Well, now what?<\/em><\/p>\n There looked to be a way around the nearest peak, a snow-covered, nearly flat ledge of sorts if not an actual trail.\u00a0 He made his way along it, listening to the footsteps behind him and enjoying the crisp, quiet darkness until without warning his stomach rumbled.<\/p>\n Oh good.\u00a0 Hunger.\u00a0 And the sun will be up in a few more hours.\u00a0 I hope we run across a person. Or a mer. Or something. I used up my last blood potion some time ago. It would be just too much to have survived all this and die just because I was hungry.<\/em><\/p>\n There was another cut in the rocks, the opening of which led into a gorge with stone bridges and hanging walkways criss-crossing a stream below.\u00a0 One end of it was near them, to the left; Andante peered that way and saw barriers of a design he recognized immediately.<\/p>\n \u201cMore Falmer,\u201d he whispered, pointing.<\/p>\n \u201cUgh,\u201d Brynjolf grumbled.<\/p>\n He crept up onto the nearest stone bridge and peered right, down the long valley, where motion caught his eye.\u00a0 It was definitely Falmer, judging by the crouching, swaying movements, and lots of them.\u00a0 He was turning, intending to ask the others what they thought, when an arrow whizzed past his head from the left.<\/p>\n Two Falmer, one an archer and the other a magic-user, had emerged from a crevice in the rock just beyond the barriers.\u00a0 Serana had begun casting ice spikes at the archer as soon as he\u2019d loosed his first shot; Andante pulled out his bow and began picking away at the spellcaster.\u00a0 He gritted his teeth as he saw Brynjolf rush the creature.\u00a0 It would have been safe to do so, to bash the Falmer, to momentarily stun it, except that it cast a frost cloak spell that Andante knew from experience was deadly.<\/p>\n I\u2019m going to kill him if that Falmer doesn\u2019t do it first.<\/em><\/p>\n It wasn\u2019t a long battle, though.\u00a0 Serana dispatched the first Falmer easily and then reanimated it.\u00a0 It attacked the spellcaster and took it down not long afterward.<\/p>\n Andante ran to where the bodies lay and looked down at them.\u00a0 He shook his head regretfully.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, it\u2019s my turn to do a distasteful thing,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cIf I don\u2019t, you\u2019ll be gathering me up in a pouch before very long.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh by all means, Andante. Feed. We don\u2019t want to lose you,\u201d Serana replied.<\/p>\n He grinned at her.\u00a0 \u201cThanks, Serana.\u201d\u00a0 He knelt and fed.\u00a0 Falmer blood was disgusting to his palate but it was blood, and it would do.\u00a0 He would live for another day.\u00a0 But he rose, shaking his head, trying to rid himself of the awful, bitter taste.<\/p>\n \u201cThe look on your face, lad,\u201d Brynjolf chuckled.<\/p>\n \u201cWell you try it, then. See how tasty they are. Ugh. I need a sweet roll. Or some skooma.\u201d He frowned. \u201cI thought you were going to be more careful, Bryn.\u201d<\/p>\n Brynjolf started to speak, but Andante cut him off, regretting that he\u2019d raised the subject again and not wanting to become even more irritated about it. \u201cNever mind.\u00a0 Which way will we go now?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cInto the cave,\u201d Brynjolf said without any hesitation. \u201cI just have a feeling about it.\u201d<\/p>\n Serana shook her head and pointed the other way. \u201cLook. The bridges lead upward, in that direction. I\u2019m positive that the Inner Sanctum would be in a high place. Safe. Unreachable.\u00a0 Easy to defend.\u201d<\/p>\n Brynjolf stroked his beard. \u201cHmm. You have a point.\u201d He moved toward the bottom of the ramp, followed by Serana, and stared down the length of the gorge for a few moments, clearly spotting the Falmer but looking upward toward the highest of the bridges. \u201cAlright. It\u2019s decided. We\u2019ll go that way.\u201d<\/p>\n Andante chuckled to himself.\u00a0 I guess I don\u2019t get a vote.\u00a0 No matter.<\/em><\/p>\n They moved up the stone ramp, creeping along as silently as they could. It provided a better vantage point to see the full extent of the hanging bridges crossing the valley, moving high up to the mountaintops beyond, with clusters of Falmer tents here and there on any of the flat surfaces large enough to hold them.