Serana

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Serana. What's a nice gal like you doing in a place like this?"

Rictus tried giving her one of his award-winning smiles, but she seemed quite unimpressed for some reason.

"Seeing you fight, I thought you may be one of my father's higher ranked acolytes or even a member of the court, but you are obviously not. Who sent you here?"

He took a moment to gather his thoughts before replying to her. Sticking to the truth usually worked out for him. No need to change now.

"I am basically a mercenary and was asked to guard a Vigilant of Stendarr. He wanted to explore the cave since he had found some information about some ancient vampire relic being stored here. Obviously, his information was pertaining to you."

She raised a dainty eyebrow at him.

"I have not heard of a Vigilant of Stendarr before, but I can guess they would not care for my kind. How do you know the information was about me though?"

His blank look combined with him motioning to the elder scroll on her back made her realize the answer was pretty obvious. Lack of social interaction for hundreds of years had made her a little rusty it seems.

"I suppose it was kind of obvious. Back to your original question, it's…complicated. And I'm not sure if I can trust you. You are working for an agent of Stendarr after all. If you really want to know the whole story, help me get back to my family's home. You admitted to being a mercenary after all, and I am sure you will be rewarded for your efforts."

Rictus held back a smile. Despite things being different here, it seems that the basics of the quest would still stay the same for now. He also knew the general location of where to take her, but it was still polite to ask.

"Where exactly is your family's home and how do we get there?"

"My family used to live on an island to the west of Solitude. I would guess they still do."

Thinking to himself, he decided he could use a little time off from his normal duties. Sure, his followers may not really like him going off alone, especially to the lair of an ancient vampire lord, but he was in charge so they couldn't really stop him.

"I think that will be doable. There are a couple of things I'd like to know before we go though. Do you know who these people were and how did you get out of your prison?"

It was obvious she was ready to go, but she took a calming breath before explaining what had happened to her.

"Well, it was a little strange to tell the truth. The man who woke me up kept saying such strange and undecipherable things. Brad is a little bit of a strange name don't you think? He also seemed to know exactly who I was despite me being in here since before his great grandparents were even conceived, if he was to be believed about it being the 4E 201."

She paused here for a moment. Part of her hoping the man had lied to her. Seeing Rictus nod his head in agreement made her deflate a little at how long she had been away from the world. Regardless, she quickly summed up the rest.

"After that, we made our way here, and he started fighting the draugr. It was a little impressive how he fought them without a weapon. His boasts about being skilled in unarmed combat and light armor held some truth to it. Sadly, for him, the other group entered not long after and doomed them all. The new attackers shot arrows at both him and the draugr which caused him to lose his concentration, a fatal mistake. The dragon priest then blocked the archers from leaving with a fire wall. The priest and the deathlord proved too resilient and powerful to be stopped. I hid myself away at the start of the fight since I was still recovering from waking up. I wasn't about to risk my life for complete strangers. Thankfully, the draugr are still just as easily tricked now as when I was growing up."

She finished her story and stood there waiting on his reaction.

"I appreciate the information. If you do not mind, I would like to examine some of the bodies and then warn my companions of my departure. You are more than welcome to observe me to make sure I am not betraying you or anything like that. As a sign of trust, I will leave my axe here with you until we leave."

He dropped his ax to the ground before making his way over to some of the bodies. Once he moved further away, Serana tried lifting the ax up so she could get a better look at the strange mana fluctuations coming from it. After struggling with the weight, she decided to just let it lay on the ground. The weight of it and the casual way he wielded it greatly impressed her after not being able to lift the thing. 'Just how strong is he?'

Rictus smiled to himself at haring her struggle lifting his weapon. Increasing the weight of it with a burden may have been a little childish, but he couldn't help himself. It was the little things in life which made it worth living. Looking over the bodies, some of his suspicions were at least partially confirmed.

