![\"\"](\"https:\/\/baakay.com\/FanFic\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/3-2-2-1.png\")
<\/p>\nIt was a long, bumpy carriage ride from Windhelm to Falkreath.\u00a0 Andante was happy to get off the hard seat and start walking down the hills toward the big house where Dardeh and Roggi lived. The old, uneven Imperial road ran through the damp, rocky foothills of the Jeralls, in amongst Falkreath Hold\u2019s famous, thick conifer forests and down a steep hillside toward the crossroads to Whiterun Hold and the Reach. It smelled musty, and green, and teeming with life.<\/p>\n
It was a nice day, which made Andante even grumpier. Sun made him feel sick and made his movements sluggish, and he couldn\u2019t imagine that it was any better for Brynjolf.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cWe could have run here for less money and fewer bruises,\u201d he grumbled. \u201cI\u2019d like my backside intact, if it\u2019s all the same.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cStop bellyaching,\u201d Brynjolf snapped.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ve been back and forth across the whole province half a dozen times and I wanted to let someone else\u2019s legs do the work for once.\u00a0 Besides, sitting in that cart with our heads down was a lot less like wearing a target than it would have been running down the road as fast as we can move.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, I know. You\u2019re right. You usually are.\u201d He walked along for a few moments and then added, \u201cBut my rump still hurts.\u201d Brynjolf snickered at him.<\/p>\n
In one spot, the road ran down a steep incline. They passed an area where the foliage on one side was shorter, newer. There was a depression, at the side of the road, a ditch of sorts with a small pond at its base and the remnants of a path running past it. Andante stared at it as they approached, and then shook his head.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ll bet that\u2019s the spot. They\u2019ve told me about it, but I\u2019ve never checked it out. The old Sanctuary under the road, mostly destroyed by fire inside and out. <\/em><\/p>\n Andante felt a little shudder roll up between his shoulder blades, thinking about what it must have been like to have a fire there.\u00a0 He thought of the terror of being trapped in a place like that, mostly underground with a sole exit, surrounded by flames. Nazir and Babette had told him the stories of barely escaping with their skin, and the Listener during those tales had gritted her teeth and refused to comment at all. It had to have been awful. It reminded him of\u2026<\/p>\n He frowned.\u00a0 I don\u2019t remember. But it\u2019s something about fire. Again. <\/em>He shook his shoulders, trying to brush off the feeling of creeping dread. I suppose it\u2019s just as well that I have a healthy respect for flames. Maybe it\u2019ll keep us alive. But I need to stop freezing up over nothing.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cHey there!\u201d they heard as they approached the home a short time later.\u00a0 Roggi straightened, lowering the woodcutting axe he\u2019d been using to break up firewood. \u201cGood to see you! What a surprise to find you somewhere that isn\u2019t Riften. What brings you out this way, brother?\u201d<\/p>\n Brynjolf smiled at him as they made their way down the walk and onto the grounds. \u201cGood to see you, too, Roggi. We\u2019re here to talk to your better half, but I hope we can maybe spend a night before we continue.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBetter half, is it?\u201d a deep voice rumbled from around the corner, followed by a distinctive form in gleaming black armor.\u00a0 \u201cTired half, anyway. We got another call to take care of a dragon. Again. Just got back.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, but that skirmish broke up when they saw you do your magic, didn\u2019t it?\u201d Roggi chuckled.\u00a0 He turned to grin at Andante.\u00a0 \u201cHi, Andante. I hope you\u2019re doing well.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI am. What sort of skirmishes have you two been interrupting, anyway?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, it\u2019s a tale,\u201d Dardeh said. \u201cLet\u2019s go sit down. The womenfolk are off in Whiterun. Both girls insisted they needed new clothes, and Lydia wanted to get out for awhile.