I am Lena Wolf, Lena's life as it happens Options

[Lena Wolf]

Hello everyone,

I am new to this forum - just moved from Bethesda.net which is closing. I have been writing Lena's story for the past half a year or so, she travels in Cyrodiil and Skyrim, does stuff and lives her life. This is not a novel - it has a beginning but no end, until she dies, which is hopefully not for a long while yet. It is a saga, a feuilleton - as they used to say in the old days - the story develops as it is being written, bit by bit. I hope you like it.

I have more than a hundred entries written already, so I am not going to repost them all here, unless you really want me to. They are all published in my blog: MasserAndSecunda.wordpress.com which I started as a way to keep track of things for myself and keep everything in one place.

I shall now repost a few of those entries here, so as to introduce you to the characters and some key points that get referred to later on.

The running story takes place in the 4th Era, taking off in year 4E201. I had to twist the arm of the lore a bit to correct false accounts on a few things that allegedly took place in the 200 years since the Oblivion Crisis. But we all know how easily false accounts become "historical thruths", so I have no qualms about that. 😀 And yes, a lot of people that Lena met back in the day, were still around 200 years later. Considering how much mixing has been going on in Cyrodiil between men and mer for thousands of years, most people have some Elven blood in them, so the question of life span becomes rather academic.

Thank you for reading and I hope to engage with you all! You'll see me around - and I'll be reading so many good stories that people have posted here!

Yours -
Lena Wolf


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Contents

Chapter 1 - Finding her feet (scroll down)

Exerpts posted here, see stories at Masser and Secunda for more.

13 Frost Fall, 4E201 - 16 Sun’s Dawn, 4E202
Cyrodiil.
Introducing Lena Wolf, Hauk Serck-Hanssen, Lucien Lachance, Geralt of Rivia, Jowan Angwin, Fenris Bero, Garrus Darelliun.

Chapter 2 - Matters of the heart (scroll down)

19 Sun’s Dawn - 4 Mid-Year, 4E202
Skyrim, Cyrodiil, Lena's first trip to the Fade, Shivering Isles.
Introducing Dylan, Sanguine, Rayenna.

Chapter 3 – Choice and Judgement

4-5 Mid-Year - 20 Last Seed, 4E202
Cyrodiil.

Chapter 4 – Travels and Revelations

21-23 Last Seed, 4E202 - 25 Morning Star, 4E203
Skyrim, Cyrodiil, Elsweyr, Valenwood, Lena's second trip to the Fade, memories of Temeria, Antaloor as a pocket of the Void.
Hauk departing for Morrowind; introducing Azarath Salvel.
Geralt finding his way in Skyrim.

Chapter 5 – Bonds

30 Morning Star - 7 Midyear, 4E203
Shivering Isles, Skyrim, Gransys, Albion; introducing Scorpio.
Hauk Serck-Hanssen, Lucien Lachance - Morrowind.
4th Era, Year Unknown - Gransys; introducing Rook.

Chapter 6 – The White Wolf

7 Sun’s Dawn, 4E195 - 11 Last Seed, 4E203
Geralt of Rivia - the Northern Realms, Skyrim.
Introducing Yennefer of Vengerberg.

Chapter 7 – Shards

Last Seed, 4E203 - Second Seed, 4E204
Vermund, Battahl, Gransys.

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Chapter 1

Finding her feet

I am Lena Wolf

I am Lena Wolf. I was born on the 17th of Sun's Height, 3E417, in Cyrodiil to a Breton mother, and therefore was declared Breton. I have never been to High Rock, so when Hadvar promised to inform High Rock of my execution in Helgen later on, it made no sense at all. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. When I was 4 years old, my mother died of swamp fever, and our Argonian neighbour took me in. She was old already then, so we called her Gran. Gran always hinted that my unknown father was not unknown at all, just that it was best to keep it quiet until time comes. Time for what? Who knows. Wait and see.

As I turned 16, Gran got older still, and one day said there was something very important that she had to impart to me before her passing. She still couldn't name my father, but, she said, when the time was right, I should go to Skyrim to find out. How was I to know when that would be? Oh, not for a while yet, not for a long while. And she died.

