Dragonborn Rising Ch. 50

Chapter 50 -- Serana

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It had taken another two days to cross Skyrim to arrive at the docks where the boat for the castle still sat in the calm water. Tying our horses, ensuring they had enough food to survive, I rowed us across, both of us wrapped in furs as the weather had turned on our way north. Once docked, Serena led the way, having told me all about the castle on route, telling me about the secret entrances, hallways and rooms, and she was quite proud of the fact that she knew more about the castle than her father. She was confident we'd get in and out without being noticed.

Walking together, the castle towered over us, craning our necks to see it. "Castle looks big from down here," she said.

"Someone compensating?" I joked.

She gave me a look and smiled. Then my face fell as I immediately remembered. She noticed and grabbed my hand. "Don't," she said, "Because I know what you meant."

"It's just... you know... I feel like I should watch..."

"I'm not going to take offence to every bad joke, Ragnar. Trust me. I told you because I wanted to. I've already moved on." She stopped and gave me a hug. "I know it was a shock," she added softly.

"It made me... angry. Probably nothing like you."

"My anger disappeared a long time ago now, Ragnar. Now I just want..." She sighed. "I just want an end to all this madness."

There may have been a secret entrance into the castle but between that and where we wanted to be, there were still plenty of traps and monsters waiting for us. Serana at least knew how to deal with the traps, ensuring they were reset once we passed them, while the enemies we dealt with were those I generally fought. We did fight one or two what she called 'feral' vampires, likely those cast out of her father's presence.

The part of the castle we were going through was practically ruins, amazing some of it was still standing. But it was when we exited out into the courtyard that I realised finding her mother might be more difficult than imagined, and it was the first time I saw Serana truly upset.

"Oh no... What happened to this place? Everything's been torn down... the whole place looks... well, dead. It's like we're the first to set foot here in centuries." I watched her walk around, upset and possibly a little confused. She grabbed my hand and led me to what had once been a huge set of double doors, now boarded up. "This used to lead into the castle's great hall. It looks like my father had it sealed up."

"Why would he do that?"

She gave me a look and probably didn't feel confident enough to answer. She led me towards the now obviously dead garden. "This was my mother's garden. It... do you know how beautiful something can be when it's tended by a master for hundreds of years? She would have hated to see it like this."

I couldn't think of something to say without being completely corny with perhaps a little sweetness on top. Again, she gave me a look. I swear she always knew what I was thinking. We continued to walk around, searching for a way through, when she stopped next to what looked like a sundial but wasn't, explaining it was a moondial.

And it was a puzzle, as there were some crests missing that we found around the courtyard. Once they were in position, a secret passage entered, one Serana had no idea existed. It felt like we continued to climb after that, battling our way through numerous gargoyles, skeletons and other creatures that reacted to our presence. With her magic and my brawn, we made short work of nearly everything, only the gargoyles causing concern if more than two or three woke up at once.

It was a long climb, and we had to find the key for more than one secret entrance on the way, her mother obviously paranoid about her father finding her. But we eventually came to a door that looked different to the rest, and it was after passing through that we entered some sort of laboratory. That's when Serana seemed to get a little excited.

"Look at this place. This has to be it! I knew she was deep into necromancy. I mean, she taught me everything I know. But I had no idea she had a setup like this."

I found my hand grabbed again as I was led around. While it had clearly been abandoned for a long time, everything on display seemed like it had only been picked and bought yesterday. Probably something to do with the air. Or magic. Serana led me from shelf to shelf. "Look at all this. She must have spent years collecting these components."

"They look fresh too."

"Mother would have made sure everything would have survived a million years. The air does feel a little different in here."

Stopping near something on the ground, she slowly walked around it. "And what's this thing? I'm not sure about this circle, but it's obviously... something."

I had no idea so asked, "Where do you think your mother is? She's clearly not here. From the looks of it, she hasn't been here for a very long time."

"No, you're right. Let's take a look around. There has to be something here that tells us where she's gone. I remember she used to keep a small journal. Let's see if that's hidden around somewhere."

She let go of my hand as we wandered around the laboratory. As we did, I asked a few questions about her mother and what she researched. Serana mentioned necromancy again. I had a feeling Serana was also interested in it though she'd certainly not used any sort of spells in front of me. Maybe she thought I'd judge her over that?

