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Svarnor

Shadowcloak of Nocturnal
Chapter One:

The rain poured down, hiding a lone figure walking a path, scarcely more than an animal trail, through the woods south of Falkreath. The figure, drenched and sopping wet, trudged in depression through the night. It had been two and a half days since the disastrous events at the Coven, and after the third day, Arius knew his illness would take control.
The figure reached his destination. Though the trail continued onward, eventually looping back around on itself, the teenage imperial moved off to the right of the path, towards seemingly impassable thorn-bushes. Instead of being impassable, a long branch proved to be the perfect tool for moving the long-dead thorn bushes. That had been piled to cover the entrance of the cave. Arius had found this place several hours after fleeing the Coven, where he had been a slave to the Vampires living in the basement of the shack. The entrance was small, but Arius was able to slip inside and pull the twisted thorns and brambles over the entrance. Down the long tunnel that nature hadv seen fit to carve, the cave widened, ending in a honeycomb of rooms each large enough for a tall man to stand in. These caves now sheltered Arius and were visited by the only friend he had found since escaping the vampires. Not escaping totally unharmed, as it happened. He had known of the weakness in the stone for many weeks, and had, after much work, managed to trigger a cave-in. There were always guards on duty, so the human slaves were not bound or chained in any way, save the unlucky ones. The ones that had displeased the vampire master, Karvia. The ones that the vampires had called 'cattle'. It was no secret that they provided sustenance for the terrible creatures who had captured them.

As Arius and his fellow slaves had reached the exit of the caves, Arius had spotted a robed figure, broken an bloodied, that seemed to have dragged itself, in it's last effort, free of the collapsed ceiling. Though the others had warned against it, Watches-The-Moon, an Argonian slave, pointing out that the vampire could still be alive, Arius had been drawn by a morbid fascination, or perhaps, he thought bitterly, a cruel joke on the part of fate. Realizing that they could not dissuade him, the other escapees had abandoned him, fleeing into the bright sunshine. Arius had kneeled next to the fallen vampire, and saw, to his surprise, that it was Karvia.
"Funny turn of events, isn't it? That would lead me to stand over your body, instead of you over mine?" he had said, speaking to the corpse.
The corpse which had been stiill alive. It whipped around, one pale hand catching Arius by the throat, and tightening so that the boy could hardly breath.
"Funny?" Karvia had asked, her face a wicked smile "I suppose so, but if I am to die. I am taking you with me!"
The vampire had lunged forward, still holding Arius, and her long fangs pierced his throat just above where her hand gripped. After a long moment, in which they both remained perfectly still, Karvia had dropped back to the earth, releasing the poor boy's throat.
"Try having your life as a free man now, Arius." the vampire queen grinned her vicious, savage grin. "But may the thirst follow you always."

That had been two full days ago, in a cave just west of Falkreath. Before the sun rose on the first day, Arius had discovered these caves. What was his suprise when, just about noon, a girl about his age had come crawling down the tunnel. She had a basket hung over her arm, as if planning a picnic, but Arius saw nobody behind her. When the girl spotted him, she had pulled a long dagger from her basket.
"What are you doing here?" she asked. The two prick marks on Arius's neck were no longer bleeding, but we're still visible. He saw the girl's eyes go to them, and then flash back up to his face. She knew what he was.

"I don't want to hurt you." he began "I was bitten a few hours ago, and I'm terribly hungry."
At the look of panic that crossed her face, he added "For real food, not blood, I still have a few days before the thirst affects me. What is your name?"

"Yanya" she said. She was about fifteen, like Arius, and he was glad to see that she did not hold the knife as ready as she had a moment before. "And eat what you want from this basket, it's too much for me, anyway."

Arius nodded, and reached for the basket. Pulling it open, he reached inside, and drew out a loaf of bread, several slices of cheese, and an apple.
"Thank You." he said, beginning to eat with gusto. He had not been fed well at the coven, and what he was fed did not even live yo to this simple quality.
"I can bring you more tomorrow, if you like. The third day too. I'll have to sneak out at night, my parents don't want me coming out here too often, as it's rather dangerous, but I can bring you food,"
Arius had accepted, noticing that she avoided speaking of what she would do after the third day. He understood her trepidation. Despite his wishes now, after the third day his thirst for blood would begin to grow, and if she was the only human he saw, she would, eventually, be a casualty.

That had been two days ago, and Valya had visited him once, bringing a similar meal to the day before. It was near the same time of night now that it had been when she had visited last night, and he hoped to find her in the cave now.l
"
"Yanya?" he called, emerging into the largest room. Sure enough, there she sat, laying out food in the center of the cave floor. She looked up at his call, and answered quickly "I am here."

By her tone, Arius could tell something was wrong. He stepped forward, sitting down next to her, and said "What happened?"
"Bandts" she muttered. "They killed my parents, and my brother, Rejnor. They burned down oIur house."

Arius was surprised "Didn't anyone try to stop them? The guards?"

Yanya shook her head. "We don't... We didn't live close to the town. I was actually visiting Falkreath when the attack happened. By the time I got back the house was torched and looted, my parents were dead, and by brother was dying, still with his axe in hand."

Arius put his arm around her, trying to comfort the nord girl who was so clearly close to tears. "I'm sorry."
He didn't know what else to say. After a moment, Yanya started to cry outright, burying her face in Arius's shoulder. They stayed there for several minutes, before Yanya finally spoke.

"You don't understand," she said. "The bandits killed all of my family. I don't have any relatives left."

"Yes?" asked Arius, slightly confused "I understand that."

