“Are you ok, Dar?” Roggi asked him, his brow furrowed into a deep frown.
Dardeh looked up and around for what felt like the hundredth time since they’d stopped to rest near the word wall. There’s someone here. I can feel it.
“I’m a little tired, truthfully,” he said. “But that’s not what has me on edge. Ever since we made it up here to the top I’ve felt like someone or – something – has been watching us.”
“You’re seeing things nobody else can see, again?” Roggi said, looking concerned.
“I can feel it, too,” Toralf said, shaking his head. “That’s why I keep telling you we’re not done with the vampires, not yet.”
“But it doesn’t feel like vampires,” Dardeh said. “It feels like there’s someone watching us.” He glanced once more at the tops of the dragon carvings, as though he might be able to catch a glimpse of whatever eldritch being was hiding just out of sight.
Roggi looked up, as well, and then shook his head. “I don’t know what you two are sensing. I guess I’ll just have to take your word for it.”
Dardeh sighed. It was hard when the person you trusted most in the world couldn’t really share what you were going through. He shrugged.
“I don’t know. It sounds crazy, but I’ve spent enough time around spirits lately to recognize the traces of a person when they’re not visible.”
Toralf chuckled. “Well, I can’t see it, but I can feel it. Whoever it is. That’s why I know there are more vampires in here somewhere. They’re wrong, and they need to be – unmade- and sent on their way. That’s what it’s telling me.”
Dardeh smiled. “I’m glad it’s not just me, then. That’s kind of a relief, to tell you the truth. Thanks, Toralf.”
They started back down the length of the long chamber toward the circular staircase, Roggi and Toralf discussing where they might have missed something. Dardeh didn’t pay attention to them. He was too absorbed with trying to tease out whatever energy it was around them.
I’m sorry we disturbed you, whoever you are. I hope Toralf’s right and we’re doing what we need to be doing. It seems to be my place to put things back in order the past few years.
“It isn’t just your blood a vampire wants,” Roggi said as they wound their way back toward the bottom. “It’s your mortal soul.”
Dardeh stopped to stare at him, startled. It felt as though warning bells and war horns were sounding in the very fabric of existence around them.
“What in the world prompted you to say that?”
Roggi shrugged. “I don’t know. We’re fighting vampires, and… well… It just came to me, that’s all. It’s something my da used to say. Why? Is it important?”
“Yes. Yes it is.” Dardeh rubbed his chin and paced back and forth a few times. For a moment the significance of what Roggi had said was tantalizingly out of reach. Then, just as it had been the first time he’d recognized a word in Dovahzul, the tendrils of meaning connected, twined about each other in a strong grasp. “And do you know why?”
“No, that’s why I asked.”
“Who else wanted our mortal souls?”
“I don’t… oh!” Roggi’s eyes grew wide. “Alduin.”
“Yeah. I don’t know what that means, exactly, but it means something.”
“Maybe you need to kill all the vampires, too, Dragonborn,” Toralf said matter-of-factly. “Save the world from the undead.”
Dardeh laughed. “That would be quite a feat, wouldn’t it? Huh.” He took a few more paces and shook his head. “I would have said maybe it’s that I need to kill the strongest vampire, the way I killed the strongest dragon, but Andante…” He trailed off. There truly was something important about the thought, and the connection, but he still couldn’t put his finger on it.
“…Andante already killed the strongest vampire. And now he’s dead, too,” Roggi said.
“So… that means someone else is strongest now. Who’s that?” Toralf asked.
They both looked at Toralf for a moment, stupidly, as though they couldn’t believe he’d been the one to ask the most crucial question. Dardeh turned and stared at Roggi. I don’t know. Roggi doesn’t know either.
“No idea,” Roggi said. “We don’t exactly move in vampire circles. But I’ll bet I know who could find out.”
“Bryn?”
“Yeah. Not directly, but he does have connections.”
“If nothing else he might be able to tell us whether this really is important or not. Hmm. Let me think on this for awhile. In the meantime we need to find the rest of the group that’s here.”