I eventually found the journal, hiding in plain sight. Handing it over, Serana got excited again as it pretty much explained what her mother was looking for and, more importantly, what we would need to find her. The circle on the floor was a portal, and all we needed was some ingredients we found located around the laboratory. When it came to needing her mother's blood, it took me to suggest that she shared the same blood. That made her smile and kiss me for such a smart idea.

As she prepared the formula, she told me more about the Soul Cairn, as it was obviously something well outside my realm of knowledge. I did wonder if even Mirabelle knew what it was. Apparently it was a realm of Oblivion, run by a group called the Ideal Masters. Having learned about her father, all too much in some instances, I thought I'd ask about her mother.

"What will we do when we find her?"

That made her stop and think. "I've been asking myself the same thing since we came back to the castle. She was so sure of what we did to my father, I couldn't help but go along with her. I never thought of the cost."

"You were never asked?"

She gave me a look but scoffed. "No, I was told, not asked. I guess they were both pretty selfish. She was practically smirking as we left home. Almost like she was proud of herself. Like she didn't want to just stop my father... she wanted to stick it to him, too."

"Guess you might have to have words with her too."

"Well, unlike my father, she might actually listen to me. Probably not though." Once the concoction was complete, she placed it into the vessel and the portal opened up. It was like nothing I'd seen before. "By the blood of my ancestors... She actually did it... created a portal to the Soul Cairn. Incredible," she stated in awe.

Like usual, I led the way but, this time, I paid for it immediately. At one moment, I was stepping down. The next, I was flat on my back and feeling rather sore. Serana was at my side immediately, looking down at me with concern. "Okay, what happened?" I groaned.

"Now that I think about it... I should have expected that. Sorry. It's hard to describe. The Soul Cairn is... well, hungry, for lack of a better word. It's trying to take your life essence as payment."

She helped me to my feet, giving my head a shake. "So I can't get in?"

"There might be, but I don't think you're going to like it. Vampires aren't counted among the living. I could probably go through there without a problem."

"Ah, so... I become a vampire?"

"Not your first choice, I guess." I just shrugged. She clearly gave it a little thought before continuing. "We could just "pay the toll" another way. It wants a soul, so we give it a soul. Yours."

"I'm not sure if that sounds better or worse."

"My mother taught me a trick or two. I could partially soul trap you, and offer that gem to the Ideal Masters. It might be enough to satisfy them. It would make you a bit weaker when we travel through the Soul Cairn, but we might be able to fix that once we're inside. Maybe."

"Can I give it a little thought?"

"Take your time." She grabbed my hand, giving it a squeeze. "I'm sorry. I wish I knew a better way, something that would be easier for you. Just know that... whatever path you choose, I won't think any less of you. Sometimes things just have to be done. I know that better than anybody."

I walked away for a few minutes as, well, part of me was intrigued by the first option. I made up my mind but continued to think it over, and once I returned to Serana, who watched me intently, I asked, "Is there a cure?"

She nodded. "There is but you need to find a mage capable of performing the ritual. I don't know of one myself."

"As long as there is a cure. For me, that is."

"Are you saying..." She didn't complete the question as I just nodded. "Are you sure, Ragnar? I mean, really sure about this?"

I stepped forward and gently dragged her towards me, moulding her body into mine. Leaning down to her ear, I whispered, "I trust you, Serana." She hugged me tightly in return.

"Turning someone is a very... personal thing for vampires. It's intimate. For us."

"How intimate?"

She proved it by kissing me. And this was no ordinary peck, like what we'd done before. This was a proper kiss, the sort that caused my body to react and I was left with no doubt of her feelings for me as we did. Breaking apart finally, she looked into my eyes and caressed my cheek. "I promise to try and make this as painless as possible. Hold still."

She kissed me again and, once she figured I was comfortable, she didn't delay and, well, bit me. It hurt a little bit. Actually, it hurt a lot. But it wasn't just that. I felt... weird. Very weird. Then I passed out for a while.