"But that means," said the girl "that I don't have anywhere to go."

Now Arius understood. She knew that her staying with him would put her in danger, but couldn't think of any other option. As much as Arius knew that she couldn't stay here, he was loath to point that out, and risk never seeing Yanya again.
"You could goto the town." he commented

Once more, Yanya shook her head. "My family was never on good terms with most of the townspeople. They would not accept me. Arius...you are my only option. As dangerous as it is, I must stay here with you."

"What about food?" the boy asked

"I can hunt. My father taught me to when I was little. I brought my bow, and I can make arrows."

For the first time, Arius noticed a short bow leaned up against the wall, as well as a quiver of arrows. He tried to think of any flaw in her logic, any place she could stay besides her, but his mind came up blank. He gave up, and said:
"You can stay here, but we must be careful. Tomorrow, I will begin to thirst. I must control myself for long enough that... I don't know, that we can find a better solution." he looked her in the eyes, saying once more "You can stay here, but we must be careful."

Chapter Two

Before long, Arius moved to one of the deeper chambers. Despite the rain that poured down outside, he knew that high above, the moon was reaching its zenith. The boy suspected that he knew that only because of his upcoming transformation. The imperial had mere hours until the disease, Vampinare Sanguinaris, took control. He lay down, closing his eyes. Arius knew he had scarcely sixteen hours before becoming a vampire, and he planned to spend his time resting. He would need his energy to resist his thirst.
Arius's mind wandered, and he began thinking of Yanya, sleeping on a bedroll she had brought in one of the other cave rooms. Arius was yet to find the end of the tunnels, which, as he delved deeper, seemed more and more to be ancient Nordic in origin, perhaps even as old as some of the Barrows and Crypts that dotted northern Skyrim. The your boy was not thinking of the ancient notes at the moment, however. Instead, he remembered Yanya, and the conversations they had shared over the past few days. He could not deny that he felt some affection for the girl, but staying here might be as dangerous to her as seeking refuge among the townspeople. How long could he possibly hold out against his thirst? He was loath to see her to, as if she lived in the town it would be nigh impossible for her to sneak out, what with the guards. As Arius's mind drifted off into sleep, his last rest period as a mortal, one thought sank through his mind:
How long can I last?

Laying on her bedroll in her bedchamber, Yanya pondered her future. She had never considered what she would do once she left her home, having only a rough idea of traveling north to Markarth, and seeking work there. Unfortunately, she had planned to be a girl with some form of inheritance seeking a place to settle down, not an orphan with no possessions but a wicker basket, a bow and a quiver of arrows, and her rough hunting shirt, pants, and boots. As it was, she saw no choice but to stay with her newfound friend for a while, perhaps searching for a cure for vampirism at the same time. Yanya could see how much Arius's condition was depressing her new friend, and had been able to ell that he didn't want her put in any danger by being near him, but could also tell that he didnt really want her to leave.
She settled back, closing her eyes. Tommorrow would be a difficult day, and she wanted to be fully rested and ready to deal with Arius's first day as a vampire.

Far to the south, near the southern border of Elsewyr in fact, a group of two score travelers were camped.
The group was a mix of all races, with a larger number of Imperials than the others and a lesser number of Altmer. Upon seeing this group, on might think that they were merely travelers who had banded together, and we're traveling in a colony to protect from bandits. Upon growing closer and seeing their equipment and weaponry, one might assume they were mercenaries, or perhaps bandits themselves. It was not until one spoke to the members of the group that they learned their true purpose.
The group, who called themselves 'The Purifiers', were dedicated to one cause and one cause only:
The removal of all vampires from Nirn, or at very least Tamriel. They were lead by Garno Fexien, an imperial who had lost his wife to vampires many years prior. His lieutenant was a Breton Mage named Gondyn Diel. No one was quite sure how Garno continued to discover the locations of vampire groups, but he did. To tell the truth, not even Garno knew how he continued to discover the covens. Every time they wiped out a group of vampires, thy would camp for a few days, and Garno would awake to find a paper on his table, written in golden, shimmering ink. The message would congratulate him for his recent victory, then point him in the direction of the next group. The band would travel across Tamriel, purchasing supplies at whatever cities they passed through, and wipe out the vampires. Garno had no idea who his mysterious patron was, but he suspected Meridia, the daedric prince of light, who despised undead in any form. Vampires, undead with the capability to convert others, would disgust Meridia all the more. This morning, Garno had awoken to find a new message:

'Go to Falkreath, and head south. Search, and find a cave hidden by thorns. Within, there is a single vampire and a friend of his. Kill them both.'

Garno rubbed his palms together, glad to be back in business. A single vampire would be no problem for he and his men, and he would be glad to be heading north to Skyrim. The vampire hunter had been born on the Cyrodiil side of the Jerall Mountains, and the heat of Elsewyr was getting to him. It would take several months, what with gathering provisions, to get to Skyrim, but he knew it would be worth it.
Anything to kill these could creatures.
 