They backtracked all the way to the door by which they’d entered the ruin, and found nothing. Toralf kept shaking his head, though, insisting that there were more vampires here somewhere, and Dardeh was inclined to agree. They started back up, making certain this time to double check every nook and cranny for hidden passages or undiscovered levers. It wasn’t until they’d reached the chamber with three handles in its center that Toralf yelled, “In here!”
One of the stone slab doors had opened onto a passage they had not checked on their first trip through because of being otherwise occupied with skeletons. At the far end of it, in a very dark area, there was another pull handle mounted in the wall.
“Thanks, Toralf. I would have looked all day and not seen that,” Dardeh said, giving the handle a yank. What had looked like just the end of the tunnel ground upward to reveal a set of iron doors just beyond.
“Here we go,” Roggi said.
It was definitely a lair of some description on the other side of the doors, a rough cave rather than a carefully excavated barrow. Even as dimly lit as it was, Dardeh could see puddles of blood and cast-aside bones on the floor just beyond the short passage they were in. He readied his swords and moved forward, crouching at the opening to peer left. There was a cart near the doorway, with something truly unsavory-looking on it. On the other side of the space a woman sat, humming mindlessly to herself.
I don’t feel like taking any chances. If she’s just some innocent woman, Talos forgive me.
Dardeh rushed forward. Just before he reached her she turned to stare at him. Her bright yellow eyes gave Dardeh all the reinforcement he needed; as she tried to rise from her perch he attacked. He was fresh and she’d been surprised; it took only one set of blows to kill her.
“Behind you!” Roggi shouted.
Dardeh whirled to see Toralf rushing another female vampire. She was trying her best to drain his life force; but Toralf’s attack on her was brutal, and brief. She dropped to the ground almost instantly.
“You ok, Toralf? She didn’t get you, did she?”
“Nah, I don’t think so. I’ve got potions, anyway. I’ll drink one when we get out just to be on the safe side.”
There were two bodies piled in the corner, one a hunter and the other a mage of some type. Roggi looked them over and shook his head.
“Guess they were next for butchering.”
“What else is in here? I still don’t feel like we’re finished.”
They poked around the room, and in one of the darkest corners Dardeh found a pedestal with yet another pull handle. Activating it raised another stone barrier on the opposite end of the cave, revealing a passage that looked like it led back into the barrow proper.
The chamber beyond was curious. There were three exits, one with several gates barring the way and the others each with one. The remains of a pillar that had long since collapsed dominated the center of the room, and next to the rubble on the floor was a lever. High on the walls, animal plaques were inset on either side of the gates, but there were none of the familiar rotating plinths in the room.
“Strange,” he murmured.
“I don’t see any obvious traps. Toss that lever and stand back,” Roggi suggested.
“Alright, but you’re in charge of healing if I get hit with poison darts or some such nonsense.”
“Fair enough.”
Dardeh threw the lever and braced. All that happened was the raising of the first metal gate just opposite them. He entered the newly opened space and found a pull chain to his left, with a bear above it. Above the gate directly in front of him was an eagle.
“Ok, so I pull this chain and then what?”
“Out here,” Toralf called from the other room. “There’s a bear over one of these gates.”
“Alright. Coming right up.” Dardeh pulled the chain and heard a mechanism operating. Then he heard Toralf laughing.
“Whee,” he called. “A lever.”
Dardeh returned to the main area to find that indeed, the gate that had been on their right as they entered had raised, revealing an alcove in which a floor-mounted lever rested under an eagle plaque. He was just about to throw the lever when the tiniest movement to his left caught his attention. There was a stone chair in the deepest shadows, and the draugr sitting in it was waking up. Dardeh jumped, drew his swords and slashed the creature to death before it could get fully upright.
He was getting ready to sheathe his swords when Roggi said, “What was that?” Dardeh had missed the matching stone chair against the other wall, and the female draugr seated there was almost ready to attack. Dardeh took two whirling steps into her and cut her down.
“Thanks, Roggi. Saved my hide yet again. Well, I saw an eagle over the middle gate. What do you want to bet this opens that gate?”
“Not taking that bet, Dar.”
“No kidding. Why bother putting in such an elaborate entrance if the solution to opening it is so obvious?”