Coming to I'm not sure how much later, I felt... dead. I checked for a heartbeat and found I didn't have one. All the aches and pains had also disappeared. No hunger. No pain. No... anything. Serana offered her hand and helped me to my feet. "How do you feel?"

"Different. Guess it'll take time getting used to."

"As soon as we're done here, we'll look into getting your cured, Ragnar."

Now entering the Soul Cairn was easy. And it was like nothing I'd ever seen before. To call it weird would be an understatement. And passing the lost souls was a little disturbing. We walked and talked as always, Serana telling me what she'd learned about the Soul Cairn, her mother obviously having experimented for years about trying to find entrance, and it was obvious that Serana had had more than a passing interest in it too.

I had to ask one simple question. "Are you sure your mother has the Elder Scroll?"

"No, but there's no way she would have left it in Tamriel. She wanted to get it as far away from my father as possible. I can't imagine a better place."

"What if she doesn't?"

"Then we find out where she hid it. If she's still alive... well, as alive as she was before. Or is now. Or... you know what I mean."

She was cute when stumbling over her words, unable to stop the chuckle. All she did was grab my hand and give me a gentle bump. We walked for what felt like hours, and I had suggested we head to what looked like buildings. If she was going to be anywhere, she'd be there. We stuck to what looked like paths, not trusting anything around us. In the distance, I could see numerous towers. Lightning, or what looked like lightning, spread across the sky. The place was eerie. I don't know how anyone would feel comfortable living there.

The reunion when we found her mother was about what I expected. A little warmer than when I delivered her to her father, but any sort of welcome would have been better than that. What concerned me is that she appeared trapped behind a barrier. Valerica immediately started to worry about Serana and why she was there before she turned her attention to me. Immediately suspicious of me, she wondered why I was with Serana. In fact, her mother was rather unhappy I'd been brought along at all, and she pissed me off when starting to question my motives, particularly after explaining Serana's role in the prophecy. Basically, the pair of them were pure-blooded vampires, Daughters of Coldharbour as Serana had already explained, and that the prophecy her father obsessed with required her blood. It was why Valerica had hidden herself away, as she was pure-blooded too.

"You're saying that Harkon means to kill Serana?"

"If Harkon obtained Auriel's Bow and Serana's blood was used to taint the weapon, the Tyranny of the Sun would be complete. In his eyes, she'd be dying for the good of all vampires."

"Like hell I'll let that happen."

"And how do you intend on stopping him?"

"I'll kill him."

She scoffed at me. "You care nothing for Serana or our plight. Whether or not you've become one of us in order to survive the Soul Cairn, you're still a vampire hunter at heart. You're here because we're abominations in your mind. Evil creatures that need to be destroyed." She turned to Serana. "This stranger may call himself a vampire, but he knows nothing of our struggle, Why should I entrust you to him?"

"This "stranger" has done more for me in the brief time I've known him than you've done in centuries!"

"How dare you! I gave up everything I cared about to protect you from that fanatic you call a father!"

"Yes, he's a fanatic... he's changed. But he's still my father. Why can't you understand how that makes me feel?"

The heartbreak in her voice... It was only because of her mother that I didn't immediately go to hold her. "Oh, Serana. If you'd only open your eyes. The moment your father discovers your role in the prophecy, that he needs your blood, you'd be in terrible danger."

"So to protect me you decided to shut me away from everything I cared about? You never asked me if hiding me in that tomb was the best course of action, you just expected me to follow you blindly. Both of you were obsessed with your own paths. Your motivations might have been different, but in the end, I'm still just a pawn to you, too." The heartbreak in her voice broke me, and when she looked at me and I saw the tears, I went to her as she went to me, feeling her head bury itself into my chest. Her mother wisely stayed quiet. I'm not sure how long I held her before she raised her head, turning to look at her mother. "I wanted us to be a family again. But I don't know if we can ever have that. Maybe we don't deserve that kind of happiness. Maybe it isn't for us." She looked at me again. "All I know is that I now have Ragnar here with me. He'll do anything to help me, to keep me alive."

"I'm sorry, Serana. I didn't know... I didn't see. I've allowed my hatred of your father to estrange us for too long. Forgive me. If you want the Elder Scroll, it's yours."

