Skyrim: Dawnguard Chapter 4: Prophet By Danny Buell - deviantART

Skyrim: Dawnguard Chapter 4: Prophet By Danny Buell ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fabricus walked up the stairs to the second level where he followed Isran through a room into a side room. It was a torture chamber with blood splattered all over the walls. Standing in tact was Serana, her arms folded and her gaze stunning as ever. She frowned at Isran. " This is the vampire who showed up while you were away." He frowned. "I'm guessing it is the one you found at Dimhallow crypt. Says it's got something really important to say to you." She folded her arms, smirking. "You weren't probably expecting to see me again." " What are you doing here?" " I'd rather not be here either, but I needed to talk to you. It's important so please just listen before your friend loses his impatience. It's… well, it's about me. And the elder scroll that was buried with me." " What about you?" " The reason why I was down there. The reason why I have the elder scroll. It all comes back to my father. I'm guessing you have figured out this part already, but my father's not exactly a good person, even by vampire standards." Her face dissolved to a more, saddened expression. "He wasn't always like that though. There was a… turn. He stumbled onto this obscure prophecy and just kind of lost himself in it." " What Prophecy?" " The Prophecy said that vampires would no longer need to fear the sun. For someone who fancied himself as vampire royalty, that’s pretty seductive. Anyway, my mother and I didn't feel like inviting a war into Tamriel, so we tried to stop him. That was why I was sealed away with the scroll." " You want us to help you?" " Well, when you say it like that… I meant… you. Unless you convince everyone else into working with a vampire." Fabricus turned to Isran who was grimacing. "Alright, you heard what it has to say. Now tell me this, is there any reason why I shouldn't kill this bloodsucking fiend right now?" " Set your hatred aside and see the big picture, Isran." " Put my hatred aside? Not a chance. It's what keeps me strong." " You don't trust her, fine. Trust me. I believe her." It was that weird feeling in his gut again that told him to say that. He didn't like that feeling so much but he said it without argument. " You better know what you're doing. It can stay for now, but if it so much lays a finger on anyone here, I'll hold you responsible, got it?" He turned back to Serana. "You hear me? Don't feel like a guest, because you're not. You're a resource. An asset. In the meantime, don't make me regret my sudden outburst of tolerance and generosity, because if you do, your friend is going to pay for it." " Thank you for the kindness. I'll remember it the next time I'm feeling hungry." She turned back to Fabricus. "So in case you didn't notice the giant thing on my back, I have the elder scroll with me. Whatever it says, it will have something that will help us against my father. Of course, neither of us can read it." " Who can?" " Well, the moth priests were the only ones I've heard of that can read an elder scroll. They spend years practicing before they can read it, though. Not that it helps us anyways because they're all half a continent away in Cyrodiil."

" Some imperial scholar arrived in Skyrim a few days ago." Said Isran. "I was staking out the road when I saw him pass by. Maybe that's your priest." " Do you know where he is staying now?" " No, and I'm not going to waste all my men looking for him. I'm fighting a war against your kind, and I intend to win it. Go and find travelers or innkeepers and see if they've seen a moth priest. But you're on your own." Serana took in a deep breath and turned back to Fabricus. "Any idea how we’re going to find a moth priest. Skyrim is a big place." " Like Isran said, inns, travelers, and big cities." He thought for a moment. "But I do know where a scholar would go." " Where?" " The College of Winterhold. Come on, I'll get us a carriage driver to take us to Winterhold." *** After a day of safe travel, the reached Winterhold. It was very early in the morning before the sun had even risen. All the townspeople were safe asleep in their homes as the guards patrolled around. The college stood where it always had been, looming over the city in the moonlight. He walked to the steps, slinging his bag over his shoulder. " I remember the college." Started Serana. "Beautiful place. It looks… very different." " It's a fascinating place, really. When I first came to Skyrim, I went to the College for answers. Then I left after becoming a member… then after a year I came back and from time to time I find myself in the library either listening to stories or reading many of the books there." He entered the college, the mages smiling and greeting him for he was a very talented member. " A library, huh? Only one of a kind in Skyrim." She giggled. Fabricus couldn't help but to chuckle. " Indeed, you can't find a good book shop or library in Skyrim. That's why I love it here." They entered the warm main building and went up the stairs to the Library. Serana was shocked when she saw the library. The fire from the fireplace kept the room nice and toasty warm as he motioned her to sit at one of the seats. She did so, picking up one of the books and reading it. Fabricus leaned against Urag's desk. " What brings you back Fabricus?" Asked Urag. " A moth priest, have you seen one?" " Yes." He grunted. "He came in here to study in the library but left for Dragon's bridge. It wasn't too long ago. If you hurry, you can catch him." " How long ago?" " A day. He was with a armed escort so he couldn't have gone far." " Thank you, old friend." " Not a problem." Fabricus opened his coin purse and counted out ten gold coins and left them on Urag's desk. He walked to Serana who was sitting down reading one of the musty smelling books. "Where is the priest?" " Dragon bridge." " Alright, I guess that's where we're going." Fabricus picked up his bag and slung it over his shoulder. After hours of walking, they made camp in the hot springs area of Skyrim. It was peaceful and quiet, not a single animal out. Fabricus pitched camp near one of the water springs and collected wood for their fire. Serana was out for a swim in the glimmering water while Fabricus sat by the fire with his