The middle gate had risen, revealing another pull chain beneath a dragon emblem. The plaque above the final gate was very worn, but appeared to be a fox; beyond the gate was a set of double doors. They returned to the central room and worked their way around the broken pillar’s debris to find that the final gate in the room had opened.
Dardeh paused at the doorway. The fox plaque he’d expected to see had broken from the wall to rest just beside its matching lever. He drew his swords and entered the chamber, expecting to find draugr guarding the lever. He was not disappointed. He caught the first completely by surprise and took it down with one blow. The second rose and took a deep breath. Dardeh saw its motion and dropped to the floor.
“FUS- RO DAH!” it cried in its harsh voice; but Dardeh was low enough to have escaped most of the Shout’s impact. He rolled forward, popped up to his feet and rained blows on the draugr until it collapsed.
“Nicely done!” Toralf said from the doorway.
“Thanks,” Dardeh grinned. He threw the last lever and made his way back into the central room. “Wonder what we’re going to find down at the end of this passage.”
“Vampires,” Roggi said flatly.
The doors swung inward to reveal a large chamber of the same design as the main portion of Shriekwind, partially collapsed on their right. There were three forms immediately visible: someone standing with their back facing Dardeh, and on the far side of the space at least two others behind a table. There appeared to be a body on that table, and Dardeh decided it would be better not to ponder what they were doing to it. A deep voice from somewhere past the ruined pillar said “What was that?” and all Oblivion broke loose.
Dardeh laid into the nearest person, an Orc. He didn’t bother to find out whether the man was a vampire or a thrall; he simply cut the Orc down. He heard the sound of a conjuration spell being cast and watched in horror as the body atop the table began rising from its deathbed.
“Never should have come here!” The woman’s harsh voice caught Dardeh’s attention and he turned to face her just as Toralf ran past him on the right. The next moment he was in agony. It was, in fact, a vampire, and her life-draining spell was doing a fine job of pulling him apart bit by bit. Toralf took a huge swing at the vampire, breaking her focus long enough for Dardeh to slip out of the way to the right.
He almost ran into Roggi. There was another vampire at the far right of the chamber, near the back, and she was casting the same draining spell at him. Roggi was too quick for her, though; he kept just ahead of her aim and closed on her. Just as he took a swing, though, her spell caught him full-on. He grunted in pain.
“Lucky hit,” he growled.
Dardeh saw red.
“YOL – TOOR SHUL!”
The vampire fell forward, enveloped in a ball of flame. Roggi followed just behind the flames, leaning into the vampire and chopping downward with his sword. Dardeh finished her off as she fell to the floor.
There was a great scream behind them. Both of them whirled around to see that Toralf was still fighting the first vampire. Roggi dashed across the space to help. Dardeh, though, shook his head in frustration. He felt far more winded by his exertion than he expected.
Suck it up, Dar. You’re better than this.
He forced himself into a trot and reached the skirmish just in time for Toralf to land the last blow. The three of them stood catching their breath.
“Is that the last of them?” Dardeh asked.
“I think so,” Toralf said.
“Are you two ok? Roggi? She didn’t get you, did she?”
Roggi shook his head. “No, I’m fine. She was trying hard but I avoided it.”
“Alright, let’s get out of here. I’ve had enough of this place. Toralf, well done. I’ll make sure Korst knows how important you were to our success.”
“Thanks, Dragonborn.”
“Dardeh. My name’s Dardeh.” He grinned at Toralf and started for the exit from Shriekwind.
__
Agryn Gernic strode along the road west from Riften, wishing that it was anything other than a perfectly glorious day. The Rift was so much like the central portions of Cyrodiil where he had spent so many years with his lord Edwyn. He loved it.
But it’s too damnably hot today. What a thorough stupidity, for a vampire to love the sun.
He toyed with the idea of invoking the fog to lessen his burning, but that part of him that had never quite let go of the things he’d loved as a human didn’t want to lose the sights of this day. It had been hard enough to send Vyctyna off to Solitude with Edwyn and Geor Mantel. He didn’t like not having her with him. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Edwyn – not really. But Edwyn didn’t even attempt to hide his admiration of the beautiful vampire; his eyes lit up whenever she was near.