Svarnor

Shadowcloak of Nocturnal
Alright- though the first two chapters are in one post, I'm gonna post in separate parts from now on. Here is Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

As the sun rose, and the Purifiers set out, deciding that they could make it as far as the Imperial City before needing to resupply, another important event was taking place. It did not occur near Arius's cave or Garno's camp. It happened as far away as anyone could possibly be.
Wolves howled over great plains, bordered by forests in the distance. They were upset, and understandably so. Their master, who normally never let them leave his side, had told them to let him go on alone. They now sat, confused, in the eves of the wood. There master had not even gone anywhere particularly interesting, he was just standing alone in the middle of the fields of long grass.
The man the wolves were watching stood still, waiting for her to appear. He was almost entirely sure she would visit him, what with the news she had, he was sure, received.
Finally, as he was about to return to his hunting dogs, she appeared. It was as if the woman simply sprang up out of the earth, and he had to be impressed. Though there was no cover but the waving grass, she had managed to creep up on him. Again. Their alliances in the past had been few and far between, but she always took a moment to prove her skill.
"You have come." he said, keeping all emotion from his voice. The only sign of his anxiety was the way that the hunter fingered the bow strung across his back, as if ready for a fight at any moment.
"I have come." came her calm reply. The woman that stood there was tall, and wearing dark robes. Her skin was dark as well, though she was no dunmer. Her hair, black as night, tumbled down her back, free of any blockage.
"I see your still missing your hat." the hunter said, sarcastically.
The woman's lips curled up in a look of dislike. She knew there was nothing she could answer with that would stop him from teasing, so instead she changed the subject.
"We have business to discuss."
"That we do." the hunter's voice was still free of emotion, "His crimes cannot be stood for. The other's seek only vengeance, but we must prevent his next act."
"Agreed." came the woman's silky reply "The children will need our help, before the end."
The hunter studied his newfound ally's face carefully.
"Agreed"

As the sun set, Yanya woke. She hurried to the entrance of the cave, looking out to check how late it was. Alright. Nearing sunset. That meant Arius still had an hour or two before the Thirst set in.
The girl moved back to their central chamber, and, finding a piece of hard slate, scrawled a message on the floor.
Out Hunting. Be back soon. Will bring you something.
Slinging her arrows over her shoulder, she lifted her bow, quickly stringing it. She also lifted her pack, for within it were snares that she intended to set to catch small game.
Out through the cave entrance she went, pushing the brambles back into place behind her. She had two dozen snares and about an hour and a half to place them. The girl, a trained hunter, moved quickly, setting snares near bushes and burrows, by streams and ponds, anywhere small animals might frequent. She new that she would have to find something more substantive, until the traps began working, so she eyed the ground, searching for prints.
There! She thought. Across a shallow stream there were prints pressed deep into the mud, prints that she recognized.
Elk
The prints lead her on a meandering path through the woods, as the elk, there seemed to be two, a buck and a doe, had clearly been searching for food. Just as she decided she. Needed to go back to Arius, she heard a snuffling from up ahead, like something rubbing its nose in the grass. Moving forwards silently, an arrow on her bowstring, Yanya soon came across a clearing, with a buck chewing grass at one edge, and a doe just settling down for the night.
Which animal to go for? The doe. It would be easier to carry back. Yanya aimed carefully. She would only have one shot at this, as the Elk would no doubt flee if an arrow came flying by. She aimed for the center of the doe, where it would be an almost guaranteed kill, and let the arrow fly.
The projectile caught the animal in the side, piercing it's heart. Within moments the poor beast was dead, and its mate, surprised by the sudden assault, looked around wildly before fleeing off into the pines,
Yanya stepped forward, pulling an empty water skin from her pack. Holding it up to the injury, which was bleeding badly, she shifted the animal so that its blood filled the skin. Within thirty seconds, it was done. Yanya had plenty of salt among the provisions in the cave, and would preserve the animal once she returned home. For now, her task was to get the animal back home.
Slinging the poor animal, which was much lighter than she, over her shoulders, Yanya set off, holding her bow in one hand. By the time she made it to the cave, the sun had vanished below the horizon, and the world was lost in shadow.

Arius's first thoughts as he awoke were of thirst. He felt dehydrated, and it was difficult to stop the urge to go and drink from one of the full water skins. H doubted water could fulfill this thirst.
As he moved to the center room, he saw a note from Yanya scribbled on the floor.
Out hunting. Be back soon. Will bring you something.
Before long, she returned, with a healthy doe over one shoulder and a full water skin at her hip.
"Here." the girl said, tossing Arius the water skin. "It's the doe's blood. It should work."
Opening the lid carefully, Arius took a tentative sip of the blood. He expected it to taste metallic, as blood had whenever he'd lost a tooth or fallen and hit his head, but it didn't. Instead, it was like all the finest drinks in the Empire combined into one completely satiating beverage. He drank a few more sips, then set the blood down. Arius knew that he would need to conserve it.
"How was the hunting?" Arius asked. He knew little of hunting, and if Yanya hadn't been here, he doubted he'd have been able to find food for himself.
"Alright. I put down a few snares, as well as catching the doe, so overall a successful time. Did the blood work?"
Arius nodded "I feel much better. I felt terribly parched earlier, but now I'm fine."
He didn't mention how much the blood still called to him, nor how he could almost... Sense the liquid, pounding its way through her veins.
"Well, what do we do now?" asked Arius. Without the looming deadline if his transformation, he felt relatively... Bored.
"Now... We wait. There isn't much for us to do, but hunt." after a moment, Yanya added, "We may as well get to know each other better. Tell me- What happened to you before you were... Y'know, bitten."
So he told her, he told her of the Khajiit Caravans he and his parents had traveled with, as the two merchants sold their wares across Tamriel. He told her of that fateful night, north of Falkreath, when the vampire coven had ambushed them, killing so many. Of the moths of service in the vampire cave, he said little, not wishing to reminisce. Finally, he reached the end of his story, with her coming down into the cave.
"What of you?" He asked, intrigued.
Yanya told him of her family's lumber mill, which was the second largest, only beaten by Half-Moon Mill. Her father had never had good relations with the people of Falkreath, making them hesitant to buy his wood. She told him how she had been at the graveyard, honoring her ancestors, when she had smelled smoke. Hurrying home, she found the house ablaze. Without friend or family, she had come to the cave.

