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[blazingsai]

Flame-Child: Part Two

Chapter Thirty One: Taking the Castle (2)

Obvious traps are obvious...
Story

 

 

Part One

 

 

Niyleen made it to the main door and stopped. “It’s quiet… too quiet.”

“I’m glad your experiences haven’t betrayed you, little one.”

 

Niyleen turned around and stood face to face with Duraza once more. “So is this your task? To stop me from bashing Teresa’s skull in?”

“You’re really inelegant you know,” Duraza said with a frown. “Stop you? No, more like slow you down a bit. Ultimately Teresa wants you all for herself.”

 

“Then why all the obstacles? Seems like she’s just showing off if she really wants a true one on one with me.”

“You’ll have to ask her when you get past me.” Duraza drew her weapon, and Niyleen responded in kind. “Now then, let’s see just how much you’ve improved, little one.”

 

“Another time perhaps,” said a voice behind Duraza. Both the former thieves looked in its direction and were shocked.

“S-sis… what are you doing here?”

 

“We’re forever linked together in this life, whether we want to be or not.” Nyleine smiled at Niyleen who felt her heart sink. “You can try to hide it, but it was obvious that you’d try your best to protect us from this final battle.”

“And yet you all came anyway…”

 

“Touching, really,” said Duraza. “But if I may interrupt this little reunion,” She looked at Niyleen and grinned. “I know you’re in a hurry, but would you really let your ‘sister’ face me alone? She and I don’t have the past that we do, and I may not be as careful with her as I would be with you.”

She made a point. Neither Duraza nor Niyleen truly wanted to kill the other, and they both knew to an extent how far the other could be pushed before they got to their breaking point. Then when she looked at the match-up objectively, Duraza was an opponent that Niyleen didn’t really want to face on a good day, and she had no doubt about how one-sided the bout between her sister and the orc would be.

 

“Nyleine, draw back. I’ll take Duraza out and then we’ll—”

Nyleine jumped between her sister and Duraza and kept her back to Niyleen. “You both may believe that I’m weak, that I can’t hang with you both, but I’m much more resilient than you both know.” Nyleine drew her sword and fell into a stance that was unfamiliar for the necromancer. “Go on ahead sister, I’ll hold her off here.”

I know what you’re thinking, I’m thinking the same thing, but you said it yourself, ‘May as well not waste my energy.’ Regardless of if she can win or not, believe in Duraza. She won’t kill her, you’ve got to trust her on that.

 

Niyleen looked from the Orsimer to her sister and after a few moments nodded her head. “Don’t you dare die on me!”

Nyleine turned and had that same smile that made Niyleen feel wretched every time she saw it. “No problem Big Sis! Now get going! Lucari’s not me. She won’t wait forever for you.”

Wiping the tears from her eyes, Niyleen proceeded to enter the castle.

The Halfling thought that she’d have to go through a bunch more obstacles before having to face Teresa, but there she was. Standing across the grand hall, was the Nord Vampire with the woman known as Sevetia standing to her side.

 “Hmph, what’s the point of hired help of they can’t do what they were paid for? Useless.”

The haughtiness in the vampire’s voice refueled Niyleen’s rage. “You bitch! Where are you keeping Lucari!!”

“Ever the demanding type aren’t you?” Teresa said. There was something about the way she was speaking that made the Halfling feel like she was being talked down to. “This,” Teresa gestured around her. “This whole mess, the month, your struggles, all of it was and is futile, for the one you know as Lucari is no more.”

 

“Lies!!” Niyleen rushed towards Teresa, but her progress was impeded by Sevetia.

 “See, this is why I can’t stand mortals,” Teresa said as she rolled her eyes. “Did I ever say that Lucari was dead? She’s quite alive and doing well.”

“S-so she’s alive… Thank the gods…”

“I don’t know why you’re thanking them. You are dead to her, mortal. When she sees you, she’ll tear you to shreds!”

 

“We’ll just have to see about that,” Niyleen said as she brandished her weapon.

“Indeed… Indeed we will… Sevetia, go outside and prevent any of her cohorts from entering. They won’t wish to see what becomes of her.” Without acknowledging Teresa, Sevetia walked past Niyleen and within a few seconds the Halfling heard the door slam behind her. “Now then with her out of the way,” Teresa spread her arms out. “Come and get me!”

*

“What’s wrong lookalike? Getting cold feet already?”

Nyleine hadn’t moved since her sister entered the castle. It wasn’t because she was afraid, but rather she was still trying to prepare herself mentally for the task presented to her. She had heard stories of Malacath’s so-called ‘Chosen One’, but she didn’t know how much truth the stories held.

“Also, I can tell that you’re not a warrior. Your eyes give it away. So if you don’t want to, we don’t have to fight.”

 

“W-what!?”

 

“Yeah, you see, there are too many variables in play. If I so much as hurt you, Niyleen’s going to chase me down to the ends of the earth, I know her. Then since I already let Niyleen pass, I’m not even getting payed to keep you here…”

“Then back down calmly and quietly!”

 “If you don’t stop the tough girl act, I WILL hurt you lookalike. Just go back to your little lair, and wait for Niyleen to return, dead or alive.”

 

Nyleine knew the Orc meant what she said, that she could probably just turn around and that’d be it, but she wouldn’t turn and run from something like this. Not now, not ever.

 

Seeing the conviction in Nyleine’s eyes Duraza simply rolled her eyes. “Let’s get this over with.”

Nyleine attacked Duraza with an array of slashes that took Duraza off guard, but were too sloppy and slow to ever hit the Orc. After a few minutes of letting the Nyleine think she was backing Duraza into a corner, the Orsimer suddenly turned the tides of battle with a swift kick that felled the Halfling.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Hmph, not bad girl. Not bad at all,” Duraza said praising Nyleine’s effort. “If I hadn’t trained with or fought Niyleen on numerous occasions, you might have had a chance at winning.”

“There was clearly some growth on your part. I should know since I was spying on you guys for so long...” Duraza looked down at Nyleine and there as a glint of sadness in her eyes. “But those few days that you went off and did whatever training you did… it wasn’t enough to make up for years worth of experience. Well… maybe if your opponent wasn’t me it would have been. But fate is never kind…”

Not a moment after, the door to the castle opened and out came Sevetia looking rather displeased. She gave Duraza a vicious stare before grabbing Nyleine off the the ground and snarling at her.

 

 

 

“C-calm down you damned beast! I’ve got everything under control here!!”

Seeing that Sevetia wasn’t about to stop, Duraza give her a swift kick to the side, and got Sevetia to release Nyleine. However, the woman now held animosity towards the Orsimer.

“Back down beast!” Duraza said as she herself backed away from Sevetia.  However, Sevetia continued to trudge ever closer to the Orsimer. “I said back down dammit! If I have to put you down—”

 

Just as Sevetia pounced at Duraza causing the Orc to lose her balance and fall to the ground, a long sword zipped past Duraza’s head on her way to the ground and protruded through Sevetia’s heart, causing the Sevetia to fall to the ground motionless.

 

 

Part Two

 

“This sword… well damn,” Duraza said as a smile formed on her face her face. “You’re as heck a different animal aren’t you Syliel, even if you are the same beast.”

“…I guess you can say that.” The Syliel in question then retrieved her weapon and began looking about. “So where is Niyleen?”

Duraza shrugged. “She’s inside, probably still taking on Teresa.”

 

“Then I don’t have a moment to lose,” Carciel said as she hurried past the Orc…

*

“You… you can’t be serious… If this was all you had, if this was the extent of your power, then what was that month for?” Niyleen said as she descended the stairs toward Teresa. “I could have killed you then!”

 

To be fair, you’ve grown exponentially since then. I’d even dare to say that you’re at least twice as strong as you were before you met Trineiya. Not to mention you’re wielding a weapon that is the literal materialization of her weakness—

Niyleen looked down at Teresa and scowled. (Don’t you dare start trying to rationalize her weakness! That fight was so anticlimactic! Besides, shouldn’t a vampire as old as her like… have a plan against flames or something?)

 

She’s a vampire. Vampires regardless of how strong or how old are weak against flames. If you’re mad because you’ve too quickly breached her defenses and exacted your revenge, then just say that and move on…

“*cough* Ha! You *cough* mortals,” The vampire tried to get up, but didn’t seem to have the strength to do so. “You all think *cough* *cough* think that the universe revolves around each of you individually…”

 “What are you getting at?”

 

“I’ve already… already warned you Redguard… The girl you came for *cough* *cough* is no more… Me winning… or losing… was *cough* irrelevant from the start”

 

Niyleen stood over Teresa while placing her flame sword against the vampire’s face.  “I’ve not killed when it was avoidable in quite some time, vampire. I… I think Lucari would be proud of me for that.” The Halfling heard the sizzling of Teresa’s skin, and decided to continue with this torture for some time.

“Hisssss *cough* *cough* ssss… You bitch,” Teresa was able to make out while trying to avoid having her whole face burned. “S-so… you’re telling me this… why?”

 

That look of superiority even in this situation. Niyleen wanted nothing more than to dismember the undead bitch and look for Lucari on her own, but she didn’t know how much time she had left before someone came bursting through those doors to attack her. “Tell me vamp,” Niyleen said as she moved her sword away from the vampire. “Where are you hiding Lucari?”

“Kill *cough*kill me, mortal. KILL ME! For everything I’ve done, *cough* everything I’ve put your comrades through, you know you want me dead.” Teresa sat up a bit, looking completely unscathed, and peered into Niyleen’s eyes. “Do it! End this once and for all!”

(By the Nine, what’s this regeneration!? Was… is she holding back on me!?)

 

Does it matter? All you need to do is what we came here to do. End her life and retrieve Lucari.

 

“Shit!” Niyleen clenched her teeth as she struggled with this terrible feeling in her gut that killing Teresa would be the worst thing she could do right now.

 

I am a bit surprised that you’re hesitating this close to the end, but I can’t say I disagree.

 

(There’s something about her eyes… it’s like she NEEDS me to kill her…) Niyleen stuck Teresa through the arm and her shrieks almost caused the Halfling to pass out.

 

“Hissssssssssssssssss! W-what are you doing, mortal,” Teresa said as she hissed up a storm. “What are you waiting for!!!?”

 

“Like I said, I’ve not killed when it was avoidable in quite some time. Besides,” She flashed Teresa a grin. “I’d rather not assist my enemy.”

Turning from Teresa, she could hear the vampire hissing at her and struggling to no avail to remove the flame sword from her body. Just as she was about to head off to search for Lucari, the castle’s door opened and Niyleen went on high alert… until she saw who it was.

 

 “Carciel?”

The Breton said nothing and simply went over to the Halfling and pressed herself against Niyleen. Before she realized what she was doing, Niyleen proceeded to hold Carciel close to her and the pair remained like this until the Niyleen finally broke the silence.

 

 

 “Hey Carciel,” Niyleen said as she ran her fingers through the Breton’s hair. “You… you cut your hair? I could have sworn you were growing it—”

Carciel suddenly pushed Niyleen away and hung her head. “You’re… you’re too nice to everyone, you know that! It may not be a naïve niceness, but you’re quick to give people exactly what they need in the moment…”

 

“Carciel… I—”

 

“Shut up!” Carciel’s sudden outburst caught Niyleen off guard and made the Breton chuckle. “Heh, way to push her right into her arms Caricel… As if you ever stood a chance…”

 “I just wish… N-nevermind. Geez, do you need me to hold your hand? Got to her already!” Niyleen saw Carciel try to force herself to smile, but it was obvious to Niyleen by her tears what Carciel really wanted.

 

She had a ton of questions for the Breton like: Was Nyleine safe? What happened with Duraza and Sevetia? How were the two of them supposed to move forward? And so on. Niyleen knew what Carciel wanted. Carciel wanted Niyleen to hold her again, to choose her over Lucari. If this was a matter for the heart, Niyleen in that instant would have obliged, however, her heart wouldn’t allow her to do as the Breton wished.

(I… I never wanted to hurt Carciel again. Especially not like this…)

 

With three women vying for your love, it was inevitable. You’ve got to be resolute now. If you don’t want her to hate you now, in this moment you have to act cold to her just like you were with Eolri earlier.

Following Nega’s advice, Niyleen went back to Teresa and felt something inside her break as she heard Carciel’s whimpers as she walked away. “One last chance vampire,” Niyleen said trying to maintain her composure. She took hold of her blade again and its flames rekindled again. “Where. Is. Lucari.”

“HISSSSSSSS! …Kill me you low bred bitch!”

 

 

 “Fine,” Niyleen sighed. “I’ll grant your request.”

 

“STOP!”

 

Niyleen didn’t have to take her eyes off of Teresa to know who that voice belonged to, and luckily she didn’t. Otherwise she would have missed the fear traced on the vampire’s face.

 

“Y-you Orc!!! W-what are you doing!?”

“If you kill her, then Lucari, as you know her, won’t exist anymore,” Duraza said, ignoring her client. “She’ll become an insatiable ravenous beast who will want revenge on the person responsible for her ‘Mistress’s death! And once she attains that, she’ll just go around killing everything that’s in her path trying to sate her unending hunger!”

 

“Is this true?” Niyleen looked down at Teresa who had pursed her lips.

 

“Every word,” Duraza answered in the vampire’s stead. ”Anyway, the one you’re looking for? She’s downstairs, not too far from here actually. Take the path on the left of the throne and you should soon get to a room with a big opening.  Your Nord should be there.”

“Thanks.” Niyleen delivered a swift kick to Teresa that knocked the vampire unconscious. “Why are you helping me? You told me that in this life, ‘only a fool would turn down easy coin.’”

 

“I made too many mistakes on this mission to get paid anyway near the amount of time that I signed on for,” Duraza admitted. “That and… I’m sick of repeating the same events over and over again you know? Regardless of which side I’m on.”

(She knew!? Of course she knew about the Cycles! Orcs ARE Mer, and it was never specified that the elven Mer were the only ones to—)

 

Stop thinking so hard about this and get going! I’ve a feeling that this is may be it. That this is going to be the last time we’re caught up in these Cycles!

 

Niyleen nodded, to both Duraza and Nega, and then headed in the direction that her former mentor had mentioned. Like Duraza had said, it didn’t take long for Niyleen to come to room with quite a wide opening. There was an empty shrine and a pool of water that contained a fountain that seemed to flow with blood, however the one she was looking for, Lucari, was nowhere to be found.

 

Niyleen crossed her arms and Edged closer to the pool of water. “S-something’s wrong. I know Duraza wouldn’t lie to me, not when I was this close. Not even she’s that cruel,” Niyleen looked around for Lucari some more but her efforts were in vain. “But even so… Where in the world is Lucari!?”

 

There’s something—someone in the water!

 

Just as Nega’s words filled Niyleen’s head, she saw a feminine figure dressed in white rise from the pool of water with its back turned to Niyleen, and for a moment the Halfling couldn’t move. She knew who it was, who it could only be, but something deep within her stopped her from wrapping the Nord in her arms and never letting go.

This is it! What are you waiting for? Got to her! Don’t make everyone’s efforts be in vain damn it!!!

 

Once again, Niyleen knew that Nega was right, but she couldn’t—wouldn’t accept it as so. It felt like something was off, like this couldn’t be it, this couldn’t be the end. There had to be a catch. (This could be a trap… Maybe if I go into the water it’ll become acid. Or perhaps if I take a step forward even more vampires will come and attack me. Or maybe—)

“I… I can sense you back there…”

 “That voice…”

 

Do you think this is a trap now?

 

Niyleen shook her head and tried to contain her feelings from overflowing. “Lucari…” she said as she reached out towards her.

The woman in the water turned toward Niyleen and smiled, chilling the Halfling to the bone. “Ah, it’s you Niyleen.”

 “Shit!” Niyleen and Nega said simultaneously as they realized at the same time that Niyleen’s suspicions were correct. Unfortunately for the duo, they realized their error far too late.

 

Before Niyleen could make a move, she felt a sharp pain in her chest. Looking down, she saw saw a bloody hand that was gripping something protruding from her. “Is that… am I—”

 

Niyleen! NIYLEEEEN!!!

 

Before she knew it, Niyleen fell to the ground and everything started to go dark. It wasn’t long before the feeling in her body went numb and it was getting harder and harder to breath. Niyleen knew this was the end, but she didn’t feel too bad about it. Seeing how Nega and the other versions of her ended the cycles, there was a feeling of invincibility that she felt. However, Niyleen wasn’t stupid, she knew from the start that death was a possibility, and since it was by her lover’s hands, she wasn’t all that upset about things…

 

“Sweet dreams, dear Niyleen~”

*

Shit I was too careless! Nega was doing all she could to keep their body alive, but without the heart, there was little she could do to prolong the inevitable. Maybe I could take over, yeah… If I gain control, I can probably use my influx of power to—!!

 

*PLOOP*

 

Something was wrong. As soon as Nega tried to make the switch she could feel their body failing at a rapid rate. This… this has never happened before! Why? Niyleen! Are… are you accepting this? Why? Did you think that THAT was the so called monster Lucari was suppose to turn into!? I can’t accept that! YOU can’t accept that! You haven’t even seen Lucari! We came all this way! We freaking beat Teresa! You can’t just die without doing—without telling Lucari anything!!! Niyleen, wake up! WAKE UP!!!

 

 

 

 

[Standman]

Dang, blazingsai... I swear those last bits there scared the heck out of me.

[blazingsai]

Dang, blazingsai... I swear those last bits there scared the heck out of me.

That's awesome to hear!

I actually wanted Niyleen to be bloody in the last four shots (probably only visible in two of the four) but for some reason the blood marks weren't appearing on her :\

[Standman]

 

Dang, blazingsai... I swear those last bits there scared the heck out of me.

That's awesome to hear!

I actually wanted Niyleen to be bloody in the last four shots (probably only visible in two of the four) but for some reason the blood marks weren't appearing on her :\

 

 

Ah, I see. The heart in the pool prob achieved the intended effect, for me anyways

I'm actually curious as to what mfg console sorcery you used exactly for Lucari's gameface... but a part of my mind probably doesn't want to find out, haha xD

[blazingsai]

 

 

Dang, blazingsai... I swear those last bits there scared the heck out of me.

That's awesome to hear!

I actually wanted Niyleen to be bloody in the last four shots (probably only visible in two of the four) but for some reason the blood marks weren't appearing on her :\

 

 

Ah, I see. The heart in the pool prob achieved the intended effect, for me anyways

I'm actually curious as to what mfg console sorcery you used exactly for Lucari's gameface... but a part of my mind probably doesn't want to find out, haha xD

 

I wish it was just mfg. I had to completely butcher her face in order to make it look like that. Afterwards, the only thing I did with mfg was a simple mfg expression 10 100 XD

[blazingsai]

Flame-Child: Part Two

Chapter Thirty Two: Fifth Cycle(?)

And so time continues to repeat...
Story

 

 

“Wake up my Thane! You’re having one of your nightmares again!”

 

After a few minutes the thane finally opened her eyes and sat up, causing whoever it was that jarred her awake to finally stop. “Gods… what happened to me…” The thane rubbed her head and tried to get a grip on things, but to no avail. “Y-you there, can you tell me who you are? No… who am I?”

“Again with the memory loss?” The person said to the thane. She smiled at the thane, and little by little the thane could feel something within her unraveling. “I’m surprised that you’re actually the thane considering how you can’t seem to remember where you are half the time.”

 

There was something about this person, something familiar but at the same time mysterious. Their relationship seemed a bit odd, but it wasn’t odd of them to have one at all. As the thane mulled over this, she was engulfed in pain until what she could only call her ally was able to soothe her.

“Dear me, I forgot that once you’re like this you become useless until I fill in the gaps for you,” the thane’s ally said with a smirk on her face. “Well, we’ve got a busy day ahead of us, let me be quick about this. My name is Veronica. I am the housecarl to one Thane Niyleen Flame-Child of Morthal…”

The rest of what she said and what Niyleen did for a few weeks was a blur. From how people talked about her, it seemed that she was once a respected figure in Morthal that would love to see return to her former glory, but with her random bouts of/with amnesia it wasn’t likely that she’d ever become the woman they were hoping she would. It was odd that none of this sounded familiar, and that it also pained her deeply when people said these things, but Niyleen attributed that to the amnesia. If that was just it, the Halfling thought she could get on with her life in peace. Sadly it wasn’t.

 

 

With each passing day there was a voice in her head that kept calling to her, and if she hadn’t been trying to drown it out with alcohol, she would have soon become mad. Although the mead quelled her madness, it only fueled an anger deep within her until one day she lashed out and killed a man for trying to hit on her while she was belligerently drunk.

 

 

 

 

Luckily for Niyleen the man turned out to be a wanted criminal who was trying to lay low in Morthal until his bounty decreased, so there was no jail time. However, her actions made her swear off the spirits… and then the voice returned.

 

Unable to contain subdue, Niyleen succumbed to it and eventually was shunned by everyone except for her housecarl. However, even loyalty such as hers wasn’t eternal…

 

Three months after Veronica announced to Niyleen that she was thane…

 

Wake up… You’re living a lie…

 

(Shut up!) Niyleen reached for a potion she had created made from blisterwort, swamp fungal pod, and various other ingredients and downed the whole vial. The concoction had the risk of containing various side effects every time she drank it such as complete paralysis, frenzy, and more, but the main effect was always true: it made her feel numb and fuzzy, and the voice went away. (Stop trying to manipulate me you son of a bitch!)

 

Niyleen was so consumed with trying to get rid of the voice in her head that she was oblivious to what was happening around her. However, she was able to hear something that sounded like buzzing and it was infuriating her. Without hesitation she shot a fireball towards where she heard the buzzing and the buzzing ceased.

“Damn it all, can’t I just get some fucking peace?” At her words, the buzzing started again and Niyleen dropped to her knees from the pain that took hold of her. “I… I see that this is how you want to play…” She concentrated a fireball in each of her hands and turned towards the source of the buzzing. “Well prepare to be doused in—!!”

 

Niyleen cut herself short and stared in disbelief at the sight before her: Veronica was on the ground covered in flames gasping for air as her shrieks filled Windstad Manor. Quickly, Niyleen doused the flames and cast Healing hands on the Nord, and within seconds Veronica was cured. However, by the look on her face, Niyleen wasn’t so sure this would be a good thing for her.

 

 

 

“Are you happy now,” said Veronica as she got to her feet. Her tone was low and sounded more hostile than her usual perky self.

 

“H-happy?” The last few months had been so antagonizing for Niyleen, that she’d almost forgotten how it felt to be happy. “No… not really. I’m happy you’re alive, but—”

 

“So let me get this straight,” Veronica interrupted. She stood up and looked down at her thane. “Saving the town from an impending vampire attack, no good. Becoming the thane, getting a house, and earning the respect of all the townspeople, no good. Killing someone in broad daylight, no good. Becoming an abusive drunk, no good. Becoming a raving mad woman, no good. Being shunned by everyone, save me, no good. And now, almost killing and then subsequently reviving the only person in the Hold, heck probably the whole province, who gives a damn about you…”

“I-I-I didn’t mean to!” Niyleen knew that whatever she said now was going to sound like naught but excuses. Then coupled with the fact that the fuzziness she was feeling was also impairing her thoughts, the Halfling knew that there was no way that her words to her housecarl were going to hold any weight… but that didn’t mean that she wasn’t going to try. “I… Veronica, it was the voices! The buzzing! I would have never done this if they hadn’t—”

“You were never like this,” Veronica said somberly. “Even at your very worst you’d at least take responsibility for your actions instead of running away from them like a coward.”

“Me? A coward?” Niyleen stood and glared at her housecarl. “I’ve taken a bunch of shit from the townspeople, and my so called friends, but you?” She gestured at the Nord. “Are you not sworn to protect me and all I own with my life?”

 

Veronica returned the Halfling’s glare with an icy stare of her own. “Indeed I am…”

 

“Then why haven’t you protected my honor? My sanity? You’re a worthless fucking housecarl! I wish I killed you with my flames you rotten bitch!” (Stop! Stop saying these things! I don’t mean it! Know that I don’t mean it Veronica!!!) Niyleen expected the Nord to lash out at her verbally or physically it didn’t matter, she was ready for it. Heck, she knew that she deserved it. However, what happened next the Halfling wasn’t able to prepare her heart for.

Veronica sighed and turned her back on her thane. “I… I was so proud to have been able to be at your side. You… you rescued my ma and pa from those vampires, and showed that even the little guy mattered… You were haughty, sure, but you were fair and just. I believed in you, and the good you could do for Morthal. Even when your memories went away, even through the drinking, through us being ostracized, you making enemies out of everyone in the entire Hold… I believed in you. I took you to the best healers, I tried to be someone you could lean on…”

Niyleen could hear Veronica’s words get stuck in her throat and remained silent as the Nord regathered her composure.

 

“I’m sure that these voices you’re hearing seem real enough to you, and the proof is evident that they’re plaguing you badly due to your actions… But it’s all in your head,” Veronica finally said. “All of it! The memory loss, the voices… I don’t know what you’re running away from, but until you do, I can’t help you. I can’t be the one to stand with you as all of Tamriel stands against you. I’m… I’m not that strong…”

 “Wait… w-what are you saying?”

Veronica said nothing and proceeded to head to the door.

 (NO! I can’t lose her!!) “Veronica!!!” Niyleen started to run after her, but stopped herself just as the Nord got to the door. (Move dammit, move! Say something! Do something! Don’t let her leave like this! Please—)

 

“Thank you, my thane for being the best thane I could possibly ask for… You were right. I was a terrible housecarl to you,” and with those words Veronica left and Niyleen finally had no one left.

 

Niyleen thought that she’d at least feel a bit of sadness at her housecarl’s departure, but her concoction was in full effect and she was at last mentally and emotionally numb, but it didn’t feel right. Normally Niyleen would indulge herself with a good book, some well rested sleep, or exchanging stories with Veronica, however with Veronica out of the picture she wasn’t up to either of the former options and opted for a fourth. Niyleen took out two vials, and one after the other consumed all the liquids within them, and then before her head hit the ground she was fast asleep.