journal. He got an idea from Sorine of what the Dwemer called a Stylus which was a featherless quill that held ink inside the pen. To keep ink from spilling out of the tip, they designed a twist concept to close the pen. He wrote about his feeling that he had about Serana. He had trust for her but at the same time he didn't. He was battling himself. The Dawnguard didn't like her, and him as a Vampire hunter wasn't suppose to like her but yet he was following her lead anyways. She came from the pool and sat down, wrapped in her cloak to dry herself off. "What is that?" She pointed to his Stylus. " A Stylus. The Dwemer used it when they were alive. I've adopted it and now use it to write my journals. Much easier." He continued to scratch the paper and started to draw in it. " What are you writing?" He stopped and tapped his chin with the top of his pen, his eyes scanning the ink. "Morning star, forth era, two-oh-two. I sit here, conflicted under the night sky and northern lights. I ponder the thoughts of what I am doing. As the Dragonborn, I should be hunting dragons like I did with Alduin but I'm not. Instead, I am traveling with a vampire whose motives are still very unclear. The battle residing in my mind is tearing my feelings apart much as they did when searching for my family. The same reasons that led me to my capture near the border of Helgen by the Imperial army." He paused, breathing in deeply. "And then I haven't got that far." " You are a writer?" He chuckled, his eyes still fixed on the book. "Yeah, I go against my name." " How is that?" " Imperials name their children after the professions they are suppose to take on. My name means the Craftsman while I adventure, write, and paint." " Interesting. So who are Imperials?" " We're a group of conquers that grew in Cyrodiil when the elves enslaved us. It wasn't long till we over threw them." " Is that why it is the seat of an empire?" " No, that happened years later. Tiber Septim, a Nord who was raised in High Rock conquered Skyrim and then the rest of the known world, thus bringing about the second era." " We're in the forth era?" " Exactly. You must have been from the first." " I never knew a man named Tiber Septim." " Well, you were locked up for a very long time." She heaved a long breath of astonishment. "You mentioned something about 'Dragonborn' and hunting dragons, what is that about?" He grinned, trying to find an easy way to put it. "I have the blood of the dragon. I can learn its language or Thu'um as they call it, and use it. The Qostiid -- the prophecy of the Dovahkiin -- Dragonborn was to defeat the mighty World eater, Alduin. It is also my burden to bear when… when losing people." His mind danced to the thought of his loved one, Nydia who once ran a wine shop in Solitude. She moved to High Rock but on the way the caravan was killed by a dragon, she was dead. When the news came to him when walking from Riverwood, he shouted Alduin's name but he never came to the challenge. ALDUIN! COME GET ME! HERE I AM, STOP THE PROPHECY NOW! After watching him gaze into the fire with sad eyes, she trailed on to another topic. "Why are you a Vampire hunter?" " To purge the world of Vampires who prey upon the innocent." " You mentioned a conflict within yourself?" His eyes looked up to her. "I was proven wrong that not all vampires are evil menaces."