\u201d\u00a0 He exchanged a mischievous glance with Roggi and the two of them chuckled.<\/p>\n \u201cShe, uh, wanted to make sure Breezehome is all in one piece, I\u2019m sure,\u201d Roggi said, grinning.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s all this, then?\u201d Andante laughed. \u201cI see those looks.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot much,\u201d Roggi said, propping up his axe next to the chopping block and motioning them to follow him out onto the deck overlooking Lake Ilinalta. \u201cLydia, um, sees someone in Whiterun. We don\u2019t know who it is but we keep trying to guess.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat we do know,\u201d Dardeh snickered, waving at the benches for them to take a seat, \u201cis that Balgruuf was awfully pleased that I didn\u2019t sell Breezehome. Personally I think he was interested in more than the tax revenues.\u201d<\/p>\n Andante lowered himself onto the bench and laughed. \u201cCagey old bastard, isn\u2019t he? Well more power to him, then, if that\u2019s what he\u2019s up to. Lydia\u2019s a prize, at least from the little bit I saw of her at your wedding.\u201d<\/p>\n There was a light breeze blowing in off the lake.\u00a0 Andante\u2019s keen ears picked up gulls and crows from various angles, as well as the distant bugling of elk and the occasional howl of a wolf.<\/p>\n Brynjolf sat and leaned forward.<\/p>\n \u201cNow then, Dardeh. Skirmishes?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah. That.\u201d He ran a hand up over his braids and grumbled. \u201cStormcloaks and Imperials, of course. Every few days, down by the crossroads.\u00a0 We keep an eye out on the village down there because there are only a few guards and they can use the help.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThis time,\u201d Roggi added, \u201cthat dragon just sort of evaporated the fighting.\u00a0 Well, not so much the dragon. It was just an ordinary dragon.\u201d He shook his head. \u201cI still can\u2019t believe we live in times when that phrase makes sense. But it was the spectacle of Dar absorbing its power that did the trick. We looked around afterward and they were just standing there staring, eyes as big as plates, and both sides went their own way afterwards.\u201d<\/p>\n Brynjolf frowned. \u201cI thought there was a truce, lad. That\u2019s why Maven\u2019s been made Jarl in Riften.\u201d<\/p>\n Dardeh grimaced. \u201cThere is. Or at least there was. After about the fifteenth trip up that damnable mountain. I don\u2019t know what\u2019s going on but it doesn\u2019t seem to be holding very well.\u00a0 All that work for nothing.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot for nothing, Dar,\u201d Roggi argued. \u201cI\u2019ve told you that over and over. It gave you the time to do what you had to do. You\u2019re not responsible for everyone else, especially not Jarls who won\u2019t stand by their own word.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBah,\u201d Dardeh growled, waving his hand dismissively. \u201cDon\u2019t nag, Roggi.\u201d Then he glanced at Roggi, their obvious affection for each other bubbling over into smiles. \u201cI have Lydia for that.\u201d<\/p>\n Andante swapped a look with Brynjolf. We\u2019re here for a reason, remember?\u00a0 <\/em>\u201cDardeh, we need to ask your help,\u201d he began slowly, not quite certain how one asked to borrow one of the most powerful items known to exist. It\u2019s not like asking the neighbor for a pile of salt. \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cOh yeah? What is it you need help with?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, we\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe need to borrow your Elder Scroll, lad,\u201d Brynjolf interrupted.<\/p>\n \u201cMy\u2026 really? What in the world?\u201d<\/p>\n Brynjolf nodded, and leaned forward, his face urgent and serious. And Andante sat back and marveled at Brynjolf\u2019s handiwork.