Valerica then gave us the bad news, that to dispel the barrier, we needed to kill the Keepers. Three of them in fact. She could at least point us in their general direction and wished us luck, and actually sounded like she meant it. As we walked away, I asked Serana about the reunion, and she admitted it felt good to get things off her chest. From what she said, she'd always been closer to her mother anyway, and even before the ritual with Molag Bal, she hadn't been close with her father. After what happened, she obviously put even more distance between them, and admitted that she was simply caught in the middle between two power-hungry parents, both obsessed with their own path. I could only feel sorry for her.

Finding and killing the Keepers wasn't all that difficult. They were big, ugly bastards, and not wanting to waste too much time, I used my Thu'um three times, simply blowing them off the enormous towers on which they resided. Serana joked, calling it cheating, but neither of us wanted to get into long battles. I just wanted the Scroll and to get out of the Soul Cairn. Serana could see I was a little uncomfortable being a vampire, simply holding my hand whenever we walked.

After killing the third one, we returned to her mother, who appeared surprised we'd done the job so quickly. That's when I gave my own revelation about who I was. She didn't know all that much about the Dragonborn, so I gave her a show of my own power. Whether she was impressed or not, I'm not sure, but she was certainly more friendly than before, even answering a few questions I had about how she'd become trapped in the Soul Cairn.

Then she revealed that the Scroll was hidden away elsewhere, in a place called the Boneyard. And that we should watch out for a dragon named Durnehviir, who would now be investigating due to the deaths of the Keepers. Apparently he was as tied to this place as she was. That didn't sound good.

Crossing the courtyard, there was a sound I knew all too well, unsheathing my sword as a dragon appeared above us. No ordinary dragon, there was something magical about him. I simply issued instructions to mother and daughter, using my Thu'um next to bring the dragon down.

He was powerful, I'll give him that, but had no answer to the power of my Thu'um. With the magical abilities of mother and daughter with me, killing the dragon took time, but they were a welcome distraction, allowing me to get in close and quickly land the killing blow. Once dead, I didn't absorb the soul, figuring that the dragon wouldn't have had one.

Turning to the other two, Serana simply smiled while Valerica looked at me in what I would call wonder. "Forgive my astonishment, but I never thought I'd witness the death of that dragon."

Still, it was good news, and her mother was able to find the Scroll, handing it over to her daughter. We walked back to her now open prison, turning to both of us. "You both should be on your way. Stopping Harkon is the most important thing." Serana looked a little unsure before finally stepped forward to give her mother a hug. When Valerica closed her eyes, I knew what that gesture meant. "I should speak alone with this Dragonborn friend of yours, Serana. Can you give me a minute?"

"Sure."

Serana walked away, giving me space, Valerica gesturing for me to come closer. "You love her?" she asked bluntly.

"I do," I admitted, unable to stop the smile, though I realised I'd just told her mother before telling Serana.

But, still, it made her smile. "She loves you. There is no doubt in my mind. The way she looks at you..." She paused a moment. "You were human before this?"

"Serana turned me before entering. I plan to cure myself."

"And Serana?"

"Is under my protection. What she wants to do is her decision."

She stepped forward to grab my hand. "I can't make you promise, but please, Dragonborn, ensure my daughter lives. I know I've made some terrible decisions, her father more so, but the most important thing is my daughter. Do not allow her to be sacrificed on the whim of some mad man."

"You now know about my gift. Harkon will rue the day he even thought about this prophecy."

"Don't get over-confident, but with you at her side, I can rest easy for a while."

"Once all this is over, if Serana wants to, we can return here and take you home."

She smiled. "And I can see exactly why she loves you. I was hesitant at first, Dragonborn, about your motives. But... I'm glad you are by her side."

Returning to Serana, we would have just walked out of the Soul Cairn, but we were stopped by Durnehviir. I was ready to fight him again before he asked to simply speak with me. It was another long and rather interesting conversation with a dragon, and his was another sorry tale of how he ended up trapped in the Soul Cairn. Having bested him in battle, like Odahviing, he offered his services. If I Shouted his name, he would be released from the Soul Cairn, at least briefly. Being a noble animal, and blood kin to me, I could only reply favourably to such a request. That pleased him, giving me thanks, before he flew away.