After a long silence, Arius spoke:
"I'm Sorry. Do you have any idea how. The fire started?"
Yanya was quite for a long time, and Arius realized she was holding back tears.
"I know. That was the worst part. They left a calling card."
"They? You mean it was intentional?"
"Yes. A group of villagers who found out about the family curse."
"Family Curse?" he asked, completely bewildered. Evidently there was more to Yanya than met the eye.
"Yes. The Family Curse." the girl looked over at Arius, inspecting him carefully for several seconds. "Arius, I trust you. I wouldn't tell just anyone this, but my family... We suffer a curse. We are... Werebears. This curse... It forces us to shift forms, and to attack and destroy everything in sight. I haven't suffered the affects yet, but that's just luck. This is the reason that I wasn't afraid to stay with you. Being near me might be as dangerous for you as. Being near you is for me."
Arius sat back, stunned. He certainly had quite a bit to think about.
 

Svarnor

Shadowcloak of Nocturnal
Chapter 5:

Arius was asleep. Yanya knew she should get some rest as well, but, despite the fact that it had been hours since she'd told Arius her secret, the girl could not shut her eyes.
The sun was high in the sky as she set out. She and Arius had spent quite a while last night carving the meat she had caught, and the boy proved himself surprisingly adept. He even knew of an herb that would serve as a supplement for salt, preserving the meat. Arius had, apparently, learned these skills while traveling with the Khajiiti.
Unfortunately, the meat would not last forever, and Arius would be needing sustenance as well. Despite her faith in the boy's willpower, Yanya did not want to take any chances. She knew of stories and legends telling of the power of a vampire's thirst, which could corrupt even well-meaning people.
First she checked the snares. She would need to do this every hunt, as the traps only caught the animals, and did not kill them. Given enough time, her quarry could escape.
The five snares were at varying distances from the cave, the furthest at about a half mile. The first three were empty, but the fourth and fifth held a small rabbit and a fox. Yanya released the fox, as it wasn't worth eating, but grabbed the rabbit, breaking it's neck and killing it in one deft strike. A single rabbit would fill neither her nor Arius for long, so she set out, scanning the ground for more quarry. Across the same stream she had spotted the elk, a fresh print attracted her attention. She knew the moment she spotted it what it was, and hurriedly turned back towards the cave. She did not want to be alone and in the open if the wolves found her.
In reality, she could stand and fight. If she shifted into her second form, she might even have a slight chance of victory.
Unfortunately, she knew better. Her parents had told her stories of the great Omjar the Bold. Her ancestor from ancient times. Family legend had it that Omjar had been among Ysgramor's Companions, and had, upon arriving from Atmora, proved himself such a great hunter that he was blessed by Hircine himself. The blessing was, of course, Bear form. Over the centuries the clan had begun to realize that the 'Blessing' was continually leading to the deaths of the family, and it was renamed a curse. At least the family still went to Sovngarde. That had been part of the original blessing of Hircine. Yanya had been warned, however, not to try her form too often, as her parents were, in actuality, members of two long-separated family branches. Their ancestry was different enough that ordinarily no one would have minded, but with the curse, who knew what would happen?
So Yanya had used her second form on one occasion, her tenth birthday. It had been enough though, to show her the power, and danger, of the action.
And thus, her hesitation in confronting the wolves.
Sprinting back through the trees, Yanya wondered only briefly what wolves were doing hunting in the day. No matter. As long as they were, she was in danger.
A long howl echoed through the trees behind her, and Yanya knew it was too late. The wolves had caught her scent, and were on her trail. It was still a quarter mile to the cave, and she would never make it that far. Yanya felt brief regret, as she knew that Arius would most likely starve without her.
That made up her mind.
'If I'm going to die.' she muttered, spinning on one heal and dropping the rabbit, 'Then I'm going to Sovngarde.'
She slipped off her tunic, letting her breeches fall to the earth as well. If she tried to transform in them, she'd rip the fabric.
It was wintertime, and the air felt cold on Yanya's bare skin. She payed it no head, however. Now was a time of action.
She lifted her head to the sky, letting out a feral roar. Hair sprang up all along her body, completely coating her. She swelled, shifting into a more bear like shape. A werewolf, the most common servants of Hircine, were a little bit larger than a man. Werebears, despite their rarity, were, at full size, larger that a horse-and-carriage.
Yanya was not quite full grown, but her second form was still a sight to behold. Slightly larger than a horse, she moved on all four feet, and had the proportions of a bear. The only real difference between she and an actual bear was her face. Despite the snout, the face had a decidedly human look with its bright, intelligent eyes.
Overall, a formidable foe.
As the wolves came racing through the trees, tracking a human scent, they stopped, baffled. The scent seemed to have suddenly changed to that of a bear. Had a bear gotten the human? Was the human riding a bear?
The pack, eighteen wolves in total, wandered in confusion, searching for the scent they had been following.
And that was when Yanya struck.
She tore through a half dozen wolves before they knew she was there. She had been waiting off to the side, hoping that the new scent would distract the beasts. When she was sure they were baffled, she had attacked, flanking them and killing several.
By the time the wolves were attacking her, another four had gone down. Ten of the eighteen dead in a few moments.
The other wolves took the hint and fled, running through the trees at top speed, trying to get away.
Shifting back into human form, Yanya didn't even pause to dress once more. She knelt, holding a water skin to a claw mark that marred the beast's side. The wound was large and deep, so before long the skin was full.
Thinking once more of herself, Yanya moved over to where her clothing lay. She pulled the tunic over her head and slipped into the breeches. As she was turning to continue her hunt, and hopefully soon, as she had only a few hours left, and she wanted to sleep, a man stepped from behind the bow of a thick oak tree.
Yanya started. Her senses were keen, but she hadn't seen the man approach. A moment later, her face flushed with embarrassment. He must have been standing there for some minutes, and that meant he had seen Yanya before she had put her shirt and pants back on.
A moment later, the teen's embarrassment was replaced with a worse feeling- fear. If this man had been here for some time, had he seen her confront the wolves? If word got out that a werebear was in the woods, no good could come of it.
'Do not worry. I will harm you not.'
The man's voice was deep and rough. He had the appearance of a hunter, with a bow slung over one shoulder.
The stranger spoke again: 'You fought well. These were no weak foe.' after a moment, he added 'You and your... Friend might appreciate this.'
Swinging his arm forwards, the hunter tossed a pouch that had, until recently, been hidden behind his back towards Yanya. The girl caught it, and pulled the drawstring, peering inside. The bag, which was about the size of Yanya's head and shoulders, was filled with salted and dried meats, as well as a handful of fruits in their own, smaller, pouch.
The girl looked up to ask a question, but the man had vanished.
Arius slept fitfully. Every time he woke, he was aware of the Thirst, like an itch in his mind, constantly drawing attention.
Finally, when he managed to sleep for a longer time, he had a dream.
He was standing in a shadowy cave. Before him stood a woman robed in black, with skin as dark as night. When she spoke, her voice was cynical, yet somehow beautiful.
'You come at last.' said the woman
'Who are you?' he asked
'I am your patron, of course.' came the woman's calm reply.
Arius was confused. Was she the patron of vampires, Molag Bal? It didn't seem likely, but you never know.
'Are you Molag Bal?' he asked, trying desperately to remember the old stories.
The woman laughed 'Do I look like Molag Bal?' she asked. Then her voice turned sour, as if discussing a hard topic.
'Molag Bal has... Other plans. No, I am someone quite different. Molag Bal may be Lord of Vampires, but I am the air you breath. Now it is time to leave you.'
'Wait, what?' asked Arius. He had no idea what had just happened, but the dream was fading, and he barely made out the words:
'Know that I am here, little one, and know that I guide you.'
Then Arius's mind faded to black.
 