 

*

Darkness… eternal darkness. Niyleen dreamt of a sight such as this almost everytime she laid her head to rest. Darkness as far as the eye could see, a chill down her spine, and then red eyes that would scare anyone into submission, accompanied by a splitting headache and a deep pain in her chest, this is what the Halfling had to look forward to every night. It’s why along with that terrible concoction, Niyleen had started medicating herself with another mixture that would give her increased stamina and reduce her tiredness. It’d been weeks since the Halfling had last slept. She didn’t know why she was experience the pain… having these nightmares, and if she was indeed running from something she didn’t know what, but she’d keep on running if she could just escape it all.

Niyleen sighed and closed her eyes. (So this is when I feel a chill and see those demonic crimson eyes?)

Rejoice Halfling, for you’ve finally done it! You’ve really done it!

Niyleen’s eyes snapped open, and she gathered a fireball in each hand while looking about cautiously. “Who are you? And what in Oblivion is going on?”

 

Who am I? Well… I’m a bit different from all the other voices in your head thus far. They were other versions of yourself that have received less than fortunate ends. I’m an outside influence.

 

Niyleen shot out several fireballs into the darkness, but they all disappeared into the void. “I… I don’t understand what you’re talking about! ‘Outside influence?’ ‘Other versions of myself?’ I’m Niyleen Flame-Child, Thane of Morthal! That’s who I am, who I’ve always been—”

 

Who you’ve always been? That’s a joke at best, but if you wish to continue to drown in your sorrows then I can let you repeat this vicious ‘cycle’ that you’ve chosen for yourself. But when you finally decide to ‘wake up’, call for Sythinel and take that sleeping potion again. Then, and only then will I show you the truth…

*

(I chose… this?) Niyleen thought as she laid on her bed, with a blank expression on her face. With Veronica’s departure occupying her, it took Niyleen a few days to come to grips with what the voice had said to her. Other versions of herself? It sounded like a preposterous idea, but then again… (It called this a Cycle… But why did it feel like that word carried more weight than it ought to have?)

Niyleen closed her eyes and tried to sleep but to no avail. It seems that finally the mixture that she’d been using to stay awake had altered her body to the point that she didn’t need to sleep for days. However, toll it was taking on her sanity was tremendous. At the top of every hour, something be it a creak, the wind, or just a feeling would make Niyleen feel as if she were being watched, and for about five minutes Niyleen would search for this ‘watcher’. Ninety six hours of this with no rest had finally gotten to the Halfling.

(Damn it all!) Niyleen got up from her bed and went over to her alchemy station and began brewing another sleeping potion. It annoyed her so that in order to have a chance to regain her sanity, she’d have to play into the hand of what made her insane in the first place. She didn’t believe the voice’s words, nor did she think anything would be changed by her doing what it said. (But if I can just get a few moments of rest, it’ll all be worth it.)

 

After completing the potion, Niyleen mixed it with some Honningbrew mead; it was the only way she could take the stuff now without vomiting. Resolved, Niyleen took a deep breath and steeled herself. “Alright Sythinel, here goes nothing.” She then drank her sleeping potion and fell into a deep slumber…

 

 

 

 

[ther1pper]

Flame-Child: Part Two

Chapter Thirty Two: Fifth Cycle(?)

And so time continues to repeat...

Story

 

 

“Wake up my Thane! You’re having one of your nightmares again!”

 

After a few minutes the thane finally opened her eyes and sat up, causing whoever it was that jarred her awake to finally stop. “Gods… what happened to me…” The thane rubbed her head and tried to get a grip on things, but to no avail. “Y-you there, can you tell me who you are? No… who am I?”

“Again with the memory loss?” The person said to the thane. She smiled at the thane, and little by little the thane could feel something within her unraveling. “I’m surprised that you’re actually the thane considering how you can’t seem to remember where you are half the time.”

 

There was something about this person, something familiar but at the same time mysterious. Their relationship seemed a bit odd, but it wasn’t odd of them to have one at all. As the thane mulled over this, she was engulfed in pain until what she could only call her ally was able to soothe her.

“Dear me, I forgot that once you’re like this you become useless until I fill in the gaps for you,” the thane’s ally said with a smirk on her face. “Well, we’ve got a busy day ahead of us, let me be quick about this. My name is Veronica. I am the housecarl to one Thane Niyleen Flame-Child of Morthal…”

The rest of what she said and what Niyleen did for a few weeks was a blur. From how people talked about her, it seemed that she was once a respected figure in Morthal that would love to see return to her former glory, but with her random bouts of/with amnesia it wasn’t likely that she’d ever become the woman they were hoping she would. It was odd that none of this sounded familiar, and that it also pained her deeply when people said these things, but Niyleen attributed that to the amnesia. If that was just it, the Halfling thought she could get on with her life in peace. Sadly it wasn’t.

 

 

With each passing day there was a voice in her head that kept calling to her, and if she hadn’t been trying to drown it out with alcohol, she would have soon become mad. Although the mead quelled her madness, it only fueled an anger deep within her until one day she lashed out and killed a man for trying to hit on her while she was belligerently drunk.

 

 

 

 

Luckily for Niyleen the man turned out to be a wanted criminal who was trying to lay low in Morthal until his bounty decreased, so there was no jail time. However, her actions made her swear off the spirits… and then the voice returned.

 

Unable to contain subdue, Niyleen succumbed to it and eventually was shunned by everyone except for her housecarl. However, even loyalty such as hers wasn’t eternal…

 

Three months after Veronica announced to Niyleen that she was thane…

 

Wake up… You’re living a lie…

 

(Shut up!) Niyleen reached for a potion she had created made from blisterwort, swamp fungal pod, and various other ingredients and downed the whole vial. The concoction had the risk of containing various side effects every time she drank it such as complete paralysis, frenzy, and more, but the main effect was always true: it made her feel numb and fuzzy, and the voice went away. (Stop trying to manipulate me you son of a bitch!)

 

Niyleen was so consumed with trying to get rid of the voice in her head that she was oblivious to what was happening around her. However, she was able to hear something that sounded like buzzing and it was infuriating her. Without hesitation she shot a fireball towards where she heard the buzzing and the buzzing ceased.

“Damn it all, can’t I just get some fucking peace?” At her words, the buzzing started again and Niyleen dropped to her knees from the pain that took hold of her. “I… I see that this is how you want to play…” She concentrated a fireball in each of her hands and turned towards the source of the buzzing. “Well prepare to be doused in—!!”

 

Niyleen cut herself short and stared in disbelief at the sight before her: Veronica was on the ground covered in flames gasping for air as her shrieks filled Windstad Manor. Quickly, Niyleen doused the flames and cast Healing hands on the Nord, and within seconds Veronica was cured. However, by the look on her face, Niyleen wasn’t so sure this would be a good thing for her.

 

 

 

“Are you happy now,” said Veronica as she got to her feet. Her tone was low and sounded more hostile than her usual perky self.

 

“H-happy?” The last few months had been so antagonizing for Niyleen, that she’d almost forgotten how it felt to be happy. “No… not really. I’m happy you’re alive, but—”

 

“So let me get this straight,” Veronica interrupted. She stood up and looked down at her thane. “Saving the town from an impending vampire attack, no good. Becoming the thane, getting a house, and earning the respect of all the townspeople, no good. Killing someone in broad daylight, no good. Becoming an abusive drunk, no good. Becoming a raving mad woman, no good. Being shunned by everyone, save me, no good. And now, almost killing and then subsequently reviving the only person in the Hold, heck probably the whole province, who gives a damn about you…”

“I-I-I didn’t mean to!” Niyleen knew that whatever she said now was going to sound like naught but excuses. Then coupled with the fact that the fuzziness she was feeling was also impairing her thoughts, the Halfling knew that there was no way that her words to her housecarl were going to hold any weight… but that didn’t mean that she wasn’t going to try. “I… Veronica, it was the voices! The buzzing! I would have never done this if they hadn’t—”

“You were never like this,” Veronica said somberly. “Even at your very worst you’d at least take responsibility for your actions instead of running away from them like a coward.”

“Me? A coward?” Niyleen stood and glared at her housecarl. “I’ve taken a bunch of shit from the townspeople, and my so called friends, but you?” She gestured at the Nord. “Are you not sworn to protect me and all I own with my life?”

 

Veronica returned the Halfling’s glare with an icy stare of her own. “Indeed I am…”

 

“Then why haven’t you protected my honor? My sanity? You’re a worthless fucking housecarl! I wish I killed you with my flames you rotten bitch!” (Stop! Stop saying these things! I don’t mean it! Know that I don’t mean it Veronica!!!) Niyleen expected the Nord to lash out at her verbally or physically it didn’t matter, she was ready for it. Heck, she knew that she deserved it. However, what happened next the Halfling wasn’t able to prepare her heart for.

Veronica sighed and turned her back on her thane. “I… I was so proud to have been able to be at your side. You… you rescued my ma and pa from those vampires, and showed that even the little guy mattered… You were haughty, sure, but you were fair and just. I believed in you, and the good you could do for Morthal. Even when your memories went away, even through the drinking, through us being ostracized, you making enemies out of everyone in the entire Hold… I believed in you. I took you to the best healers, I tried to be someone you could lean on…”

Niyleen could hear Veronica’s words get stuck in her throat and remained silent as the Nord regathered her composure.

 

“I’m sure that these voices you’re hearing seem real enough to you, and the proof is evident that they’re plaguing you badly due to your actions… But it’s all in your head,” Veronica finally said. “All of it! The memory loss, the voices… I don’t know what you’re running away from, but until you do, I can’t help you. I can’t be the one to stand with you as all of Tamriel stands against you. I’m… I’m not that strong…”

 “Wait… w-what are you saying?”

Veronica said nothing and proceeded to head to the door.

 (NO! I can’t lose her!!) “Veronica!!!” Niyleen started to run after her, but stopped herself just as the Nord got to the door. (Move dammit, move! Say something! Do something! Don’t let her leave like this! Please—)

 

“Thank you, my thane for being the best thane I could possibly ask for… You were right. I was a terrible housecarl to you,” and with those words Veronica left and Niyleen finally had no one left.

 

Niyleen thought that she’d at least feel a bit of sadness at her housecarl’s departure, but her concoction was in full effect and she was at last mentally and emotionally numb, but it didn’t feel right. Normally Niyleen would indulge herself with a good book, some well rested sleep, or exchanging stories with Veronica, however with Veronica out of the picture she wasn’t up to either of the former options and opted for a fourth. Niyleen took out two vials, and one after the other consumed all the liquids within them, and then before her head hit the ground she was fast asleep.

 

*

Darkness… eternal darkness. Niyleen dreamt of a sight such as this almost everytime she laid her head to rest. Darkness as far as the eye could see, a chill down her spine, and then red eyes that would scare anyone into submission, accompanied by a splitting headache and a deep pain in her chest, this is what the Halfling had to look forward to every night. It’s why along with that terrible concoction, Niyleen had started medicating herself with another mixture that would give her increased stamina and reduce her tiredness. It’d been weeks since the Halfling had last slept. She didn’t know why she was experience the pain… having these nightmares, and if she was indeed running from something she didn’t know what, but she’d keep on running if she could just escape it all.

Niyleen sighed and closed her eyes. (So this is when I feel a chill and see those demonic crimson eyes?)

Rejoice Halfling, for you’ve finally done it! You’ve really done it!

Niyleen’s eyes snapped open, and she gathered a fireball in each hand while looking about cautiously. “Who are you? And what in Oblivion is going on?”

 

Who am I? Well… I’m a bit different from all the other voices in your head thus far. They were other versions of yourself that have received less than fortunate ends. I’m an outside influence.

 

Niyleen shot out several fireballs into the darkness, but they all disappeared into the void. “I… I don’t understand what you’re talking about! ‘Outside influence?’ ‘Other versions of myself?’ I’m Niyleen Flame-Child, Thane of Morthal! That’s who I am, who I’ve always been—”

 

Who you’ve always been? That’s a joke at best, but if you wish to continue to drown in your sorrows then I can let you repeat this vicious ‘cycle’ that you’ve chosen for yourself. But when you finally decide to ‘wake up’, call for Sythinel and take that sleeping potion again. Then, and only then will I show you the truth…

*

(I chose… this?) Niyleen thought as she laid on her bed, with a blank expression on her face. With Veronica’s departure occupying her, it took Niyleen a few days to come to grips with what the voice had said to her. Other versions of herself? It sounded like a preposterous idea, but then again… (It called this a Cycle… But why did it feel like that word carried more weight than it ought to have?)

Niyleen closed her eyes and tried to sleep but to no avail. It seems that finally the mixture that she’d been using to stay awake had altered her body to the point that she didn’t need to sleep for days. However, toll it was taking on her sanity was tremendous. At the top of every hour, something be it a creak, the wind, or just a feeling would make Niyleen feel as if she were being watched, and for about five minutes Niyleen would search for this ‘watcher’. Ninety six hours of this with no rest had finally gotten to the Halfling.

(Damn it all!) Niyleen got up from her bed and went over to her alchemy station and began brewing another sleeping potion. It annoyed her so that in order to have a chance to regain her sanity, she’d have to play into the hand of what made her insane in the first place. She didn’t believe the voice’s words, nor did she think anything would be changed by her doing what it said. (But if I can just get a few moments of rest, it’ll all be worth it.)

 

After completing the potion, Niyleen mixed it with some Honningbrew mead; it was the only way she could take the stuff now without vomiting. Resolved, Niyleen took a deep breath and steeled herself. “Alright Sythinel, here goes nothing.” She then drank her sleeping potion and fell into a deep slumber…

 

 

 

 

 

awesome, can't wait to see where this goes. Keep up the good work, also i was surprised by Niyleen getting her heart ripped out, Also Lucari's face, how did you do that? Looks like you used the racemenu settings and scaled them in a way that its just scary.

 

[ther1pper]

Another Story

http://www.loverslab.com/blog/407/entry-2678-the-thank-you/

[blazingsai]

Flame-Child: Part Two

Chapter Thirty Three: The Final Battle (1)

Ultimately everything has its finale...

 

 

Part One

 

 

“Are you awake sleeping beauty?”

“Mmmm…”

 

Niyleen slowly opened her eyes and immediately felt her body become racked with pain. It was a pain that rivaled that of the Ascension ceremony she had underwent except that instead of a purely physical torture, she was experiencing agony on three different fronts: physical, mental, and emotional. She tried her hardest to fight it, but it was too much. She’d come so far, done so much, to allow it to end like this without even seeing Lucari—

(Wait a minute.) Niyleen blinked and suddenly as if released from a spell the pain simply vanished.  “What in the world—”

“You might have a high magicka pool, and I’ll admit that you’ve got a few tricks up your sleeve when it comes to pyromancy, but you’re way to green to even be think that you’re in any way a proper mage.”

 

“Who do you think you are to say such a thing to—!!”

 

When Niyleen laid eyes on who was in the room with her, it took every ounce of restraint not to attack. She finally was face to face with the last person she wished to exact revenge on. This Wood Elf was the last perpertrator that had cheated Niyleen cheated out of her share of the gold those many moons ago. To think that they’d finally meet one another in such a place, under such circumstances.

 

“What in Oblivion are you doing here Dagger?”

Dagger, Endoen’s right hand man—woman, was someone who Niyleen went back years with. The two of them had even worked together for a time while in the Thieves Guild.

 

“I’m here to try to help… again,” the Bosmer said with a smirk.

“Help!? What do you mean help?” Niyleen got up and gathered flames in both of her hands. “You and your goons gave my share of the loot to the fucking Forsworn!  I have half a mind to kill you elf. In fact, give me one reason why I shouldn’t do just that?”

 

“I’m here to enlighten you.”

 

“Enlighten me?” Niyleen could feel herself start to heat up. She hadn’t felt so riled up about the loss of money for so long, that she forgot how caught up about it she could get… but for now, she didn’t care. “I just said I want to kill you! Murder you! End your fucking existence! What makes you think for one moment that I want to listen to a damn thing you have to say? Let alone trust you?”

“I don’t care if you trust me, and you wanting to kill me will have to wait,” Dagger said sternly. “I thought that seeing as you’re the ‘last hope’ that you’d have your head screwed on tighter than you do.”

“The offer to kill you without being ‘enlightened’ is still on the table Mer.”

 

“Fine, I’ll get to my point.” Dagger said. “I simply want to ask you three questions. If at the end of them you feel like I’m still bullshitting you, then you can kill me and I won’t even put up a fight. Deal?”

 

(There’s no way she’s serious… but the thought of having her as a punching bag is… appealing…) Niyleen dispelled the flames in her hands. “So, was that one of the questions?” Niyleen smirked at Dagger, gaining a roll of the eyes from the Wood Elf. “Alright then elf, what’s your first question?”

“Who are you?”

“Who am I?” Niyleen glowered at the woman before her. A moment later, the flames in her right hand took form and Niyleen pointed her freshly formed sword at her. “I’m Niyleen Flame-Child, the—”

 

Her words got stuck in her throat as her head got fuzzy and multiple answers to that question popped into her head. Was she Niyleen Flame-Child, one of the last two Dragonborn and Champion of Mehrunes Dagon? Or perhaps was she Niyleen Flame-Child, former Dark Brotherhood assassin? Maybe she was Niyleen Flame-Child, the Jarl of Markarth, Falkreath, and Riften?

 

 

 

None of them seemed right, and yet all of them fit her so perfectly along with the ‘Raging Inferno of the Reach’ and the Thane of Morthal.

 

“What… what the fuck did you do to me,” Niyleen said as her mind started to clear up. “Are you telling me that we’re in the Fifth Cycle still? Why else would I think the title of Thane of Morthal would fit me at all?”

 

“Eeeh, so it did work…” Dagger gave Niyleen a knowing grin that only further antagonized the Halfling. “No Niyleen. That ‘Cycle’ didn’t exist.”

 

“Then what in Oblivion WAS that!?”

 “A diversion. One that won’t last.”

 

Then was it a dream? It didn’t make sense. Those feelings, those emotions… They were too real, too deeply ingrained within Niyleen for them to have been made up. “So are you telling me that Veronica wasn’t real? That my house, my accomplishments, this anger, sadness, this feeling of being alone… You’re telling me that none of it ever happened!?”

 

“It’s hard to say it didn’t exist when it did…”

 

“WHAT!?”

“Look… All you need to know is that the Cycles are all but over now.” Dagger smiled. “That concoction I gave you, it made you like the Mer involved in the Cycles. You’re no longer fragmented, well way less so than before. That’s how come you can’t just say you’re the Niyleen from the first or the fourth cycle. You’re literally in the process of becoming all of them.”

The explained everything. She felt like the Fourth, looked like the Fourth, and from the looks around her she was obviously still in the events of the fourth Cycle. However, calling herself the ‘Raging Inferno of the Reach’ didn’t seem to encapsulate who she was anymore or what it was she had to do. “I… I see. But how?  That still doesn’t explain how I was in the Fifth Cycle but at the same time it didn’t exist!”

 

Dagger sucked her teeth. “If you ask this many questions, I can’t see how Nega wasn’t fed up with you years ago. To keep it simple, I made it happen but that’s beside the point,” Dagger said as she began to pace in front of Niyleen. “Anyway, question two: how many Daedric Princes are there?”

 

Niyleen could feel her eye twitch at the simplicity of the question. “Are you joking?”

“Just answer the question,” Dagger said flatly.

“Seventeen. I swear if you don’t freaking get to the point with there—”

 

“Last question,” Dagger said without hesitation. “What are their names?”

 

(I’d rather just blast your freaking face in but…) “Fine, let’s see… There’s Molag Bal, Mehrunes Dagon, Sheogorath, Malacath… Jyggalag, Hermaeus Mora… Uh, Hircine, Mephala, Clavicus Vile, Boethiah…”

 “A few more to go.”

Niyleen stilled her hand and racked her brains for the remaining names. “Nocturnal?” Dagger nodded. “Azura, Sanguine, Namira, Peryite, and… Meridia. That’s all of them.”

 

“Are sure about that?”

 

Niyleen raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean am I sure? You asked for their names! Are you saying I got them wrong?”

 “No, not at all. However, I think you may need a recount.”

 

(The heck is she talking about?) Although she was quite certain that she was correct, Niyleen did a mental recount of the names, and nodded in satisfaction. “Yup, I got all sixteen of them no problem.” The Halfling noticed that Dagger wore a smirk on her face that sent a chill down her spine. “What’s your problem?”

 

“Permit me to ask you one last question.”

“Why should I?”

 

“It’ll put everything together I swear.” It took her a few moments, but Niyleen eventually relented. “Ok then. Does the number of Daedric Princes match the number that you JUST said?”

 

“That’s it!” Niyleen conjured her flame sword and glared at the Bosmer. “I’m done with your idiotic games! Of course sixteen is equal to—wait a second…” (I definitely said that there were seventeen Daedric Princes, but try as I might I can only remember sixteen. It isn’t like I forgot the seventeenth one… just that it never existed.) As Niyleen tried to remember who the last Daedric prince was, she developed a headache that got worse as she thought about it more. Niyleen looked at her with worriy in her eyes. “What in Oblivion is going on!?”

 

“These ‘Cycles’ were supposed to repeat indefinitely,” Dagger said confindently. “A certain Daedric Prince found out a way to ensnare all of Nirn under his dominion. To be fair, it was a brilliant plan. To place all of Nirn in a deep slumber, remove the knowledge of yourself from everyone’s minds, and feed off of the conflict that occurred in the collective that made up their dreams, what we called ‘Cycles’. What made it worse was that unless you knew which Champion to kill, you’d just trigger a new Cycle every time. It was almost fool proof. But these Daedric Princes… It seems rather than accomplishing their endgames, they like throwing us mortals curveballs here and there. You know, to see how we’ll dance to their rhythm.”

“H-how did you figure this out?”

 

“When the Second Cycle started, I… Something wasn’t clicking with me,” Dagger confessed. “See, the thing is, I was an off and on follower of Peryite. I was born into a small cult that followed him and since I was raise in those teachings… They’ve always stuck with me. I’ve done and had done to me horrible things in Peryite’s name that I often wished to be smited for by some god, any god,” Dagger said gesturing to what looked like a birthmark that covered the left side of her body. “Eventually I was drawn in by the allure of Nocturnal and well… I left that side of me behind.

 

“The thing is dishing out Peryite’s ‘blessing’ is something of a drug for people born into his service. We may end up with various types of disfigurations ranging from simple birthmarks that covered large areas of our bodies and contain the blessing to be monstorous yet sickly creatures, but at the same time we carry the highest of immunity to Peryite’s plagues and have a tendency to be bent on carrying out the Taskmaster’s whims. So during the Second Cycle, after wrapping things up with the Thieves Guild and The Dark Brotherhood, I decided to ‘bless’ one worshipper from each of Peryite’s enemies.”

“So I’m guessing it was during this time that that feeling of yours became even stronger?”

 

Part Two

 

Dagger nodded. “Indeed. You see, travelling to Hammerfell to kill a member of the Citadel of Ebonarm was child’s play, as was finding who was in possession of the Ebony Blade and slaying them. The issue came when I tried to figure out who in Oblivion was the third deity. And so I asked myself the same questions I asked you, and eventually I kept drawing a blank as to who the seventeenth Daedric Prince was. That’s until one day on happenstance I came upon a fool in Dawnstar who seemed hellbent on destroying some artifact that belonged to a Daedric Prince. He called it The Gifter, and the Weaver of Panoply yet for some reason never used the Prince’s real name. But those titles… ss soon as the words came out of his mouth I knew that the seventeenth Daedric Prince was none other than—”

Suddenly a being with its back turned to them appeared before Niyleen and Dagger. “Here I thought you were content with not experiencing death again, but obviously I was wrong.”

Niyleen didn’t know why, but without forewarning Dagger began laughing hysterically for quite a while, and it seemed to only fuel the stranger’s wrath. “If my death were to release everyone else from these damn Cycles, then I’d be more than happy to die over and over again until you bastards got sick of killing me!”

“Wait wait wait!!! What’s going on here,” Niyleen said looking back and forth from the stranger to Dagger.

“We’ve finally hit game over,” Dagger said with a smirk. “You know how I said that I made it so that all of the memories of your previous selves belonged solely to you? Well, I had to break the Cycles in order to make it happen.”

 

“Break… the Cycles?” Niyleen stared at Dagger. “But… Is that even possible? Aren’t we still in the Fourth Cycle? I mean look around!”

 

“When she realized the secret behind the Cycles,” the interloper said, as she turned to face Dagger. “We thought that having her killed as savagely as we did during the second Cycle would have been enough to silence her mouth and cease her actions. However, it seems that you’re more plyable than we believed.”

 

“I try.”

“Time out! Seriously what’s going on here!?”

 

“Can I explain to the only oblivious one here?” The stranger continued to stare fiercely at Dagger, but gave her permission with a nod. “It’s simple,” Dagger said matter-of-factly. “We should be in the Fifth Cycle, and you should be a miserable bat-shit crazy thane… if I hadn’t gotten to Lucari first.”

“Wait what?” Niyleen couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Lucari working together with Dagger? But how? Why?

 

“It’s not too surprising really, but then again, I was always the wildcard wasn’t I,” Dagger said directing the question to the stranger. “I mean, how can you truly make note of someone that’s truly mastered becoming one with the shadows? I mean, I could be anywhere…” and in the next moment Dagger vanished.

 

“All I had to do was be stealthier than the Gray Fox, not terribly difficult when one has been near the top of the ranks of the Thieves Guild, the Dark Brotherhood and the Morag Tong. Not to mention I’m no slouch when it comes to utilizing magic, even if I don’t necessary wield it as much as a certain Redguard,” Dagger said in a tone that made Niyleen feel as if the Bosmer was gloating. “I simply made it so that when you entered this room you were enveloped in ‘shadows’ or a veil so to speak, as I am now. Just as neither of you can see me, what happened here was out of view of the Daedric Princes.”

 

“But how? I could see if we were nobodies with no affiliation with them, but Lucari was Molag Bal’s…” Niyleen stopped and looked around. “Where’s Lucari? You said she was working with you, right? Then where is she?”

“You really are that green aren’t you?” Niyleen heard Dagger sigh.  “Alright then puppet, we may as well not make your master wait any longer. Open up the greenhorn’s eyes, will you?”

 

The foreign individual simply stuck her hand out. When the scenery began to shift and suddenly they weren’t in Teresa’s castle anymore, Niyleen immediately knew why Dagger had called her green.