“I would never do anything to hurt you, Agryn,” Edwyn had told him so many times. “I value you far too highly. But you must understand that I have great appreciation for your taste in women. She is exquisite, and nobody could possibly say otherwise.”
He’d always smiled, and nodded, and done his best to believe in Edwyn, who was his friend as well as his master and who had always had his own exquisite women. But Vyctyna was the love of Agryn’s very long life, and he wanted her by his side, always.
They’d overheard things recently, while searching for a suitable double for Lord Wickham. People in Riften’s taverns were full of tales from the culmination of the civil war, many of them involving someone called “Dragonborn.” Agryn’s techniques of persuasion were nearly as effective as Vyctyna’s, if different. Through judicious use of septims and the strategic flashing of long white fangs, Agryn had learned a great deal from the people in the warrens under Riften and those in Beggar’s Row. Some of those people had been present when Thalmor had gone on a rampage through the Ratway. They told him of a blonde Redguard who’d been called Dragonborn by the old man who had lived in seclusion there for many years. That same Redguard man had returned to Riften sometime later and had been married in the Temple of Mara.
And then Agryn met Lucy, one of Riften’s street women. She approached him, wondering if he was looking for company for the night. He turned to her to decline, and they laughed, each realizing that the other was a vampire. Once he explained that he was very happily attached but would gladly pay her usual rate for information, they’d enjoyed a long chat in the Bee & Barb. Not only did Lucy confirm that the Dragonborn existed, and that he was a blonde Redguard/Nord mixed race man, but she knew his name, and the name of his husband.
“See, the man who gave me the gift used to hang around with the Thieves Guild. He had a thing going with Bryn.”
“The redhead?”
“That’s the one. I spend time down in the Flagon looking for business, and I saw this guy Dardeh come in, sometimes with his husband. Sometimes his husband came in alone. Watch out for that one, by the way, if you’re looking for them. He doesn’t look like much up front but he’s got something going. People are scared of him. They live out in Falkreath.”
“You’re certain of this?” Agryn asked, motioning to the Nord barkeeper for a refill for Lucy.
“Yeah. Sometimes I think these fools are getting too old, down here. They don’t know enough to keep their voices low sometimes. And you’d think at least Bryn would know better, what with there being vampires about.” She smiled at Agryn, showing just enough of her dentition to reveal the fangs. “I keep their secrets for them, when it suits me. But for a brother, especially one who doesn’t make me work for the money? Yeah. That’s where you’ll find them.”
And thus it was that Agryn was heading west to Falkreath, armed with the information he needed to locate the Dragonborn for Edwyn. He stopped to admire the day once more. The huge mountain before him was topped with a shroud of mist, as usual.
Bet it’s a lot cooler up there.
He sighed. It was getting altogether too uncomfortable for him, standing in the sun, in spite of the very best enchantments on his armor. Agryn sighed, raised his hands, and used his magic to pull fog from the very ground beneath his feet. It was an immediate relief. He sipped some water and then broke into a sprint.
His luck held. Once in Falkreath proper he walked slowly around the town, his sharp ears focusing on each conversation, listening for any mention of the man he sought. He visited the inn and learned nothing; but when he spoke to the city guards posted outside the Jarl’s longhouse his patience was rewarded.
“Yeah, we know Dardeh. He’s a Thane here, in the Jarl’s court. His housecarl is in town right now if you’re looking for him. I just saw her go into the alchemist’s shop a little while ago. Rayya. She’s a Redguard.” The man pointed down the street and then returned his attention to the chicken scratching in the road in front of him.
“My thanks,” Agryn murmured, slipping several coins into the man’s hand before turning toward the far end of the street. The door of the alchemist’s business opened as he stepped away from the guard. A Redguard woman emerged and started walking toward him, making it a simple matter to step out into the street and block her passage.
“Excuse me, madam,” he said, trying to appear non-threatening. “Are you by any chance Rayya?”
“That I am,” she answered, stopping just out of arms’ reach. “What can I do for you?”
“I understand that you are the housecarl for the Thane called Dardeh. I have a message for him from my master and would very much like to speak to him.”