Svarnor

Shadowcloak of Nocturnal
Two Weeks.

For two weeks, Yanya and Arius had been living in the cave. Yanya’s hunting was keeping them both fed, and, though both had told each other of the strange people who approached them, Yanya in the forest, Arius in his dream, neither had found any sign of the hunter or the woman returning.

Arius could feel the thirst, but he knew it was going to be alleviated soon. Yanya was out hunting. She’d been forced to lay the snares further and further away, as the animals learned to avoid this area of the forest. Now, five or six hour hunting trips were not at all unlikely.

He laid back. It was about midnight, but he wasn’t exhausted. He’d noticed that happening. As long as he kept well-fed, he was seldom tired or hungry, and never at night.

For a brief moment, he wondered what would happen if they ran out of things to hunt in this area. How would Yanya eat? How would he drink? A moment later, another pressing concern occurred to him. What would they do even if there was food to eat? In the long run, he would outlive Yanya, and what then? What would he do without her to hunt for him?

Laying back and closing his eyes, Arius pondered his thoughts. It was worrying, to say the least.

Far to the south, and six hours later, the Purifiers had reached the Imperial City. Garno hated it here. Since the Great War, nearly thirty years past, the majority of the guards in the city had been replaced with Aldmeri Dominion soldiers. Most of the civilian Bosmer, Altmer, and Khajiit had sold themselves over to the Thalmor as well, and now served as spies. Garno was a true Imperial and, despite whatever the Stormcloaks of Windhelm might say, he hated the Dominion as much as anyone. There was nothing he could do, however, to free his country. The Thalmor were simply too strong.

Ah, but that was not what he was here to do.

The twenty-four Purifier’s, excluding Garno and his lieutenant, Gondyn Diel, had spread out over the city. While the rest of the group purchased foodstuffs and other perishable supplies, the two senior leaders waited outside the North-Gate, where twenty-four horses stood, already saddled. Next to the horses was a much smaller pack-pony, who was trained to carry whatever supplies the others couldn’t deal with.

Fexien and Diel were discussing their plans for this upcoming raid. Garno had a bottle of Black-Briar Mead, which had become much more scarce in the Empire since Riften joined the Stormcloaks.

‘It should be fairly simple,’ Garno was saying ‘After all, it’s only one vampire.’

Diel was skeptical. ‘Exactly. If this is one vampire, how has it been fending for itself? No, you said the message mentioned that the vampire had an ally, and that’s what I’m worried about. Who would willingly live in the company of a vampire? We should proceed carefully, and ask around Falkreath if anyone’s vanished recently.’

‘True, true. Thank you for that, my friend.’ Garno commended ‘That mistake might have meant the death of the entire group. Our men are not exactly trained warriors.’

‘We should use the silver bolts.’ Diel said unexpectedly.

‘The silver?’ Garno asked, surprised. ‘Their rather expensive, and we only have enough for one shot each. It might not be worth it.’

His Breton comrade shook his head. ‘No, it is. If we poison the tips, a single shot will be enough to kill any vampire.’

‘What poison would you suggest?’

Diel studied his friend carefully, trying to judge how this next revelation would go down. ‘Jarrin Extract.’