 

(Illusion magic… It’s so simple… That explains all these half-ass ‘it exists but doesn’t’ answers Dagger’s been giving me.)

 

Niyleen may not have known much about magic as a whole, however she knew that when used at the utmost highest level Illusion may indeed be the strongest of any of the schools of magic.

 

(My father did tell me that true masters of the Illusion school could do near godly feats like altering reality… but to see it unravel before me…)

 

“Now that you understand how ignorant you were about our situation and how pathetic your ability to sense magic is, can you hurry up and wake us all up from this nightmare?”

(Wait a second…) Niyleen looked at Dagger and saw that the Bosmer was looking for something from her. “The seventeenth Daedric Prince… You mean to tell me that this is all a—”

“It’s no dream.”

The duo looked towards where the voice originated, and upon seeing the entity standing high at the apex of a set of stairs Niyleen scowled as she recognized who it was. “So I take it that we, the women known as Niyleen during this whole ordeal, were in their hands all along.”

“I thought you were slower than this, but I’m glad that it only took you a bit of prodding to see the bigger picture.”

Dagger raised an eyebrow. “You two have met?”

 

Niyleen nodded. “Aye, once before.”

“I thought she was a ghost that was sent by the Daedric Princes to perturb me throughout the Cycles, but it’s a bit more than that… Now that it’s not in a incorporeal form it’s easier to tellYou’re the Third, aren’t you?”

The being removed its mask and smiled at them. “So you’ve all stooped to calling each other by the Cycle you were featured in? If I were do the same, then yes, I guess that would make me the Third, wouldn’t it?”

 

There was no denying it. She may not have the same scars on her body, but that face… There was no doubt that the person before her was the same person that had become a war hero and was ultimately betrayed during the Third Cycle. However, something was off about her…

 

Upon seeing its face Niyleen could see that Dagger was visibly taken aback. “What!?! You mean all this time, Vaermina’s puppet was Niyleen!?!”

 

Niyleen shook her head. “No, well yes, I mean, kinda. There’s only one person I’ve seen that has those eyes, who has that presence about her… But it’s not Nega. I may not have the fullness of her knowledge and experiences, but can still feel her within me… then it can only be—”

 

“You’re certainly no fool, I’ll give you that,” Niyleen’s lookalike said. “When I got turned into Molag Bal’s Champion after being sold out by Clavicus Vile, I still had enough power for one wish… And I used it to know everything… to become the strongest version of myself that there ever was! Now I have all of the power with none of the shackles.”

It wasn’t exactly hard to piece everything together. This woman, she was Niyleen, but wasn’t Niyleen. She was Nega, but wasn’t Nega. She was the strongest version of Niyleen Flame-Child without being Niyleen Flame-Child herself. There was a sole person who fit this description and yet it couldn’t be…

“Aeron… So you were drawn in by the allure of the Daedric Princes’ power again, Death-Bringer?”

“When I was given this from by Lord Vaermina she gave me the name Marynziia, and I hated it. It was to hide who I was, to make it so that I wouldn’t upset the delicate balance that was the Cycles.” Aeron closed her eyes and smiled. “But seeing as the Cycles are no more, I can throw off that moniker and be who I always was meant to be… Finally, this is it,” Aeron said enthusiastically. “Nega said you were the key, that the Fourth Cycle was to be the end, but I would have never imagined that she’d be so correct.” Aeron apperated her giant scythe from seemingly nowhere. “Now then, with both of us showing our complete hands, fight me Niyleen! Let us end these Cycles once and for all!!”

 

Niyleen had plenty of questions for Aeron like, why would she side with a Daedric Prince after what happened to her and how did shd know what Nega had told her, but there was only one pressing question that the Halfling cared enough about to ask.

 

“Where’s Lucari?!”

“If you win, you’ll see her soon enough.”

Niyleen conjured her flame sword and was about to set off to combat Aeron when Dagger impeded her. “What gives Bosmer?”

“Look… you and I… sure we worked together in the past, but we were never exactly friends. Not like either of us were to Alishondra…”

 

“My offer to kill you is still on the table Wood Elf! I’m not opposed to having you be a warm up for the final battle.”

 

“Listen, I don’t know how this is all going to go down. It was never explained to me afterall, but remember this: this may not be real, but as she said it’s not a dream. I’ve got a feeling that no matter the outcome between you two, some people may not make it out of the Cycles alive.”

“What do you mean!?”

 

“…Nothing. Nevermind.” Dagger moved to Niyleen’s side and sighed. “Good luck.”

 

 

 

 

[ther1pper]

 

Flame-Child: Part Two

Chapter Thirty Three: The Final Battle (1)

Ultimately everything has its finale...

 

 

Part One

 

 

“Are you awake sleeping beauty?”

“Mmmm…”

 

Niyleen slowly opened her eyes and immediately felt her body become racked with pain. It was a pain that rivaled that of the Ascension ceremony she had underwent except that instead of a purely physical torture, she was experiencing agony on three different fronts: physical, mental, and emotional. She tried her hardest to fight it, but it was too much. She’d come so far, done so much, to allow it to end like this without even seeing Lucari—

(Wait a minute.) Niyleen blinked and suddenly as if released from a spell the pain simply vanished.  “What in the world—”

“You might have a high magicka pool, and I’ll admit that you’ve got a few tricks up your sleeve when it comes to pyromancy, but you’re way to green to even be think that you’re in any way a proper mage.”

 

“Who do you think you are to say such a thing to—!!”

 

When Niyleen laid eyes on who was in the room with her, it took every ounce of restraint not to attack. She finally was face to face with the last person she wished to exact revenge on. This Wood Elf was the last perpertrator that had cheated Niyleen cheated out of her share of the gold those many moons ago. To think that they’d finally meet one another in such a place, under such circumstances.

 

“What in Oblivion are you doing here Dagger?”

Dagger, Endoen’s right hand man—woman, was someone who Niyleen went back years with. The two of them had even worked together for a time while in the Thieves Guild.

 

“I’m here to try to help… again,” the Bosmer said with a smirk.

“Help!? What do you mean help?” Niyleen got up and gathered flames in both of her hands. “You and your goons gave my share of the loot to the fucking Forsworn!  I have half a mind to kill you elf. In fact, give me one reason why I shouldn’t do just that?”

 

“I’m here to enlighten you.”

 

“Enlighten me?” Niyleen could feel herself start to heat up. She hadn’t felt so riled up about the loss of money for so long, that she forgot how caught up about it she could get… but for now, she didn’t care. “I just said I want to kill you! Murder you! End your fucking existence! What makes you think for one moment that I want to listen to a damn thing you have to say? Let alone trust you?”

“I don’t care if you trust me, and you wanting to kill me will have to wait,” Dagger said sternly. “I thought that seeing as you’re the ‘last hope’ that you’d have your head screwed on tighter than you do.”

“The offer to kill you without being ‘enlightened’ is still on the table Mer.”

 

“Fine, I’ll get to my point.” Dagger said. “I simply want to ask you three questions. If at the end of them you feel like I’m still bullshitting you, then you can kill me and I won’t even put up a fight. Deal?”

 

(There’s no way she’s serious… but the thought of having her as a punching bag is… appealing…) Niyleen dispelled the flames in her hands. “So, was that one of the questions?” Niyleen smirked at Dagger, gaining a roll of the eyes from the Wood Elf. “Alright then elf, what’s your first question?”

“Who are you?”

“Who am I?” Niyleen glowered at the woman before her. A moment later, the flames in her right hand took form and Niyleen pointed her freshly formed sword at her. “I’m Niyleen Flame-Child, the—”

 

Her words got stuck in her throat as her head got fuzzy and multiple answers to that question popped into her head. Was she Niyleen Flame-Child, one of the last two Dragonborn and Champion of Mehrunes Dagon? Or perhaps was she Niyleen Flame-Child, former Dark Brotherhood assassin? Maybe she was Niyleen Flame-Child, the Jarl of Markarth, Falkreath, and Riften?

 

 

 

None of them seemed right, and yet all of them fit her so perfectly along with the ‘Raging Inferno of the Reach’ and the Thane of Morthal.

 

“What… what the fuck did you do to me,” Niyleen said as her mind started to clear up. “Are you telling me that we’re in the Fifth Cycle still? Why else would I think the title of Thane of Morthal would fit me at all?”

 

“Eeeh, so it did work…” Dagger gave Niyleen a knowing grin that only further antagonized the Halfling. “No Niyleen. That ‘Cycle’ didn’t exist.”

 

“Then what in Oblivion WAS that!?”

 “A diversion. One that won’t last.”

 

Then was it a dream? It didn’t make sense. Those feelings, those emotions… They were too real, too deeply ingrained within Niyleen for them to have been made up. “So are you telling me that Veronica wasn’t real? That my house, my accomplishments, this anger, sadness, this feeling of being alone… You’re telling me that none of it ever happened!?”

 

“It’s hard to say it didn’t exist when it did…”

 

“WHAT!?”

“Look… All you need to know is that the Cycles are all but over now.” Dagger smiled. “That concoction I gave you, it made you like the Mer involved in the Cycles. You’re no longer fragmented, well way less so than before. That’s how come you can’t just say you’re the Niyleen from the first or the fourth cycle. You’re literally in the process of becoming all of them.”

The explained everything. She felt like the Fourth, looked like the Fourth, and from the looks around her she was obviously still in the events of the fourth Cycle. However, calling herself the ‘Raging Inferno of the Reach’ didn’t seem to encapsulate who she was anymore or what it was she had to do. “I… I see. But how?  That still doesn’t explain how I was in the Fifth Cycle but at the same time it didn’t exist!”

 

Dagger sucked her teeth. “If you ask this many questions, I can’t see how Nega wasn’t fed up with you years ago. To keep it simple, I made it happen but that’s beside the point,” Dagger said as she began to pace in front of Niyleen. “Anyway, question two: how many Daedric Princes are there?”

 

Niyleen could feel her eye twitch at the simplicity of the question. “Are you joking?”

“Just answer the question,” Dagger said flatly.

“Seventeen. I swear if you don’t freaking get to the point with there—”

 

“Last question,” Dagger said without hesitation. “What are their names?”

 

(I’d rather just blast your freaking face in but…) “Fine, let’s see… There’s Molag Bal, Mehrunes Dagon, Sheogorath, Malacath… Jyggalag, Hermaeus Mora… Uh, Hircine, Mephala, Clavicus Vile, Boethiah…”

 “A few more to go.”

Niyleen stilled her hand and racked her brains for the remaining names. “Nocturnal?” Dagger nodded. “Azura, Sanguine, Namira, Peryite, and… Meridia. That’s all of them.”

 

“Are sure about that?”

 

Niyleen raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean am I sure? You asked for their names! Are you saying I got them wrong?”

 “No, not at all. However, I think you may need a recount.”

 

(The heck is she talking about?) Although she was quite certain that she was correct, Niyleen did a mental recount of the names, and nodded in satisfaction. “Yup, I got all sixteen of them no problem.” The Halfling noticed that Dagger wore a smirk on her face that sent a chill down her spine. “What’s your problem?”

 

“Permit me to ask you one last question.”

“Why should I?”

 

“It’ll put everything together I swear.” It took her a few moments, but Niyleen eventually relented. “Ok then. Does the number of Daedric Princes match the number that you JUST said?”

 

“That’s it!” Niyleen conjured her flame sword and glared at the Bosmer. “I’m done with your idiotic games! Of course sixteen is equal to—wait a second…” (I definitely said that there were seventeen Daedric Princes, but try as I might I can only remember sixteen. It isn’t like I forgot the seventeenth one… just that it never existed.) As Niyleen tried to remember who the last Daedric prince was, she developed a headache that got worse as she thought about it more. Niyleen looked at her with worriy in her eyes. “What in Oblivion is going on!?”

 

“These ‘Cycles’ were supposed to repeat indefinitely,” Dagger said confindently. “A certain Daedric Prince found out a way to ensnare all of Nirn under his dominion. To be fair, it was a brilliant plan. To place all of Nirn in a deep slumber, remove the knowledge of yourself from everyone’s minds, and feed off of the conflict that occurred in the collective that made up their dreams, what we called ‘Cycles’. What made it worse was that unless you knew which Champion to kill, you’d just trigger a new Cycle every time. It was almost fool proof. But these Daedric Princes… It seems rather than accomplishing their endgames, they like throwing us mortals curveballs here and there. You know, to see how we’ll dance to their rhythm.”

“H-how did you figure this out?”

 

“When the Second Cycle started, I… Something wasn’t clicking with me,” Dagger confessed. “See, the thing is, I was an off and on follower of Peryite. I was born into a small cult that followed him and since I was raise in those teachings… They’ve always stuck with me. I’ve done and had done to me horrible things in Peryite’s name that I often wished to be smited for by some god, any god,” Dagger said gesturing to what looked like a birthmark that covered the left side of her body. “Eventually I was drawn in by the allure of Nocturnal and well… I left that side of me behind.

 

“The thing is dishing out Peryite’s ‘blessing’ is something of a drug for people born into his service. We may end up with various types of disfigurations ranging from simple birthmarks that covered large areas of our bodies and contain the blessing to be monstorous yet sickly creatures, but at the same time we carry the highest of immunity to Peryite’s plagues and have a tendency to be bent on carrying out the Taskmaster’s whims. So during the Second Cycle, after wrapping things up with the Thieves Guild and The Dark Brotherhood, I decided to ‘bless’ one worshipper from each of Peryite’s enemies.”

“So I’m guessing it was during this time that that feeling of yours became even stronger?”

 

Part Two

 

Dagger nodded. “Indeed. You see, travelling to Hammerfell to kill a member of the Citadel of Ebonarm was child’s play, as was finding who was in possession of the Ebony Blade and slaying them. The issue came when I tried to figure out who in Oblivion was the third deity. And so I asked myself the same questions I asked you, and eventually I kept drawing a blank as to who the seventeenth Daedric Prince was. That’s until one day on happenstance I came upon a fool in Dawnstar who seemed hellbent on destroying some artifact that belonged to a Daedric Prince. He called it The Gifter, and the Weaver of Panoply yet for some reason never used the Prince’s real name. But those titles… ss soon as the words came out of his mouth I knew that the seventeenth Daedric Prince was none other than—”

Suddenly a being with its back turned to them appeared before Niyleen and Dagger. “Here I thought you were content with not experiencing death again, but obviously I was wrong.”

Niyleen didn’t know why, but without forewarning Dagger began laughing hysterically for quite a while, and it seemed to only fuel the stranger’s wrath. “If my death were to release everyone else from these damn Cycles, then I’d be more than happy to die over and over again until you bastards got sick of killing me!”

“Wait wait wait!!! What’s going on here,” Niyleen said looking back and forth from the stranger to Dagger.

“We’ve finally hit game over,” Dagger said with a smirk. “You know how I said that I made it so that all of the memories of your previous selves belonged solely to you? Well, I had to break the Cycles in order to make it happen.”

 

“Break… the Cycles?” Niyleen stared at Dagger. “But… Is that even possible? Aren’t we still in the Fourth Cycle? I mean look around!”

 

“When she realized the secret behind the Cycles,” the interloper said, as she turned to face Dagger. “We thought that having her killed as savagely as we did during the second Cycle would have been enough to silence her mouth and cease her actions. However, it seems that you’re more plyable than we believed.”

 

“I try.”

“Time out! Seriously what’s going on here!?”

 

“Can I explain to the only oblivious one here?” The stranger continued to stare fiercely at Dagger, but gave her permission with a nod. “It’s simple,” Dagger said matter-of-factly. “We should be in the Fifth Cycle, and you should be a miserable bat-shit crazy thane… if I hadn’t gotten to Lucari first.”

“Wait what?” Niyleen couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Lucari working together with Dagger? But how? Why?

 

“It’s not too surprising really, but then again, I was always the wildcard wasn’t I,” Dagger said directing the question to the stranger. “I mean, how can you truly make note of someone that’s truly mastered becoming one with the shadows? I mean, I could be anywhere…” and in the next moment Dagger vanished.

 

“All I had to do was be stealthier than the Gray Fox, not terribly difficult when one has been near the top of the ranks of the Thieves Guild, the Dark Brotherhood and the Morag Tong. Not to mention I’m no slouch when it comes to utilizing magic, even if I don’t necessary wield it as much as a certain Redguard,” Dagger said in a tone that made Niyleen feel as if the Bosmer was gloating. “I simply made it so that when you entered this room you were enveloped in ‘shadows’ or a veil so to speak, as I am now. Just as neither of you can see me, what happened here was out of view of the Daedric Princes.”

 

“But how? I could see if we were nobodies with no affiliation with them, but Lucari was Molag Bal’s…” Niyleen stopped and looked around. “Where’s Lucari? You said she was working with you, right? Then where is she?”

“You really are that green aren’t you?” Niyleen heard Dagger sigh.  “Alright then puppet, we may as well not make your master wait any longer. Open up the greenhorn’s eyes, will you?”

 

The foreign individual simply stuck her hand out. When the scenery began to shift and suddenly they weren’t in Teresa’s castle anymore, Niyleen immediately knew why Dagger had called her green.

 

(Illusion magic… It’s so simple… That explains all these half-ass ‘it exists but doesn’t’ answers Dagger’s been giving me.)

 

Niyleen may not have known much about magic as a whole, however she knew that when used at the utmost highest level Illusion may indeed be the strongest of any of the schools of magic.

 

(My father did tell me that true masters of the Illusion school could do near godly feats like altering reality… but to see it unravel before me…)

 

“Now that you understand how ignorant you were about our situation and how pathetic your ability to sense magic is, can you hurry up and wake us all up from this nightmare?”

(Wait a second…) Niyleen looked at Dagger and saw that the Bosmer was looking for something from her. “The seventeenth Daedric Prince… You mean to tell me that this is all a—”

“It’s no dream.”

The duo looked towards where the voice originated, and upon seeing the entity standing high at the apex of a set of stairs Niyleen scowled as she recognized who it was. “So I take it that we, the women known as Niyleen during this whole ordeal, were in their hands all along.”

“I thought you were slower than this, but I’m glad that it only took you a bit of prodding to see the bigger picture.”

Dagger raised an eyebrow. “You two have met?”

 

Niyleen nodded. “Aye, once before.”

“I thought she was a ghost that was sent by the Daedric Princes to perturb me throughout the Cycles, but it’s a bit more than that… Now that it’s not in a incorporeal form it’s easier to tellYou’re the Third, aren’t you?”

The being removed its mask and smiled at them. “So you’ve all stooped to calling each other by the Cycle you were featured in? If I were do the same, then yes, I guess that would make me the Third, wouldn’t it?”

 

There was no denying it. She may not have the same scars on her body, but that face… There was no doubt that the person before her was the same person that had become a war hero and was ultimately betrayed during the Third Cycle. However, something was off about her…

 

Upon seeing its face Niyleen could see that Dagger was visibly taken aback. “What!?! You mean all this time, Vaermina’s puppet was Niyleen!?!”

 

Niyleen shook her head. “No, well yes, I mean, kinda. There’s only one person I’ve seen that has those eyes, who has that presence about her… But it’s not Nega. I may not have the fullness of her knowledge and experiences, but can still feel her within me… then it can only be—”

 

“You’re certainly no fool, I’ll give you that,” Niyleen’s lookalike said. “When I got turned into Molag Bal’s Champion after being sold out by Clavicus Vile, I still had enough power for one wish… And I used it to know everything… to become the strongest version of myself that there ever was! Now I have all of the power with none of the shackles.”

It wasn’t exactly hard to piece everything together. This woman, she was Niyleen, but wasn’t Niyleen. She was Nega, but wasn’t Nega. She was the strongest version of Niyleen Flame-Child without being Niyleen Flame-Child herself. There was a sole person who fit this description and yet it couldn’t be…

“Aeron… So you were drawn in by the allure of the Daedric Princes’ power again, Death-Bringer?”

“When I was given this from by Lord Vaermina she gave me the name Marynziia, and I hated it. It was to hide who I was, to make it so that I wouldn’t upset the delicate balance that was the Cycles.” Aeron closed her eyes and smiled. “But seeing as the Cycles are no more, I can throw off that moniker and be who I always was meant to be… Finally, this is it,” Aeron said enthusiastically. “Nega said you were the key, that the Fourth Cycle was to be the end, but I would have never imagined that she’d be so correct.” Aeron apperated her giant scythe from seemingly nowhere. “Now then, with both of us showing our complete hands, fight me Niyleen! Let us end these Cycles once and for all!!”

 

Niyleen had plenty of questions for Aeron like, why would she side with a Daedric Prince after what happened to her and how did shd know what Nega had told her, but there was only one pressing question that the Halfling cared enough about to ask.

 

“Where’s Lucari?!”

“If you win, you’ll see her soon enough.”

Niyleen conjured her flame sword and was about to set off to combat Aeron when Dagger impeded her. “What gives Bosmer?”

“Look… you and I… sure we worked together in the past, but we were never exactly friends. Not like either of us were to Alishondra…”

 

“My offer to kill you is still on the table Wood Elf! I’m not opposed to having you be a warm up for the final battle.”

 

“Listen, I don’t know how this is all going to go down. It was never explained to me afterall, but remember this: this may not be real, but as she said it’s not a dream. I’ve got a feeling that no matter the outcome between you two, some people may not make it out of the Cycles alive.”

“What do you mean!?”

 

“…Nothing. Nevermind.” Dagger moved to Niyleen’s side and sighed. “Good luck.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

very nice. Can't wait to see what comes next.

 

[blazingsai]

Flame-Child: Part Two

Chapter Thirty Four: The Final Battle (2)

See you around, Flame-Child...

Story

Part One

Ceolrianna, Miraak, Sorerica, Alduin, Sanguine, Ruby, Nanae, Eolri, Carciel, Leijona, Trineiya… None of the fights throughout any of the Cycles had prepared Niyleen for a battle with the most formidable opponent she’d ever have to face… herself. When she’d heard about Aeron from the Second, seen how she fought against Sorerica in that spectacle of a duel, Niyleen thought that she was an arrogant blowhard, a pushover, someone that she could face even before encountering Trineiya or Ruby in the Fourth Cycle. However, the truth wasn’t so kind.

 

 

 

Marynziia, rather, Aeron was a force of nature. Even with that unwieldy weapon of hers, she was keeping Niyleen at bay, and if the Halfling didn’t know any better, she would have thought that she was being toyed with.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After a prolonged exchange, Niyleen was finally able to create a sizable amount of distance from Aeron so she could catch her breath. (I just can’t penetrate her defenses. And this weapon…) Niyleen looked down at her weapon and frowned. (I’ve known for quite some time that I had a high resistance to Flames, but if she does as well—)

 

 

 

“You’ve no time to rest Flame-Child! Or do you not mind seeing Lucari die in front of you again?”

Enraged, Niyleen lunged at Aeron and the two resumed their battle with the former yet again not gaining any ground in defeating Vaermina’s Champion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Dammit this isn’t working…” Niyleen said as she got to a knee after taking an hellacious kick to the stomach that sent her flying. (This is literally impossible! She’s moving like Carciel, has Trineiya’s technique, gives off as dangerous a presence as Ruby, is as sturdy and strong as that Lion…)

Just as she thought of Leijona, she remembered a piece of advice that the Second had given her while she was fighting the Lion.  When she goes for another overhead attack, go for her chest. Use one of Eolri’s special attacks.

 

Seeing how fast she was, Niyleen didn’t think that Aeron would fall for such a trick, but she’d have to use all the tricks in her disposal if she was going to have a chance at finishing this fight, and soon. Engaging Aeron again, Niyleen dodged and parried her attacks and continued to wait until the moment presented itself. After staying in this defense for so long, Niyleen thought that she’d be stuck defending forever, but then an opportunity presented itself.

Niyleen didn’t know if it was frustration, or a lack of patience that had gotten the better of her, but randomly Aeron decided to pick up the pace with her attacks and after missing wildly with a slash that would have decapitated the Halfling, Niyleen took advantage of her awkward position and delivered an array of slashes all over Aeron’s body.

 

 

 

Part Two

 

(Heh, child’s play.) With her back facing her opponent, Niyleen got to her feet and dispelled her weapon. “No matter who you are, no one’s proven stronger than any of Eolri’s techniques.” She smirked to herself at how overpowering the Breton’s swordplay was. “Now then, Ravager Style Secret Technique Number 194: Curse of the—”

Suddenly Niyleen was hit hard in her back and went flying a ways away from where she'd last been standing. The initial hit didn’t feel that strong, but when she finally stopped moving, Niyleen was aching all over with the worst headache she could ever remember having.

“Shiiiiit…” Niyleen said.  (She shouldn’t have been able to move! She’s more like the Lion than I thought…)

“Are you mental,” Aeron jeered as she made her way to Niyleen who was struggling to stand. “Do you really think that the Champion to the Dream-lady, the Collector of Minds, the Prince of Nightmares, would be susceptible to illusion based attacks?”

“Heh, I guess my attack was a bit illogical.” Niyleen made it to her feet, but she didn’t have nearly the same amount of strength in her legs that she had before.

“Disappointing.” Aeron stopped a few yards away from Niyleen and shook her head. “For someone who worships Julianos, you’re very susceptible to anger and you make more than your share of illogical decisions. No wonder it frustrated Nega so much that you out of all of us was the so called Chosen One.”

Niyleen never cared too much about how Nega felt about her, but hearing her sentiment again from Aeron’s lips frustrated her to no end. “You wished to be the best version of us? Well, I wonder if Clavicus Vile screwed you over again.”

“I see… you must be delusional…” Aeron pointed her scythe at Niyleen. “You’re done. I’ve taken your speed and your power. You were never the strongest, fastest, smartest, or quickest witted out of any of us. The only thing you had, was love. A love that amounted to nothing but the end of both participants involved.”

“You lie!” Niyleen screamed. “Lucari isn’t… Lucari isn’t—”

 

All of a sudden Lucari was all that filled Niyleen’s head.

*

I knew from the moment you began talking to me that we were kindred spirits, but now I know it’s true. How about we team up and help out here in the Reach together?

 

(Was this when I starter to change? Was it at this moment that I had been drawn to you like moths to a flame?)

I’m trying to become the best.