Rayya stared at him, her mesmerizing eyes narrowed. She’s suspicious. A very good housecarl, it would seem; quick of wit and wary of strangers.
“You’re correct. But the Thane is not at home today, I’m afraid. You’ll need to come back another time.”
“Very well. Could you at least show me where he lives, so that I might find him later?”
She shook her head. “We get many people looking for him, and not all of those have his best interests in mind. I would suggest leaving a message for him here, with the Jarl’s steward. He comes here frequently. Or you could try the same at the inn, but I can’t vouch for them.”
Agryn nodded. “I will do that, thank you very much. I’m sorry to have taken your time.” He stepped back, clearing Rayya’s path, and watched as she headed toward the other end of the town.
There’s more than one way to skin a skeever. And I know several of them.
It was perhaps two hours later when Agryn crept silently up behind Rayya. He’d followed her along the road northwest from town, to a large homestead at the western end of Lake Ilinalta. He could hear voices from within; but Rayya had shaken her head as she approached the house, and had instead walked past it, down to a dock on the lakefront. She was seated with her head hanging. He heard her sigh heavily several times as he approached.
She isn’t happy. I don’t know why, but I will use it to our advantage.
He approached in silence, cast his spell, and took just enough of her blood to do what he needed to do. A moment later he stood before her and, as he always had when creating a thrall, marveled at the awestruck devotion shining out from her eyes.
“I will be in touch again, soon,” he told her. “In the meantime you are to keep close watch on the Thane. I need to know everything about him; whether he is in fact Dragonborn, what he has done to earn this name. What are his strengths and his weaknesses. You will do this for me, yes?”
“Of course, Master,” she said, as he had known she would.
“Very good. Thank you, Rayya. I will see you again soon.”
He turned and hugged the lake’s shoreline until he was well past the manor house, then climbed to the road and began sprinting along it. It was time to join Vyctyna and Edwyn in Solitude.
___
They found Korst on the stairwell inside Helgen Keep. Dardeh stopped him to report in.
“We’ve killed the vampires at Shriekwind, Korst. The reports were correct; there were a bunch of them in there and we found evidence that they were feasting on some prisoners and making thralls out of others.”
“Thanks for loaning Toralf to us,” Roggi added. “He’s an outstanding soldier. You’re fortunate to have him.”
“Excellent,” Korst said. “There’s one thing off the list.” He pulled his journal out and drew a line across the page.
“Let me guess,” Dardeh said with a grin. “There’s more.”
“Yes, of course. Hmm. It says here that a group of necromancers have been causing trouble up near Brittleshin Pass. People can’t travel through the mountain.”
“Nothing new there.”
“No, but there are many more of them than usual. Go see what you can find out and report back to me. If you’re willing, of course.”
“Of course.”
“Savard is out in the yard. Older man, but still excellent. Take him with you, if you would. He could use some training.”
“Will do.” Dardeh started trudging up the stairs. Roggi trotted past him, then turned and laughed.
“You getting old, Dragonborn? Since when can I run past you like you’re standing still?”
Dardeh smiled up at his husband. “I think you’ve proven yourself to be a good bit stronger than me, just recently.” He wiped the back of his hand across his brow. “I don’t know, I’m just feeling tired. Maybe we can stop and rest at the house before we head over to Brittleshin.”
Roggi nodded. “Sure. Of course. Let’s go collect Savard. I’m sure we can put him up for the night and nobody’s going to begrudge us a few hours of sleep.”
It was raining when they stepped back out into the yard. Dardeh spied Toralf, back at work on one of the training dummies. Practicing archery just beside him was a man with a long white beard. Roggi pointed at him, and Dardeh smiled and nodded.
“Are you Savard?” he said, stepping up to the man. “Come with me. We have a warlock or two to take care of.”
“Ooo, watch yourself, Savard,” Toralf laughed. “These two are trouble.”
“Yeah, you’re a fine one to talk, Toralf,” Roggi said, grinning.
“Well! So they’re finally sending someone to deal with those lunatics? Right then! Let’s do this.” He turned to Toralf and winked. “Did you keep count? I’ll bet I can take down more wizards than you did vampires.”