She smiled a little and walked to her tent. He went back to scribbling in his journal. She sat back down in front of the fire fully clothed and her cloak left to dry. She held her hands over the fire. "Maybe the gods want us to help each other." He chuckled. "Well, according to legend, I am the resurrection of a god." " You are?" " It is impossible that a dragon mated with a woman and I was born." He grinned to the thought. " So how else could I have the qualities of a man who was ascended to godhood by the divines?" " You just got more interesting." He looked back down to his journal. In the morning they set out, passing Whiterun and taking the road west to Dragon's bridge. When they arrived to the town, he asked the guards who told him a Moth priest went south across the bridge a short while ago. South they went, following the road till they found a carriage with Imperial corpses all over. " What happened?" Asked Serana. Fabricus crouched over one body, removing an ancient arrow. His eyes glanced to a path that led off the road, a trail of blood. He pointed. "Maybe this will lead us?" He picked up and followed the trail, Serana jogging after him. " Wait!" He followed the trail to a cave where he motioned for her to be quiet. He loaded in a Crossbow bolt and stepped into the cave. Fabricus left every feeling about anything or Serana outside the cave. He told her to wait by the entrance and let him handle it. He turned left, dispatching the death hounds that guarded a bridge to a little vampire camp in a old abandoned Nordic fort. Serana watched as his body blended to the shadows and slivered around the bridge and to the fort. When reaching the mouth of the fort wall, he aimed at one of the Vampires relaxing at the bonfire in the center. One by one, he picked off the Vampires while they searched around. When all the vampires were dispatched, he motioned for Serana to come down and join him. They went up the stairs when he drew his sword and sheathed his Crossbow. A single vampire stood holding a Weystone in his hand. Behind him was a blue shield that rested over a priest, the moth priest he assumed. " You'll have to go through me first." He stuffed the stone into his satchel. Fabricus accepted the duel and told Serana to stand back. " So you're Serana's little pet." He grinned. "Harkon told me about you. How you're weak." " Yes, how about you stop talking and let me show you how weak I am." The Vampire charged forward till Fabricus shot his hand out. A glow of blue colored the cave, a sound of thunder boomed. The Vampire was launched off his feet onto the ground, yelling. The lightning bolt didn't kill him but only wounded him. The Vampire got back to his feet, swinging his sword. Fabricus raised his to parry but didn't see the Vampire's claws. He scratched the iron on his helmet. His head was lowered till the Vampire's knee was brought into his face. He fell onto the floor with a grunt while the vampire laughed. " You are weak." Fabricus got to his feet, sheathing his sword. "Come and get me." The Vampire charged, sword cocked behind his body as he sprinted behind him. Fabricus held out his hands. His palms glowed red, fire crackling in a wave of immense heat spilled out of his palms. The Vampire casted a ward spell, the fire splashing against the shield. In that moment, he stepped forward, closer and closer to the vampire. When the ward was broken, Fabricus leaped forward, bringing his fist into the face of the vampire. He collapsed to the ground, spitting out teeth. Fabricus

stood over the Vampire before shooting a spike of Ice through the head of the vampire. "I don't believe I'm weak." He spat. He searched the Vampire before taking the Weystone. He placed the stone on the Alter and watched the shield dissolve, the priest collapsing to the ground. He jogged down the steps from the alter and ran to the side of the priest. He placed two fingers on his neck and felt a weak pulse. " We need to get him back to the fort." Serana knelt down next to him. "How are we going to get him back?" " We walk." He picked up the priest and motioned for Serana to lead the way. He didn't trust her with the Moth Priest. After getting a carriage to take them to Riften where they rode on horse to Dayspring Canyon, Fabricus left the priest with Sorine. She was a better healer than him. Isran pulled Fabricus aside in the main hall. "Hold on." Isran said, tilting Fabricus' head aside and checked his neck for bite marks. "Interesting." He grumbled. " I know." Fabricus stepped back. "I trust her." Isran grumbled something. "It. You can trust it." " No, she's proven more helpful and appears to have no interest in turning me into a vampire." " How did you feed her during your journey?" " A freshly caught rabbit, not cooked." He nodded. "So she eats animals raw?" " Isran, we need her help." " Fine." He sat on a create, waiting. Sorine came into the grand hall with Serana and the Moth Priest. He was what fit Fabricus' image of a moth priest, very old. He wore black robes as he motioned to Sorine that he could walk on his own. He approached Fabricus with his hand out. "Ah, a fellow Imperial. I believe you're the one I should thank." " Don't thank me yet. Have my companions made you feel welcome?" " It's not exactly the hospitality I'm use to, but your man Isran has seen to my needs well enough. And might I add this is a remarkable fortress. I have colleagues back home who would love to study this place in detail." " I'm sure you know about the Elder Scroll. Are you prepared to read it?" " Oh, most certainly! Let's find out what secrets the scroll can tell." Serana handed the priest Dexion the scroll. Fabricus stepped back and folded his arms, watching Dexion pull down the scroll. "I see a vision before me, an image of a great bow. I know this weapon! It is Auriel's bow! Now a voice whispers, saying 'Among the night's children, a dread lord will rise'. In an age of strife, when dragons return to the realm of men, darkness will mingle with light and the night and day will be as one. " The voice fades and words begin to shimmer and distort. But wait, there is more here. The secret of the bow's power is written elsewhere. I think there is more to the prophecy, recorded in other scrolls. Yes, I see them now… one contains the ancient secrets of the dragons, and the other speaks of potency of ancient blood. " My vision darkens, and I see no more. To know the complete prophecy, we must have the other two scrolls." He folded the scroll back up, breathing heavily. "I must rest now. Reading has made me weary." " Come on." Said Isran. "You should get some rest."