The bow users all had similar weapons and armor except for two which had much nicer equipment. Finding all of them in possession of a bow hinted at them being followers of the Skilled of Archery. Most bandits or mercenaries don't equip every member with a bow when exploring a cramped cave. That just wouldn't make sense. If he had to take a guess, the Skilled of Archery had sent these people here in order to retrieve Serana, and the two better equipped could have been Minions.

Reports of a growing bandit group which heavily utilized bows had come to his attention a few times before. Seeing the bodies before him somewhat confirmed the bandits being led by one of the Skilled. Someone with the abilities of the Skilled could quickly rise through the ranks of a bandit group and gather lots of followers. Greater care and more information would be needed regarding this group. They could pose a major problem if left unchecked.

Serana's savior was even more interesting though. His body was covered in burns and laying decapitated near the fire pit. At a glance, the armor looked ruined, but on closer examination it was merely covered in ash. The only serious injury had been the decapitiatoin. 'Hmm. Based on the number of arrows around here and the scorch marks, the archers and dragon priest caused him to lose his footing which was capitalized on by the deathlord. Shame really. Based on the little I got from Serana, he most surely was one of the original transmigrators. The Skilled of Light Armor from the looks of things.'

A portal to his storage opened beside Rictus as he moved the body into it. He would take the body back to the base eventually and give it a proper burial. If he decided to study the body for any abnormalities which could partially explain the abilities granted to the Skilled while he was waiting on a good spot to bury him, that would be okay too.

Finishing up here, Rictus made his way back to his companions in the other room. He quickly explained what he was going to be doing to Illia and Miruma while Adalvald was still busy writing in a notebook while studying the room. They were not pleased with his decision, but they understood how this could present a good opportunity for them to get inside information on their opponents. Allying with the vampires over the Vigilants did not cross their minds once.

With all that done, Rictus made his way back to Serana.

"Well, are you ready to go then?"

She simply nodded her head and followed his lead as they moved through the tunnel at the back of the room the dragon priest had been in. It was quiet for the first few minutes before Rictus decided to ask her about her home.

"Would you tell me a little bit about your home?"

Silence greeted him for another minute before she answered.

"Well, as I said before, it is on an island near Solitude. Hopefully we can find a boat to take us there. It's my family home. Not the most welcoming place, but depending on whose around, I'll be safe there."

He couldn't help questioning her about that last part.

"Depending on whose around huh? Why wouldn't you be safe in your own home?"

"Let's just say that my mother and father had a bit of a falling out. Don't worry, I'm not in any danger or anything like that. It'll just be more unpleasant to run into my father. We don't really get along. Ugh, saying it out loud makes it sound so…common. Little girl who doesn't get along with her father. Read that story a hundred times."

Even though she had been wary of him at first, it seems the closer they got to leaving the cave, the more easily she started talking. Finally having a neutral party outside of her family drama to talk to definitely didn't hurt either.

"By the way, how long exactly were you in there?"

"Hmm. Too many years. From what Brad told me, I have been gone much longer than I originally thought since Cyrodiil was definitely not the seat of any empire during my time. It was good to know the world didn't get boring while I was away since there is another war of succession going on in Skyrim. Still, I need to get home quickly so I can figure out what's happened."

They grew quite after that. Rictus decided he would have more time later to ask about the Elder Scroll and why she thought she was locked away. No need to bombard someone he just met to try and get their entire life story in one interaction. Better to play the long game and ask about it more at a later time if he was still curious.

Soon enough, they could see light at the end of the tunnel. After exiting the cave, Rictus turned back to see Serena with a blissful look on her face as she took in her surroundings while small snow flurries fell from the sky.

"Ah, it's so good to breathe the open air again! Even in this weather, it's better than the cave."

He gave her a moment to enjoy her newfound freedom before they continued on their way. As they started going, Serana looked at him inquisitively.

"I do have a question for you though. Brad kept saying he was a 'diehard Serana simp.' What does this mean and are you one as well?"