 

(You had dreams… Hopes… They were pure, with no ill intent. No trickery. You were prepared to face off against the world in order to achieve your goals…)

So where are you from? I’m from Dragons Bridge. Got a friend back there that I miss dearly… Do you have any friends? I, er, didn’t mean that as if you don’t. I-I mean…

 

(For me you were a light in the darkness… an annoying light in my otherwise bleak world.)

Wow, a battle-maiden and a cook. I’m sure lucky that I’ll be able to dine on home-cooked meals while traveling.

 

(I… I shouldn’t have been so stubborn. I should have accepted your feelings instead of overlooking them…)

Dan… gerous…

 

(You weren’t the monster… I was. I drove you away. My lies, my secrets, you probably thought I would have spurned you… turned you away…)

You know what I’ve become. A monster like me could never become a hero.

 

(No… you, more than anyone deserved to be the hero. You may have been awkward, chatty, and annoying… but you were pure of heart and mind. I… I did this… I ruined everything…)

…No matter what happens, no matter what you think, don’t assume that Lucari blames you for any of this… until you hear it from her, do NOT believe that you’re at fault for anything!

 

(And that’s why until I see you once again, until I tell you how I feel, I can’t stop! I can’t be defeated!!)

*

“Lucari isn’t dead,” Niyleen said confidently. “Whether you were truthful to me before or not, I KNOW that as long as I defeat you here and now I’ll see Lucari again. I’ll be able to touch her, hold her, tell her all the things I’ve been holding inside me until now—”

Aeron rolled her eyes. “And how exactly are you going to carry out this fairy tale of yours? Do I have to remind you of your current situation?”

 

Death-Bringer was right. How indeed was Niyleen supposed to win? (Julianos guide me. Now more than ever, I need your help. Please… Show me the way...)

 

“I guess since you’re the Ultimate amalgamation you don’t have a trump card like giving Nega control, do you,” Aeron said solemnly. “Such a shame. Beating that overpowered bitch would have been the greatest proof that I am indeed the strongest.”

Niyleen sucked her teeth. It was true that if she could give Nega control she’d do it in a heartbeat. However, she’d been silent ever since Niyleen had come back from the supposed Fifth Cycle. (But what if Nega wasn’t strong enough? Don’t I have something… anything in my arsenal that can compare to her?)

Stop trying to compare things. Stop limiting yourself. Look beyond what you’ve seen, beyond what you know, and take what’s been waiting for you the entire time.

 

(The Second!?) Niyleen’s eyes went wide and a realization came to her head. (If the Second’s here then that means… Nega! NEGA!! Stop hiding! I need your help!!!)

 

The Second echoed her words once more and then her presence vanished from Niyleen’s mind.

“I don’t mind waiting for you to come up with a plan of some sort, because vanquishing you in your pathetic state wouldn’t be a fitting end to this battle, so don’t worry,” Aeron stuck her hand out. “I’ll give you five minutes. If you don’t have a course of action by then, then you’re shit out of luck, because you’ll be dead. But to be honest, there's no way  you'll ever be able to take me down unless a Divine comes down and stops me themselves from killing you."

(That arrogance… Arrogance? Wait a second…) Niyleen smirked and fell into a low stance. “Five minutes? You must be out of your mind!”

 

“Pardon?”

 

“You said before that you were the strongest and I was the weakest. Well when I’m through with you, you’ll finally see that there is more to me than you, Nega or I could ever realize.”

Aeron shook her head. “So you’ve finally lost it. A pity that the last bout in the Cycles would be between a predator and an invalid.” Aeron sighed, and then her eyes went cold. “Fine then Flame-Child. Times up. I’m coming!”

Niyleen saw Aeron coming at her, rage painted on the latter’s face, and simply closed her eyes. (I surrender myself to you my Lord... Once again, I am yours...) Feeling a power surge through her, Niyleen's eyes snapped open and the Halfling lunged herself at Aeron for the final time...

 

 

 

Part Three

 

“Haaaa…” Lucari didn’t know how many times she had sighed today, but she just couldn’t get the memories of that day from out of her head. Every day since then she played it back over and over in her head, and none of it made any sense…

*

“Whether you were truthful to me before or not… I’ll be able to touch her, hold her, tell her all the things I’ve been holding inside me until now—”

 

(Who… who on Nirn is saying these embarrassing things…) She didn’t know who those words were directed to, but they caused Lucari to stir from her slumber and get to her feet. Things were still a bit fuzzy, and she couldn’t remember what happened after she…

 

“No… I… Niyleen!!” The image of her thrusting her arm through the chest of the woman she loved made Lucari sick, sicker than she had ever felt before in her life. She started to race down the stairs when she saw the strangest sight. “Are my eyes playing tricks on me? There are two Niyleens…”

 

 

“…Fine then Flame-Child,” said one Niyleen. “Times up. I’m coming!”

 

Lucari looked at the other Niyleen and saw the most outlandish thing, she had closed her eyes. (Don’t just stand there! Do something!!)

Unable to watch any longer, Lucari decided to jump in between them and intervene but she froze as her body was not allowing her to do as she pleased. (Move! Come on Lucari, MOVE!! If… If I don’t stop them, Niyleen’s going to die!!!)

Believe in her… A voice in her head said. Lucari looked around and sighted a Bosmer who was looking right at her, no, who was staring beyond her tangible self. I know you wish to assist, but this fight is hers and hers alone. All you can do for her is watch and believe…

 

The longer Lucari looked at the Bosmer, the more it seemed like she had seen her before, and then it was the tone in which her voice was projected into her head… “Do I know you—Niyleen!!” Lucari turned toward the fight and saw that both Niyleens were standing with their backs towards each other. “Is… is it over?” It looked like their exchange had ended, but she couldn’t tell who came out ahead. Until they spoke.

 

“What… was that,” said the Niyleen with the large scythe. “Wasn’t that one of your pathetic illusion attacks? How… how am I…”

“Aeron, the basis behind Mistress—Eolri’s Ravager Style Secret Techniques is to restrict and torture your opponent,” said the Niyleen who seemed to be unarmed. “There are a few of them that outright will trick someone into thinking they’re dead and thus cause them to kill themselves, but most simply want to immobilize you. But as you said, they’re all pretty much useless against someone who can fend off illusion based attacks.”

“Then… what have you done to me,” said the one called Aeron as she took to a knee.

 

“I didn’t use any tricks. I simply used the strength and gifts that I always had available to me. I also remembered His words, ‘Abandon Yourself,’ something that you’ve clearly forgotten.”

From seemingly nowhere, Niyleen retrieved a weird looking dagger. She tossed it into the air and smiled. “You may think that ‘Aeron’ was the strongest, but even she threw away her name for power because she was weak. I simply used the first weapon that was given to ‘Niyleen’ when she gave up on being ‘Aeron.’”

“Mehrunes Razor… And to think you called me out for seeking the power of a Daedra...”

 

The Daedric artifact crafted by Mehrunes Dagon that Niyleen received during the First Cycle. Normally the dagger only has a chance to instantly kill any opponent. However, when one goes makes a pact with Mehrunes Dagon, that chance is raised to one hundred percent for the next opponent be it Man or Divine. Seeing the effect the dagger had on Sorerica in the First Cycle, Niyleen and Aeron knew its power to be true. However, the likelihood that Niyleen herself would wield it, even if technically it was rightfully hers in the first place, was so slim that Aeron didn't even take it into account.

 

“‘I thought you were slower than this, but I’m glad that it only took you a bit of prodding to see the bigger picture,’” Niyleen said mockingly. “As you said, I am Nega. I am the Second. I am the Thane of Morthal. And I AM the ‘Child of Flame, destroyer of Karthspire.’ I may not have all of their abilities and experiences available to me at this time, but they’re still within—”

Suddenly Niyleen lowered her arms and turned to meet Lucari’s gaze. They may not have been exactly close to one another, but the Nord’s heightened senses let her see perfectly clear the miserable look on the Halfling’s face. “You’re alive… you’re really al—”

 

 

 

Suddenly Niyleen froze, and the terror on her face shook Lucari to her core. “You… you got me too?”

“I heard you calling out… that ‘Ravager Style Secret Technique’ BS and decided… not to dodge it in order to get a clean hit on you as well. But I guess… I… was too… arrogant...”

And then Aeron fell to the ground, and Lucari saw her breathe her last breath.

Immediately, Lucari went over to Niyleen and tried to help her, but was refused. “Why?” Lucari said as she tried to control how much she was trembling out of anger. “Why do you always deny me Niyleen? Was… was I never—”

 

Niyleen’s smile made Lucari go silent. “You’re embarrassing me, love,” Niyleen said with a laugh. “I… I don’t… I never wanted to look this weak in front of you… I wanted to remain… the ‘kind, patient and firm but caring’ Niyleen that… you fell in love with. The one that made you angry, but… still made you feel safe. Not the me who… drove you into a corner and made you feel like you’d be betrayed if the fact that you became… a vampire got out.”

 

Lucari shook her head feverishly. “N-n-no! I… you never—”

Niyleen laid down and closed her eyes, but kept that smile on her face. “Lucari… when I go… don’t be sad. We’ll meet again… I promise…”

“H-hey, don’t talk like that Niyleen. You’ve got plenty of strength left in you!” Lucari surprised herself when she felt something wet fall down her cheeks. “Hey… I’ll be waiting for you. I promise…”

 

Part Four

 

*

“I later found out that Niyleen’s victory, if you can call it that, put an end to these so-called ‘Cycles,’ and for the first time in a long time I’ve felt like life…” Lucari opened the door to Niyleen’s room, the room that she slept in when the three of them had come her before, and just stared. “She was different. She…”

 

Lucari punched the wall hard, and didn’t as much as grimace at the pain. “Stupidstupidstupid! Why did I believe her? Why!? Why…” Lucari said as tear rolled down her face. “It’s been three months since then, and no one’s heard tell of her in any of the Holds… People don’t come back when they die, not unless they’re made into a thrall. I know that… I KNOW THAT!! So why would I think that it would be any different? Why did I think Niyleen would be any different…”

A knock at her door made her jump and turn her back toward it. “C-come in! The door’s unlocked.” Without hesitation, her visitor entered and Lucari could guess who it was. “Nyleine, is that you?”

“Heehee, how did you guess?”

(It wasn’t that hard to figure out. You’re the only one that’s visited me since that day… But how did you know where I was…)

After Niyleen’s death, Lucari could feel something within her break and all of a sudden she was transported back to Teresa’s castle, where she encountered everyone that Niyleen had been traveling with. She had expected fear in their eyes at the sight of her, even anger because it was obvious that Niyleen’s blood was on her hands… However all they had was sadness in their eyes. She wasn’t being judged, she was being pitied. Unable to handle it, Lucari ran off into the night and straight to the last place she expected anyone to look for her, Vlindrel Hall.

 

 

 

A peculiar thing was that she hadn’t seen the Halfling at Teresa’s castle or Teresa for that matter, yet Nyleine was waiting for her when she first arrived here …

“I don’t know, a lucky guess.”

 

“Luck? You’ve never been one to—hey… are you crying?”

 

“Huh?”

 

“Oh uh… Well, the first time I saw you here, you had your back to me as well. Seeing you shaking now like you were then just made me think that you may have been, you know, crying.”

Lucari couldn’t help but smile. “Why are you sticking around here anyway?”

“It’s MY sister’s house! I feel like if anything, next of kin should have rights to it rather than some silly unrequited love interest,” Nyleine said with a laugh. “I guess… that’s a bit much though, seeing how far she was willing to go for you…”

“What would you know?”

*

“You’re right,” Niyleen said, with a grin on her face. (It’s not like I’m HER or anything…)

It’d been a while since she’d started visiting her home under the guise of her sister. She wanted so badly to simply tell Lucari that she was back, but the price of her surviving Aeron’s fatal attack was half a year’s servitude with no one knowing that she lived, plus she had to serve him whenever and wherever he called upon her afterwards. If her identity was explicitly found out during these six months, she would be turned into a Xivilai and spend the rest of her existence in the Deadlands.

 

 

“What would I know? I don’t know anything about you other than what my sister told me. Hey, speaking of her, do you remember how the two of you met?”

“Of course… I’d never forget.” Niyleen heard Lucari sigh before she continued. “I had left Dragon Bridge, with only my passion for becoming a hero driving me. After getting a tip of where Niyleen… of where the ‘Raging Inferno of the Reach’ was last seen from a Bosmer… from Dagger, I ended up heading towards Karthwasten and after some time, I decided to rest on the side of the road.

“I remember saying something about capturing Niyleen and being heralded through the ages as a hero when I heard some footsteps come up from behind me.” Lucari sighed. “Haaa… I remember thinking that the footsteps belonged to some arrogant adventurer that was trying to pick me up. I was so ready to punch Niyleen in the face that when she said ‘Hey there’ in that god awful cheerful tone… I couldn’t help but smile and return the greeting in kind.”

“You were so cheerful,” Niyleen said. “Er, I mean, Niyleen said that your smile would have crippled vampires it was so bright. I remember her saying that her first impression of you was that of a worthless naïve adventurer, a milkdrinker.”

“It wasn’t a lie,” Lucari turned slightly to Niyleen. “Your sister… Niyleen opened my eyes. I had always seen the world in black in white, good and evil. She showed me that there were so many shades of gray, heck I’m still finding different hues, even after everything that had happened.” Lucari faced Niyleen and the Halfling could feel her heart ache. “Hey… did your sister ever speak of me?”

“Wh-what!? Stop being so embarrassing!”

“Please. If she said anything…”

(So that’s where my amulet went… and is she wearing… The bandanna I used as a blindfold?) Niyleen turned from Lucari so that she wouldn’t expose herself. “I… Niyleen said a lot. At first I thought she was looking for you because you were the first person she could call a friend in the truest form of the word. However as she continued to talk about you, I could tell that she was in love with you.”

“Heehee, in love with me? Surely you jest.”

“I wish,” Niyleen said angrily trying her best to imitate her sister. “It got so annoying hearing her talk about how much she missed you, wanted to see you, to hold you… to apologize for pushing you away…”

Niyleen felt Lucari’s arms around her and almost went into a panic.  “You’re joking, I know you are.” Niyleen could hear the smile in Lucari’s voice, feel the Nord's words on her skin, and she got goosebumps. “If anything she probably felt like I needed to be rescued, which in itself is cute. But… thanks Nyleine. Thank you so much.”

Niyleen pushed Lucari away from her when their eyes locked, the Halfling was sure that she had been figured out. However, seeing Lucari’s puzzled look reassured her that everything was fine. “I only came here to ask one question that’s been bothering me for a while now.”

 

“Okay,” Lucari said with a sniff. “Shoot.”

“Do you think it would have been better if you had never met my sister?”

The speed at which the anger came over Lucari’s face made Niyleen feel like she had triped a trap in one of those old Nordic ruins. “If you ever say such a thing again, I will fucking hurt you… very badly.”

Lucari stepped right into Niyleen’s face and stared right into her eyes. “Your sister was mean, a liar, a thief, a murderer, she never seemed to want to listen to me, and she was so aggravatingly arrogant… But she was the nicest, most caring person I ever met.”

The longing in Lucari’s eyes almost made Niyleen reveal herself then and there, but she didn’t. Since forever, Niyleen had always played the long game rather than the short one. Revealing herself would only cause Lucari even more pain in the future. So no, she’d keep that piece of information to herself for the time being.

 

“Looking back on it, everything she did was for my own good. It was annoying, but her telling me off after killing that Orc, her keeping the fact that she was the ‘Raging Inferno of the Reach’… her obviously lying about the fact that she had feelings for me… it was frustrating, but if she hadn’t done those things, I would have never grown as a person.”

 

 

“If you've grown, then why are you staying here?”

 

“Heeeeh,” in an instant, Lucari’s attitude made a 180. The smile she was making at Niyleen, she knew it was meant for her and not who Lucari thought she was speaking to. “The only reason I’m here is so that I’m the first face your sister sees when she comes home. I also want to start over. As you know, I’ve stopped trying to be a hero. There’s no meaning to it… you know? Especially when the person I love has the biggest bounty on her head. I’m not going to throw away my love for a chance at fame. Besides… you know, Markarth’s more corrupt than one would think. They might have half a mind to turn me in if I turn in a bounty.”

(Restrain yourself!) It took every ounce of willpower that Niyleen had in order to keep herself from wrapping Lucari in her arms and taking the Nord’s lips for herself. “I… I see. Well then,” Niyleen made it to the door when she stopped. “Maybe I’ll make you a Snowberry Crostata again when that time comes. You seemed to really enjoy them last time.” And with that Niyleen left her home, and closed the door behind her.

*

(Did she just say ‘I’ll’? And her awkwardness, her reactions…) “Wait! Nyleine!!” Lucari raced to the door and was knocked to the floor when the door suddenly opened and hit her in the face. “Owww… By Shor’s beard… who in the world—”

 

“How did you know that I was coming over?”

 

Lucari looked up and her heart skipped a beat at who she saw. (N-no way…)

 

"What is it? My hair? Yeah, I decided to change it back to how I used to have it. Do you like-"

Immediately, she headed outside and looked down on the city to see if she could catch a trace of the woman who had just been in Vlindrel Hall, but it was to no avail.

 

“Hey Lucari,” Nyleine called from inside. “What’s wrong?”

 

Maybe I’ll make you a Snowberry Crostata again when that time comes. You seemed to really enjoy them last time.

 

Lucari shook her head and smiled inwardly. “Yeah… when that time comes, I’ll be waiting.”

“Lucari? Do I need any help?”

 

Lucari wiped her eyes and tried to make herself as presentable as possible. “No, I’m fine.” She looked back one last time at the city, and nodded reassuringly. (I’m finally fine.) She then walked back inside, not wanting to keep her guest waiting.

 

 

 

 

 

Epilogue

 

 

“Ah… I think now would be as good a time as any to rest up,” Niyleen said as she did a light stretch. “Don’t want a repeat of what happened the last time I didn’t rest between kills.”

Niyleen thought back to her fight with Endoen and laughed. Arrogance made her travel without end on the days leading up to that encounter, and if there was anything she wasn’t going to repeat was her allowing hubris to be her downfall.

 

Without flinching, Niyleen sat down next two one of her two victims and sighed. “Man… but to think six months would pass before I knew it. So much has happened…”

*

Three months to the day after leaving Lucari, I fulfilled my my duties to Mehrunes Dagon. At which time I didn’t waste a second before going back to Vlindrel Hall only to see a certain someone fast asleep. In hindsight, I feel like I should have let her sleep more seeing how puffy her eyes looked. However, that smile she gave me when she realized it was me that was on top of her (along with what we did afterwards) more than made up for her lack of sleep and our time apart.

 

 

*

Niyleen finished burying the bodies and cleaning up the area. After the gruesome, meticulous, and destructive ways she was made to kill at Dagon’s command, it was the least she could do to clean up after herself when it came to her kills.

 

“It was amazing though to hear what everyone had been up to…”

*

No one knows how, but Teresa and Sevetia’s body had gone missing. It wasn’t a major thing for most, but some of us would have liked to exact a more thorough vengeance on the undead Nord…

Not a day after I left Lucari six months ago, a package from Dagger arrived to my house addressed to Lucari. Within it was a letter and a pouch that contained fourty five hundred gold. Apparently the gold was for me. It was my share of the gold with interest from that heist that had occurred last year.

 

As for the contents of the letter, Lucari was reluctant to share everything with me, but assured me that Dagger was doing well. Apparently she had gone back to being a full time bandit, and last I saw her bounty was almost ten thousand gold. A whiles away from MY bounty, but there’s no shame in that. I WAS the Raging Inferno of the Reach afterall.

Then there was Duraza. I thought that after all we’d been through that she’d at least come to my… nevermind. Anyway, she’s quit the mercenary business and has become a freelance theif. I thought that this would have put her at odds with the Thieves Guild, but apparently she does jobs for them and it’s at a lower rate than she makes others pay for her services. Go figure.

Next is my sister, Nyleine. After defeating Aeron, I thought that Dagon had severed the spiritual bond that we had that made it so we knew when the other was near so I wasn’t immediately outted when I went to visit Lucari (something I told him I was going to do). However, when I still couldn’t sense her after my servitude, I realized that the end of the Cycles reverted our bot from a spiritual one back to a blood one.

 

I’ve seen her around a lot. Morndas through Turdas Nyleine works with Lisbet at Arnleif and Sons Trading Company. Then Fredas and Loredas, she goes to Riften and works with Elgrim and Ingun Black-Briar at Elgrim’s Elixirs. At first I was worried about her working with any Black-Briars, but she says that Ingun is nice, and from the looks of things, there’s finally someone else that has my sister’s eye…

 

Then there’s the Syliel sisters… I didn’t fully understand the weight of Dagger’s words until I saw Carciel. ‘I’ve got a feeling that no matter the outcome between you two, some people may not make it out of the Cycles alive.’ Although she had said that, it never occurred to me what those words truly meant. The moment I saw her, she told me this… ‘Eolri is dead.’

 

I asked her how. There was no way that Eolri, of all people, could be killed… again. However, her explaination of what happened was such an Eolri thing to do that I couldn’t even be mad at it. See… the day I completed my service to Dagon, the two sisters fell under a curse… or what seemed to be a curse. Having died before, Eolri knew that whatever was afflicting them was fatal. They tried everything magical and medicinal to rid themselves of the curse, but nothing was working. Then, as if driven by something, Eolri commited suicide at which point she turned into light and enveloped Carciel which removed the affliction.

After explaining everything to me, she then followed it up with ‘Carciel doesn’t exist.’ I didn’t understand what she meant until I thought back to what the Second had said. Eolri and Carciel were initially one person, Ceolrianna the White Witch, and Eolri’s death made that a fact once again. However, even though she said this, and even though she retains the memories of Ceolrianna throughout the Cycles, she still prefers to be called Carciel.

 

After that, I haven’t seen her around much, but there has been talk that a woman clad in white and carrying a two handed blade has been sighted around Winterhold.

And then there’s Lucari. As was painfully obvious, she’s been cured of vampirism. In fact, although she’d like everyone to believe that she stayed and waited at Vlindrel Hall all this time for me, after making sure I hadn’t just snuck off back there, she went to find a cure for the disease and found one in Morthal.

 

Ever since I’ve been back, she’s been happier than ever! Although she’s indeed quit her quest to become a hero, she still strives to make Skyrim great again, and has since joined up with Markarth’s guard. I told her it was going to be a fruitless venture, but as she proved me wrong as she’s done time and time again.

Since she’s joined the guard, crime has gone down, the citizen’s morale is at an all time high, and the guards have been a tad bit friendlier than they used to be. Looks like that brightness of hers is indeed infectious. Also, seems like she’s made some friends within the upper echelons of Markarth’s society.

 

 

 

Then there’s Nega and the Second…

 

I know that they’re still a part of me, but I haven’t heard a word from either of them since defeating Aeron. Perhaps they’re still being assimilated with me, which would explain these dreams I have about them from time to time. Either way, I can’t deny that I do miss them. They made sure that I was never truly alone, and they taught me so much… Even if they’re essentially me, I could never repay them for all that they’ve done for me…

 

And finally that leaves me. As much as I like to flaunt that I’ve had the largest bounty on my head, with Heilda declaring me dead, the ‘Raging Inferno of the Reach’ is no more. I still do mercenary work, but I’ve also been taking any high end jobs from any contractor. So… I may or may not have accrued another ludicrous bounty. Sometimes I wish I wasn’t working so hard, but being able to go back to Mrs. Flame-Child at the end of the day… Oh, right… Lucari and I got married! It happened just two months ago, and to be honest it was a fluke that it even happened.

 

The two of us were visiting one of my friends in Riften and by chance Haelga of all people asked if she could borrow Lucari for a few hours. Seeing as it couldn’t hurt, Lucari agreed, and later on when I went looking for the pair I found them in the Temple of Mara trying on wedding dresses! Me seeing her dressed like that… it was a sign from the Divines. As illogical as it may have seen to anyone else, I rushed from the temple, found that annoying priest that was bothering everyone with his talk of Mara, bought an amulet from him and rushed back to the temple. Then I put the amulet on and asked for her hand in marriage then and there. To say that her face lit up would be an understatement. . She said yes, and instead of waiting we had the ceremony then and there. I even paid Haelga double what she paid for the dress that Lucari was wearing.

 

The ceremony was abbreviated, and the attendance wasn’t nearly to either of our standards, but to be honest looking back on it we could not have been happier.

*

Niyleen stuck her hand out to get a better look at her ring and smiled. “I still owe you a crostata don’t I, Love?” She then placed her dagger on top of a pile of rocks and crossed her arms. “Alright then, enough with the hiding!”

 

“Well well well, look at what we’ve got here? Didn’t take us long at all to find you.” Suddenly four Dark Brotherhood members surrounded Niyleen.

 

Rather than afraid, Niyleen seemed a bit annoyed by them. (They send four no name assassins after me? Seems like my bounty may just be a BIT inflated. Then again, they are with the Brotherhood… It’d be foolish of me to discredit them…) Niyleen painlessly conjured her flame sword.

 “What are you all waiting for? Attack her!!”

 

As she thought, these nameless assassins were no match for her, and with ease Niyleen dispatched of her would be assassins. She then retrieved the Mehrunes Razor and began heading back to Markarth.

“Ha… and now here comes the fun part, being yelled at by Lucari for having blood spilled over me,” Niyleen smiled as she remembered all the times she’s been yelled at before for this exact same thing. With an exaggerated sigh, Niyleen said, “Julianos, give me strength.”

 

 

[fgambler]

Eh, I never saw this topic before. But I often post short stories in the Skyrim Counterpart topic and also on my tumblr.

[ther1pper]

Currently working on another story while uploading some other 2. Enjoy this one about Sylvia.

Dancing with the Wolf.

Part 1: http://www.loverslab.com/blog/407/entry-2699-dance-with-the-wolf-12/

Part 2: http://www.loverslab.com/blog/407/entry-2718-dance-with-the-wolf-22/

[ther1pper]

Another story, this time about a sexy Necromancer.