<\/p>\n He launched himself into the tale of the Dawnguard, how it was fighting the vampire menace but particularly targeting the group that lived north, off the coast, and how the two of them had been working their way into the midst of the struggle. He told them of Volkihar Castle, how it was full of some of the most deadly vampires in the world, led \u2013 if not actually controlled \u2013 by one as ancient and powerful as existed anywhere. He went into detail about Harkon, how he was a Vampire Lord; and when both Dardeh and Roggi admitted to having never seen such a thing before, he described vampire lords in exquisite detail, emphasizing the horror of the things, their claws and teeth and size, and their deadly magical attacks.<\/p>\n \u201cYou think an ordinary vampire is something to be afraid of? Well you\u2019ve never seen the like of a Lord. It\u2019s terrifying, I tell you,\u201d he said, earnestly, his eyes flashing green as they did under the influence of his illusion spell. \u201cI almost couldn\u2019t believe such a thing existed until I saw it with my own eyes.\u201d<\/p>\n He went on to tell them, in hushed tones, how the world might well be plunged into darkness if they weren\u2019t able to recover all three scrolls and find the location of the bow before Harkon did. The Civil War would be nothing, compared with that. Even dragons would seem tame in comparison. And the only Scroll they were missing was the very one Dardeh had in his possession. Andante watched as both Roggi and Dardeh began to nod, slowly, in agreement that something had to be done.<\/p>\n I\u2019d believe him, too. Not a single word of what he\u2019s said isn\u2019t absolutely true. I\u2019m beyond impressed. I\u2019m sure it helps that he wears that Amulet of Articulation but the man\u2019s a master. The only thing he\u2019s left out \u2013 the solitary thing he hasn\u2019t woven into his tale – is that both of us are vampire lords as well, and that we\u2019re \u2013 or at least I\u2019m \u2013 after the bow for my own purposes.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cYou can\u2019t be the one to use the scrolls, Dardeh,\u201d Brynjolf said. \u201cThey\u2019d be on both of you immediately. I suspect Dragonborn blood would be mighty tasty.\u00a0 To a vampire lord, you know,\u201d he hurried to add after a tiny pause that probably didn\u2019t register to anyone but Andante.<\/p>\n Andante stifled a grin. Almost slipped up there, didn\u2019t you? I\u2019ll bet you\u2019re right, too.\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n \u201cWell, it does sound important,\u201d Dardeh agreed. \u201cAnd you\u2019re right, I can\u2019t go off chasing after more legendary artifacts.\u00a0 I have enough to do keeping up with the dragons that were supposed to be under some kind of control but aren\u2019t, and I\u2019m still the only one who can take care of them.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe wouldn\u2019t have been bothering you at all if we didn\u2019t have to,\u201d Andante added. \u201cThe original intention was to find out where the Scroll was, on our own, and take care of this problem quietly. Urag told us about someone named Septimus Signus and then said that \u2018the other guy\u2019 had the scroll. The \u2018big Redguard.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Dardeh frowned. \u201cYep. A Nord in Redguard clothing. Well, be happy you don\u2019t have to deal with Septimus. The man\u2019s wildly strange. Speaks in rhymes, and not very good ones, either.\u00a0 Yes, I have the Scroll. I had to read it, up on the Throat of the World. I\u2019ve heard that reading those things makes you crazy. I don\u2019t think I\u2019m crazy because of it. I hope not, anyway. Roggi would be a better judge of that.\u201d<\/p>\n Roggi smiled. \u201cNo, Dar, you\u2019re not crazy.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, I\u2019ll lend it to you, Bryn,\u201d he said, staring into Brynjolf\u2019s eyes. \u201cI trust you on this. But you need to bring it back. I\u2019m not losing track of the thing. It\u2019s too dangerous.\u201d<\/p>\n Brynjolf nodded. \u201cAye, lad. We know. We\u2019ll make good use of it.\u201d<\/p>\n Andante wanted to shout. He wanted to grab Brynjolf and devour him, right then and there.\u00a0 That was brilliant, loverboy. As good as I am I could never have come close to that. Well done. Well done indeed.<\/em><\/p>\n That castle is almost ours.<\/em><\/p>\n Instead, he stood as the others did, and filtered indoors out of the sun that was starting to be burdensome even in his specialized armor, and accepted a drink of wine while the others had mead.