Rictus caught himself from stumbling after hearing her question. Just what had this dude told her before getting himself killed? Hopefully he wouldn't have to explain too many strange things to her.

"Ah well you see…"

-----

(Somewhere not with the MC)

Mirajane landed gracefully as the large translucent green wings disappeared from her back. She let out a content sigh after taking a seat. While she was sitting, a golden light wrapped around her before she felt a surge of power and understanding entering her. She affectionately patted the dragon skull she was sitting on before looking at her companions.

Falla was laying down on her back breathing heavy as she finally patted out the flames from her cloak. She had come a long way and was becoming a force to be reckoned with. Her Shouts were not as powerful as Mirajane's, but they provided great utility and assistance. If she kept improving like she was, people may mistake her for the dragonborn.

Mirajane eyed the others who had joined them in her quest. There were 4 others who now traveled with them. The first was probably the most important of the group though. Esbern was the Blade's Loremaster, and she was taking him to talk with Delphine in Riverwood. He had information on how to defeat Alduin and needed to confer with his fellow Blade about a couple of the details.

To make sure he was better protected on their trip, Falla had insisted on hiring a mercenary mage named Marcurio to help escort their party to Riverwood. She had said something about him being one of the most powerful companions which was weird since he was definitely not part of the Companions. The imperial mage was a bit feisty and would not hesitate to provide a snide comment. He was a little on the greedy side, but still reliable in a fight. His destruction magic was quite potent.

Falla had also persuaded another one to join them on their quest. Mjoll the Lioness was an imposing Nord. She personified the stereotypical Nord. She was tall, muscular, light of skin and hair, honorable, and deadly in a fight. Mirajane did not know what was said or promised to get her to follow herself and Falla, but it would become apparent in time.

Their final follower was probably the most memorable for her. She had met him once before. Although his version of what had happened was significantly different than what she remembered. Still, the sincerity that he had pledged himself to her cause was undeniable. Somehow, she knew he would do anything for her.

"What does a dragon's soul taste like? I wonder if I will ever know. I always imagined it must be a little like licking the inside of an oven."

A smile came unbidden to her face as she listened to the ridiculousness of Inigo. Some of the things he said and came up with would give Falla a run for her money. Instead of answering him, she looked over to her final companion.

Solomon had not been quite the same since Riften. He would normally stay close to her and always had something to say. Now, he was a lot more reserved and jumply, especially how he constantly patted his hip. A storm atronach was summoned as a constant guard for him as well. 'He will eventually come to me with his problem like always. If it gets out of hand though, I will have to confront him on it. Hopefully, it won't come to that though.'

She looked out over the vast Skyrim wilderness once more before rising to her feet to gather her party. They were closing in on Riverwood but still a great distance from their other objective if Esbern was to be believed. It was too bad they could not travel as fast as she had with Rictus. Things would be a lot easier if they could. Another smile crossed her face as the thoughts of flying filled her head. She would have to thank Rictus for the Dragon Wing spell.

"Alright everyone, we still have a long way to go before we can rest for the night. If we travel fast enough and don't get attacked or sidetracked, maybe we can even reach Riverwood before it gets too late."

---

(Riften)

A deep purring sound could be heard as her clawed hand traced the pattern on her newest acquisition. The book was a little tattered, but the symbol for oblivion and conjuration shined brightly on the cover. 'It complements the other one so nicely.' She thought to herself as she placed a hand on another book which had 3 circles making a pyramid on the cover.

These two books had become the two most prized pieces in her growing collection of treasures. A burning desire to complete the set filled her mind. She did not know exactly where the remaining 4 were located, but she had a good idea on a couple of them. There were perks to fully controlling the thieves guild. Her eyes sparkled with desire as a portal formed in the air before her as she tightly gripped a key with a swirling blue-green nob at the end.

"Soon they will all be mine."

---

(College of Winterhold)

"I Can't Believe It!!"