Freedom at 16 proved exhilarating at first and cold and hungry soon after. Having tried this and that without much success and having had enough of goblins stealing my sweetrolls, I walked into Bravil's Mages Guild hoping to steal one of theirs. Instead, I found myself being thrust at a dinner table and loaded with all sorts of food, sweetrolls included. The mages took me in, taught me magic towards which I appeared to be inclined, taught me alchemy for the body, soul and enemies, and gave me a reason to venture into the caves in search of wisp stalks. The guards kept joking seeing me returning from my expeditions with yet another rusty sword or piece of armour, but the local smith fixed them up for me and taught me a few moves. Finally the goblins were getting their come-uppence!

Fighters Guild was not for me. Yes, I dealt with the headmistress's son in Chorrol and with the cowardly elf in Skingrad, and yes, the lich took some effort and lots of Freds to defeat, but I got bored with the routine and sort of quit. Well, got busy elsewhere. Free-lancing with Dark Brotherhood proved infinitely more fun, they didn't mind my vampirism, and Oblivion gates needed taking care of, too.

That disaster sorted, life got back to normal. Of course by then I found a cure for vampirism and joined the Arcane University, right on cue to face the King of Worms. Fortunately, Uncle Sheo decided to look in on us right about then, and the Shivering Isles provided a spot of sanity in a world gone mad. I still spend every autumn there.

So what do I do these days? I live. I potter about. I keep my home free from goblins and rats. I roast dreugh for dinner. I occasionally take a contract for another Ayleid sculpture or another bag of Welkynd stones. There's always a lich in someone's basement or a bunch of scamps needing a good home. And one day I'll go to Skyrim to find that important thing, but the time hasn't come yet.

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28 Last Seed, 3E433 – Lena’s Story begins

Lena Wolf's story begins at 16. Being quite young and still inexperienced, that last sweetroll she stole finally landed her in the Imperial Prison, and the story of the Oblivion Crisis was set in motion.

Everyone knows how that went, so we'll skip the details. Lena delivered the Amulet of Kings and was sent to Kvatch to fetch Martin, but went to Bravil first, stopped by the Mages Guild there hoping for a sweetroll that wouldn't land her back in Imperial Prison, got caught by the mages, but not handed over to the guard but fed and accepted into the guild instead... And what with one thing and another, she got completely side tracked by everything happening at once, including closing many Oblivion gates and fighting necromancers and vampires. She didn't realise what the Porphyric Hemophilia thing was until one morning she woke up a vampire herself! The mages still treated her well like before and she could progress in the guild, but the Fighters Guild wouldn't even talk to her - "We don't want your sort here!" The same with most merchants, but not all - for example the chap at the Main Ingredient in the Imperial City wasn't afraid at all and traded as normal, so we always shop there whenever we're in town.

Lena must have killed some non-bandit by mistake because Lucien turned up at night, and there of course at the Sanctuary she met another vampire and no one was bothered by her occasional feeding (although she usually didn't feed on guild members but rather on beggars and often went hungry as it came with benefits, not just curses). So eventually she progressed far enough in the Mages Guild that the Count of Skingrad hinted that perhaps they could help each other...

By the time she cured her vampirism and got to finally ousting Mehrunes Degon out of Cyrodiil, nearly 3.5 years have passed, bringing it to Sun's Dawn 3E437. The 3rd Era was coming to an end. Then Uncle Sheo decided to look in, and a mad prophet turned up in Anvil.

The Oblivion Crisis affair had her run around a lot and win a prestigious title, and I guess she should carry that title with pride, but in truth she'd rather forget about the whole thing, as well as Martin's panicked reaction there. Some Emperor he turned out to be! Perhaps it's true that you need to grow up as one.

With the Dark Brotherhood she advanced rather far, although not quite to the top. She only joined because Lucien said that being a vampire was fine and also he knew her mother. He probably lied about that, but who knows. She didn't mind the work, I guess she is not a do-gooder. So she wasn't even considering questing for the Knights of The Nine and simply killed the prophet. Oops! He, err, ate something rotten, it appears.

But the one title she enjoyed was that of Lord Sheogorath. What fun we had! Sanguine practically moved in to the New Sheoth palace, and Hircine had the time of his life running around the countryside chasing Gnarls. Why, even Vermina melted seeing the whole population of Dementia having nightmares all on their own. Meridia of course had to lecture everyone on their lack of virtue, so we sent her packing. But then Sheo himself returned, and in his usual charming manner first joined in and then kicked everyone out, Lena included. Jygg messed up his head, I'm telling you.