Garno swung forward, spitting his last mouthful of mead forward. One of the horses, who had been caught in the blast, looked at him reproachfully.

‘Jarrin Extract?’ the Imperial Warrior choked out ‘Are you sure?’

Diel shrugged ‘It’ll mean a long, painful death, unlike the raw root. That’s what a vampire deserves, don’t you agree?’

‘Well, yes.’ Garno replied ‘But… it seems rather… you know…’ Waving his hand in a pointless little circle, the man finished: ‘Harsh. Even for a vampire.’

‘Do you really think that the Night-Children deserve mercy?’

‘No.’ Admitted Garno ‘We should use the poison, I suppose. But what if the Vampire escapes? They would have a longer time to find an antidote than if we used a simpler, faster acting poison.’

Diel snorted ‘Antidote? Sure, if they can get to Stros M’Kai within the next twenty- four hours. Believe me, friend, we have the only antidote in all the Empire.’

‘Alright then. ‘ responded Garno, trying to draw the conversation away from his foolish mistake, he added: ‘Perhaps we could warn Jarl Siddgeir, and recruit some of the guards. You’re right that this mission seems to… simple.’

At this point, one of the younger Purifiers approached. Looking up, a smile broadened Fexien’s face. It was Gallin Myx, one of the newest recruits, but also the one who showed the most promise. Orphaned at a young age, Gallin had been recruited into the Purifiers on his fifteenth birthday, six months past. At that point in time, Gallin had been a skinny, half-starved boy with matted brown hair who seldom looked anyone in the eye. Now he was a muscular, well-fed young man with a confident stance, who’s hand rested on the hilt of his blade with a familiar grace.

Ah, Gallin. You’re back. Have you finished?’

The young boy nodded, gesturing to one of the horses, who had bags and packages wrapped and tied to its saddle.

‘Good, good. Are the others finished?’

A smile broadened Gallin’s face.

‘They decided to get a drink, sir. I warned them to deliver the packages first, but they didn’t take me seriously.’

Garno muttered a curse under his breath. Most likely, it had been the Khajiit who made the decision. The cats were smooth-tongued, to say the least. Anything they suggested, the rest of the group was going to do. Standing wearily, he said ‘Gallin, make sure the horses are ready. I’ll try and go sort them out.’
 

Svarnor

Shadowcloak of Nocturnal
Jarl Siddgeir of Falkreath lounged in his great hall. He really did enjoy being a Jarl. He could just sit here all day and enjoy himself, eating and letting his Steward handle affairs in Falkreath. A raised voice attracted his attention to the doorway, where a group of people, all heavily armed, Siddgeir noticed, were trying to enter the building. That made sense. Those armed people might be unhappy with Siddgeir, and the guards had every right to detain them until they promised to be nice.

The Law was something like that, Siddgeir thought, rather drowsily. Not that he’d ever actually read any of the Laws, but he hoped it was something like that. It would certainly make life a lot easier for him.

Clearly, the men had promised to be nice now. The guards were stepping aside and allowing the group, which was only about thirty figures, some of them men, one orc, some elves, some khajiit, and even some argonians, to enter.

The leader of the group, a big, broad man of imperial race, stepped forward. Just behind him was a mage, with a hood obscuring most of his face. That might be the thinker in the group. Siddgeir smiled at that. So this warrior had a thinker to work for him, just like the Jarl. That was good, they’d get along fine.

Unless the man had bad news, which he did. The first few words out of his mouth proved that.

‘Jarl. There is a vampire in your region’

A vampire? That wasn’t good. Perhaps Siddgeir would send Nanya to handle it. Or not… Perhaps he should send guards instead. After all, if Nanya was dead, he would need to work, wouldn’t he. At least, until he found a new steward. Siddgeir realized that he was very tired. Perhaps he could go and take a nap once this man was finished. Why wasn’t the fellow continuing? Was he waiting for something from Siddgeir? Perhaps the Jarl should give him a sign to continue.

As the Jarl waved his hand slightly, asking him to go on, Garno swallowed. He, who had faced down Vampire Ancients without a doubt, and had defeated hundreds of night-stalkers in their own home-caves, found speaking to this man incredibly unnerving. It wasn’t speaking that scared him, public speaking was something he had to be accustomed to as a leader. It was this man, with his partially closed eyes, his careless motions , and his apparent disinterest.

‘Well, sir.’ Garno continued ‘I would like the service of some of your guards, to help us in removing this blight on your land.

Siddgeir remained motionless, staring down at Garno for several seconds, then turned his head, waving to his steward, who stood in the corner.

‘Give him some guards’ He called

‘Yes, sir.’ Replied Nanya, curtsying briefly. Moving towards the captain of the guard, who had been one of the three blocking the door, she whispered ‘Give him half the garrison, thirty, at most. This may be a scam, and I don’t want the city to be left empty, especially if this is just a ploy by a new group of bandits.’

Nodding, the guard hurried off.

Returning to the vampire hunters, Nanya smiled. ‘Now, if you would enlighten me, where exactly is this vampire?’

Several hours later, sixty warriors were moving along the road, south of Falkreath.

As was their usual formation, the six Bosmer in the Purifier’s group were split up, three in front, three in back, acting as scouts and a rearguard. The warriors, Nords, imperials, and the single orc, were all in a large circle around the Bretons, Altmer, and Dunmer, who were the mages of the group.

The group, bolstered by the guards, had left their horses back in the city, not wanting their enemy to have any knowledge of their coming. None wore their full armour but the orc, who refused to go without it, also to decrease any warning the vampire might have.