\u00a0 The bridges seemed to be made of woven material attached to bones or chitin, and would have appeared perfectly sturdy to Andante if not for the visible remains of a broken one, dangling limply from a cliff face.\u00a0 He looked down and shuddered.<\/p>\n Arrows started clattering to the rocky deck of the ramp.\u00a0 Andante spun around, looking back the way they\u2019d come and seeing nothing, looking ahead of them and seeing nothing.<\/p>\n \u201cFinally! Let\u2019s end this!\u201d Brynjolf shouted, and Andante turned in the direction of his voice.\u00a0 It took him a moment to locate the source of the attack, a Falmer archer on one of the highest of the bridges in this crevasse.\u00a0 Brynjolf was almost to it by the time Andante was able to pull his bow, and Serana had fired at least five ice spikes into the creature.\u00a0 By the time he made it to the others, they had already taken the beast down.<\/p>\n Andante plodded up the ramp just beyond the Falmer corpse, suddenly aware of how fatigued he was, of how many enemies they had battled since entering Darkfall Cave, including two dragons that could not only fly, but swim as well.\u00a0 This is no good.\u00a0 I can\u2019t lead if I\u2019m dragging like this. <\/em><\/p>\n The ramp led to a small shelf of rock on which there were two of the Falmer tents.\u00a0 He tucked his head into the larger one and found several well-cured hides from the oddly bright deer that inhabited this area, as well as an elk hide or two, and was suddenly seized with the desire to spread them out and sleep.<\/p>\n \u201cBryn\u2026\u201d he began, but stopped as another arrow narrowly missed his head.\u00a0 To his left was another of the woven bridges. On it were two Falmer running toward them, one an archer and the other wearing hideous chaurus armor, wielding sword and shield and the desire to kill.\u00a0 Andante sprinted forward, out onto the narrow bridge, and past the fighter, slashing at the archer, hoping that Serana or Brynjolf would follow up with the other.\u00a0 He had landed one good blow when his side erupted in pain and he cried out. The fighter had turned to slash at him with its deadly sword and had connected, hard.<\/p>\n Andante stumbled forward, the force of the blow combining with the heavy, awkward ewer, causing him to nearly lose his balance on the precarious, unsteady bridge. His heartbeat was so loud in his ears that he could barely make out the sound of Serana\u2019s spells sizzling and what he thought was Brynjolf calling to him.\u00a0 His momentum carried him forward, onto the next almost-level stone ledge, where he crouched as low as he could and started casting healing magic on himself as fast as he could summon up the spell.\u00a0 Gasping for air, he turned back to see Brynjolf struggling with the fighter, clinging uncertainly to his balance on the wobbly bridge; and even though he was still bleeding Andante ran back to the battle, snarling at the Falmer.<\/p>\n The archer had moved behind its more heavily-armed companion and wasn\u2019t aware of Andante until the Daedric axe sliced it nearly in two. It slid off the side of the bridge and fell; Andante didn\u2019t want to look down to see how far below them it went.\u00a0 He turned his attention to the armored Falmer just in time to see Serana cast another set of ice spikes at it.<\/p>\n \u201cYou fight worse than you smell!\u201d she yelled at it.<\/p>\n I\u2019ll laugh at that later.<\/em><\/p>\n He laid into the beast with everything he had left.\u00a0 That was little enough, and yet the combination of his powerful blows and Serana\u2019s magic were enough to topple it from the bridge, tumbling to its death below.<\/p>\n Andante doubled over, gasping for breath even as he felt the warm trickle of blood continuing down his side.\u00a0 He began casting healing on himself again, and saw Brynjolf doing the same, at the far end of the bridge.<\/p>\n \u201cThank you, Serana,\u201d he managed, finally.\u00a0 \u201cYou saved my pitiful hide.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not going to die like this<\/em>,\u201d she answered him, \u201cand neither are you.\u201d Serana seemed to be unharmed, her missile attacks having kept her far enough away from Falmer weapons to avoid injury.<\/p>\n He straightened up, painfully, and made his way back across the bridge to Brynjolf. They stood and stared at each other for a long moment, not touching; and Andante couldn\u2019t read anything from the neutral expression Brynjolf wore.<\/p>\n \u201cAre you alright?\u201d Andante asked after a few moments.