Part 1: http://www.loverslab.com/blog/407/entry-2700-cave-of-the-dead-13/

Part 2: http://www.loverslab.com/blog/407/entry-2719-cave-of-the-dead-23/

Part 3: http://www.loverslab.com/blog/407/entry-2720-cave-of-the-dead-33/

[ther1pper]

Not every adventurer has a long tale. Heres a short one.

Part 1: http://www.loverslab.com/blog/407/entry-2746-a-short-tale-13/

Part 2: http://www.loverslab.com/blog/407/entry-2750-a-short-tale-23/

Part 3: http://www.loverslab.com/blog/407/entry-2751-a-short-tale-33/

[ther1pper]

Enjoy another Tale, this time about the Necromancer Fiona

 

Part 1: http://www.loverslab.com/blog/407/entry-2803-suck-harder-12/

Part 2: http://www.loverslab.com/blog/407/entry-2824-suck-harder-22/

[blazingsai]

Trace
Chapter Twelve: Desperation 

Story

 

 

Part One

 

 

It didn’t take Trace and the Nightingales long to overcome Mercer’s traps and the various Falmer and Dwemer automations that dwelled within Irkngthand. Coming to what seemed to be the deepest area of the Dwarven ruin, the quartet arrived in a wide area that contained a massive statue… and no Mercer to be seen…

 

Brynjolf: This is it, lasses. Remember, we do this for Gallus and for the Guild.

 

Karliah: Yes… for Gallus…!! He's close. I'm certain of it. We must prepare ourselves. Brynjolf, watch the door.

 

Brynjolf: Aye, lass. Nothing's getting by me.

While the two senior members of the Guild were talking amongst themselves, Vex walked towards her fellow Imperial who she could tell was dealing with her own issues..

 

Vex: Listen… Don’t let what Karliah said before get to you. We need… I need you here for this. And I need that crazy vixen that was ready to set me aflame to see her enemies burn! So whatever’s got you in knots, I need you to unravel it, now!

Trace: I’m… I’m just worried about what I may do… Heh, I’m talking like I’m all powerful. Truth is, I’m not protected like the rest of you. I don’t have a Daedric Prince looking out for me. I… Things have just begun to get right with both you and Mjoll. I can’t—

 

Vex: We all do things we don’t want to do. But this isn’t a situation where you can just not want to be here anymore. I… I wish I was my old, cold self, but without you by my side I’m hardly the same person anymore…

Trace: *sigh* The three of you want justice and revenge, but I simply want payback. He… he hurt you Vex!

 

Vex: Yeah…

 

Trace: No you don’t get it! He hurt you, and I was too stupid being locked up in prison to do anything about it! I… If the last time we had met would have been me leaving you at Goldenglow... I… I don’t think…

 

Vex: I know Jalena. You don’t have to say it.

Karliah: Hate to break up your little moment, but I need the two of you to focus. Climb down that ledge and see if you can—

 

Without warning, the ledge in question broke off taking the two Imperials with it…

Brynjolf: Jalena! Vexy! Are you two alright!?

 

Vex: Curse him and his nicknames… Yeah, I’m alright! How about you Trace?

 

After a few second fear set in, and Vex looked around for her compatriot. Thankfully she was able to soon find he and was able to let out a relieved sigh.

 

Vex: H-hey Trace, don’t scare me like that! I almost thought that you were a goner.

Trace: H-heh… Y-yeah, my bad. (By the Gods… I think I twisted an ankle!) Crap… considering you all have Lady Luck on your side, you could pass some of it my way…

Vex: Did you say anything?

 

Tracee: N-no, nothing! (Dammit it! I’m going to have to fake like I’m fine, otherwise Vex might get off her game…) D-don’t… don’t worry about me. We’ve got to find out where Mercer is and tr y to get the drop on him before—

???: Brynjolf and Vex are already aware of this, and I had hoped Trace would have been as well, but Karliah… When will you learn you can't get the drop on me?

Trace and Vex stood and looked at one another before searching for the damnable Breton. Finally it was when Karliah had pointed him out that their eyes went up and rested upon the sight they’d been meaning to see…

…Mercer Frey, former leader of the Thieves Guild, standing smugly above them on that giant statue.

 

Trace: So I guess a sneak attack is out of the question?

 

Vex: By the Divines I do wonder oft times how we ever came to be a thing…

 

Trace: I’ve got one million and one reasons why, but we can talk about that later when the fate of our lives and the future of the Guild isn’t at stake.

 

Vex: Agreed.

Mercer: Now isn’t this something? I expected Nocturnal to eventually send a new Trinity after me to retrieve the key, but I never imagined that someone who’s heart isn’t even fully with the Guild would come running after me. Hey kid, it’s been a while.

 

 

Part Two

 

 

Trace: Just tell me one thing Mercer, was any of what you said the truth? You always said to put the Guild before one’s self… Did you truly believe that, or did you enjoy us running around to line your pockets all the while remaining in the condition that we were?

 

Mercer frowned at Trace.

 

Mercer: You were an orphan with exceptional skills, and they were hands with no loyalty. I had to make sure you all had something to believe in, something that you wouldn’t completely turn your back on. The added gold was just a well-deserved bonus.

Trace: And to think I once trusted you…

 

Vex: You son of a bitch!! I was just going to hurt you, but now… Now I’m gonna—

 

Karliah: Don’t do anything hasty you two. Do NOT engage Mercer by yourselves! Wait for me and Bryn to—

The Breton gathered magicka in his hand and aimed directly at the dark elf and her nord companion.

 

Mercer: Oh no no no, you two shall be staying up there for the foreseeable future!

The veteran thief shot Karliah and Brynjolf with the spell bringing them both to their knees.

 

Karliah: Dammit… if I would have known that he had this up his sleeve after all this time…

 

Brynjolf: What’s… what’s happening, lass!?

Mercer: Karliah, I'll deal with you after I rid myself of your irksome companions. In the meantime, perhaps you and Brynjolf should get better acquainted.

 

The sudden sound of steel on steel made Trace look towards where her companions were last seen with fear on her face.

 

Karliah: Fight it, Brynjolf... he's taken control of you!

 

Brynjolf: I'm sorry lass, I... I can't.... I can't stop myself.

 

Karliah: Damn you, Mercer!

 

Trace: Karliah... Bryn...

Fed up with the little waiting game they had going on, Vex decided it was now or never and sprang into action

 

Trace: W-what are you doing!?

 

Vex: What we should have done a long time ago! I’ve had my suspicions about Mercer for years now, but he’s gone too far! Killing Gallus, ruining Karliah’s name, stealing from the Guild, pitting Karliah and Brynjolf against each other, hurting me… I’ll be damned if I let him go unpunished for one second longer!!

Rather than become perturbed by the Imperial that didn’t hide her intentions to take his life, Mercer simply grinned at her and aimed his spell at her.

 

Mercer: You women… why don’t you realize that eating where you shit is never a good idea… You’ve become undone messing around with Trace, Vex. I warned you about this, but it seems like recently you’ve decided not to allow cool heads to prevail.

Vex: Screw you Mercer! I’m gonna—

 

Suddenly Vex was flung backwards at such a speed it caused her to reactively let out a small yelp as she flew through the air. Seeing this, Trace called and reached out for Vex…

…But was ultimately powerless to prevent the Imperial from slamming into the wall and letting out a more pronounced and painful scream that sent chills down Trace’s spine.

Trace’s anger was overcome by her worry for the woman she loved, and so she turned her back on Mercer and tried to assist Vex.

 

Trace: D-don’t worry Vex, I-I’ll get you down somehow. I just need to figure out—

Vex: N-no! Stop! You… *pant* *pant*don’t know if by touching this you’ll be affected by his magic. Just… just focus on Mercer, and don’t let him get you as well…

 

Trace: Vex…

Mercer: Seems like now that she can’t  act out, Vex has finally come to her sense and is doling out logical and sound advice. A shame that You never took to any of my scarce advances. You could have had the world, Imperial.

Vex spat at him and sucked her teeth.

 

Vex: You sure like to all high and mighty, what with you perched upon that statue of yours and me unable to move from this wall. Maybe if you ever grew a pair, I might’ve looked your way at least once.

 

 

Part Three

 

 

Mercer: Heh, one out of two should suffice.

 

Vex: What’re you talking about now—!! Trace!! Move!!!

 

Trace: What?

 

Turned around just in time to see Mercer lunging at her fully intent on felling her with a single sneak attack…

However, thanks to Vex’s warning, Trace was able to roll out of the way in time and gave herself a bit of breathing room, which gave her time to try and figure out a way out of this mess.

 

Trace: Finally decided to show your true colors? With that kind of sneakiness, don’t you think you’d be far better off as an assassin than a thief? (But seriously how did he get the drop on me? It’s like he simply teleported…)

Mercer: Heh, you’ve always been an arrogant little thing. Ever since you came to the Guild and were swinging around your little dagger like you knew what you were doing, I knew I felt something in you. It’s probably the same thing that Vex felt in you.

 

Trace: Yeah? And what’s that asshole?

Mercer’s eye twitched and he stopped himself from lashing out at the Imperial.

 

Mercer: It’s like you’re a sad little puppy and people can’t help but want to take care of you. Think about it, do I look like the kind of person who would teach someone else how to fight? Have I ever seemed like I’d personally involve myself with the growth of any of my underlings?

 

Trace couldn’t deny that she had always felt like Mercer favored her a bit more than the others, but it never seemed to last long, and usually ended up with her covered in bruises.

 

Mercer: When Brynjolf brought you before me there was something else that I felt… it seemed as if there was a sudden shift in the wind. Even though you were but a whelp,  at that moment I knew that everything between us would end with one of us at the end of a blade.

Trace rose to her feet and could feel her the pain in her ankle even more than before, however she didn’t allow herself to give away the fact that she was injured.

 

Trace: You… you asshole… I could probably forgive most of the things you’ve done. Killing Gallus and framing Karliah? I never knew the guy, and the Dunmer’s not too keen on me either. Stealing from the Guild? Annoying, but I’m not even a member so it doesn’t concern me. Manipulating Brynjolf and Karliah into fighting one another? They’re experts at what they do, I’m sure they’ll get through this alright.

Trace: But time and time again, you seem to not only like, but enjoy hurting Vex, the woman that I love! The first time you did so, I was unaware and couldn’t do anything for her. However…

 

Trace drew her weapon and fell into an offensive stance.

 

Trace: You’ve decided to once again inflict harm upon her? WHILE I’M RIGHT HERE!? I can’t… I WON’T allow you to get away with this! Damn if you’re a former Nightingale, damn if you have the Skeleton Key, damn if you have much, much more combat experience than I… I’m not going to allow you to leave here with your life Mercer!!!

Mercer let out a sigh and changed up his stance as well.

 

Mercer: Once again the wheel of fate is turning. Let’s see if a cripple can keep up with the unbridled might of the greatest thief of the Fourth Era!

Their swords clashed, and immediately Trace realized the folly of challenging Mercer on basically one foot. Without any handicaps he was already stronger than her, but now he was not only faster than the Imperial…

 

Trace: (Is he copying me!? But to do so on the fly… That’s impossible!!)

Just as she was questioning the plausibility of that notion, Mercer attacked again and nimbly Trace was able to dodge in time.

Again and again they repeated this dance or Mercer attacks, Trace dodges. The Imperial was never one to be on the defensive, however Mercer wasn’t a man she could afford to make a single mistake against.

 

Mercer: So you’re going to keep buzzing around me like a bee? No, a fly. At least bees put up more of a fight than you are at the moment.

Vex: Don’t let him wind you up! Play your game Trace. Keep going at your own pace and wear him out bit by bit!

 

Trace: (Dammit Vex, I know that… But how am I supposed to actually attack? It’s taking all I’ve got to keep dodging his attacks. If I keep this up…)

 

Mercer: As if a worthless woman like this was going to wear me down. It’s only a matter of time until the end, and she can feel it in her bones. I know she can.

Trace’s anger rose to the surface once again, and against her better judgment she went to attack Mercer. However exactly like before, Mercer matched everything about her stance and attack move by move.

 

Trace: Dammit… Damn you!!!

 

Mercer yawned and rolled his eyes at her comments.

 

Mercer: Really? At least if you’re going to attack me, don’t do it all using the techniques I showed you, much less essentially on one foot. You may not have much respect for me, but you damn well better start respecting my prowess in combat.

 

 

Part Four

 

 

While the two were still locked up, Mercer suddenly smiled and his voice took on a lighter tone.

 

Mercer: Listen, I get it. You love Vex, and I hurt her multiple times. You wanting to get vengeance against me is natural, and more pure than any of their reasons for wanting me dead. But let’s not kid ourselves here. I’m stronger than you. I’m faster than you. I’m in your head, and I’ve been three steps ahead of you this entire time. You think that you’ve been dodging my attacks on one leg? I’ve been allowing you to dodge. If I wanted you dead, you’d be dead.

Mercer: However out of everyone, you don’t deserve this. Just run away Trace. Live your life in peace with that troublesome Nord, and don’t look back at this. You really think I’m joking? Look up there.

 

Trace followed his eyes and saw Karliah and Brynjolf fighting feverously against one another, with neither seeming to gain ground on the other.

 

Mercer: Look at them. Two people who are heads and shoulders above the rest in their craft. Two thieves that could be considered the best at what they do, reduced to mere puppets by my hand. And then there’s Vex who can’t even—

Trace: Say another word about her, and injury be damned I’ll make sure you’re dead within seconds! And if you’re so big and bad as to have all of this power, stop talking about it and use it!!

 

Mercer: *sigh* You’re so unreasonable. I should have let that vixen—

She’d warned him, and like a woman possessed Trace leapt through the air intent on not making herself out to be a liar… especially in front of Vex.

Trace: You’d better hope Nocturnal is going to show you mercy, because I’ve none to spare, you bastard!!!

Mercer: We’ll see about that.

 

Trace didn’t know what he meant by that. It was clear that she had the advantage, and she had planned to continue pressing it when suddenly her lights went out. A single step backwards, a single boot to the face, and her offense was gone in an instant…

Vex: Jalena!! NOOOOO!!!!

 

Mercer: Like a moth to a flame. Looks like you got a bit too close this time and burned yourself.

Mercer: Haaaa…. I tried to warn you, but you didn’t want to listen. I have you a way out, and yet you sprint head first into death’s clutches as if welcoming what is to come.

Vex: Son of a bitch! If you so much as touch her, I swear—

 

Mercer: On and on go the prattling of the weak and defeated. If I wanted to kill her at this very moment, what would you do? What would any of you do? Heck, she wouldn’t even be able to put up her arms if she wanted to in order to defend herself. Face it Nightingales, it’s over.

Vex: You didn’t… Mercer!!! YOU EVIL BASTARD!!! I’ll kill you!! I’ll fucking kill you!!!

 

Mercer: *sigh* You don’t get it, I don’t think you ever will. I’m not a bad guy, I’m definitely not a good guy, but what I am is the guy who holds the Skeleton Key. It's clear by the actions of you all today that you'll never see the Skeleton Key as I do... as an instrument of limitless wealth. Of limitless potential.

Mercer: Now then, it’s been fun, but it’s time to eliminate all would be thorns in my side.

 

No sooner than he finished talking did he kick Trace in the head with such force that she ended up flying through the air…

And landed with a skid just before her nose was submerged in the water…

Trace coughed a few time, much to the relief to Vex and the others. However she was too weak to do anything. Everything from her arms to her legs, her fingers to her head, to her eyelids… all of it felt much too heavy. Not to mention there was a throbbing pain in her ankle that she couldn’t help but want to be rid of, but it slowly engulfed everything until all Trace could let out were soft painful moans, but that was literally the extent of what she could do.

Mercer: Now then, if you all wish to keep painting me up as the “Bad Guy,” rather than see how foolish you all were to blindly trust a man that never showed his full hand to anyone, then I may as well play the part. And I’ll begin it with you, Jalena

Vex: Mercer stop! You’ve already said that she wasn’t involved in this!! You’ve already weakened her with the Skeleton Key’s power right? Then just let her be! Your issues are with Karliah and I. Leave Jalena out of this damn you!!

Mercer looked over his shoulder towards Vex and scowled.

                                                                                       

Mercer: And why on earth would I do that? I plan to kill you Nightingales and if I leave her alive, that’ll mean that I’ve foolishly let a well-trained assassin whose out for my blood live.  I’d have to always sleep with an eye open if it came to that. So no, I won’t be sparing her after all.

Mercer raised his sword and readied himself to do away with Trace.

 

Mercer: Besides… it’s typically customary to do a bit of begging with your pleading. You may not have been put in the position before, but even you ought to know how this is supposed to go.

 

With those words, Vex knew that she’d failed, that she’d condemned Trace to this fate. It was her greed and her greed alone that caused Trace to be here…

 

Vex: (She should have been with at the Guild… no… She should have been happy, with Mjoll. Why did I allow things to become like this… I should have told everyone what Jalena was trying to do. I should have looked out for her feelings more. Was it my jealousy? Did I want to see their relationship end? Have I wanted to see her fail with everyone not me, just so I could deny her in the end? Am I… Am I that selfish?)

 

Vex’s thoughts returned the moment at hand and in order to steel herself for what was to come, she tried her hardest to don the cool attitude that she was notorious for having…

 

Vex: …Why would I ever beg to you if we both know how this is going to end up, you damn coward…

Mercer: Indeed, why would you.

 

And then the sound of Mercer’s blade piercing Trace’s flesh enveloped the room. It enveloped everything, and even made the two Nightingale’s locked in combat acutely aware of the fate that truly awaited them all without any misgivings…

 

 

Part Five

 

 

Within the silence, Vex was the first to break it as she screamed in anguish for Trace. Her screams weren’t just of sadness, but of pain, anger, madness. Vex could feel herself being drawn into these emotions, being let on by the allure of Power for the sake of vengeance… and she would have gripped tightly onto that power, if there wasn’t another voice whispering into her ear…

Mercer rose to his feet and flicked the blood off his blade indifferently. He, who all but acted as the father that Trace never had… He, who all but made her into the top class thief she was, rather would have continued to be…  It was clear to Vex that this man had no soul, and if she could, she wouldn’t hesitate in ending his life.

 

Mercer: Now with her out of the way I can begin with the others. Since I wish to save Karliah for last, I guess this means that—

???: I release you from your feeble bonds. Now go!

 

Vex didn’t need to be told twice, and with speed and agility unknown to her the Imperial leapt through the air and landed a devastating hit to an unsuspecting Mercer. The Breton ended up skipping once on the water’s surface before stopping himself and regaining his composure.

Mercer: Fuck… Was that Vex? By the Eight, how was she able to—

???: You’re done with him already? So your revenge goes but so far… Laughable.

 

Vex: (I’ll shut you, and Mercer up for good!)

Mercer: Well fine then… Guess it’s time to stop playing around and… huh?

 

Mercer glanced up and saw Vex soaring through the air, and his earlier composure was nowhere to be found.

Wet, waist deep in muddy water, and he was to avoid an aerial assault? If Mercer could get to the Skeleton Key then perhaps he could unlock the limits of himself and dodge in time, but time was not his friend at this moment.

 

???: This is getting rather boring. Could you rather hurry up with this business of death? I know what is within your heart, so I will never blame you for it, mainly because you’re a mortal who’s current interests I can say to have shared at one point. But as I said, make sure to be quick about this whole business.

 

Vex: I know… I know already,

As soon as Vex landed on Mercer, she plunged his head under water and proceeded to choke the life out of him.

She wanted him to suffer in over a thousand ways, but time wasn’t on her side. So instead she would just opt to look into his yes and watch as the light faded from them.

 

Vex: You… You deserve far… FAR worse than what I’m allowing you to have in your final moments. So you better drink it in you bastard, because I feel like Nocturnal’s going to be even more furious with you than I am.

Just as Mercer’s struggles began to wane, Vex took her dagger and ran it across his neck. She retrieved the Skeleton Key and everything that looked to be of value from his corpse, and then sat back and tried to control the wave of emotions that were coming over her…

…However she didn’t even come close to doing so.

 

Vex: I did it damn you!! But that’s not going to bring Trace back!!! Why would you let this happen? I know that she wasn’t a Nightingale, I know she wasn’t with the Guild… But you know that I loved her!!! Why would you allow this to happen!?! Why would you allow that bastard to murder her?! Answer me!!!

 

???: Perhaps you ought to try paying attention to the people around you more, then this may not happen again.

Vex: You think that’s a reasonable answer you damned Daedra!? If you weren’t fucking impossible to kill, I’d—

 

Suddenly Vex heard something that sounded like a soft shout and looked in the direction it was coming from to see Karliah and Brynjolf facing each other but not attacking one another.

 

Karliah: Glad you’re done with your little soliloquy love, but if you do indeed want her to make it out of here alive, I’d suggest you quit flapping your gums, and grab her already. Me and Bryn will give you a hand when you’re ready.

Vex: Wha… what are you talking about? She’s already—

 

Vex looked at Trace and felt her heart almost leap out of her chest. It was faint, and one would miss it if they didn’t have good vision, but Vex could see Trace’s chest rise and fall, and knew she was indeed still alive.

Without hesitation, Vex swooped the Imperial into her arms and couldn’t, no, didn’t stop the flood of tears that were running down her cheeks and she also didn’t stop herself from filling the sanctuary with her sobs.

Brynjolf: I don’t want to sound like I’m unsympathetic to how you’re feeling now, but Vexy, we’ve got to go soon if we’re going to do anything to those wounds of hers.

Vex: I’m coming Bryn!!

 

Vex looked at Trace and could tell by her twitches that she was still trying to get up, still trying to defeat the  already passed on Mercer…

Vex: It’s alright Jalena you’ve done enough… You’ve done more than enough. So just rest now…

Vex: (Thank you Nocturnal…)

 

Nocturnal: Anytime mortal. They don’t call me Lady Luck for show. Now go and get her patched up. If she dies after all of this…

 

Vex nodded her head, gave Trace a soft kiss on the lips, and then with the aid of her fellow Nightingales, left the damnable Dwarven ruin and all of its bad history behind…

 

 

Part Six

 

 

A few days later in the Cistern, Trace, who was bandaged up from her battle against Mercer Frey in the Irkngthand Sanctuary, lay peacefully in her old bed as the regular on goings of the Guild took place around her…

…That is until she suddenly jolted up from her slumber with a yelp, alerting everyone to her awakening.

 

Thrynn: Heh, seems like sleeping beauty here’s finally woke up.

 

Vipir: Always a downer, ay Thrynn? Anyway, How are you doing Trace? Wow, you look way better than you did when Vex carried your almost dead frame back here. I must say, that healer they got to patch you up was definitely more than worth her price.

 

Trace: Wha… what’re you talking about?

Sapphire: You two idiots, give the poor girl some time to collect herself!

 

Rune: Hpmh, you’d think that someone that was at death’s door would want to know how much they’ve recovered.

 

Trace: I… I don’t understand, what’re you all—

 

Suddenly Trace’s brain finally caught up to what her body had been trying to tell her and she once again let out another scream. This one was a more painful one, and left her with ragged breath.

After a few minutes, Trace was able to calm down and get her breathing under control and the pain seemed to have lessened as well. Once she felt like she was well enough to move around without too much difficulty, the Imperial turned around and began to search for a certain silver haired thief…

…However, she was nowhere to be found…

 

Trace: (Let me try to wrap my head around things. Me and Vex survived? But how? I was all but dead, and Mercer’s magic had Vex pinned against a wall and Bryn and Karliah engaged in mortal combat… So how on Nirn did we…)

 

Suddenly she heard the door to the Cistern open and the clamoring of a rushed pair of feet… A rushed pair of feet that was coming right towards her!

 

Trace: Uh… I don’t know who you are but I—

Trace was unable to finish her sentence as a heavy force hit her in the chest, knocking the air out of here lungs and making her grit in pain. She was about to tell whoever… whatever this was to get off of her, until she caught whiff of a familiar fragrance.

 

Trace: Lavender mixed with nightshade…

Trace: Vex…

                               

Trace felt her lover shaking and something wet roll down her shoulder and realized all over again how much the both of them needed each other, that regardless of both of their flaws the love they shared was more real than anyone would possibly give them credit for.

 

Trace: It’s okay Vex, I’m right here. You got me, and I’m not going anywhere—

 

Without warning, Vex placed a hand on both sides of Trace’s face, straightened her body out, and began to forcibly kiss Trace as if her life depended on it.

Deep. Fervent. Heated. Hungry. Hot. Wet. Sloppy. Passionate. Normally Trace would try to remember any intimate moments she had with her lovers, so that she could use them for “material” later. But this one was too powerful for her to put into words, so rather than try, she allowed Vex to lead her to pleasures that she’d never known before… with just a kiss….

After feeling lingering eyes on them for much too long, they pulled away from each other and Vex combed through Trace’s hair, and cupped her face affectionately.

 

Vex: Welcome back to the realm of the living, Jalena. Gods… I know it’s only been a few day, but bless the Divines for your eyes. They’re so gorgeous..

Vex’s hand got a bit too close to Trace’s mouth, and just as she was about to move it away, Trace grabbed her arm, placed two of Vex’s fingers in her mouth, and began to suck on them gently causing the veteran thief to blush.

 

Vex: H-hey! How about we continue that later, this is kinda getting a bit embarrassing…

As soon as Trace let Vex’s finger’s loose from the twin attack of her lips and tongue, Vex immediately hugged Trace again. Trace wanted to complain about how although she loved how much affection she was being shown, at the same time it was hurting her to breath at times… but then Vex began to apologize…

She began to apologize for everything. From the incident with Mercer, to Goldenglow, to Trace’s imprisonment and lengthy sentence, to how she acted when Trace returned, to her overt jealousy towards other women when it came to Trace, to pushing Trace away, to not trusting Trace, to not telling everyone what Trace was trying to do thus being the reason for her and Mjoll’s breakup, to ignoring Trace’s early affections, to influencing Trace without knowing her to the point that Trace would ultimately join up with the Guild…

 

All the while Vex was apologizing Trace was internalizing it, digesting it, and ultimately came to one conclusion: Vex was apologizing for ever being a part of her life and all of the issues that came about because of it…

 

 

Part Seven

 

 

When she’d finally finished, and before Trace could get in a word in response Vex straightened her body once more, and embraced Trace once more and began whispering so that the other’s wouldn’t be able to overhear her.