Arms gently wrapped around her as she processed what she just heard. Feeling Dante's comforting embrace calmed Morrigan more than any spell. She took a few deep breaths to regain her composure as she melted into the comforting embrace of the man she loved. Hearing about his near-death experience had shaken her more than she would have liked. 'Even if we haven't known each other all that long, I do love him. The thought of him dying isn't something I want to consider. I guess I owe Rictus one for being there.'

She couldn't help but roll her eyes at the thought of owing the frustrating mage anything. It wasn't like they hated each other or anything like that. He was more like that annoying relative or friend who always has a story or accomplishment to one up you. Despite some of his actions seeming antagonistic, they gave her motivation and drive to accomplish more. His actions also seemed to work out in her favor eventually even if it didn't appear that way at first.

Faralda leaving to become the court mage had Morrigan reevaluate how she was treating some of her followers. This led to an overall increased productivity of all her mages. Jarl Korir finally taking a court mage smoothed relations among the mages and non-mages of Winterhold.

The constant inquiries from the Synod and the College of Whispers, and the way she handled them, had actually further cemented her role as archmage in the eyes of the mages of the College. It also led to new channels for academic communication and debate among the mages across the empire.

As she turned her mind back to the present, she moved out of Dante's embrace. She then walked over to a large display case along the wall and hidden under a black sheet.

"I was going to wait and give this to you later, but I think now is the time for it."

As she moved the sheet away, Dante's face looked on in awe at the armor set before him. He stood frozen in reverence as the sight was not something he had ever dreamed of seeing before. Morrigan studied his reaction to the armor displayed before him. She noticed his trembling hand as it reached out and traced the red diamond on the center of the cuirass.

Her eyes could not help but drift back to the new scar which cut across his jaw after confronting the vampire lord. He had claimed he kept it as a reminder, but she hated it. Determination filled her as her mana and the college itself seemed to tremble. What use was all her power if she did not use if for the ones she loved?

The caring archmage who fostered academics and cooperation was no longer standing there. Instead, it was the powerful archmage who had plundered Labyrinthian's secrets, killed one of the most powerful dragon priests, and singlehandedly defeated a mage channeling the power of the gods. 'They will rue the day they hurt the one I care for most. This I swear.'

---

(Thalmor Embassy)

"Is that all?"

"Yes Emissary."

"You are dismissed."

Elenwen steepled her hands as she reviewed the paper she was just given. Vampires attacking the Vigilants at their base was a surprising turn of events. It seemed there was some new enemy rearing their head at every corner in this snow cursed land. 'Still, there could be something to be gained from all of this. Since he was there as well, the Restored are sure to mobilize in retaliation. This distraction could play in our favor. Haste will be needed if we are to succeed.'

Her hand quickly grabbed a quill and started writing. The new orders were sent out before the ink fully dried.

---

(Hidden location)

Jerg gently placed the note onto the correct rune before channeling a tiny amount of mana into the manastone. A faint pulse of light and the note disappeared. He made his way back over to his table covered in papers and boxes. Reading the various reports and sending them on to the appropriate divisions was tedious yet rewarding work.

Not long ago, Jerg would have never imagined he would be part of something like this. There had never been a chance for him to indulge his curiosity about the world while he was growing up. Any time a courier, carriage driver, or traveler came through he would pester them into telling him what was happening throughout Skyrim and beyond. Now, he did not need to pester anyone.

'To think I can spend my days simply reading about everything going on throughout all of Skyrim. It almost seems like I am just reading a story sometimes.'

The Restored had given him the chance to move to the informatics division months ago. He had quickly moved up the ranks and was now one of the senior whisperers tasked with maintaining their network. Being a shift lead was stressful but fulfilling.

Thinking about his shift, it was almost quitting time. A quick teleport would then allow him to leave this place. No one working here actually knew their location. Portals were the only way in or out of here. Some of the crazier rumors said they were in a special plane of Oblivion or pocket dimension. Jerg didn't think that was the case, but he wouldn't be too surprised after seeing the things their leader had accomplished.