\u00a0 Dardeh puttered about in the kitchen while they chatted, and before long they had warm meat pies to eat. Andante and Brynjolf took turns discreetly disappearing for a moment or two to refresh their illusion spells. While Roggi was perfectly aware of their status, Andante didn\u2019t know whether Dardeh was. It seemed better not to press their luck.<\/p>\n It was much later, in front of the fire, when the conversation returned to the war.<\/p>\n \u201cThe truce isn\u2019t holding,\u201d Dardeh muttered from his seat on the floor. \u201cI heard there was some kind of tussle out at Korvanjund. New recruits joining both sides every day. It\u2019s just not right.\u201d<\/p>\n Roggi sighed and exchanged glances with Andante and Brynjolf. \u201cWe were attacked by a group of Imperial soldiers on the road, a while back.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cReally?\u201d Brynjolf asked, surprised. \u201cBut you\u2019re not on one side or the other.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot now, but I used to be a Stormcloak, a long time ago,\u201d Roggi said. \u201cGuy in the patrol recognized me somehow from years ago, and they attacked.\u00a0 I have to be careful, now, when we\u2019re out. I wear a facemask.\u201d He slipped a sly glance toward Andante. \u201cCovers my beard. I guess that\u2019s enough.\u201d<\/p>\n Andante shuddered. Not the mask again. You should have taken it with you.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cGods-damned Ulfric Stormcloak,\u201d Dardeh growled. \u201cI should have killed him while I had the chance.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLad,\u201d Brynjolf said, his eyebrows arched.<\/p>\n There was an awkward silence for a few moments.<\/p>\n \u201cWell that\u2019s the sort of thing you leave to the Dark Brotherhood, anyway,\u201d Brynjolf continued. \u201cI only know of one or two people who could pull off an assassination like that in the first place. And that only through rumor.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah,\u201d Roggi agreed. \u201cI know who you mean. There was supposedly this guy out of Cyrodiil who could do anything if you could just locate him, but he\u2019s been missing for a long time. Nobody knew what he looked like or anything, always kept his face completely covered.\u201d<\/p>\n Andante felt himself getting slightly dizzy, as though his consciousness wanted once more to float away, somewhere, above the group, and just observe.\u00a0 No face. Just a mask. That damned mask. The one in the wardrobe in Riften. I have a feeling about it.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cYes, that\u2019s the one,\u201d Brynjolf agreed. \u201cI never knew whether to believe that or not. There\u2019s another one, too, or so I\u2019ve heard, but I\u2019m pretty sure he existed. A Bosmer. Guy was supposedly almost legendary. But who knows what any of them are up to these days. It\u2019s all been hard to keep track of since the fire that took out the Brotherhood in Bravil all those years back.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, and I\u2019m more or less out of the loop these days,\u201d Roggi said.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd I\u2019d like it to stay that way, if it\u2019s all the same,\u201d Dardeh growled from his spot on the floor. \u201cAnd I still say I should have killed Ulfric while I had the chance.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat is it with you two and Ulfric?\u201d Brynjolf began.<\/p>\n Andante stood slowly. \u201cI\u2019m, uh\u2026\u201d He waved toward the back door. \u201cI need a little air, if it\u2019s ok. I\u2019ll be out back.\u201d<\/p>\n As he moved toward the door he heard Dardeh neatly change the subject. \u201cHey, speaking of legendary things that actually exist, you know the story of Alduin, don\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah,\u201d Roggi said. \u201cYou should hear this, Bryn. It\u2019s pretty amazing\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Roggi\u2019s voice faded as Andante stepped out onto the deck into the cool of the dark evening and sat slowly at the small table in the corner. \u00a0I have to think.<\/em><\/p>\n A fire, in Bravil.\u00a0 A fire in Falkreath. Dark Brotherhood sanctuaries wiped out.\u00a0 His mind worked at those two pieces of information, and the more it did, the dizzier he got. He saw red; red flames, red hair. Like Brynjolf\u2019s hair. Why am I thinking of red hair? <\/em>Tiny snippets of a picture that wouldn\u2019t make a whole flashed through his mind: a place he couldn\u2019t identify that seemed familiar, a statue, green-leaved deciduous trees.