As for the Thieves Guild, Lena declined their every invitation. She's no thief. Gosh, I think I found a virtue!

The 4th Era saw Lena venturing out again, from now on always avoiding to deliver any suspicious amulets, and being watchful of the Hemophilia thingy. She had plenty of dealings with daedra - no, the closure of the Oblivion Crisis did not in fact prevent the daedra from entering the Mundus in the future, but it did cool things off a bit.

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12 First Seed, 4E195 - Flotsam

Lena Wolf returned from her stay in the Shivering Isles only to find that nearly 200 years had passed in Mundus in the meantime. She was no longer a "current" citizen, having missed the census for so long, and all her property had been repossessed by the Empire. Even her Mages Guild membership had been revoked. This was more than upsetting, and Lena boarded the first ship out of Anvil. It was bound for the Northern Realms.

The Northern Realms were kingdoms on the other side of the Great Maelstrom of the Middle Ocean. The journey was long and perilous, and even time itself was said to dilate along the way. People rarely made the journey more than once in their lifetimes, except for the ship's crew of course. Those sailors were tough, and inspired confidence. Lena was leaving.

The Northern Realms were at war. A constant war with each other and with the Southern kingdoms where Nilfgaard was building an empire. This had been going on for so long - for centuries - that people mostly ignored it, except when the menfolk got drafted to fight for the current king. The people still kept to the old country names, paying no heed to the king in charge.

Lena found herself in a small border town named Flotsam. It was a port on a major river and proved as refined as its name suggested. But the town had no resident healer, and Lena saw an opportunity. Her skills in magic and alchemy could be put to a good use, and with the help of a local herbalist she updated her herb knowledge and opened a practice.

Despite all odds, life in Flotsam proved quiet and largely uneventful. Trade flourished and there was no shortage of work for a healer. One day an old witcher walked in, badly wounded, looking to buy some herbs.

"I can't let you go anywhere" - was Lena's response. "I've got a bed free, you need to rest."

But despite Lena's best efforts augmented with the witcher's special potions, the witcher was not recovering. His wolf medallion kept buzzing - magic or danger, it was both, and he was dying.

The old man knew something though, or had seen something. He gave Lena his medallion and said that she should search for a white wolf with the same sort of trinket, and that it would make her complete once she found him. And then the old witcher died.

Wait, didn't we hear such a story before? First her Argonian grandmother telling her on her deathbed to search for something extremely important in Skyrim, and now this story about a medallion-wearing wolf?

But one day at the market Lena bumped into a fellow with white hair, and a shiver went down her spine. Yep, he wasn't looking where he was going and got her with the tip of his enchanted sword. A few choice recommendations were ready to roll off Lena's tongue when she spotted a wolf medallion around the fellow's neck. So, instead of giving him a piece of her mind, she politely enquired whether Master Witcher would be good enough to stop by her practice after hours because she needed his expert advice on a small, ah, matter. Flattery will get you everywhere, and come evening, the White Wolf turned up at her house.

"I am Geralt of Rivia - at your service."

Recalling the words of the old witcher, Lena was expecting a certain turn of events that would make her complete, at least for the night. But boy was she mistaken. The shiver that went down her spine back at the market, wasn't from any sword enchantment - it was her wolf medallion buzzing like mad near Geralt (Lena took to wearing the medallion because it went with her last name so nicely). The old witcher had re-enchanted the amulet with her essence, so it responded quite violently to another being with a similar essence. Lena and Geralt were related.

Having talked through most of the night, they got through a lot of Cyrodillic Brandy and Argonian Bloodwine, and having eliminated the impossible, the only remaining conclusion, no matter how far-fetched, was that they must be siblings. Having given up her first child with the unknown but obviously important Nord, Lena's mother kept the second child, and swore to raise her daughter in ignorance of the great heritage that made her son into the White Wolf and hoping that the little girl would be spared world-shattering responsibilities. Ha!

Since that chance meeting in Flotsam, Lena and Geralt never really lost sight of each other, although never paraded their connection either. As both of them were in the habit of regularly freaking out local world leaders, church heads and powerful sorcerers, it seemed prudent not to aggravate matters too much.