He paused for a moment thinking about their Lord Rictus. From being personally healed and enhanced, to seeing him battle the abomination on Japhet's Folly and seeing new and amazing magics only heard in tales of legend, Jerg had the utmost respect and loyalty for their fearless leader. Others had started taking it farther than just that, but he was not a part of that minority. 'Rictus is only a man after all.'

Soon his replacement got there and relieved him of his shift. Jerg whistled a happy tune as he decided to head back to White River Watch. Rumor had it that Vilod had just finished a new batch of that juniper berry mead. If he was fast, maybe he could snag a couple extra to share with a special someone later. As he transitioned through the teleporter, a stray thought entered his mind. 'They say Tiber Septim was also only a man...'

---

(Myriad Realms of Revelry)

Wine flowed freely as they observed the board before them. A slight smile tugged at the corners of Sanguine's mouth as he took note of the moving pieces. He shifted his eyes to take in one of his counterparts before making the first move.

"The patriarch of the Volkihar Clan will not see another year."

Glowing blue eyes stared back at him from the demonic horned head. A horrifying and grating noise came from its maw of razor-sharp teeth.

"Your newest plaything will perish long before that."

An unhinged voice chimed in cutting off whatever was to be said next.

"The game is a foot! Or a leg. Or all manner of severed limbs!"

No one paid the mad being any notice as they all turned their attention back to the board. It was shaping up to be one of the better one in centuries.

---

(Outside Fort Dunstad)

Erik bolted upright from his sleeping mat. He looked around wide eyed for a moment before he remembered where he was. They had stopped at Fort Dunstad since it had a profitable skeever fighting ring and always needed more supplies. The Hall of the Vigilants would be their next stop before heading into Dawnstar to rest.

He had joined the caravan as a guard when it passed through Rorikstead not that long ago. His father had not been happy, but Erik could not be dissuaded. It had been his dream to go on adventures and being a mercenary was the first step.

He ran his hands over the worn leather armor he wore as he thought about his father. The armor had been the same one his father had worn while he was a soldier. Erik had been training in it for months ever since he had gotten a passing drunk to pick the lock of the chest where his father stored all his old solider gear. 'That drunk guy really said some weird things, but he was very helpful and gave some good advice.'

Standing up from the mat he had been napping on, Erik thought of the dream he just had. As he stood up, he marveled at how much better the armor fit him. It felt perfectly tailored to his body and didn't seem to weigh anything at all anymore. His movements seemed smoother, and his arms felt more powerful than before. A smile came unbidden to his face as he clenched his fists.

"Maybe I really was Chosen for greater things. The legend of Erik the Slayer has only just started."

---

(Morthal)

"Hmm seems things are about to get more complicated for Harkon. Good thing I accelerated my plans here. Everything is in order."

A cruel smile lite up his face as he stared down at the restrained older woman.

"You know, despite your Sight, you were blind to what was really going on here. Sadly for you, there will be no salvation. The gifts you have will only prolong your suffering and keep you more aware of your situation. Your body will become your prison and there is naught you can do about it."

Sharp nails trailed down the side of her face leaving dark red marks where blood gently flowed out. He involuntarily licked his lips at the sight but nothing more. He was too experienced to fall prey to his base desires, especially now that he could feed whenever he desired on whomever he wished.

"To assist Volkihar or expedite the clan's destruction…decisions decisions."

Harsh raspy laughter tore from his throat as he moved away from the bound woman trembling in fear. Whether it was for herself, her family, or something more, no one knew.

---

(Waters of Solitude)

She slowly swam underneath the boat which had just recently entered the port. Her thoughts had been her only companion for hours. After this, she would take the time to finish the other contracts. Then she could finally rest, but all that would come later.

This was the pinnacle. This was her defining moment. It would not be long before the people on the ship got complacent. Then she would act. None may know her name or face, but all would know of her deeds.