\u00a0 Not the Rift, but\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n Red hair.\u00a0 Flames.<\/em><\/p>\n A mask. A man in a mask.<\/em><\/p>\n He was sitting there with his head down, breathing deeply, when the door opened behind him.\u00a0 There were quiet footsteps across the wood, and then Roggi slipped into the chair beside him.<\/p>\n \u201cAre you alright?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m\u2026 not entirely sure, Roggi.\u00a0 It feels like I\u2019m starting to remember things. \u00a0But it\u2019s so vague that I don\u2019t know whether they\u2019re really memories or I\u2019ve just had one too many bottles of skooma.\u201d\u00a0 He glanced sideways at Roggi and grinned.<\/p>\n \u201cYou don\u2019t need to go do\u2026 whatever it is your kind does at night? Because I can occupy Dar if you need cover.\u201d<\/p>\n Andante raised his head and laughed. \u201cI\u2019ll bet you can. No, I\u2019m fine on that front. We both made sure to take care of that before we arrived.\u201d\u00a0 He chuckled again. \u201cYou two sound like an old married couple.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, if the boot fits\u2026\u201d Roggi snickered.<\/p>\n \u201cSpeaking of skooma. Listen, Roggi,\u201d Andante said slowly as another thought occurred to him. \u201cAbout that other thing.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat other thing? Oh, about Dag?\u201d<\/p>\n Andante paused for a moment, considering whether he was ready to move forward with his suspicions. If he opened his mouth he was violating the trust of the Brotherhood. But I have to find out, for Brynjolf.<\/em> Then he nodded. \u00a0I\u2019m sure Roggi will keep it close. If nothing else it will distract everyone from my plans regarding Volkihar.<\/em> \u201cYeah. I have reason to believe she might be closer than we knew. I think\u2026 that the Listener is really Dagnell.\u201d<\/p>\n Roggi\u2019s mouth fell open.\u00a0 \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n He told Roggi about all of it. How she matched the description Roggi had gotten from the face changer: pale green eyes, husky voice. \u00a0Her aversion to skooma. How, according to Nazir, she\u2019d joined the Brotherhood and become Listener around the same general time Brynjolf had told him that Dagnell left Riften.<\/p>\n Roggi nodded, slowly. \u201cIt fits, doesn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt does. Also \u2013 you should have seen her when she gave me the note telling Brynjolf that Dag was alive. She must have re-read that thing a dozen times before she handed it over, like she couldn\u2019t decide whether to send it or not. But I can\u2019t tell Brynjolf my suspicions, Roggi. Not unless I\u2019m completely certain. Because, you know\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Roggi met his eyes and sighed, his expression one of sympathy.\u00a0 \u201cYeah, I do. Things will be difficult for a lot of us if we find her.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNow here\u2019s the issue. I can\u2019t just bring up in casual conversation that one thing you gave me about her. I\u2019ve wracked my brain. There\u2019s no way to do it. But what if the Dark Brotherhood was to receive an anonymous assassination request? One that didn\u2019t come through the usual channels that Sayma \u2013 the Listener \u2013 gets them from?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat are you saying?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat if, say, there was a new group of bandits who had moved themselves into the ruins of Nilheim, and their leader was someone who someone else dearly wanted to see dead? Hypothetically, of course. And the Listener was to receive just such a request while I was in the room?\u201d<\/p>\n Roggi winced.\u00a0 He looked out over the lake for a moment, and then nodded.\u00a0 \u201cThat would surely get a reaction from her.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLike it just got one from you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell how \u2026 I can\u2019t very well hand her the note myself. \u00a0I could, of course, but it would be too suspicious, I think. That\u2019s the biggest problem.