Geralt got embroiled in local politics despite his best judgement, then the war broke out for real with the Nilfgardian Empire invading the North. Death and destitution was everywhere. Lena made her way to Novigrad and boarded a ship back to Cyrodiil.

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Hauk Serc-Hanssen

Iver and Hauk Serc-Hanssen were twins born under The Lord on 21 First Seed 4E151. They were Nords, and as such were expected to become warriors. Nords value their traditions, and Nords living in Cyrodiil do so even more, although admittedly many of them have taken in too much of the mildness of Nibenay to be called sons and daughters of Skyrim. So when the boys started showing above average abilities in magic, their parents blamed the very soil of Cyrodiil for "mellowing" their children. The Serc-Hanssens were definitively the Nord sons of Cyrodiil.

"Well, if they are going to be mages, let them be battlemages at least" - was their father's verdict. And the boys were enrolled into education with the Mages Guild as well as training with the Legion.

At twenty, Iver and Hauk had joined both the Arcane University and the Imperial Legion, and have completed their Battlemage training. Then the Great War broke out. Iver was drafted into regular forces, but Hauk was sent to Skyrim to a special unit - scouts, messengers, liaisons, logistics, that sort of thing. At least, this was the official designation.

Nobody knows what that unit actually did in Skyrim, and those who know will never tell, so it's safe to assume they were maintaining a covert front behind the enemy lines. The unit wasn't large, so it was easy to disperse it without a trace after the war. Some even claim that the unit never existed - after all, Hauk had been seen on the front lines of many official campaigns... or was that Iver? Who could tell! They were twins, after all...

After the war, Iver and Hauk left active service with the Legion and returned to the Mages Guild, doing smaller assignments, training new apprentices, and generally settling back into a civilian life style. Iver got busy with the Guild and the University, while Hauk... well... Hauk kept disappearing from time to time, for several weeks or even months on end, then suddenly coming back looking like he had spent all this time outdoors and in cold water. Hauk looked out of place among mages that never left the comforts and security of the walls of the Imperial City, so he left his Mage's Staff and a few other important things with Iver at the University and joined the Legion again. Or had he ever left?

Years later, when Travis became the Arch Mage and banned necromancy, Hauk got into an argument regarding limiting the types of spells available to battlemages - the "code of conduct" was Travis' idea and Hauk disagreed. But arguments with the Arch Mage are doomed to failure, so not wanting to be banished from the Guild altogether, Hauk boarded a ship to Antaloor and was gone for several years - enough time to cool things off. Upon his return he was made to understand that although formally he would still remain a Mages Guild Evoker, he did not need to expect any assignments or promotions from the Guild.

At 50, Hauk found himself bored with nothing to do, and no family to take care of. Neither he nor Iver ever married, but Iver was still busy with the University and with the Guild, while Hauk... he wasn't exactly too old for the Legion, but there were no wars going on, apart from the usual regional conflicts that were as repetitive as they were pointless. Would he be interested in training up some recruits? No, thank you. Well, then... exactly. They had nothing of interest for him either.

One day Hauk stopped by the Arcane University to see Iver when he spotted a new member - a new apprentice, he was told. She didn't look new, she looked like she had done it all before and was simply going through the motions. She was also making some custom spells that were much too complex for a new apprentice. Who was she? Things didn't add up.

A few enquiries with the older members of the Guild made it very clear that whoever she was, Lena Wolf was not a novice and not a youngster, despite her youthful appearance. There was mystery there, some darkness perhaps, but Hauk was not a shiny new penny either. Lena was muttering to herself about doing some adventuring to raise funds for a house... raiding some Ayleid ruins in search of ancient statues and Welkynd stones... doing some contracts for the Fighters Guild - the sorts of things that "regular" warriors would rather avoid, like fighting liches and wraiths... What fun! Hauk would introduce himself and offer to join her. Let the new life begin.

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5 Sun's Dusk, 4E201 - Lena and Hauk meet

Skyrim can wait. Back in Cyrodiil Lena still has a lot to do. She needs to get back her house in Bravil which got repossessed by the county under the feeble excuse that Lena had been absent for a couple of centuries. So what! She had business in the Shivering Isles - time passes differently there, and longevity is not an issue for a vampire anyway... ex-vampire... What does it matter?!