Diel held up a hand, ordering the group to stop. He pointed to a faint game trail. This was the place.

Moving into the surrounding forest in pairs at intervals of about four yards, the force began to slowly tighten their gigantic noose, closing in on the cave where the vampires were hiding out.

They had chosen the time for a purpose. As it was late afternoon, the vampires would be least likely to venture out from their cave, and this net would be most effective.

They reached the clearing where the game trail led, and the force stopped. Knowing what to look for, the majority of the force had already spotted the cave’s entrance, and they were simply waiting for the command to move.

That was when things went wrong.

A girl, carrying an unstrung bow and a quiver over one shoulder came crawling out of the cave mouth. She pushed the brambles back into place, then stood, brushing her hands on her breeches.

As soon as the girl looked up, she froze.



Yanya could see the men hiding in the trees. She saw the Falkreath Guards, as well as the others she didn’t recognize. There must have been five score total, all surrounding the cave.

The werebear pulled the brambles back out of the way, retreating down into the ruin. As she went, she made sure the twisted roots and branches were blocking as much of the tunnel as she could make them.

Arius, who was dozing in his cave, heard her coming.

‘What is it?’ He asked. Yanya should not be back so quickly, and her quickened step meant something was almost definitely wrong.

‘Someone’s outside the cave’ She answered ‘A group of someones, armed, and accompanied by quite a few guardsmen.’

Arius hopped to his feet, a worried expression on his face

‘Are they moving towards the cave?’

Yanya shook her head, ‘No, but they saw me. It can’t be long before they attack.’

‘Is there any way to escape?’ asked the Imperial Vampire

‘No.’

‘Then what can we do?’

Yanya smiled, a grim, terrible smile ‘We go down with a fight.’
 

Svarnor

Shadowcloak of Nocturnal
Yanya and Arius spent several minutes planning their strategy for defending the cave. The tight entrance would serve as their best defense, as the enemy would have to come at the pair one at a time, on hands and knees. Theoretically, Yanya could hold them off with her bow till she ran out of arrows, but they doubted that would work for long, and once it did, she would be at a worse advantage that if she had time to change form.

They settled on a simple plan. Yanya would shoot the first person who tried to enter and, while the enemy was trying to force their way through the obstruction that the corpse would create, the pair would split up, moving in different directions to ambush the vampire hunters deeper in.



The one orcish vampire hunter, Yagrog mar-Ghazad, had argued with the other warriors until they allowed him to go first. With his shield and sword slung over his back, the orc crawled into the tunnel, completely ignorant of the quick death that awaited him.



As the orc poked his head through the cave entrance, Yanya released the arrow. It was a one-in-a-million shot, but the orc raised his head just fast enough that the arrow slipped into the gap between helm and cuirass, cutting into his neck. An instant kill.



As Yagrog’s legs went limp, a wood elf named Arimor, who had been preparing to go next, spat a curse.

‘He’s dead’ called the scout

Garno, who was just behind, pushed Arimor out of the way to get a better look. He kneeled, laying a hand on his fallen soldier’s foot.

‘May the Eight honor his fallen soul.’

Standing, he directed two men to drag the heavy carcass out of the way. It took some time, but they finally managed it.

Arimor knelt, searching for the wound.

‘It was an incredible shot.’ He said ‘Slipped right between the armour. Poor fellow never had a chance.’

Diel, who was standing to the side, snarled ‘Stop praising the girl and go kill her. Unless you’re afraid to suffer his fate.’

The wood elf stood, turning to face the Breton. Bosmer are by no means tall, but Arimor still towered over the mage.

‘I fear her not. I can avoid any shot as easy as saying it, and you know that, sorcerer.’

The scout put as much scorn into the term before turning and plunging into the tunnel. Once inside, he rolled to the right and came up with an arrow notched. Pivoting to scan the entire room, he found it… empty.

‘Come in.’ Arimor shouted to his comrades. ‘No one’s here.’

Soon the entire party was inside the chamber, with Bosmer examining each exit.

‘They went this way.’ Called Arimor, who served as the leader of his people in the Purifiers. ‘The other exit has obvious tracks, but the boot is a female shape. On this side, its clearly male, and the tracks are fainter. They were trying to lure us that way.’

Garno nodded. It made sense. Turning to Gallin, he said: ‘You stay here, with the guardsmen. I don’t want anyone escaping.’

The fifteen year old nodded, drawing his saber. Garno was confident that no one would get past him and thirty trained guards.

On the other side of the room, Arimor was still examining prints.

‘They definitely went this way, but we should be careful. The Vampire has a guardian.

‘A guardian?’

‘Yes… see these prints?’ Arimor pointed to a patch of ground that, to Garno, was identical to every other in this ruin.

‘Yes.’ The Commander lied

‘They belong to a dog of some kind, maybe a wolf. We should proceed cautiously.’

And so, Garno lead the remaining troops on. A force of twenty-nine, made up of a mix of trained mages, warriors, and archers, against a pair of fifteen year olds, a werebear and a vampire.

You really had to feel sorry for the imperial.
 

Madrar

The Shadow in the Dark.
another great chapter
 

Svarnor

Shadowcloak of Nocturnal
Why thank you! For the record, I only started writing Vampire stuff after I read your stories about Salthar.
 

Madrar

The Shadow in the Dark.
Really? That's flattering.I'm glad I inspired you
 

Svarnor

Shadowcloak of Nocturnal
I'm sorry for the shorter chapter this time, but I felt like I needed to get this out. It's been too long since I've posted.