 

Vex: I’m so glad that you’re alright Jelena. With Mercer dead and things settled with Karliah and Nocturnal, it’s only a matter of time before the Guild is back on its feet. And when it is, I want you to be by my side.

Vex: How’s that sound pretty good right? And the best part about it is that if anyone gives you any, and I mean any shit, just let me know and I’ll show them what’s up! Heh, one of the perks of being in a relationship with the Guild Master is that you’re allowed to laze around and no one can give you any shit about it. So… just stay here… with me.

Trace had to say something… anything, but when she thought about everything she could possibly do right now, all the options available to her, it would definitely be easiest to simply stay silent and try to give her love solely the woman sitting in front of her… But a despairing sigh betrayed her true feelings and loosened her lips.

 

Vex could see the despair in her love’s face and cupped Trace’s face lovingly.

 

Vex: What is it, Jalena? Please, don’t feel like you can’t share everything with me. I’ll listen, and I’ll do my best to understand what it is that you’re feeling, no matter what it is.

 

Trace: Vex… you know how much I’d love to simply fall right into your arms and have everything work out like a fairytale…

Vex: Then do it! There’s nothing and no one stopping you from doing so! Just tell me that I’m the only one in your heart, tell me that I’m the only one that you need!

 

Trace: So you want me to lie to you? To tell you all these sweet things that I know we’d both love to be true, but sadly are not.

 

Vex: Then what do you want me to do Trace? I’m trying, I’m really trying to understand all of this, and I’m trying to be patient with you, but why do you have to go back to them? Why that harpy and that idiot Nord?

Trace sat up on the bed and turned away from Vex.

 

Trace: You know exactly why I can’t up and do that. But if that doesn’t satisfy you, I made a promise to Mjoll to visit her once I’ve sorted out all this Thieves Guild and Dark Brotherhood business.

 

Vex: Damn your promise, and damn the Brotherhood! You just went through hell! I thought I’d almost lost you… what more must you give up for a married woman, and a woman who hates who you truly are?

Trace sighed and looked knowingly at Vex.

 

Trace: I know you don’t hate Mjoll like you once did, and although Astrid can be a bit disagreeable, I’m not doing this for her. I’m doing this for my second family. I’m doing this for Babette, for Nazir… Please Vex, try to understand. There are too many people whose lives are at stake here for me not to go to them now. They need me, just as you needed me.

Vex: So there’s no other way… There’s nothing I can do to change your mind? Nothing I can do to make you stay?

 

Trace: I’m afraid not Vex. And don’t be sad, your smile is literally the cure to all of my woes.

 

Vex: …

Vex sat in silence for quite a while before moaning and facing away from Trace.

 

Vex: AAAAAH!!! Have I ever told you that you’re not charming for shit? Because you still aren’t.

 

Trace: Does this mean—

 

 

Part Eight

 

 

Vex: It means hurry up and get your ass back here. Whether you’re with the Guild or not, I’m going to need you around for… morality’s sake if nothing else.

 

Trace: (She’s so dishonest.)

 

Trace stood, and braced herself for a wave of pain that originated from her ankle… but it never came to be. Apparently when she was bringing Trace back from certain death, the healer also made sure to heal all of her, and for that Trace was immensely grateful.

 

Trace: Well if that’s all you have to say, then get to your feet, ‘Platinum thief!’

Vex: ‘Platinum Thief?’ The only people who have called me that were guards and adventurers in other Holds. Why in the world would you—

 

Trace: I said stand up! I thought you were smart, but apparently you’re more dense than I gave you credit for.

Trace heard Vex’s growls as she got to her feet and could feel the woman’s glare that was directed to her back.

 

Vex: Listen here Trace, I don’t care if I’ve exposed who I truly am to you or not, I’m not going to simply let you talk down to me or belittle me, like you’re my better!

 

Trace: Heh, silly woman doesn’t know her place. I thought that after all this time it would have sunk in by now.

Vex: That’s it bitch! Turn around and—

 

As if on cue, Trace spun around and stole a kiss from Vex’s lips surprising the Imperial. Trace was trying to remember Vex’s technique from earlier as she wanted her to feel exactly what she had felt before, but nothing was coming to mind other than that feeling of intoxication…

And so… fiercer, more fiery, and more impassioned than she ever had been with anyone before, Trace tried her best to get her feelings across to Vex in this one kiss. She knew that without words it would be impossible to do so… But that damn sure wasn’t about to stop her from trying.

When she finally broke away from Vex, Trace looked on in shock as the normally cool and disinterested Guild Leader, before the majority of her subordinates, had her legs give out on her and fell on her ass as she was breathing as if she wouldn’t survive without one more Trace’s passion for one more second.

Seeing this, Trace was reminded of all the times the three women in her life made her feel exactly the same way, and she treasured the longing… the lust that was written all over Vex’s face.

 

Trace: Now I get it. I now know what those predatory looks after some of our make out sessions truly mean…

Trace: If I would have known how helpless, defenseless, and utterly sexy I appeared to you all after such a passionate kiss… *licks her lips* I would have readily allowed myself to be gobbled up by each of you.

Trace: Now then, keep that as a reminder, Vex. A reminder of my love, my passion, and what happens when you let me unleash it to its fullest. Now I’ve got to go before there’s nothing left of my second family. I’ll try my best to return as soon as possible.

 

Trace turned and still in her daze, Vex’s eyes locked onto her rear end as if she were in an unescapable trance. As Trace rounded her bed, Vex licked her lips and if possible, peered even harder, with even more lust towards Trace’s backside.

 

Vex: Yes ma’am…

 

 

 

 

Previous Chapters are located here:

http://www.loverslab.com/topic/23977-picture-book-the-story-teller-post-a-pic-tell-a-story-in-tesv/?p=1310003

[ther1pper]

A new story, and a new character, enjoy.

Shameless

Part 1: http://www.loverslab.com/blog/407/entry-2804-shameless-14/

Part 2: http://www.loverslab.com/blog/407/entry-2914-shameless-24/

Part 3: http://www.loverslab.com/blog/407/entry-2929-shameless-34/

Part 4: http://www.loverslab.com/blog/407/entry-3022-shameless-44/

[blazingsai]

Trace
Chapter Thirteen: Conflict 

Story

 

Part One

Under Vex’s gaze, Trace undid her bandages without hesitation after checking that there was nothing particularly wrong with her. She then proceeded to don one of her many outfits from within her bedside chest. When she finished, the Imperial did some light stretches and let out a relieved sigh.

 

Trace: I don’t know who you got to patch me up, but I wish you’d had told me about her three years ago after the Markarth job…

Vex: Y-yeah… Right…

 

Trace: Is there something wrong?

 

Vex: No, just… do you absolutely need to go and help those murderers?

Trace couldn’t help but laugh as she continued her stretches.

 

Trace: Come on Vexy, we’ve been through this. They’re just as much my family as you all are. They need me, and I’ve got to go help them

 

Vex: They wanted you dead! They were willing to kill one of the women you loved! If that’s a family--

Trace turned around an shook her head at Vex.

 

Trace: It’s part of what they do. I can’t hate them for doing what I knew they would do…

 

Vex: *sigh* Seems like you’re as stubborn as your Nord bitch… Fine, then go already! Make sure you don’t get hurt, and… well… goodbye.

Trace blinked a few times at the finality of Vex’s words. Was it just a simple goodbye, or did it have a greater meaning… Trace didn’t want this to eat up at her while she was tracking down that jester, and so…

She inquired about it in a way that she knew Vex would be honest about it… pseudo tears.

 

Trace: Vex… *sniff* Do you really mean that? Goodbye? We’ll see each other again right? I do plan on returning, so… you’re not giving up on me… You’re not giving up on our love, are you?

Vex lowered her eyes and answered in the quietest voice Trace had ever heard from anyone before.

 

Vex: Yes…

 

Trace: Vex… I couldn’t hear you. Could you speak up a bit?

 

Frustrated, Vex turned away from Trace and let out a heavy exhale.

 

Vex: Dammit, no Trace! I haven’t given up on your or our love! If I had, what would have been the point of all of this?

Trace suddenly grabbed Vex around her waist, and as if the two were completely in sync with each other, they leaned forward and shared a short but intensely passionate kiss, that lit a fire under Trace.

Vex: Listen Jalena… I know you’re good… damn good at what you do. But I already lost you once before, and I almost lost you again just this week… Please promise me that you’ll be safe… That you’ll return to the Cistern…

Trace knew what she really mean was, ‘That you’ll return to me,’ and once again could feel a rush of energy flow through her. Separating from Vex, Trace did a fast 360 turn as she backed away and gave her a thumb’s up accompanied by the grandest of smiles.

 

Trace: Even when it seems like I’ve got no hope of survival, somehow, someway, I’m always able to pull out of it. Don’t worry about it Vex, no matter what it takes I’ll return to you. I promise.

After seeing Vex give a relieved nod, Trace started to walk off when suddenly Vex called out her name…

 

Trace: Huh? What is it--

Out of the corner of her eye, Trace saw an object hurling toward her head, and with quickly grabbed it out of midair.

 

Trace: My sword…

Vex: You DO know that trying to leave here without your sword is NOT a way to instill confidence in me that you’ll make it back safely…

Trace placed her sword on her shoulder and smile again at Vex.

 

Trace: As I said, things just tend to work out for me. So don’t worry your pretty little head about me Vex. Besides… you’ve got a Guild to run!

Vex: Haa…. Just hurry up and go…

 

Trace gave her a wink, and without needing to be told again, quickly left the Cistern…

As soon as Trace seals the sewer cover behind her, Vex hears a calm but stern voice in her head…

 

???: I’m being lenient because I know how much she means to you, but you kept my artifact for a reason… Do make sure to not waste my time mortal.

 

Vex walks off to a secluded area of the Cistern and touches her amulet which then suddenly takes the form of the Skeleton Key and nods to no one in particular.

 

Vex: Yes, but of course Nocturnal…

 

Part Two

…Once she’d left the Cistern, Trace took off running. She knew that her time spent injured may have cost the Brotherhood, and who knows how many of them could have been injured at her tardiness.

However as much as she would have liked to run the entire way there, a feeling crept up her spine as though she were being watched, which caused her to stop…

…And turn to face her pursuers…

…However, there wasn’t anyone of note to be found…

Sheathing her sword, Trace shook her head.

 

Trace: Get it together Trace! Now’s not the time to be jumping at ghosts!

 

She then proceeded once again towards the Sanctuary…

Trace was amazed by the lack of travelers on the road, especially with the Civil War past them, and she was even more surprised by the lack of wildlife impeding her progress. Then when she came up on Ivarstead, Trace once again felt like she was being followed.

Trace: (They’ve got to be rookies. Anyone worth a damn wouldn’t purposely be exuding so much intent to kill their target… regardless of who it was.)

Not wanting to get the local guards involved, Trace avoids Ivarstead and instead draws her pursuers into the woods where she finally could sense them coming out of their shadows.

Trace: Listen rookies, now isn’t the time for this nonsense. The Brotherhood needs my assistance and their sake I can’t afford to play around with you all.

???: Who said we were playing?

 

Trace took a few glances about her and found herself facing the eradication unit that had been following her. However, unlike in Winterhold they were a trio this time rather than a quartet

Trace: Look, I’ll explain everything to Astrid, you don’t have to die here for nothing,

 

Khajiit Assassin: Khajiit thinks she speaks tough words for a dead woman.

 

Male Assassin: My thoughts exactly!

Trace brought her hands to her side and let out a frustrated sigh.

 

Trace: You’re making this a lot rougher for yourselves than necessary. I understand that you’re trying to prove yourselves, but you’ll wish you’d have let me go when I’m done here.

 

Part Three

Male Assassin: Enough chatter! Get her!!

 

Before the words passed from his mouth, Trace had already set upon the two assassins behind her, giving one of them a deep wound right off the back.

Shoving the injured Dark Sister’s companion out of the way, Trace delivered another slash to the assassin’s thigh, causing the Dark Sister to fall to a knee. Trace’s next word finally illustrated the severity of their situation to the assassin.

 

Trace: Don’t worry your pretty horned head. I’m going to save you for last.

Suddenly, as if waiting for her opportunity, the Khajiit sprung towards Trace, but the Imperial hadn’t forgotten about her. After a short tussle, Trace delivered a heavy slash across the Khajiit’s chest that sent the beast flying,

The injured assassin tried her best to assist her Dark Brethren. However Trace stopped that notion with another slash to the woman’s thigh…

The male then came charging at Trace wildly from behind, but he was extremely sloppy. All it took was one well place slash from the assassin’s left shoulder to his right hip, and then suddenly he was a nonfactor in this fight.

Trace: And then there was one.

 

Assassin: Wait please!! I-I-I just joined the Brotherhood less than a m-m-month ago! Please… have mercy!!!

 

Trace: Mercy?

 

Trace dealt the assassin a slash across her chest similar to the one she gave the Khajiit….

Trace: If you wanted mercy, you fools should have let me go as I said!

Trace didn’t even break a sweat in dealing with them, which although gave her a great sense of pride also mad her worry about the future of the Dark Brotherhood…

Realizing that she’d once again broken the Fifth Tenet, even if her hand was forced, Trace dropped to a knee and delivered a short prayer for her slain brother and sisters…

After rising, she let out her frustrated scream. It was truly an unavoidable situation. If Trace would have went easy on them, she would be the one dead right now…

 

Trace: Remember, all is in accordance with the will of Sithis… Even if it feels really shitty…

 

Trace’s words helped her calm down, and without wasting another moment, she continued towards the Sanctuary…

When she arrived at the door to the Brotherhood’s Sanctuary, Trace could feel the death and chaos in the air, and hurried to go inside.

 

Door: (What… is the music of life?)

 

Trace: Silence, my brother.

 

Door: (Welcome… Home)

 

Part Four

As soon as she came down the Sanctuary’s steps, Trace encountered the Dunmer Gabriella who took one look at Trace…

…And all of a sudden collapsed to the ground in a heap of emotion.

 

Trace: W-what’s wrong? I know Cicero went mad but--

Gabriella: Hail Sithis… you’ve finally come. A-Astrid is waiting for you, but… Gods… Thank goodness you actually showed up. I couldn’t imagine what would have happened if…

Trace got to her feet and placed a comforting hand on the Dunmer’s shoulder before looking for Astrid.

Trace: (That damned fool… He’s going to pay for what he’s done here…)

Trace’s mood didn’t improve any when she finally found Astrid and saw that the Nord was beside herself. Anger, sadness, fury, fear… the woman who had taught Trace how to become a blank slate being overcome with emotion gave Trace a new perspective on the ‘cool beauty’ she had followed into the night two years ago.

 

Astrid: Damn fool… He injured everyone, but gave Veezara a nasty cut. I don’t think he’ll ever be able to do another contract again…

Astrid finally looked at Trace and glared at the Imperial.

 

Astrid: Then you go and assist those damn thieves rather than your real family.

 

Trace: Helping the Guild took priority because they at least knew where Mercer was headed. Have you all even found a lead on the jester yet?

Trace could see Astrid forcing herself to hold back all of the complaints and criticisms she had, and ultimately Trace was thankful for it. Had Astrid continued the way she was going, Trace knew it would be only a matter of time before she turned her back on the Dark Brotherhood… and Astrid.

 

Astrid: *sigh* I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again… I want you to find that miserable little fool and end his life! But first...

Astrid: Please Trace… find my husband. Make sure he's all right. I had sent some of our younger brothers and sisters out to track them, but they disappeared into the wild and I haven’t received anything from them yet…

Trace: You know how I feel about Arnbjorn… But I’ll do this.  I’ll put a priority on finding the werewolf… for you Astrid. But before that, where should I start looking for clues?

Astrid:  That means a lot to me Trace. I know you’d rather see him dead than the two of us together so… thanks.

 

Trace: Anytime.

 

Astrid: Right, well… Search the fool’s…

 

Astrid held back a bit on the command she was about to give and asked it as one would properly ask for a favor.

 

Astrid: …Could you search Cicero's room? Maybe there's something in there that I missed in my anger and haste that’ll shed some light on where he might have gone.

Trace: I’ll go looking there, but in all honesty… If you all haven’t found something by now, how am I supposed?

 

Astrid’s silence confirmed Trace’s suspicions, and so she started to walk off when suddenly Astrid grabbed her by the arm.

 

Astrid: Please Jalena… Let me know the minute you find something… Anything…

Trace saw the look of desperation in the leader of the Dark Brotherhood’s eyes and simply nodded. She knew the probability of finding something was slim, but if she was indeed blessed by some external force…

 

Part Five

Trace: (It’ll probably work itself out…)

 

That was Trace’s exact sentiments when she entered into the fool’s room. There was nothing, nay, less than nothing about that could possibly give a hint to where Cicero had went, but she’d made a promise. And Trace was quite keen on keeping her promises.

Trace: Haaa… May as well get down and dirty… How bad can this be?

And so Trace checked the shelves… only to find a skull, some drinks that looked like poison, a few apples, and a pot…

She checked thee drawers… only to be forced to take a sniff of the worst smelling dresser drawer that she’d ever encountered in her life…

 

Trace: Is… is that a hand?

Trace then searched behind and under everything that she could move with her bare hands, before finally searching under the table… which yielded no results.

 

Trace: *sigh* This is pointless… I told her I wasn’t going to find anything… Cicero might be a fool, but he’s not--

Suddenly something caught the Imperial’s eye, and she couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

 

Trace: No way… but if it’s in there, that’d be the last place anyone would look…

And indeed under a bed that for as long as any of them had known had had a large amount of straw under it would be the last place anyone would look… Mainly because no one would want to dive head first into a bunch of straw…

However Trace didn’t simply dive, she almost completely submerged herself within the straw. Was it smart? No. Was she terribly itchy all the while she was immersed in the straw? Yes.

But did it yield results? After flailing around in the straw for about five minutes, Trace immerged from it and after getting straw out of all sorts of places on her body, she was able to say with the slightest of smiles…

 

Trace: I found… something…

It was a book, a worn out book. Knowing that this was ultimately going to be the only thing she’d probably find in this mess of a room, Trace quickly began to read though the book’s contents.

 

Trace: Hmmm… ‘I have written the letters. So polite. So official! To Astrid, in Skyrim. Her Sanctuary still stands. Still operates. But how? No Listener means no Black Sacrament, no Black Sacrament means no contracts. Her family can abandon the Old Ways, and still survive, still kill, but is that family still Brotherhood? Or something else? Something new. Something different. Something wrong?’

Trace: What is this fool talking about? How is the Brotherhood wrong?

 

Trace flipped the pages until she found one that caught her attention… mainly because there were splotches of blood on it.

 

Trace: Let’s see… ‘Sick sick sick of the _________ _______ rolling throwing upon the gray gray waves! I've been reading of Skyrim, of the good days, the old _________ ________ Ways. There was another Sanctuary once. A Dawnstar Sanctuary. Good, ___________ _________ _______ by Sithis. Cicero will go there! No need of Astrid!’ Ha! Seems you weren’t as clever as you thought you were jester…

Having found what she needed, Trace went to exit the messy room when suddenly she came to a halt.

The image of the fear… the desperation on fear on Astrid’s face when she spoke of Arnbjorn flashed before her eyes and made Trace’s heart clench.

 

Trace: (Maybe this was what I needed… Because I finally realize that things may never have been possible between Astrid and I, even with her coming onto me a few times before...)

Trace: *sigh* But does that even matter right now? Getting Cicero back for what he did to the Brotherhood takes precedence. I’ve just got to keep that in my head right now…

 

Part Six

And so Trace returned to Astrid and told her everything that she had found out, making the Nord’s eyes widen in response.

 

Astrid: The Dawnstar Sanctuary? Whatever for? Never mind, it doesn't matter. You need to leave. Now. Every moment counts!

Trace: Don’t you think I know that every moment counts? I’m not cut from the same cloth as those inefficient eradication units you’ve been sending after me!

 

Astrid: I know you do but I…

Again, Trace could see Astrid struggling with what she truly wanted to tell Trace. It was as if her brain  and her heart were at war with each other and for the first time in a long while… her heart was winning…

 

Astrid: Look, I want you to take my horse. His name is Shadowmere. You'll find him outside, by the pool. Let's just say he's... one of us.

Trace’s jaw dropped to the floor.

 

Trace: We’ve had an assassin horse the entire time and you only decided to bring it up NOW?

Astrid let out an unexpected chuckle, and Trace could literally see the tension melt away from the Nord’s face, which actually calmed Trace down quite a bit.

 

Astrid: Yes, my horse IS an assassin. Deal with it. Anyway, he'll speed your passage to Dawnstar.

Trace saw the somber look reappear on Astrid’s face, and once again felt like her heart was being torn in two directions.

 

Astrid: Trace… Find Arnbjorn.

Trace: I already promised to do so, you don’t have to--

 

Astrid shook her head and repeated herself.

 

Astrid: Find Arnbjorn, Trace. Make sure my husband's all right. And then…

Suddenly Trace saw a malicious look appear on the Dark Sister’s face…

 

Astrid: …And then send that jester's twisted little soul to the Void, in as many pieces as possible!

Trace heard and understood Astrid’s words… however that look…

 

Trace: (I… I don’t like that look… If… If I’m really doing this out of revenge for Astrid, and not because the entirety of the Dark Brotherhood’s future in Skyrim was compromised… What could this mean for the future of the Brotherhood? Killing is killing, I know that, but killing one of their own? Killing out of revenge? The Brotherhood was never about this.)

As Trace was still mulling over her conflicted feelings, Astrid got into her face and began glaring at her.

 

Astrid: What are you waiting for? My husband is out there somewhere with that lunatic. Find them! Do what you've been tasked to do!

When Trace still didn’t move to leave, Astrid opened her mouth to complain again and then suddenly Trace kissed her. Trace knew that there was no time for this, but rather than ask Astrid if there could possibly still be anything between them, she chose to simply let Astrid’s body answer for her. And by the way Astrid grabbed Trace around her waist and squeezed her behind… Trace was quite satisfied with the answer she was given.

When Astrid seemed to want to take their little make out session a bit further, Trace escapes her grip and presses the Nord against the wall. It took a few moments for Trace to calm her racing heart, but when she was finally able to she glared at Astrid who seemed to be unable to look her in the eye…

Trace: Whether or not you’ve ever loved me, I’ve always had your best interests in mind and I’ll protect you… and them until the end of time. That’s all I’m going to promise you.

Astrid nodded knowingly, and whether or not she knew that Trace was talking about Vex and Mjoll when she said “them” was irrelevant to the thief.  Trace released her and began to head out when Astrid called out to her.

Astrid: Hey… *pant* *pant* I thought you might want to know that I’ve also sent the vampire out to track them as well. If she’s *pant* as good as she once was, she may have already tussled with the jester.

Trace: The vampire? Babette?

 

Astrid: No… The ‘other vampire.’

 

Trace sucked her teeth and cursed as she proceeded to exit from the Sanctuary…

 

Part Seven

Outside, Trace headed over to the pool Astrid had spoken of…

 

Trace: ‘You'll find him outside, by the pool,’ she said.

Trace: Then tell me…Where in Oblivion are you Shadowmere?!

At the saying of the mare’s name the pool began to come alive and something began to stir in its depths. Seconds later Trace stood in utter disbelief at what she had witnessed.

Trace: Are you kidding me? This thing can’t be of this world…

Whether or not it was, one thing was certain, the beast was impatient. It began stomping its hooves and blowing fiercely from its nostrils as to say, “You summoned me, now hurry up and ride!”

Trace: *grins* Oh Astrid… With a stallion like this, no wonder you turned down Frost as if he were bottom of the barrel trash. Heh… better not keep him waiting any longer.

As soon as Trace mounted Shadowmere, she felt the full brunt of his impatience as the mare tried to buck her off of him. However, this wasn’t her first time atop a beast this furious…

Trace: Whoa Shadowmere! Take it easy… Yeah... just like that… Wait Shadowmere!!!

Astrid’s horse wasn’t one to be calmed down, and so rather than fight its nature Trace embraced it and the duo began to set out for Dawnstar.

Trace: (I’m coming for you Cicero! Just you wait you bastard…)

 

Part Eight

Night had feel by the time they reached Dawnstar, however they had arrived hours before she could have dreamed to have had if she had walked or rode a different horse.

Trace: Whoa Shadowmere! Whoa!

 

This time the mare came to a halt which actually startled the Imperial.

 

Trace: Wait so now you’re going to listen? *sigh* Seems like someone’s getting sleepy.

Shadowmere bucked again as to say he understood and did not like her last comment.

 

Trace: Okay, okay… but I’m glad you finally stopped. I can’t exactly waltz into Dawnstar riding you. I mean you have glowing eyes you know? Those aren’t normal on horses… or most animals if I’m going to be honest.

Shadowmere nodded knowingly and stood still enough for Trace to dismount. He then lowered his head and Trace immediately accepted the invitation and gave the mare a hug around the neck.

Trace: I knew you were a big softy. I don’t know why you put up such a front.

 

Shadowmere bucked once as to say, “I’m no softy,” but it wasn’t strong enough to make Trace release her grip from around his neck.

 

Trace: There there. I’ll be back as soon as I can, so PLEASE don’t go running off anywhere.

Shadowmere responded with a big huff, and taking that as a yes, Trace began walking around the perimeter of Dawnstar in search for the Dawnstar Sanctuary Cicero had mentioned in his journal…

After quite some time had passed, Trace had finally found the Sanctuary, but what she also saw had made her quite annoyed with this whole situation.

 

Trace: You damn abominations… I know your kinds can’t stand one another, but you’re on the same side dammit! Learn some self-control!

Trace looked at the woman who was still on her feet and scowled.

 

Trace: Especially you, vampire! Considering you’re back, you decided to disobey a direct order from your leader? Are you kidding me, Rosalie?

The vampire in question took a few deep breaths before she finally was able to gather herself.

 

Rosalie: You honestly think… that this mutt would still be alive if I had truly been meaning to kill him? I may have been out of the Brotherhood for a while, but I’ve been killing people for much long than you’ve been alive…

Trace: Seriously? This is why I fucking hate you werewolves and vamps! You both think you’re so much better than everyone else. It’s plain as day what happened here, you attacked him! *sigh* A traitor never changes… I don’t know why, but it’s clear that you had to have attacked him from behind! Damn it to Oblivion!! Why would you do this? Why--

Arnbjorn: As much as I’d like to *cough* place all the blame on that vamp… I was like this when she got here for the most part…. *cough* *cough*

 

Trace: Wait… what?