<\/p>\n \u201cI am now,\u201d Brynjolf said. \u201cBut I\u2019m very tired.\u201d<\/p>\n Andante nodded.\u00a0 \u201cSo am I. I\u2019m\u2026 going to have to rest.\u00a0 I simply can\u2019t go on until I do.\u00a0 I hate to suggest it but\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Serana wrinkled her nose.\u00a0 \u201cThe Falmer tents? Really?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI know. It\u2019s disgusting, but so is feeding on them and we have no choice about that, either.\u00a0 The tents will at least be some protection from the wind.\u00a0 And there are a bunch of pelts. Nice clean ones. They\u2019ll make for some decent bedding.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI suppose there\u2019s really no other option,\u201d Serana said with a sigh. \u201cVery well.\u00a0 I\u2019ll take the smaller tent. You boys can have the larger one. Just\u2026 try to keep it down, alright?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLass,\u201d Brynjolf said, one eyebrow raised.<\/p>\n \u201cHey, I\u2019m not the one who gets called \u2018loverboy,\u2019 Brynjolf,\u201d she chuckled.\u00a0 \u201cSleep well, you two.\u201d\u00a0 She disappeared into the tent.<\/p>\n Andante hesitated a moment.<\/p>\n \u201cShall we?\u00a0 At least make ourselves a bed, I mean?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes. I need to rest.\u201d<\/p>\n Andante nodded, and followed Brynjolf into the tent.\u00a0 They worked silently, laying out enough of the pelts to rest comfortably on and another two or three to cover themselves with.\u00a0 Andante set the ewer down safely in a corner of the shelter, sat down on their makeshift bed and sighed, then reached into his pocket.<\/p>\n \u201cI need one of these,\u201d he said, pulling out a bottle of skooma.\u00a0 \u201cWell, I don\u2019t need <\/em>one, but I need one, if that makes sense.\u201d<\/p>\n Brynjolf said nothing, merely sank back onto the hides and stretched out while Andante drained the bottle.\u00a0 It was another from the particularly strong batch he\u2019d made, and as his head started whirling he stretched out as well, then covered himself up, a satisfied groan escaping him as he flexed sore muscles and felt them relax.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Bryn,\u201d he murmured, not quite certain whether he\u2019d spoken loudly enough to be heard.\u00a0 There was a pause, a few heartbeats, before Brynjolf\u2019s deep rumble answered him.<\/p>\n \u201cFor what?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFor getting all vampire lord at you, down on the lake.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHa.\u00a0 Well there are two of us in that category, lad. Don\u2019t forget that. I\u2019m sorry as well.\u201d<\/p>\n Even with the heavy furs over them it was cold, and Andante scooted closer to Brynjolf. At one time just proximity would have been enough to warm him but Brynjolf as a vampire didn\u2019t radiate heat the way he once had. Still, it was better than it had been, and he closed his eyes and savored the feeling of rest, his mind sailing off into the distance.<\/p>\n \u201cDo you have another of those, by any chance?\u201d<\/p>\n Andante peeled his eyes open and turned his head to look at Brynjolf, wondering what was on his mind.\u00a0 He saw none of the darkness that he\u2019d seen on some occasions, nor any of the mischief; only a tired man who had been through a lot in a short period.<\/p>\n \u201cI certainly do.\u201d\u00a0 He pulled another of the bottles out of the deep recesses of his armor and handed it to Brynjolf, who drained it and settled back onto the furs with a satisfied sound.<\/p>\n \u201cShor\u2019s bones. That was<\/em> quite a batch, wasn\u2019t it?\u201d he said after a few moments.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was.\u00a0 I think we earned it, don\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAye. And I\u2019m tired, and it\u2019s gone straight to my head. Somehow the smell of this place doesn\u2019t seem to matter quite as much now.\u201d<\/p>\n Andante snickered.\u00a0 \u201cAgreed. That is what it\u2019s supposed to do, though, after all.\u201d<\/p>\n There were another few moments of silence.\u00a0 Then both of them spoke at once.<\/p>\n \u201cBryn\u2014\u201c<\/p>\n \u201cAndante\u2014\u201c<\/p>\n They looked at each other in surprise and then started chuckling.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat is it?