The Purifiers moved forward slowly, weapons ready. They did not have to worry about darkness, as the torches set into brackets by ancient Nords had been relit by Yanya and Arius.

Eventually, they reached a room that the torchlight did not light. One of the Guards, not realizing the danger, stepped forward into the darkness, lighting his own torch.

Before Garno, who had been in the lead, could call a warning, a shadow leapt from the side of the room, hitting the guard and sending him tumbling, his neck at an unnatural angle. Turning, Yanya roared, in full bear form.

A dozen men leapt forward, but before they could as much as call a battle cry, Yanya swatted at them, sending half a dozen battered Nords hurling towards the cave wall.

There was an audible crunch.

Now the remaining seven who had charged were joined by their comrades. Yanya swatted at them twice, and two more hit the wall. Now only fourteen remained, plus Garno. Unfortunately for Yanya, six of those fourteen had bows, and were readying them, searching for a clear shot.

Yanya still could have taken them. With a handful of swipes, the warriors would have been dead, and the archers heading down that path. But unfortunately, Gallin, who had heard the sound of fighting, took that moment to lead his thirty into the room. All of the sudden, Yanya was outmatched.

Then Arius appeared, stepping out of the darkness, and the attention turned to him. Yanya, who had suffered several cuts, remained ready for the fight to continue.

‘Don’t hurt her.’ Arius began ‘If you want me, kill me, but leave her alone. You have no quarrel with her.’

Half the arrows, drenched in Jarrin Extract, wavered slightly. Three of the Bosmer, Arimor included, knew that they could kill the Werebear, but it would almost certainly mean the death of their comrades. A handful of the remaining swordsmen seemed to have doubts as well. Diel saw the uncertainty, and snarled:

‘You don’t actually believe him, do you? Kill the beast!’

When none of the men acted, each waiting for another to make the first moved, Diel cursed.

‘Weaklings. If you won’t kill her, I will.’

Stepping forward, he snatched the bow from Arimor’s hands, drawing back the string. Fexien was an awful archer, but the target was massive. In the moment the arrow flew through the air, no one moved, even Yanya, waiting to see what would happen.

The arrow caught the werebear just beneath her collarbone, and the room erupted into motion. Yanya roared, then collapsed, slipping back into her human form as she lost control of her senses. Arius screamed, his rage and blood-hunger mixing to make him a truly terrible sight.

As the majority of the Purifiers turned, both to attack the boy and to preserve Yanya’s modesty, the imperial vampire charged, slicing through the first line as if through paper. An arrow flew through the air, but Arius turned, avoiding the shaft as it caught a man behind him in the chest.

Then, all descended into a red haze, and Arius remembered nothing, but for the Purifiers, the sight would never be forgotten. Despite his relative youth and lack of power, Arius’s rage propelled him, and he ripped a path through the men. Flesh and Blood scattered, the room soon covered in gore, but slowly the Purifiers trapped Arius, pushing him up against a wall. His instinctive fighting gave him one final burst of energy however, as he leapt, clear over Gallin’s head, and out the cave’s exit.

Arius returned to his mind sometime as he ran, fleeing west along the mountains. The first thought is his mind was Yanya is gone.

Though he hadn’t seen her die, he’d seen the girl collapse, and any poison strong enough to topple a wearbear would certainly be deadly.

He would take his revenge, on those vampire hunters, on the Falkreath Guards, on everyone who had caused him or her harm. Thoughts of rage and blood filled Arius’s mind, so much that he wondered if they’d ever leave him.

I shall no longer be Arius, the Trader’s Son. He thought to himself I am now Arius, Nighstalker of Falkreath



The Purifiers left the cave, one of the bigger warriors carrying the still unconscious body of Yanya.

“We should camp nearby.” Called Gondyn. Anyone else taking the authority to call and set up camp would be punished, but not Diel. Garno, turning to Arimor, called.

“You, take three of your men, and scout the area. Find the vampire. We can’t allow this one to slip through our fingers.”

The wood elf nodded, and, seemingly without any message passing between them, he and three other wood elves melted into the shadows of the growing night.

“Well, it’s out of my hands now.” Sighed Garno. Turning towards the camp preparations, he wondered how long it would take Arimor and three of his best scouts to find the vampire’s trail. Probably minutes.

The Imperial grinned. The boy didn’t have a chance.

 

Svarnor

Shadowcloak of Nocturnal
*sigh*

It's a sad day when your fanfic starts reminding you of this: http://www.twilightfreak.com/twilight_about.htm

Aaanyway. I might come back and finish this but I plan to use these chars before that. Assume any fanfic involving them takes place afterwards. As for the rest of the plot:

SPOILERS:

Arius freaks out and, with Arimor's help, starts murdering everyone in Falkreath. He becomes a terror of the night, and eventually becomes known throughout Skyrim. Under Gallin's care, Yanya recovers and *I hate myself* he falls in love with her. Yada Yada Yada... Yanya <3 Arius, Blah Blah Blah, final battle, The Purifiers patron is Molag Bal, whose been using them to kill vampires who arent interested in harming anyone. Blah Blah Blah... final battle, Arius and Yanya's visitors (stalkers) are Nocturnal and Hircine, who are working together to gain power over Molag. After a big fight, Yanya and Gallin are dead, and Arius is left. His life sucks, but he isn't quite as world-hating. He builds a place to hide and, forcing bandits and criminals to become his thralls, dedicates himself to finding a cure for Vampirism. The End.

END SPOILERS

Anywho, I'llbe more active on the forums now on, and soon I should have some more chapters on A Chance Arrangement coming out.
 

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