 

Arnbjorn: Me and Cicero got into it… She got me good and deep, but I’ll live. As for *cough* the fool, I ought to have hit an artery… So if you can get to him… *cough* he should be easy pickings.  As for why the blood sucker is tired out with blood on her…

 

Rosalie: I had to play ring around the werewolf while this idiot tried to kill me because in his weakened state his instincts took over and he saw me as an enemy. Ended up taking a big hit to my chest, but I’m okay.

Trace: (“She?” I could have sworn he said “she…”) Sorry I over reacted…

 

Trace truly meant it. In hindsight she should have found out what happened from both parties first. However, with Cicero tuning on the Brother and what it look like occurred…

 

Trace: I do apologize, Rosalie. But, I still can’t deal with your kind… Especially after what they did to my--

 

Rosalie: It’s fine… And I’ve never blamed you for it or anything, so don’t worry.

 

Trace: Now that that’s handled. You two stay here. I’ll handle Cicero. Shouldn’t be a problem for me by myself.

Suddenly and with rejuvenated stamina, Rosalie jumped in front of Trace and spread her arms out, barring the Imperial’s passage.

 

Rosalie: No way cupcake. I’m not going to sit on the sidelines and allow you to get hurt. I’m back in the Brotherhood because of Babette, and if I allow you to get hurt Astrid’s not only going to be mad at me, but her as well. I’m not going to let that happen, just because you don’t play well with vampires!

Rosalie: I’m coming with you whether you like it or not!

 

Trace gave Rosalie a good hard look before she ultimately swatted the vampire’s hand away and shoved her way past Rosalie.

 

Rosalie: What gives? I’m not going to stand here and--

Trace: I’m not expecting you to stand around out here. All I know is that if you stab me in the back… You won’t live to gloat about it!

 

Rosalie: Right… I’m SO afraid now. Don’t worry Miss J, I’ll be on my best behavior!

 

Trace did her best not to react to the vampire’s sarcasm, but it was impossible for her to hide her disdain for the vampire or her kind. So instead of even trying, Trace simply entered the Sanctuary with Rosalie right on her heels.

To Be Continued. . .

 

 

 

[blazingsai]

Trace
Chapter Fourteen: Resolution

Story

 

Part One

As soon as the duo entered the Sanctuary, theey could hear Cicero’s voice echo throughout the halls.

 

"Listener! Is that you? Oh, no… it’s the Deserter and the Traitor Send the worst to defeat the best? Did Astrid really think that her stupid wolf could slay sly Cicero? Now THAT’S a joke!! HA HA HA!!!"

 

Rosalie: Is it just me, or does he sound a bit… off?

 

Trace: The man is a crazy jester that excels in playing the role of a fool. He’s madder than the Mad King for Divine’s sake! Now let’s get going.

As soon as they entered the next area, Cicero continued to spout off more of his nonsense.

 

"Oh, but this isn't at all what Mother would want. You kill the Keeper or I kill two of her most useful Dark Daughters? Now that's madness."

 

Rosalie: He does have a point. I’m going to do it because it’s what I’ve been ordered to do, but killing the Keeper? Would the Night Mother truly--

 

Trace: Quiet! We’re not exactly alone here…

Trace drew her weapon and fell into a defensive stance.

 

Trace: Shit… Prepare yourself Rose! Looks like the damn fool wasn’t alone after all!

Rosalie: Those are ghosts from the Dark Brotherhood’s past…

 

Trace: Seems like the jester chose was indeed quite sly in the choosing of his final resting place… WELL SORRY TO WARN YOU CICERO, BUT NOT EVEN SITHIS HIMSELF IS GOING TO SAVE YOU FROM US!!!

Rosalie couldn’t help but get riled up at Trace’s actions.

 

Rosalie: And here I thought that you were a complete stick in the mud. Good to see that you’ve got a fire lit under you, Miss J.

Trace ignored the fact that Rosalie had called her “Miss J” yet again and the two of them in tandem worked together in order to break their way toward wherever it was that Cicero was hiding himself.

The ghosts they encountered were indeed from a time long forgotten as they moved way too slowly for either of the two women to be pressed with their attacks…

As they were fighting the first few ghosts, Trace could see a change in Rosalie… A change that told her to stay out of the vampire’s way.  As soon as she was afforded to do so, Trace jumped out of the way, and no sooner than she did did Rosalie begin pelting the ghosts with wave after wave of flames…

…Until she had cleared out the remaining ghosts in the first two areas of the Sanctuary…

Trace: (So she’s a Pyro-Spellsword like me?) Heh, not bad vampire. I’m surprised that you can wield flames like it’s second nature to you. Isn’t your kind to go up in flames rather than douse others in them?

Rosalie: Tsk! Does it matter how I can do this? As I said, I’m not going to let you get injured for no reason, so make sure you pull your weight as well! I noticed you slacking off back there.

Trace: Slacking off huh? I thought I was allowing you to enjoy yourself since you seemed bored, but if I’ve got to pick up the pace--

 

Suddenly Trace raced ahead and Rosalie was right on her heels until she saw Trace go into a large area that seemed to only have a single ghost within it.

 

Rosalie: …What is she doing?

Rushing headfirst into battle, Trace took on the ghost as Rosalie assisted her with her flames from far away…

The tactic was quite good, too good in fact. Although these ghosts were objectively stronger than the previous ones, having Trace act as the front line with Rosalie supporting her from the rear was causing the ghosts to literally go up in smoke…

 

Part Two

Rosalie finished up in that area as Trace went on ahead to see what they were about to be up against. It didn’t seem like much, just a few more ghosts. However it seemed like these ones were more prepared than the former ones…

Not only that, but Cicero’s voice resounded throughout the Sanctuary once again…

 

"You're... still alive. Cicero has a lot of respect now for the Deserter and the Traitor’s abilities, of course, but could you at least slow down a bit? I'm not what I used to be. Heh."

 

Rosalie: Seriously. I didn’t know the guy like you did, but… there’s no way his voice used to sound like that! It doesn’t sound like the voice of any man I’ve ever heard before. In fact, he sounds like a--

Trace: Arnbjorn said he got Cicero’s artery, so he might just be having a tough time breathing. I don’t know. But what I do know is that we’ve got company!!

No sooner than Trace was able to fall into a defensive stance did Rosalie wait to begin pelting the two ghosts that had tried to attack them in this corridor…

The vampire’s onslaught was so great that neither Trace nor the ghosts were able to do anything before Rosalie finished the fight…

Trace: Wow! Look at you, little Firestarter. I hope you can maintain this kind of fiery display when it comes to killing the jester.

 

Rosalie: Look… I’m going to end Cicero’s life, because that was what I was tasked with. But that doesn’t mean that it’s the right thing to do. He is the Keeper. Astrid may praise us for this, but Sithis won’t exactly look too keenly on us killing him. Just food for thought.

Trace and Rosalie continued onward, and the Imperial was about to make a retort when she remembered Cicero’s words from his journal, ‘Her Sanctuary still stands. Still operates. But how? No Listener means no Black Sacrament, no Black Sacrament means no contracts.’

 

Trace: *shakes her head* Come on, we’ve prospered this far without Sithis and the Old Ways. So don’t bring it up again!

 

Rosalie: *shrugs* You do know that I hold seniority over you right? But whatever. I can tell you like seeming in charge, so I’ll let you do you.

Trace ignored Rosalie and tried to open up the door, but something was barring it. Just then, Cicero’s laughter could be heard from behind the door and out of frustration Trace punched the door.

 

Trace: Damn you!! I trusted you! I defended you!! And this is how you repay me?

Trace punched the door again and again until Rosalie pulled her away from it.

 

Rosalie: So you were betrayed, so what? It’s customary in this business.

 

Trace: Just because it’s something you would do, doesn’t mean that it’s customary.

 

Rosalie: …You’re wrong. Just like you were wrong about me attacking Arnbjorn. But whatever, you can ask Astrid about it later. Right now, I need you to stop bashing your fist against the door and let’s try to find another way.

Trace let out a frustrated scream, and ran off once again. It didn’t take that long to find another path for them to take, and when they did…

 

Part Three

…It didn’t even seem like they were in the same place anymore.

 

"Brrr! Chilly! You'll enjoy this. Not an original part of the Sanctuary, per se. Let's call it a 'forced addition.' Forced by what? Oh, come and see!"

Trace: What in Oblivion is this fool talking about n…

 

Rosalie: What’s wrong? What is it that you’re seeing?

 

Trace: I think I know why he said that this addition was… forced…

Trace wasn’t an adventurer. She wasn’t a soldier. She hadn’t fought bears, wolves, sabre cats. She wasn’t used to taking on multiple people at once, and honestly had been pushing herself to her limit each time she’d done so thus far. She was a thief, an assassin. Getting in, carrying out her assignment and getting out, that’s what she specialized in.

 

So yes, when she saw this troll, when she saw the elusive Udefrykte standing before her… Trace was scared…

But faced with this obstacle something finally snapped within Trace, and she wasn’t the vengeful assassin that she’d been up until now.  No, she was the battle crazed woman from the Ratway, she was the intense berserker from Irkngthand. And so she leapt into action.

 

The Udefrykte came at them all imposing and menacing, but Trace simply slashed away at the troll as Rosalie hurled fireball after fireball at it…

After being knocked back, Trace and Rosalie swapped rolls, with Rosalie acting as the vanguard and Trace the rearguard. However, even with the cuts the vampire was inflicting on it, the troll seemed transfixed on Trace and her movements…

Taking advantage of this, Rosalie stood back and allowed Trace to lure Udefrykte into attacking her, and as soon as Rosalie was able to get into its blindside, she doused the beast with wave after wave of flames…

Rosalie: I can hold this up for only so long! Dammit, it’s like he’s not even weak to my flames at all!

 

Trace: (Like you’re one to talk.) Don’t worry about it, just keep the pressure on him! I’ve got an idea.

Rosalie kept pushing back the troll until the beast wouldn’t go back any further. At that moment, Trace stabbed the troll in the stomach causing it to fall over the side, however it still held onto the ledge with one of its hands. With the beast in such a disadvantageous position, Trace ran over and kicked Udefrykte hard in the head causing its grip to loosen…

Rosalie ran up beside Trace and looked down.

 

Rosalie: Is… Is it over?

 

Trace: Haa… haaa… I wish… But you know what they say about trolls…

Trace: They’re the most stubborn bastards in all of Skyrim to try to kill.

The duo heard Udefrykte’s ferocious footsteps as it made its way back up toward them, and the ladies gathered their composure and readied themselves for another tussle with the troll…

However, from the heaviness of its footsteps and the its ferocious roars, it seemed that rather than hurt it, all they seemed to do was infuriate the troll..

When it rounded the corner, Rosalie was a bit faster when it came to engaging the troll. However, as soon as she’d got into range of the beast, Udefrykte had already started drew its fist back and was in the motion to bring down a surely fatal blow onto the vampire.

 

Trace: Rosalie!!! NOOOO!!

Trace knocked Rosalie out of the way just as the troll was about to strike her down, and while it was off balance Trace stuck her sword into Udefrykte’s head and just like every Man and Mer she had slain before, the beast’s life was no more…

Rosalie: Whoa… Umm… Thanks?

 

Trace: Why are you thanking me? You did most of the work. If anything you should be mad at me for taking your kill.

 

Rosalie: That’s not important to… Listen, I’m sorry for what happened to your parents, but not all vampires are the same. That’s something that’s been repeatedly pushed in my face somewhat recently…

Rosalie: H-hey!! Where are you going?

 

Trace: I’ve already got enough issues… *mutters* I don’t need to add a cute undead vampire to the mix…

 

Rosalie: Did you say something?

 

Trace: (Am I really warming up to her? No way…) No! Let’s continue on. If Cicero is truly injured, it’s best that we don’t give him a chance to recover.

Trace rushed off again, but this time it was more because of embarrassment than anything else. She knew that Rosalie had heard what she’d said and was being polite. After all, vampires have fantastic hearing, and there’s no way Rosalie would have missed her comments…

 

Part Four

Trace’s worries about her constantly in flux love life were put on hold as they entered the next room and once again were greeted by Cicero’s voice…

…And the ghosts from days past…

 

"All right, so Cicero attacked that harlot, Astrid and the rest of the faux-Brotherhood! But what's a fool to do, when his mother is slandered and mocked? Surely the Deserter and Traitor can understand!"

Picking up where they left off, Trace and Rosalie acted in perfect sync as one after another they tore through the ghosts one after another.

She didn’t want to spit on the graves of her fallen Dark Brethren, but deep down Trace was starting to doubt the prowess of the Dark Brotherhood of the past.

 

Trace: (Perhaps here’s a reason all the other Sanctuaries feel while Astrid’s persevered…)

As Trace felled yet another of the seemingly endless ghosts that continued to assault the two women, the words from Cicero’s journal replayed in her head again…

 

‘Her family can abandon the Old Ways, and still survive, still kill, but is that family still Brotherhood?’

Whether they could truly call themselves was irrelevant as Rosalie and Trace proceeded to vanquish ghost after ghost until they had finally slayed every single one of their Dark Siblings from the past…

 

 

With the Sanctuary void of anymore assailants, Cicero’s incessant prattling was the only thing that the two Dark Sisters faced as they made their way to him…

 

"Cicero admits, he thought you two would be dead by now. Heh. Maybe we could just forget all this? Hmm? Let bygones be bygones? What do you say? Although if it's any comfort, I do feel slightly bad about Veezara and the others… Stupid lizard got in my way! But please tell me that hulking sheepdog has bled to death."

"And now we come to the end of our play. The grand finale..."

 

Trace didn’t need Cicero’s words to tell her what she already knew. This was it, there was only this door separating her from getting vengeance for the Brotherhood… For Astrid… Once again Cicero’s played over again in her head…

 

‘Or something else? Something new. Something different. Something wrong?’

Rosalie: Do not forget why we’re here, Trace. He tried to destroy the Brotherhood. Even the Keeper should know what would come of him if he tried such a thing.

 

Trace: (But did he try to destroy the Brotherhood? Or did he try to destroy what Astrid and those before her turned it into…)

 

Part Five

Trace opened the door and the two of them immediately saw a heavily wounded Cicero curled up on the ground, unable to even stand up…

 

Cicero: You caught me! I surrender! Ha ha ha ha. Ugh… *cough* *cough*

Rosalie: I TOLD YOU THERE WAS SOMETHING OFF ABOUT HIS… HER VOICE!! There’s no WAY a man couldn’t been talking like… like THAT!!!

 

Trace: Fine fine… So I’ve been wrong about quite a bit of things today, and I’m woman enough to be able to admit my mistakes but.. That still doesn’t answer the lingering question…

 

Rosalie: You’ve got that right, Miss J.

Trace stepped towards Cicero(?) and looked down on the jester, but suddenly something seemed completely off about this entire situation.

 

Trace: (I don’t know if Rosalie was trying to convince me not to kill him…  her  or not, but… this I wrong…) Hey jester! Who did this to you? I mean… How’d you come to be in your current… form?

Cicero: Hehehe *cough* *cough* At least tell me… that that ignorant dog is finally dead…

 

Rosalie: Sorry to be a party pooper, but last we saw of him, he was on a rather steady road to recovery.

 

Cicero: Blasts… Fine. Poor *cough* *cough* …poor Cicero will talk... The Listener… That traitor, spreading lies about poor *cough* sweet Cicero. Poisoning the pretender, spreading the lies… *cough* *cough* I didn’t mean to hurt Veezara, and as much as I would have loved to kill that *cough* harlot Astrid, Cicero’s target was Astrid’s target is your target. Everyone else just got in poor Cicero’s way!

 

Trace remembered Astrid’s words about the situation when she visited Trace in jail, ‘Oddly enough, she wasn’t there when he went psycho. I’m beginning to think more and more that this was planned by the two of them.’

Trace: So you mean to tell me that all of this was so that the Keeper could kill the Listener?

 

Cicero: No wonder you weren’t named the Listener… Seems like the Deserter has sand in her ears after all. Ha Ha Ha! Ugh…

 

Trace: I’m NO Deserter!!

Trace took a deep breath to calm herself and began to recite the Tenets, and although she wasn’t phrasing them like questions, Cicero answered every single time…

 

Trace: Never dishonor the Night Mother. To do so is to invoke the Wrath of Sithis.

 

Cicero: Everything Cicero does is for Mother! Everything!

 

Trace: Never betray the Dark Brotherhood or its secrets. To do so is to invoke the Wrath of Sithis.

 

Cicero: Cicero would never! Cicero may be a jester, a fool, but a betrayer he is not!

 

Trace: Never disobey or refuse to carry out an order from a Dark Brotherhood superior. To do so is to invoke the Wrath of Sithis.

 

Cicero: Cicero has been tasked with taking care of the Night Mother. Cicero is great at it, the best! *cough* *cough*

 

Trace: Never steal the possessions of a Dark Brother or Dark Sister. To do so is to invoke the Wrath of Sithis.

 

Cicero: As much as Cicero knows that he’d be a much much much much better fit as leader, Cicero doesn’t wish to lead! I wish for tradition… for the Night Mother to be respected and upheld!

 

Trace: Never kill a Dark Brother or Dark Sister. To do so is to invoke the Wrath of Sithis.

 

Cicero: The Listener may hear Mother’s voice… but the Listener is no Dark Sister.

Unable to listen any longer, Rosalie finally interjected.

 

Rosalie: I’ve had enough of this nonsense. Astrid gave us a mission and I plan to carry it out!

 

She then drew her Ebony Dagger and readied herself to attack Cicero.

 

Rosalie: There is only one cure for your madness, Cicero. Me.

Without understanding why she did so, Trace  intercepts Rosalie and Cicero began cackling.

 

Cicero: Ha ha ha ha! Oh, I like that! Very good, very good! Creative! But even the Deserter knows that killing me would be a mistake! Oh yes. *cough* *cough* *cough* You would displease our mother, hmm? For she's your mother too, isn't she... Vampire? Walk away! Let poor Cicero live! Tell the pretender Astrid you did the job! Stabbed, strangled, drowned poor Cicero! One little itty bitty lie!

Rosalie: Just as I was beginning to think that we were on the same side in this whole thing, you go and betray us as well? Step out of the way Trace. If you know what’s good for you, you will stand down!

 

Trace Cicero if no one else is an actual member of the Dark Brotherhood, and if we’re to call ourselves Dark Sisters, then they… we CAN’T kill her.

Rosalie: That may be true, but we don’t follow the Tenets, and even if we did wouldn’t we be betraying Tenet Three? You said so yourself, ‘Never disobey or refuse to carry out an order from a Dark Brotherhood superior.’

 

Trace: (And I myself would have broken Tenet Five more times than I’d wished to…)

 

Trace closed her eyes trying to come to terms with what it would mean to stand up for and to kill Cicero. No matter which way she went, she knew that the Dark Brotherhood… Astrid’s Dark Brotherhood, was never going to be the same again…

Rosalie: Now then, just stand aside Imperial and let me--

 

Trace didn’t know if it was because Rosalie was so sure that Trace would comply, or if it was because Rosalie didn’t feel like her life was in danger, or if she was still not one hundred percent from her bout with Arnbjorn earlier… Either way, Trace was able to disarm the vampire with relative ease before she could react.

While the vampire was still stunned by Trace’s actions, the thief attempted to kick her, but this time Rosalie was easily able to avoid it and create some distance between them.

Once Rosalie landed, Trace pointed her blade at her.

 

Trace: The Dark Brotherhood has been a family to me. A family that is irreplaceable to me… However, I’m sick and tired of calling myself part of the Dark Brotherhood if we’re not going to follow ANYTHING that makes the Brotherhood THE Brotherhood.

Trace: Call me crazy, but for as much as I love Astrid, she… No, NONE of us are worthy of the title of Dark anything! Therefore, we wouldn’t be betraying the Third Tenet. (And I wouldn’t be have broken the Fifth Tenet as well…)

Rosalie stayed quiet about this for quite a while and the only sound that could be heard was Cicero coughing up blood on the ground. She then went to pick up her dagger, and after giving Trace a fierce look sheathed it.

 

Rosalie: *grins* Me and Festus had been saying how the Brotherhood COULD do with a bit of tradition. As long as that jester stays out of our business…

Cicero: But of course! Poor Cicero would never compromise the benevolent, kind, magnanimous, traitor and deserter. Nope no he wouldn’t!

 

Part Six

Rosalie: Why in the world does she still call herself a ‘he’? Don’t tell she honestly thinks that there’s a chance of her returning back into a guy. If the Listener truly did this…

Rosalie: Trace?

 

Trace: Huh? Y-yeah… No way, right…

As Rosalie continued to go on and on about what Cicero was calling him/herself, a voice that she’d never heard before whispered to her…

 

???: Thank you for sparing my sweet child Cicero…

 

Trace: (N-Night Mother?)

Night Mother: I know that you have feelings for the so called ‘leader’ of my Brotherhood, however know this: I have chosen you, and as such you may have to kill both the ‘Listener,’ who Cicero did indeed have a just reason for wanting to kill in keeping with the Old Ways, and the false leader… Make sure you take proper precautions if you want for everything to turn out as you wish…

 

Trace takes the Night Mother’s words to heart and does a silent prayer, ending it with “Hail Sithis.”

 

Rosalie: Are you alright? You’ve been quiet for quite some time now…

Trace: Yeah I’m alright… Let’s hurry up and get out of here.

 

Rosalie: *sigh* Seems like we came all this way for nothing…

 

Rosalie glances at Trace as they’re leaving and grins at her.

 

Rosalie: Well... Maybe it wasn’t a complete waste.

 

Trace: *blushes* S-shut up vampire!!

 

Rosalie: *sticks tongue out playfully* Okay Miss J!

After hearing their footsteps get further and further away, Cicero got up on her knees and let out a painful cry…

 

Cicero: Ha ha ha ha ha! Sweet… sweet mother… your Listener, your TRUE Listener has returned!!!          

Then as if all of the energy had been drained from her… Cicero passed out in her pool of blood…

Exiting the Sanctuary, they saw that Arnbjorn was nowhere to be found…

Rosalie: Yeah… I knew that mangy mutt was going to run on home the first chance he got. Good thing we didn’t need him to watch out for us or anything, huh Trace?

Trace: H-huh? Yeah…

 

Rosalie: *frowns* What’s wrong Trace? You’ve been acting really weird ever since you saved Cicero’s life… What’s going on?

 

Trace: Rosalie… You… You’re a good person. I see that now…

 

Rosalie: Wait what!? I mean, I am, but where is this coming from?

Trace: I need you to tell Astrid that Cicero is dead…

 

Rosalie: What!? No! I refuse! We did this together and it was your decision to keep the fool alive! If anyone’s going to lie to Astrid, it’s going to be you!

 

Trace: I’m not and haven’t been part of the Brotherhood for some time now… Besides…

Trace thought back on what the Night Mother had told her.

 

Trace: I’ve got some things of my own to take care of…

 

Rosalie: …You do know that Astrid’s going to be looking for you, and will probably come for you.

Trace nodded and Rosalie let out a reluctant sigh.

 

Rosalie: Fine… I’ll do this for you. But you owe me one. No, you owe me like fifty! You got me? And I want all fifty favors from you! No exceptions.

Trace turned around and bowed, catching Rosalie completely off guard.

 

Trace: Thank you so much for this Rosalie. This means more than you could ever know…

Rosalie: Wai—wha—why are you doing this? It’s not like I’m doing anything amazing or anything… You don’t need to go that far…

Trace straightened her back and smiled at her fellow Dark Sister.

 

Trace: (Yup, definitely cute! Hehehe, I could just tease her all day and not get bored!) Anyway, shall we get going?

Rosalie nodded and with a shake of their hands, the two assassins went their separate ways, Rosalie back to the Falkreath Sanctuary, and Trace along with Shadowmere back to Riften…

 

Part Seven

After dismounting, Trace sent Shadowmere on his way and the steed headed in the direction of the Sanctuary… in the direction of Astrid… Trying to leave that part of her life behind her at the moment, Trace entered the city of Riften…

 

Trace: Ah Riften… Home sweet home… I wonder what’s changed while I’ve been away?

???: Why couldn’t you have died out there, you piece of sewer trash!

Trace saw who had thrown those words her way and was astonished, it was Aerin, Mjoll’s little plaything.

 

Aerin: You’re a worthless coward you know that! Nothing more than human waste who shouldn’t try to soil Mjoll with your filth!

Trace: All of this is amusing, but if you don’t mind me asking, why in the world would you bother with pissing me off as of now? I was in a good mood, and now you’ve completely ruined that and why? Because Mjoll would rather be with a woman that encapsulates everything that she hates rather than even look at you like a potential partner? Stupid idiot…

Aerin: I-I’m serious! Stay away from Mjoll if you know what’s g-good for you…

 

Trace: Or else what? You’re gonna bitch at Mjoll about me again? I know how you tried to get her not to visit me when I was in jail you bastard!

Aerin pulled out a dagger and pointed it at Trace much to her amusement.

 

Aerin: Do I have your attention now? I may not be stealthy like you or a fighter like Mjoll, but there’s no way I’ll miss you from this distance! Now if you unders--

Trace rushed into Aerin while he was blabbering away and the suddenness of her action knocked the male Imperial to the ground…

Aerin: I-I-I mean it!! If y-you go near Mjoll again, I-I’ll--

Trace: Ha! You’ll do what? Get thrown in jail?

 

Aerin: W-what are you talking about?

 

Trace: You threatened me, I’ve even got witnesses. *she motioned to the two guards at the gate* So please, PLEASE, approach me when I’m near Mjoll so I can have them throw you in jail for threatening my life.

Aerin: W-who do you think Mjoll will believe? You? A thief and a killer? Or--

 

Trace: Doesn’t matter what she believes, all that matters is what the guards know.