\u201d<\/p>\n Andante smiled. \u201cI just wanted you to know that I do realize that I can be quite an ass when I get angry like that. And I\u2019m sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell,\u201d Brynjolf said, rolling onto his side to face Andante, \u201cas it happens, I like that ass.\u201d\u00a0 He couldn\u2019t keep himself from breaking into a broad grin.<\/p>\n \u201cHow very inappropriate, sir! I am shocked!\u201d Andante laughed.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, you\u2019re not,\u201d Brynjolf murmured.\u00a0 He raised himself up on one elbow, leaned over Andante and kissed him.<\/p>\n Oh<\/em>, Andante thought as he closed his eyes and focused on the sensations of their mouths telling each other things too difficult to say with words. Maybe it will be alright after all. <\/em><\/p>\n He found himself, later, his eyes closed with his head on Brynjolf\u2019s chest, feeling one of Brynjolf\u2019s heavy arms around him, listening to his quiet breathing, and nearly asleep himself. He kept thinking I love you, Brynjolf.\u00a0 I love you.<\/em><\/p>\n And as he drifted off to sleep he thought he could imagine Brynjolf murmuring \u201cI know you do, lad,\u201d and thought he felt the large hand stroking his hair.\u00a0 He smiled.\u00a0 What a pleasant dream.<\/em><\/p>\n __<\/p>\n The sun was up by the time they collected Serana again.<\/p>\n \u201cI slept very nicely,\u201d she said to them.\u00a0 \u201cI hope you did as well? Eventually?\u201d Her mouth quirked up into a grin.<\/p>\n \u201cNow stop,\u201d Andante said, making a face at her. \u201cBut if you must know, yes, I slept well, thank you.\u00a0 I feel much better.\u201d<\/p>\n Brynjolf didn\u2019t answer, but Andante saw him smiling as he scanned the area ahead of them.<\/p>\n It was a beautiful day.\u00a0 But it became a nightmare, very shortly.\u00a0 They wandered for hours amongst the Falmer settlements, up and down ramps, across bridges, and into other tents.\u00a0 They took down several small pods of Falmer, a much easier task during the day than it had been at night.\u00a0 Each of them fed, as they went, and each of them gagged at the taste of Falmer. Several times they found themselves passing over the same territory more than once; they each looked around at the maze of pathways in confusion until one or the other of them would point in a direction and they would be off again. At one point in the climb they looked across a gap and saw a humanoid skeleton, dangling by its neck from a rope anchored high atop an overlook; they exchanged looks with each other but said nothing.<\/p>\n They went as high as they could, and then realized that they could neither see nor reach anything else, and in particular nothing that resembled a Wayshrine.\u00a0 Andante shook his head and pointed back the way they had come.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have to go back, and we have to go down.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut there was nothing back there, and you know I\u2019m right about the Inner Sanctum,\u201d Serana complained. \u201cIt has to be up.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAndante\u2019s right, lass,\u201d Brynjolf said. \u201cThat cave, back where we came in. It must go through somewhere. I\u2019d wager it will lead us up once we get to the other end of the thing. I told you I had a feeling about it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAll right!\u201d she snapped, folding her arms. \u201cLet\u2019s just get to it, then.\u00a0 I want to find that bow and get out of here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo more than the rest of us, dear,\u201d Andante murmured, starting back down the ramps toward the bottom of the crevasse.<\/p>\n By the time he found a gap where he could safely drop to the level of the river, Andante was about ready to scream in frustration.\u00a0 He worked his way back upstream, through chaurus hunters that erupted from their pods as he passed, and finally stumbled across the body of the Falmer they had knocked from the suspended bridge far, far above, the previous night.\u00a0 Andante plucked several of his own ebony arrows from the body and poked at it with his foot.<\/p>\n \u201cServes you right,\u201d he muttered.<\/p>\n At long last he entered the cave they had seen early on.