\u201d<\/p>\n Roggi nodded, slowly.\u00a0 He reached up and stroked his beard.<\/p>\n \u201cDamn,\u201d he muttered. \u201cIt\u2019s times like this that I miss my old network.\u201d He was quiet for another moment, then nodded. \u201cI say take it to Delvin. Remember that guy we were talking about earlier? The one in the mask? He got his assignments via courier, or so the story went \u2013 at least till he disappeared a while back. I don\u2019t know how to make contact with those people. But I\u2019d be willing to bet you a lot of money that Delvin does.\u201d\u00a0 He grinned sideways at Andante. \u201cAnd I\u2019d be willing to bet you it will take a lot of money to get such a message delivered, if he does know.\u201d<\/p>\n Andante chuckled. \u201cYou\u2019ve never seen my home in Solitude, Roggi. Money is not a thing I\u2019m concerned about.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s my best advice. Take it to Delvin. If he could get one of those special couriers to take a note to the Listener it just might work. If you\u2019re there when she gets the request I can guarantee that you\u2019ll see the truth on her face.\u201d\u00a0 His smile faded. \u201cNeither one of us will ever be able to associate Nilheim with anything else ever again, I promise you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThanks, Roggi. We\u2019ll keep this between us for now, yes?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOf course,\u201d Roggi replied. \u201cBesides, Dragonborn blood is probably tasty. I\u2019d just as soon nobody had reason to test that idea out.\u201d<\/p>\n Andante burst out laughing.<\/p>\n \u201cYou are good, Roggi.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThanks.\u00a0 Now I\u2019m going to go back inside.\u00a0 Are you sure you\u2019re ok?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMmm. Thank you.\u201d<\/p>\n Andante waited until Roggi had closed the door, then stood and wandered down to the docks.\u00a0 At the far end of one jutting out into the quiet waters of Lake Ilinalta were a chair and a cluster of heavy pots holding fishing poles at crazy angles.\u00a0 He sat in the chair, watching dragonflies flit over the surface of the water, hearing the lapping of ripples up against the shore and the distant sounds of animals calling to each other in the deep forest above them to the south.<\/p>\n Fire in Cyrodiil.\u00a0 A statue. Assassins from there, one of whom wore a mask and could only be contacted by courier.<\/em><\/p>\n I think I know where that man is now. But I\u2019m not sure. I have to be sure.<\/em><\/p>\n Just the way I have to be sure about the Listener.<\/em><\/p>\n The Listener.<\/em><\/p>\n He closed his eyes for a moment and had a flash of a memory, the merest wisp of a vision of red hair.<\/p>\n Red hair like Brynjolf\u2019s.<\/em><\/p>\n He opened his eyes and shook his head.<\/p>\n It doesn\u2019t matter. We\u2019re going to get the scrolls, and we\u2019re going to find the bow. And then I\u2019m going to kill Harkon and take his castle. And I am going to have a power that nobody can really fathom.<\/em><\/p>\n He dropped his head.<\/p>\n But I think I remember.\u00a0 And I don\u2019t much like it.<\/em><\/p>\n What is my name?<\/em><\/p>\n It was a long, bumpy carriage ride from Windhelm to Falkreath.\u00a0 Andante was happy to get off the hard seat and start walking down the hills toward the big house where Dardeh and Roggi lived. The old, uneven Imperial road ran through the damp, rocky foothills of the Jeralls, in amongst Falkreath Hold\u2019s famous, thick … <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/baakay.com\/FanFic\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/3-2-2-2.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/baakay.com\/FanFic\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/3-2-2-3.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/baakay.com\/FanFic\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/3-2-2-4.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/baakay.com\/FanFic\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/3-2-2-5.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/baakay.com\/FanFic\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/3-2-2-6.png\")
<\/p>\nPart II: Counterpoint<\/a><\/div>\nPrevious<\/a> \/ Next<\/a><\/div>\n\u00a0<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"