And with that Trace went to go find the woman that had caused so much animosity between the two Imperials…

…And it didn’t take too long for her to find her. Trace was always amazed at how amazing Mjoll looked from in front and behind…

Not only that, it seemed recently that even though her crusade to clean up Riften fell flat on its face, Mjoll had literally become a beacon… a light that brightens up everyone’s literally brighten up everyone’s day

Trace: A light…

 

‘Human waste who shouldn’t try to soil Mjoll with your filth!’

 

Trace: Maybe… maybe that asshole has a point…

Mjoll felt a chill down her spine as if someone was watching her and it caused her to turn around.

 

Mjoll: W-who’s there!?

Grelka: Who’re you talking about Mjoll? There’s no one there!

 

Mjoll: (That woman… she kind of looks like… No… She’d speak to me if that were her…) You’re right Grelka, it must be my imagination…

Trying to avoid Mjoll and anyone who might notify the Nord of Trace’s return made Trace take way longer than she had planned to get back to the Cistern, and when she got there all she wanted to do was sleep.

And so, ignoring all of the looks from her former Guild members, Trace went over to her bed and fell fast asleep…

 

Part Eight

…Fourteen hours later…

Trace got up and noticed that not only did she feel more tired than she had before she went to sleep, but she wasn’t wearing anything close to what she’d been wearing before.

 

Trace: *sigh* Which one of these assholes do I have to hurt now...

Suddenly the smell of nightshade mixed with lavender wafted into her nostrils and at once Trace began looking for the silver haired Guild Master who must have been responsible for her new attire…

It didn’t take long for her to find Vex as  from where Trace was sitting, it seemed like the new Guild Master was having a bit of difficulty with keeping the Guild’s finances in check.

Trace’s heart told her to go over and console the new Guild Leader, but she chose to listen to another voice in her head…

 

I have chosen you, and as such you may have to kill both the ‘Listener’… and the false leader… Make sure you take proper precautions if you want for everything to turn out as you wish..

Trace: Sweet Mother… I may have been able to clear out your Sanctuary with Rosalie’s help… but I don’t think I can take either of them in a straight up duel…

And so with that in mind, Trace went to the Ragged Flaggon to ask the one person she knew could possibly assist her and who also had ties with the Dark Brotherhood… Delvin Mallory.

Delvin: Well I’ll be, if it isn’t the Guild Master’s little fling? What do you need from old, Delvin?

 

Trace: I need your help with a matter involving poisons…

 

Delvin: Ha! You know we’re not the killing sort around here, love. I’ll impart this little gem of information on you though, ask Vex. As hard up as she seems about following the Guild’s rules to the T,, she’s got more shady contacts than either Brynjolf or myself.

Trace cursed and sprinted back towards the Cistern.

 

Delvin: …I wonder what that all was about?

When Trace reentered the Cistern sh counted her blessings as she saw Vex heading toward the exit.

 

Trace: Vex! Vex stop!!

When she caught up to Vex, Trace took a moment to catch her breath, but she didn’t miss the warm smile that the silver haired thief was giving her.

 

Vex: Why Trace, you seem quite…*licks lips* nice in your current attire. I’m guessing you don’t hate them either because you haven’t changed yet. So what can I do you for?

And with that Trace told Vex everything. Astrid, Cicero, the Night Mother… Trace didn’t spare any detail and while she was explaining everything she saw Vex go from elated, to worried, to fearful by the time she was done with her explanation.

 

Vex: You do know what you’re asking me… You want me to help you get a poison for not only this listening Dunmer, but that bitch Astrid as well? Don’t get me wrong, I’d love for her to be out of your life, but… not like this…

Trace: You’re telling me… As much as I know you’ll hate hearing this, I don’t want to have to kill Astrid as well… But… if it does come down to it… I…

Vex turned away from Trace and sighed.

 

Vex: First off I don’t like this, not one bit. You said that this was going to be your final dealings with the Brotherhood and yet… Anyway, I’ll help you out. Give me about three days. I know some people who can get me two very potent poisons that can do exactly what you wants them to do, no questions asked.

Just as Trace was going to ask what Vex meant by the poisons can ‘do exactly what you wants them to do,’ the Guild Leader hurried walked off as she was before Trace stopped her…

Trace thought back to every minute little detail in Vex’s expression and felt a wave of relief wash over her.

 

Trace: Seems like she’s not made at me or my request…*sigh* I really need to stop acting like a jerk and worrying Vex out all the time… I maybe there’s a way I can alleviate her worries…

To Be Continued. . .

 

 

 

 

[ther1pper]

Some new stories, or semi new.

"Beware of Dog"

Part 1: http://www.loverslab.com/blog/407/entry-3040-beware-of-dog-12/

Part 2: http://www.loverslab.com/blog/407/entry-3044-beware-of-dog-22/

"Punishment"

Part 1: http://www.loverslab.com/blog/407/entry-3064-punishment-12/

Part 2: http://www.loverslab.com/blog/407/entry-3087-punishment-22/

"Exorcism"

Part 1: http://www.loverslab.com/blog/407/entry-3084-exorcism-12/

Part 2: http://www.loverslab.com/blog/407/entry-3131-exorcism-22/

[Vatiwah]

Great work .. enjoyed a lot of these comics hur hur hur hur

[Loopmaker1]

M'yah's Story (part 1)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

to be continued...

 

(always wanted to add to this forum) everyone's stories are really inspiring

[Loopmaker1]

M'yah's Story (part 2)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

note: I made this before pt 1 and in the original idea she owed Gulum-Ei money (thats why they say debts occasionally)

 

part 3 is in the works...

would of put these all on one instead of parts but i thought i could only put a limit of 100mb or something :T (can someone clarify that for me please?)

[blazingsai]

Trace
Chapter Fifteen: Rueful

Story

 

 

Part One

 

 

Trace let out what must have been her seventeenth sigh in the last hour as she stared at the ceiling of the Cistern.

 

Trace: Haaaa… There’s literally nothing to do…

 

It had been five days since Vex had initially said she’d give Trace the poisons she asked for. However, instead of giving Trace both vials like she originally said she would, she only gave her the one made specifically for Astrid.

 

Trace: …Guess she figured that I would have already gone to settle things with the Brotherhood if I had both of them… And to be honest, I probably would have.

Trace: But seriously Vex, I can’t even leave the Cistern? And then she forbade Brynjolf to talk to me, or anyone else from delivering messages for me to the outside…

The Imperial sat up and looked around. There were multiple people giving her sideways looks for her current choice of attire, however it was only to get her into the mindset of what she was going to have to do soon…

 

Trace: Like I get it okay! You don’t want me talking to Mjoll while you’re gone… But at least be here dammit! You know there’s not many here that actually accept my presence anymore… They only tolerate it because I’m with you…

Trace sighed once again. She stood up and took her weapon in hand.

 

Trace: I’m sorry Vex, but I can’t be your sparrow, your little canary trapped in the cage you call the Cistern.

Trace: Maybe this is what you wanted from me… To test my love for you… But, but this isn’t even about love. Why should me loving you mean me losing my freedom? If this… If that’s what you’re trying to convey to me…

Trace: Then I’m sorry Vex… I… I just can’t stay here anymore…

Trace made her way to the Cistern’s exit all the while trying to understand whether her conclusion about what Vex was putting her through was correct or not.

 

Trace: No… Well… I don’t know… She really seemed against me talking to either of them, and I mean that’s understandable to a point, but I can’t even talk to Bryn—

 

???: Hey, Trace! Hold on a second!

 

 

Part Two

 

 

Trace sighed and stopped in her tracks. She didn’t turn around, but knew exactly who it was; Sapphire, the woman who in the past had on more than one occasion expressed her disagreements with Vex and Trace’s relationship.

 

Sapphire: Not going to look at me? Seriously? Are you that mad at what I’ve said in the past?

 

Trace: So, what do you want Sapphire?  You’ve typically only chatted me up if you needed a favor or—

Just then Trace realized what this was probably about and took out a sack of septims and began juggling it in her hand.

 

Trace: This is about Shady Shad’s debt isn’t it? Haaa… You could have asked me for this ages ago. If that’s all you want—

Sapphire: Wait what? What are you talking about?

 

Trace rolled her eyes.

 

Trace: Are you kidding me? Shadr’s debt. The one you were gonna make him pay double since you and your boys ransacked his shipment of cargo? Sloppy job too, if I could say so myself.

 

Sapphire: What? No. I… Shadr told me that you were gonna handle it and I told him that I’d drop it. I mean, I don’t think Vex would like me getting money from you and all…

 

Trace: …Then… What do you want? If you don’t have anything else—

Sapphire: Wait, WAIT! Listen…

 

The Nord was having a rough time coming up with a way to formulate how exactly she was going to say what she needed to say to Trace, and Trace couldn’t stand it.

 

Trace: Look, come back to me when you actually have something to say, or rather, when you know how you’re going to say it.

 

Sapphire: F-fine! *sigh* Your… You need to mind how your actions will and have been affecting the Guild.

Trace raised an eyebrow at this.

 

Trace: My what now?

 

Sapphire: Stop playing games with Vex’s heart. Can’t you tell that except for the mess with Mercer, every time things were good between you two there was prosperity in the Guild and vice versa. I… I know you’re a bit infatuated with her, but please, if you truly don’t think that Vex is the one who your heart belongs to… end this relationship!

Trace: Ha! You seriously don’t think that I know that? That I have to make a decision regarding this, and soon? *sigh* And I thought this was going to be important…

 

Sapphire: It IS important!! The state of the Guild shouldn’t depend on whether or not you can make one person happy! Stop playing around and decide already!!!

 

Trace glared at the Nord making her momentarily draw back.

 

Trace: Play around? There’s been way too much on my plate to even consider that… I haven’t had the time—

 

Sapphire: You’ve been sitting around here doing little to nothing for eight days. EIGHT DAYS! Don’t tell me that you didn’t have enough—

Trace had had enough of Sapphire and angrily pushed the thief to the ground.

Trace: Whether people live or die… That’s what I’ve been struggling with. If people’s lives are worth less than whether the Guild is prospering or not, then I’m glad that I left with Astrid…

Trace began to walk away, frustrating the Nord.

 

Sapphire: Hey! Where do you think you’re going! A certain SOMEONE came to the Flagon looking for you!

 

Trace: Whoever it is can go to Oblivion for all I care.

 

Sapphire: Then I guess I’ll just have to go tell Riften’s ‘Protector’ that you’d rather leave here than see her. I wonder how she’d react to that? Hmmm…

Trace stopped dead in her tracks.

 

Sapphire: Yeah, I thought that would get your attention which is why I didn’t lead with—

 

Trace: Is she really down here?

 

Sapphire: I’ve no reason to give you false hope, even as a joke. But before you go, let me get your word that—

Trace ignored Sapphire’s words and ran off towards the Ragged Flagon at top speed, startling Sapphire as she passed her.

Sapphire: Whoa… So she is a different person in front of those three… Terrifying…

 

 

Part Three

 

 

As soon as she arrived in the Flagon, Trace looked around for her guest, but she was nowhere to be seen…

Trace: Crap… Did she get fed up with me and leave? Or… Maybe she wasn’t here in the first place… No way… Did Sapphire really trick me?

 

???: Heh, it’s always nice to see the anxiousness in the faces of people in love.

Trace looked over and saw Vekel the Man smiling right at her.

 

Vekel: Don’t worry Trace. She still here, she’s just over by the Flagon’s entrance. Said she didn’t feel comfortable around us and all. *shrugs* Guess it’s understandable—

Trace leapt at him and hugged him tightly.

 

Trace: Vekel, you ARE the man! You know that?

 

Vekel: Well I try. But don’t worry yourself with me.  Go to her already.

Trace nodded, and set off running once again…

Trace: (Heh, to think that I’d get a visitor… and it would be her! What are the chances?)

Trace slowed to a walk when she got close to her visitor.

 

Trace: (Yeah… Keep it easy Trace. Keep your cool, don’t wanna seem like you’d been missing her THAT much… Even if you have…)

Mjoll and Trace’s eyes met and they were both all smiles.

 

Mjoll: Been some time, hasn’t it Jalena?

 

Trace: Tell me about it. At least you were able to go out and do things.

 

Mjoll: Vex grounded you?

 

Trace: *sigh* Let’s… just not bring it up.

They both laughed, but it wasn’t long before the laughs seemed a bit uneasy.

 

Trace: (I can’t help but feel like there’s something coming between us…) Is… Is something wrong?

 

Mjoll: I just… I heard from Aerin what happened, and I gave him a slap on the head for it, but still… Even after all of that, why didn’t you come see me? At least to let me know that you were back… That you were safe…

Trace: I’m sorry Mjoll… Truth is… Aerin said something that kinda… It shook me up a bit. I should have come, I wanted to come… But…

 

Mjoll: What did he say?

 

Trace: He… he called me, ‘Human waste who shouldn’t try to soil Mjoll with your filth!’

Mjoll: That… that spineless coward!! I know he doesn’t want us together, but to slander you in such a way…

 

Trace: Wait… Mjoll—

 

Mjoll: Did he really think I wouldn’t find out? I let him off way too lightly! Perhaps I should give him a few more lumps and tell him not to get involved in matters unrelated to him—

Trace: Mjoll! Stop it!! Don’t… *averts her eyes* Don’t do anything more to him…

 

Mjoll blinked twice and stared at Trace.

 

Mjoll: Are you alright Jalena? You do know that you’re defending Aerin, the man you’ve been badmouthing since before we were ever in a relationship?

Trace: Yeah…

 

Trace went over and sat at the edge of the pool of water.

 

Trace: But… He isn’t completely wrong.

 

Mjoll: Then please, tell me in what way have you ‘soiled me with your filth’?

 

Trace: Just look at us… Me, a thief, an assassin, a liar, an indecisive... (…Asshole…) And then there’s you… Look at you. The old you would have only come here to slaughter everyone here, not to talk with one of its tenants.

Trace: Aerin’s words… I’d be lying if I said they didn’t get to me, but when he said them I simply shook them off and immediately went looking for you. But when I saw you, those words echoed in my head… Taunting me… And I really felt like I didn’t have the right to face you...

 

Mjoll: Jalena…

Trace got up and put on her best smile.

 

Trace: But I’m over that now see? *throws up the peace sign*So yeah, you don’t have to worry about me! I’m fine! I’m completely—

 

 

Part Four

 

 

Mjoll wrapped Trace up in her arms and pressed the Imperial close to her.

Mjoll: If you’re going to tell that lie, at least put on a convincing face… And don’t have tears in your eyes you silly woman…

Mjoll: See? I’m fine! And even if you were rubbing off on me, it won’t change who I fundamentally am or how I feel about you. Stop tremb—d-don’t worry about any of that nonsense… okay?

After embracing Trace for a while, Mjoll pulled away and was surprised when the Imperial simply dropped to her knees and started bawling her eyes out.

Mjoll looked down at Trace and couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

 

Mjoll: (Is this… Is this really all due to those words? Aerin… What have you done…)

Mjoll could feel her anger toward her current living companion boil over, and she shocked herself at how much aggression she had towards him.

 

Mjoll: I take back what I said earlier. A few lumps? No… I’m going to do something that’ll make him never want to get involved in my personal relationships EVER again!

Turned to storm off, when Trace suddenly gripped her in a way that further surprised the Nord…

Trace: *sniff* L-look… It’s not only that… Just… I’ll tell you everything. So calm down Mjoll… please.

 

Mjoll: *awkwardly* O-okay…

Trace rose to her feet and sighed deeply.

 

Trace: (It’s all good Trace, you’ve got this…)

 

Mjoll: Whenever you’re ready Jalena… I won’t rush you.

 

Trace: *smiles* Thanks Mjoll…

Trace: So… *sigh* I’ve just had a lot on my mind. Aerin’s words, and how you might react to me not telling you I was okay was just the beginning of my worries… I… My situation with the Brotherhood’s become worse. If they found out that I spared Cicero… And now I might have to kill Astrid and the Listener…

 

Mjoll: Wait, calm down. And explain everything from the beginning.

And so Trace did. She told Mjoll about everything that was bothering her. From her insecurities that were only furthered due to Aerin’s words, to her being unable to choose between Vex, Astrid, and Mjoll herself. She told Mjoll about the impact her and Vex’s relationship was having on the Guild. Trace also informed Mjoll of what happened at the Dawnstar Sanctuary and how she spared Cicero’s life; of how the Night Mother’s words echoed throughout her head… and the revelation that she may have to kill both Astrid and the Listener…

 

All the while Mjoll listened, and digested everything that her love was telling her as she tried to think of a way to respond… and then she found it.

 

 

Part Five

 

 

Just as Trace was about to carry on some more, Mjoll put a finger to the Imperial’s lips and stroked her cheek.

 

Mjoll: I… I think I understand now. You’ve had a lot on you mind, and trying to appease everyone Vex and I with all of that… I apologize for the three of us for backing you into this type of corner…

 

Trace couldn’t believe what she hearing.

 

Trace: W-what!? What do you all have to be sorry about? I-I’m the one that’s in love with three women. If anything, I’M the one who should be apologizing, not—

 

Mjoll stroked Trace’s face again and gave her a look that silenced her.

 

Mjoll: I just… I want to let you know that I’m fine with whatever you decided, and that until this Dark Brotherhood stuff is behind you, I won’t get in your way at all. Sure it’d be nice if you let me know that you’re alright from time to time, but unlike before you don’t have to go out of your way to do so. Just…

Mjoll: …Just let me know before you go off again. I’d like very much to give something to you when you do.

 

Trace: Heh… Well about that… *diverts eyes* Before I knew you were here, I was actually about get going… I-I hope that doesn’t bother—

Mjoll grabbed Trace by the head and pulled her into an impassioned kiss that echoed all around them.

Trace:  M-Mjoll… MMmmm… W-we… we can’t—

 

Mjoll pulled her closer to silence her disagreements and simply showed her but a taste of the love and passion that had built up within the Nord throughout their relationship that she was never able to express until now…

When Mjoll finally released Trace from their kiss, Trace had to gasp for air which was weirdly hilarious to the Nord…

 

Mjoll: Ha! You really are something else, you know that. No wonder you were able to make three women with such strong personalities fall for you…

Mjoll: You’re strong, smart, kind, and you have the biggest heart I’ve ever seen.

 

Trace: Mjoll…

 

Mjoll kissed Trace on her cheek, and then cupped her face.

 

Mjoll: No matter what anyone says, you’ll always have my love. Even when we fight, even when we don’t talk or see each other, my heart is yours. You hear me?

 

Trace: *nods*Yeah… Jol…

Trace turned to head off when she felt something grip her backside…

Trace: Mjoll!! W-what’s come over you? You’re so… *grins* hands-on today.

 

Mjoll: Heh, I don’t know what to say. But with this… It’s how the guys say, ‘I hate to see you go but i love to watch you leave.’ Just make sure to get your cute little back to Riften as soon as possible!

Mjoll: But seriously Trace, try to be done with all of this… All of this Dark Brotherhood business as soon as possible. For our sake, and yours…

Trace hesitated. She hadn’t told Mjoll everything about Astrid and the Listener, such as the fact that she didn’t know if she was able to or would be able to kill either of them if it came down to it…

 

Trace: …Yeah… I’ll try…

Trace took a deep breath and with a final hug Trace rushed off once again, and for the first time since she heard the Night Mother’s voice, she felt really and truly happy.

Trace: (Now I have to get out of here, or else I’ll just explode!! Thank you Mjoll, you lovable bear you!!)

After exiting the Cistern, Trace felt immensely better just by inhaling air that wasn’t the recycled pungent air of the Cistern.

 

Trace: Aaaah… Finally! Eheehehee… Maybe I’ll run around the city for a bit. Just to stretch my legs a bit. It’s not like I want to hurt Vex…

Trace: But I am NOT her pet, nor am I her underling—

 

???: Lost in your own head again I see, Jalena. When I was told you were still lurking about the Guild I couldn’t believe it. But here you are.

Trace stopped in her tracks and couldn’t believe whose voice she as hearing.

 

Trace: There’s no way… I mean, is it really you…

 

 

Part Six

 

 

Duraza: *smiles* Hmph, why are you looking like you’ve seen a ghost? There’s only one Orc that I know that would associate themselves with your kind sneak thief, and you’re looking at her.

Trace couldn’t contain herself as she sprang on Duraza and gave her a hug. It had been years since they’d seen each other, and there wasn’t a say that went by that Trace didn’t miss her former Master…

Trace: OhmygawdohmygawdOH! MY! GOD!!! It’s really you! When you left the Guild and I didn’t hear anything about you—

 

Duraza: Alright girl, get offa’ me already. What did I tell you about all this sappy touchy-feely business? I’ve got a reputation to upkeep after all!

Trace obliged with her request, but she couldn’t stop herself from grinning.

 

Trace: (First Mjoll comes to visit and cheers me up, then Master Duraza OF ALL PEOPLE comes and visits me!!! By the Divines… If this is a dream, please oh please don’t wake me up!!!)

 

Duraza: Stop fidgeting around already! I want to get a good look at my cute little protégé.

Duraza: Hmmm… Not bad, not bad. Seems like you had an injury on the right side of your face but that seemed to heal up nicely. And I’ll admit, the blind eye and your tanned skin is a good choice. Gives you a little… OOMPH!!

 

Trace: Ehehehehee… Master called me cute! I’m not going to forget this!!!

 

Duraza: Ugh… I’d sooner rather that you did…

Although Trace was still rather elated, the high of her Master’s sudden appearance suddenly came to pass…

 

Trace: Wait a second Master, what on Nirn are you doing here? I thought you were excommunicated from the Guild…

Duraza: That was due to your previous Guild Master, the slime ball. I always said that he was taking coin from the Guild, but I never knew he was LITERALLY doing so. Anyway, me and Vexy have entered into a little arrangement so I was just coming to go over some things and catch up. So what have you been up to short stuff?

Trace: *blushes* Oh well… Y-you know… I’ve been doing a bunch of stuff, changed my profession a few times, been in a couple of relationships, and am in a complicated situation right now… Y-you know, nothing interesting.

Trace: B-but enough about me, what have you been up to Master?

 

Duraza: *shrugs* What’s to say? I was doing contract work for high paying clients, and recently I’ve back on my grind as the best thief in all of Skyrim. Oh yeah, and I guess I was on both sides of a near world ending crisis that almost no one even knows happened.

Trace: *laughs* Heh, when did you get a sense of humor Master? That was pretty good!

The older thief raised an eyebrow at Trace’s statement.

 

Duraza: I don’t see what’s funny. It was annoying having to swap sides, but I got paid either way so… It wasn’t a big deal. I’m just glad that I ended up realizing what was going on before it was too late. Although it DID cost me a couple thousand septims… DEFINITELY not a laughing matter.

Trace: I-I-I see…

 

She awkwardly tried to laugh it off again, but when Duraza’s expression didn’t change to one of laughter Trace had to turn around to hide her shock and embarrassment.

 

Trace: (By the Divines… could I… Could we all have really died!?)

???: Useless, pointless, nonsensical to worry about such trivial matters when there are indeed much much MUCH more pressing ones at hand.

 

 

Part Seven

 

 

Trace: Show yourself!!

 

???: My my my, no need to shout. This poor loyal soul wouldn’t dream of slaying his savior! At least, not while they were awake…

Trace: No… Nonononono!!! What in the world are you doing here? Wait a second… YOU TOLD!! And to think that I spared your life… Looks like I’m the fool…

Cicero: Hohoho! The Deserter is no fool! In saving Cicero you’ve done the brightest thing anyone could EVER do! You’ve gained a friend, an ally, a best buddy for life and the nicest lass you could ever dream of! Oh yes Deserter, we’re going to have so much fuuuuunnnn!!!

Duraza: *glances at Trace* So… You’re hanging out with fools now? I can see why you’d want to omit that little tidbit in your little recap.

Trace: (I have never been so humiliated in my entire life…) *sigh* Alright Cicero, tell me what it is that you want or I’ll make you wish that I had killed you back then.

Cicero looked over her shoulder and smirked.

 

Cicero: Oh me, oh my! Help guard, I dare say I am in need of assistance! This vile, grim, one eyed harlot is about to assault poor, innocent, little Cicero. Oh whatever shall I do—

Trace had had enough of the jester’s games and swiftly slammed Cicero into the wall of the cemetery, pinning her to it.

 

Trace: Now then I’ll ask you again, what is it that you want?

 

Cicero: Cicero will admit that he likes it quite rough, especially when dealing with his… delicate places…

Trace gripped Cicero’s wrists tighter and glared at the fool.

 

Trace: This is your last chance fool. What. Are. You. Doing. Here.

 

However, even after all of that Cicero’s little way of messing with Trace never changed.

 

Cicero: Oh Deserter, poor Deserter. Cicero knows that his new form is… quite desirable, but Cicero thinks it unwise to mess around here. Especially with what is to be happening at that Sanctuary.

Trace: That’s it! I’m sick of your shit Cicero! I’m gonna—

 

Cicero: Stop! Please!! C-Cicero was just joking, just testing the Deserter. Get of me and Cicero shall reveal all to the Deserter. Cicero swears on the Night Mother!

Knowing that the fool would never swear on the Night Mother frivolously, Trace let her go and the red-head smiled at her.

 

Cicero: Cicero received a tip, from who I’ll never tell, that Penitus Oculatus agents have received a tip from a certain… ‘High Ranking’ Dark Sister.

Trace: You… You lie…

 

Cicero: You’re calling me, sweet Cicero, a liar!? Preposterous! And to think I was prepare to tell you that if you hurried she might be able to intercept them. Hmph! But now Cicero never will, not even if the Deserter beats, hits, and whiiiips~ poor Cicero.

Without saying another word to either of them, Trace ran out of the cemetery and started off towards Falkreath as fast as her legs would take her.

Cicero: So long, farewell! Let’s kill someone next time!~

 

Duraza: Yeah… Vex told me that Jalena had joined the Brotherhood, but I thought she’d have more common sense than to mingle with people like… this…

After hearing Cicero’s words, the Night Mother’s own ones continued to repeat over and over in Trace’s head…

Night Mother: …You may have to kill both the ‘Listener,’ who Cicero did indeed have a just reason for wanting to kill…

Trace: (Damn, damn, DAMN!!! Neither Nazir or Babette would never betray us… Neither would the others… So that could only mean… Did… Did you really turn on us Astrid!?)