\u00a0 It was not much more than a narrow tunnel through the ice, formed by the stream itself, and Andante was grateful for his vampire blood as he was forced to wade and then swim upstream through the icy water. The narrow passage opened into a larger cave. Andante had just enough time to check for his companions before the familiar snorts of a frost troll echoed through the cavern; it was easy to dispatch with a few of his arrows and an impressive slash from Brynjolf\u2019s ebony sword.\u00a0 Farther up the cavern were two heavily-armored Falmer, but Andante was able to pick one off with his bow and the second with his axe and Mehrune\u2019s Razor.<\/p>\n The route ahead rose along the edges of the cavern, clearly heading up into the mountain itself.<\/p>\n \u201cI told you, lass,\u201d Brynjolf whispered to Serana.<\/p>\n Andante had a chill run up his spine.<\/p>\n \u201cShh. Listen,\u201d he said, and they all froze.\u00a0 It was silent in the cavern, save for the sound of the water rushing along far below them and wind whining through the crevices.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat is it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know, Bryn. I just had this feeling that we\u2019re being followed.\u201d<\/p>\n Brynjolf peered back down the cavern the way they\u2019d come, and then turned to look above them.\u00a0 \u201cFalmer above us,\u201d he whispered. \u201cBut it\u2019s just sitting there. Let\u2019s go take care of it.\u201d<\/p>\n Andante nodded, raising his axe and indicating that he would do the honors.\u00a0 He crept up the slope, silently, and took up a position behind the Falmer.\u00a0 It only took two quick swipes with his weapons to send the beast flying down the side of the cavern.<\/p>\n But I still have this feeling.\u00a0 Someone\u2019s following us.\u00a0 I don\u2019t like it.<\/em> It was the same sensation he\u2019d had when the three bounty hunters had followed them from Markarth into the Reach. Could he have tracked us here after all?<\/em><\/p>\n They passed several bridges \u2013 or the remains of them \u2013 hanging in shreds from the sides of the sheer ice ledge on which their path lay.\u00a0 Across it, in several spots, were tripwires connected to enormous iron claws.\u00a0 Andante nearly stumbled into the first of them, but managed to stop just in time and indicated to the others that they should also jump the wires.<\/p>\n \u201cLooks like they\u2019re better at making traps than they are at making bridges,\u201d Serana said sarcastically.<\/p>\n \u201cWell just don\u2019t set them off, please,\u201d Andante replied.\u00a0 \u201cWe don\u2019t want to alert every one of them that remains.\u201d To say nothing of whoever else is tailing us. <\/em>\u201cAnd mind your footing. It\u2019s sheer ice up ahead and this path isn\u2019t level.\u201d<\/p>\n It wasn\u2019t level, and it wasn\u2019t empty.\u00a0 At the end of a branch in the cave was a pair of Falmer, seated before a tent perched over a gaping hole straight down to the river below them.\u00a0 Andante took aim at the first Falmer and dropped it with a pair of arrows but the second, armored and ready for battle, rushed out at them.\u00a0 Brynjolf set on it, eagerly, but Andante still found himself face to hideous face with it.\u00a0 He swung his axe with everything he had and broke the beast\u2019s neck, nearly taking its head off.<\/p>\n It seemed to Andante as though the caverns would never end.\u00a0 In one chamber the slope of the path they were on was so steep that he feared even the woven barriers the Falmer had placed along its edges wouldn\u2019t keep him from sliding off the edge to his death.\u00a0 Every time he looked at that edge, he thought of Dynjyl and shuddered. There were Falmer to fight here, but the roaring of the water cascading down into the deep crevices below covered the sounds of their passage enough that Andante was able to creep up behind them, slaying them quickly from a position of stealth.\u00a0 They emerged from the caverns into another high pass, filled with yet more Falmer encampments, traps, and even a frost giant in a remote corner.<\/p>\n Finally, at the very end of the valley they were in, Andante lost his footing and fell from the bridge he was on. It was a short drop, not enough to even twist an ankle; and he found himself at the entrance to an upward-sloping passage, dark and cut into rock rather than ice.\u00a0 He called back to the others to follow, and proceeded up the slope.\u00a0 As he moved, his dread increased.<\/p>\n There seemed to be no reason for the dread.\u00a0 Aside from a lone chaurus hunter, there was nothing living in the tunnel. There was a rockfall trap set up, but he spotted the tripwire well in advance and moved around it, pointing it out to the others.