“You’re on,” Toralf laughed. “Loser buys the mead.”
The light was beginning to fade as they passed Falkreath. Dardeh was feeling more out of sorts as the minutes ticked by, and was very much looking forward to having a few hours in his own bed before they had to deal with necromancers and warlocks. Roggi kept slipping him glances, and as time went by the frown on his face got more and more pronounced. Dardeh got a bit more irritated with each of the glances. Finally, just as the last of the sun winked out of sight somewhere beyond the Reach, he turned and snapped at Roggi.
“Alright, just exactly what is it that’s bothering you?”
He heard the words leave his mouth, and regretted them instantly. He was about to begin apologizing – yet again – but his world suddenly turned red.
Dardeh fell to his knees. His mouth was parched, as dry as he’d ever felt it. All he could see was a haze of red. He was dizzy, and reached forward with his hands to balance himself on the ancient cobblestones. He closed his eyes, gripping the solid warmth of the stones as tightly as he could.
“Dar!” Roggi knelt beside him, the panic in his voice unmistakable. “What is it? Are you…”
Dardeh felt Roggi’s hand on his forehead. It felt blessedly cool to the touch, and he leaned into it, gratefully.
“Oh gods, Dar, you’re burning up!”
“Red. Everything’s red.”
Savard harrumphed. “You people were off fighting vampires, right?” he asked, his gravelly voice full of disdain. “And you’re surprised by this? By the Nine, sometimes I wonder why you young ones still have your heads attached.”
“What?” Dardeh managed to ask, raising his head slowly as his vision cleared. Savard was shaking his head as Roggi frantically rifled through his pack.
“Calm down, Roggi,” Savard grumbled. “It takes three days. He has plenty of time. No need to break your potion bottles in your haste to cure the thing.”
Roggi stopped what he was doing for a moment; then he rotated his shoulders and took a deep breath. “You’re right,” he said. He looked into the pack once more and pulled out a bottle.
“Drink this, Dar,” he said, holding the potion out for Dardeh to take.
Dardeh felt as if his mind was swimming through molten stone, but he took the potion bottle and stared at it. I’ve felt lousy since back in Shriekwind. I’m really hot. Everything just went red – as the sun went down. My mouth is so dry.
He started to laugh.
“What’s so funny?” Roggi asked, kneeling down to look him in the eyes.
“Can you picture it? A vampire Dragonborn?” He laughed more, finding it hard to stop. My gods, he thought. Nothing would be able to stop me. Nothing at all. I’d be…
He looked at Roggi’s stricken expression and laughed again.
“Don’t worry, love,” he murmured. “I have no desire to be a vampire. I’m a little angry that one of them got me, to be honest with you.”
He opened the potion bottle and downed its contents. It took a few moments, but the sickly heat of his fever gave way to the soothing warmth of the potion working to cure the disease. He sighed in relief and held out a hand to his husband.
“Help me up, would you? I was sicker than I realized. I’ll bet I got scratched by more than one of them.”
Roggi pulled him up to his feet and enveloped him in an embrace. They stood like that for a moment, silent; then Roggi pulled back and leaned over to pick up his pack once more.
“Don’t scare me like that, Dar. There really isn’t anything funny about the idea of you as a vampire.” He shuddered. “I’m glad I had a potion on hand.”
“I’m telling you, it takes three days,” Savard grumbled. “We had plenty of time, so long as one of you knows how to cook a potion. Now, can we get going? I’m looking forward to doing a little… extermination.”
Dardeh looked at Roggi and started chuckling. “Yeah, I think between us we could manage a potion or two. I’m glad we’re going to layover at the house, though. That was not pleasant.”
He started down the road again, walking slowly. The hours of illness had taken more of a toll on him than he’d thought. Roggi stayed very close to him, and several times reached out as if to support him. He just smiled and shook his head. I’m fine, Roggi. Or at least I will be.
But all the rest of the way home his mind churned, thinking of all the encounters they’d had with vampires in recent weeks.
They’re after me. They really are after me. They didn’t get Toralf and they didn’t get Roggi. They went for me.