---

(White River Watch)

Ken put down the letter from Rictus after he finished reading it. A sigh escaped him as he rubbed his hand over his face.

"That man…"

It was a relief that Rictus had not been harmed, but did he really have to personally escort that vampire back home? The place filled with vampires of the same clan that just tried to kill him and the other Vigilants.

Ken remembered the conversations held between the two of them about some things to come and noted how the events for the clash between the Dawnguard and the Vampires was already in motion. He would follow through on his orders for spreading the word to the scattered Vigilants though. A serious look appeared on his face as he turned to his top 5 lieutenants standing at attention before him.

"We are to spread the word to the wandering Vigilants of the attack on the Hall of the Vigilants. Keeper Carcette has been killed, and we should urge them to retreat to Stendarr's Beacon where they will plan a course of action. The vampires will try and ambush the Vigilants across Skyrim to cripple them further. These messages go into further details on your task and what has happened. Dismissed."

The 5 warriors turned around simultaneously to go complete his orders. As they were about to exit the room, Ken muttered to himself just loudly enough for them to overhear.

"I cannot believe those same vampires tried to kill Rictus. I wonder why they want him dead so badly…"

Not a single misstep happened after they overheard him, but Ken could see their backs stiffen and hands tighten around their blades. Even as they left the room, he knew their eyes blazed in anger and their hearts with vengeance. He knew because he felt the same way. A sinister smile appeared on his face as he stood from behind the table and equipped his sword and daggers to his waist.

"A wonderful night for a stroll. I should probably personally deliver the message to the Vigilants reported outside of Whiterun. Would be a shame if the vampires were already hunting them."

The smile never faltered on his face as he left the room. The hunters had just become the hunted.

---

(Markarth)

Varying shades of light played along the cascading water as the sun was setting. The city was peaceful, and things had finally started settling down. Moira couldn't help but feel pride at all she had accomplished here. A small frown appeared on her face as a slight feeling of something missing accosted her. Unwittingly, her hand moved and caressed the ring on a simple chain which rested against her chest. Resolve and determination filled her as she started walking away.

"I have waited long enough."

---

(Northwestern Skyrim)

A comforting weight rested on its side. The sky was quickly darkening as a fire was lit. Quiet nights like this brought faint flashes of a simpler time when it was less and more than it was now. These insights had been happening more and more as time went on. The changes did not worry it though.

Feeling that weight was all that mattered in this very moment. Any other thought was disregarded. A soft content bleat escaped its mouth.

"Maaah."

Billy relaxed further as the strong steady hand of his Master patted his flank. All was good in the world.

---

(Somewhere)

Thoughts race through my mind as I continue recording the ones I like. Some are kept while many are discarded. The thing that drives me can be elusive at times. Is it passion? Is it determination to do what others only talk about? Is it a desire to finish what was started? Or is it simple boredom? Maybe a combination of all the above.

The dream is so vivid sometimes it astounds me. How could thoughts of other people and things never experienced feel so real despite their insubstantiality? Who is to say it is not all real though? The thoughts and dream could just be a glimpse into a world not my own. Some of the most real things in life are the things we can't see after all.

A smile pulled at the corner of my mouth as I look over my latest poor attempt at humor. Would they think it humorous? Or would they see it as lame? Probably the latter if I am being honest with myself. I know that is how I felt after reviewing it. Still, it was a fun idea so I thought I might as well try it out. Seeing things from different perspectives can give a greater sense of what is going on overall.

Eh no matter. It is definitely time for bed. Perhaps a dream will provide some inspiration about how to find the culprit? Hopefully there won't be dreams of what happens when they catch them though. Those kind of dreams can be disturbing.

---

[AN]: Well it is not a double release, but the chapter is almost twice the normal length so maybe that counts for something? The chapter almost didn't publish since apparently I went over the authors not limit without it warning me. Good thing I logged back on.

Let me know what you think about all the various POVs. Any one you thought was particularly fun or an important one I left out? Let me know what you think.