\u00a0 It was eerily silent; even their armor seemed to make no sound as they crept along toward the light of the opening they could see in the distance.<\/p>\n And there, just beyond the tunnel\u2019s end, was a Prelate, his spectral glow a welcome beacon.<\/p>\n \u201cFinally!\u201d he heard Serana breathe behind him.<\/p>\n He stood and moved forward.\u00a0 To his left were the Prelate and the still-lowered Wayshrine; to his right a valley at the end of which was a massive structure, a cathedral-like building that reminded Andante of something.\u00a0 He frowned, and tried to remember, and approached the Prelate.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ve found the Wayshrine of Radiance, Initiate,\u201d the Prelate said, asking whether Andante was ready to fill his vessel with Auri-El\u2019s enlightenment.<\/p>\n \u201cMost definitely, my good sir,\u201d Andante agreed.\u00a0 \u201cMore than ready.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMay the blessings of Auri-El protect you as you climb the road to the Inner Sanctum, and final enlightenment.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThank you,\u201d Andante murmured.\u00a0 I don\u2019t know why but I feel as though protection is in order.<\/em><\/p>\n The Prelate cast his spell.<\/p>\n The Wayshrine rose.<\/p>\n And suddenly, out from the shadows of the rocks just beyond the Wayshrine, chaos erupted.\u00a0 A man in Dawnguard armor roared at him, raised his hand, and cast one of the most deadly frost cloak spells Andante had ever encountered.\u00a0 The Dawnguard ran forward, a silvered axe held high, and the edges of the spell caught Andante full on.<\/p>\n He gasped in pain.\u00a0 The closest thing he\u2019d ever experienced to it was Durnheviir\u2019s life-draining Shout in the Soul Cairn, and as he had then he felt himself dying. \u00a0There was one final gorge between them and the cathedral, a substantial stone bridge spanning the gap.\u00a0 He sprinted for it, as best he could with his legs suffering the effects of the frost cloak, casting healing on himself as he went.\u00a0 Behind him he heard the Dawnguard howling in anger, the clanking of Brynjolf\u2019s shield on the Dawnguard\u2019s axe, and a cry of pain as the cold took its toll on Brynjolf as well.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, you don\u2019t!\u201d he shouted, turning and sprinting back toward the man, conjuring his Dremora as he went.<\/p>\n The Dremora waded into the battle as though there was nothing to fear, slashing at the man like the demon it was and buying Andante enough time to heal himself just a bit more.\u00a0 By the time he was done he was close enough to Shout at the Dawnguard.<\/p>\n \u201cIIZ-SLEN!\u201d<\/p>\n The man toppled to the ground, giving them time to take several swings at him before he was able to stand again and re-cast his frost cloak.<\/p>\n \u201cYou don\u2019t stand a chance!\u201d the Dawnguard shouted, continuing to beat at Brynjolf with his axe.<\/p>\n Andante snarled, and unloaded as many arrows into him as he could.<\/p>\n The man\u2019s spell dissipated, just as he was saying \u201cNot quite good enough, are you, foul blood-drinker!\u201d<\/p>\n Brynjolf stepped forward and brought his sword down.\u00a0 The Dawnguard\u2019s head flew off and hurtled down into the gorge.\u00a0 Andante could hear it thudding against the rocks each time it bounced, the sound echoing off the rocks.<\/p>\n He stood there for just a moment, dumbfounded, staring at Brynjolf, and then down at the body.<\/p>\n It wasn\u2019t him, Ondolemar\u2019s man. He wasn\u2019t looking for Vitus, he was just hunting vampires. Thank the gods.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cAre you alright?\u201d he asked, scanning Brynjolf for signs of damage.<\/p>\n Brynjolf nodded, panting but smiling.\u00a0 \u201cI had a potion.\u00a0 Frost.\u00a0 I wasn\u2019t comfortable but that spell wasn\u2019t doing much damage to me.\u00a0 Are you alright?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u00a0 Now I am.\u201d\u00a0 Andante shook his head.\u00a0 \u201cI just knew there was someone following us.\u00a0 Damned vampire hunters and three of us to be tracking.\u201d\u00a0 He looked around.\u00a0 \u201cWait. Where\u2019s Serana?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHere,\u201d came a voice from behind them, as Serana approached from the far end of the walkway.