeling at her feet had to say, she just wanted to sink her sword into that mans skull. But before she could strike the final blow, a fiery blue explosion emanated from Isran, blowing Skana off her feet against a wooden beam in the inn. Skana was leaning against the wooden beam she hit when she got flung away by the explosion, disappointed she noticed that Isran was gone. Ylfa was kneeling next to her, trying to gather strength. "Shors bones, what was that? That guy might looked like Isran, but i didn't remember him doing explosive teleportations when we fought him decades ago." Skana just snarled at Ylfa, she was angry that Isran or whoever that was is gone. She wanted to cleave his head in half, drinking his blood, using the skull bone as a cup. But then she could hear a person whimpering somewhere in the inn. Skana immediately jumped on her feet and pointed into a room of the inn. "I hear someone...someone in agony, it's so delightful. I think it comes from that room." Ylfa could barely stand and complained. "Excuse me i'm still trying to come to terms that we almost got burned to a crisp by a mysterious copy of a long dead crusader." Skana didn't gave a damn about it, she was still lusting for blood, blood that might be right in range. "I have to find it, i want to feed!" Ylfa realized Skana isn't done yet with her bloodrage and just stared shocked at her going into the sideroom. "Snap out of it Skana, you have to control it and not let it control you." Skana refused to hear Ylfas words again and as she saw the person who was whimpering all the time, she was happy. She could finally feed, no one would be able to take the feast from her this time. As the whimpering woman noticed Skana entering the room, she began to beg her. "Please, help me! This man has killed my father! Just because he wanted to bring Ma back, there's nothing wrong in that isn't ?! Please i need your help!" Skana did not care for the womans pleas and she just grabbed her throat and lifted her up on her feet. "Do i look like i give a damn about a dead innkeeper?! Or a begging peasant like you?! Huh?! Do i?!" The woman was only able to gargle instead of answering. Ylfa apparently felt better already when she entered the room. "Skana that is enough." But Skana became annoyed by those words. "I told you not to order me around Ylfa! Now shut up while i enjoy this." Before Ylfa could react, Skana bent the womans head to the right and sunk her fangs into her neck. Skana savored every drop of blood she drained from her victim, the feast she had waited for so long finally found its way to her. Skana accidently enthralled her as she greedily drained the womans veins, the woman was in a trance like state, muttering something to herself. "I.. must be ...in sovngarde.... ah this feels so... wonderful." This didn't go fast enough for Skana, she wanted all of her blood, in an instant, now. "I want it all!" Skana shouted while she ripped the womans head off her neck. Skana marveled at the blood splattering everywhere. "Yes! More! Give me more!" As Skana turned around to Ylfa she snarled, showing her fangs. "I want more, there is more in this town, i want it all!" Ylfa tried to talk Skana out of it, but Skana was drunk on blood and she wanted more. "Skana i urge you to stop it, you'll get addicted and turn feral if you continue this!" Skana aimed for the room exit, she wanted to introduce herself to Dawnstar. "Shut up, you're irritating as usual!" Ylfa grabbed Skana from behind and stopped her, Skana was protesting. "Let me go, or i'll swear i kill you!" Ylfa just held Skana closer to herself."I could bite your neck, right here and now and steal all that that blood you just had. I'm also thirsty, but that doesn't mean i will actually do it. I was in the same state a century ago i know what i'm talking about Skana, if you want to survive, you have to restrain yourself or else you'll go insane at this rate." Skanas mind jumped into different directions, never finishing a thought, except one. Ylfa seemed to care for her. This was enough to bring Skanas mind back to reality and she relaxed in Ylfas grasp. "It's alright, i'm myself again...and thank you." Ylfa turned Skana around. "Let me have a look at your face." After a few embarassing seconds for Skana, she added."That beautiful face of yours suits you better than the bloodthirsty grimace you just had. How about i'll distract you a bit from that bloodthirst when we're back at the castle?" Skana was perplexed, she knew what Ylfa meant but the straightforwardness surprised her. She remembered what Ronara told her about getting the mind off of the thirst before she tentatively accepted Ylfas proposal. "I think it couldn't hurt to try." As Ylfa released her from her grasp, Skana tried to get the situation sorted in her mind. It was a bit embarrassing but for some reason she enjoyed the thought that Ylfa cared for her, but there were more urgent matters. "In any case, we should get back and tell Skaal about what happened here. I'm sure he might have an idea what this Isran imitation was." Skana said nothing on the way back to the boat, but Ylfa seemed to know what was going on in her mind. "Hey, no need to be so shy. Where's the feisty woman i met at the castle a few hours ago?" There was no need to be embarrassed or shy, after all Skana deems herself more barbaric than civilized."Oh well, get your ass into the boat and start to row, while i enjoy the night." Ylfa replied with glee. "That's much better." Skana couldn't help herself, in the end Ylfa was right, she made her smile before the night has ended.