\u00a0 \u201cYou boys ran ahead but a Falmer found me. One of the big ones.\u00a0 Don\u2019t worry, it\u2019s gone now.\u201d\u00a0 She looked down at the headless Dawnguard and tsk\u2019d.\u00a0 \u201cLooks like I missed quite a party.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou did,\u201d Brynjolf agreed.\u00a0 \u201cBut look up ahead.\u00a0 We\u2019ve found it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, this must be the place,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019ve never seen a building like that before. It looks like some kind of temple.\u201d<\/p>\n It does. It looks like a temple.\u00a0 An Ayleid temple.\u00a0 That\u2019s what it reminds me of.\u00a0 <\/em>He suddenly remembered the one he was familiar with, in Cyrodiil.\u00a0 It had the same pointed arches, the same massive, grey stonework.\u00a0 It may not be Ayleid. But it\u2019s at least of a similar vintage and similar construction.\u00a0 And I\u2019ve been in one before. It\u2019s called\u2026 <\/em><\/p>\n Vitus closed his eyes and concentrated, and yet another piece of his long-missing past filled in. Sedor. That\u2019s what this looks like.<\/em> Huge, grey, and filled with ice. I hunted someone there, once. I don\u2019t remember who it was. I do remember that he died. I remember how I did it. From behind.\u00a0 With the blade, across his throat. No fuss at all, and his body went down into one of the crevasses very neatly. I suspect they\u2019re still looking for him.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cWell,\u201d Serana said, \u201cwhat are we waiting for? Let\u2019s go.\u201d<\/p>\n He took a couple of steps toward the temple and then stopped, shaking his head.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re waiting for me to wake up. I never had a chance to finish filling the ewer,\u201d Andante grinned.<\/p>\n He dashed back to where the Prelate stood, serenely guarding the open Wayshrine, and dipped the ewer into it.\u00a0 Then he returned to the others.<\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s go,\u201d he said, heading up the steps to cross the bridge.\u00a0 \u201cI can\u2019t wait to get rid of this thing.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cQuit your bellyaching,\u201d Brynjolf chuckled. \u201cIt\u2019s almost over.\u201d<\/p>\n At the far end of the bridge, a stairway led up into an open courtyard.\u00a0 There were trees here, and dead grasses. Arched, ornately-decorated niches surrounded the courtyard on all sides save the entry they stood in. In the center of the space, flanked by two grand, curving staircases, stood an enormous statue.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is a statue of Auriel,\u201d Serana said.\u00a0 \u201cBut it\u2019s using the older signs of his power. This temple must be ancient. The bow has to be in here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, I would imagine you\u2019re right,\u201d he agreed.<\/p>\n And that means it is almost mine.<\/em><\/p>\n Vitus smiled.\u00a0 An excitement as deep and as cold as the ice of Sedor rose from within him.<\/p>\n It\u2019s time. It is almost mine. And once it is mine, Harkon, your days are over. Get ready to welcome your dread lord home.<\/em><\/p>\n The path at the far end of the lake led back to the Wayshrine of Resolution, the one they had most recently found, and Andante felt like an idiot. We could have just gone down to the lake from here instead of running all the way down it from the other end. I suppose the … <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/baakay.com\/FanFic\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/3-2-8-1.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/baakay.com\/FanFic\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/3-2-8-2.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/baakay.com\/FanFic\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/3-2-8-3.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/baakay.com\/FanFic\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/3-2-8-4.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/baakay.com\/FanFic\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/3-2-8-5.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/baakay.com\/FanFic\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/3-2-8-6.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/baakay.com\/FanFic\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/3-2-8-7.png\")
<\/p>\n