The house got taken, and there's nothing left to do but to buy it again. Which requires funds, which in turn requires some serious adventuring.

Thinking these serious thoughts, and possibly muttering to herself, Lena spent some time at the Arcane University making custom spells and picking ingredients in that lovely garden of theirs, as well as shopping in the Market District. There, quite absent-mindedly, she bumped into something shiny. Looking up and shielding her eyes, she realised that she was looking at a highly polished suit of steel armour, probably the best looking steel armour in the whole of Tamriel. Inside it was a tall Nord on the better side of 40.

Hauk Serck-Hanssen was a Mages Guild battlemage, currently doing what all soldiers do in peace times - nothing. Hauk was a Mages Guid Evoker, just like his twin brother Iver (who insisted on dropping his last name out of false sense of modesty), but unlike Iver, Hauk was not a "proper" battlemage. "It doesn't become a battlemage to meddle with schools of Illusion or Conjuration - such mind-altering magic is for vampires and necromancers!" - you'd think Arch Mage Travis would have outlawed those schools along with Necromancy, given half a chance. Hauk took no notice of this new order of decent behaviour, and as a result his assignments became far and few between.

Picking up Lena's muttering about "needing to raid a few Ayleid ruins for Welkynd stones" and "going goblin hunting in Skingrad County", he put on his most gallant expression and introduced himself - "On behalf of the battlemages, may I welcome you to the Arcane University--" and then cleverly did not say "Recruit" or "Apprentice". Because this is not how you get into the good books of a young and pretty Breton who somehow does not seem to be in her early 20s as her looks might suggest.

But instead: "Can I be of some assistance on the goblin hunt, not that you would need any, of course?"

Why, what do you know! Adventuring with a friend is so much more fun! Lena's University life just got more interesting.

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24 Sun's Dusk, 4E201 - Dragons - The White Wolf

Later at Olav's the conversation was light, both Lena and Hauk avoiding the topic of dragons. Then Hauk could avoid it no longer.

"Tell me about the dragons in Skyrim."

"Well, there isn't that much to tell. I went over the border about a month ago - just before we met, in fact. You've heard about the Skyrim bandits that used to terrorise the border regions, well, I read they were finally defeated - again, so probably not for the last time. But it was safe to cross just then. My adoptive grandmother told me on her death bed that there was something important I had to do in Skyrim, but I never knew what. To do or to see or to find out - that was all unclear. I've been to Skyrim before a few times and nothing particularly important happened, so I didn't think this time would be any different.

"But this time it started strange and it continued even stranger, which is why I returned to Cyrodiil within a week.

"Firstly, as I was crossing the border, I got arrested by the Imperial Legion and sentenced to beheading - although they admitted that I was not on the list."

"That sounds a bit harsh!" Hauk interjected, although he could believe it perfectly. "Did they at least know what you've supposedly done?"

"I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I was captured together with Ulfrick Stormcloack - the rebellion leader. He was the one they were after, and everyone else - me and another fellow - was coming along for the ride."

"Sounds about right. So how is it that you're still alive? Although I can see now why you are not in Skyrim."

"Oh, that has nothing to do with it. Just as they were getting started with the executions, a dragon attacked and sent everyone running for cover. It was breathing fire and chaos was complete. One of those rebels was trying to pull me to come with them, but I followed an Imperial soldier instead."

"That seems like a strange decision considering that the Legion was going to execute you!"

"Not really. The Legion is methodical and prefers to err on the side of caution - better execute one too many than one too few - but they are also level-headed, and I figured they'd reconsider my sentence, especially since I wasn't on their list to begin with. The rebels on the other hand, looked hot-headed, and anyhow I did not want to get embroiled in Skyrim politics."

"So who sent the dragon?"

"No one knows. But I think no one sent the dragon. I think this was a coincidence and the dragon business is unrelated to the rebellion. They also have Thalmor patrols everywhere searching for the cult of Talos - and that too is unrelated."

"Yes, we got ourselves in a right mess with the Thalmor."

"Well, that Imperial soldier took me to a nearby village - his uncle was a blacksmith there, and they made me welcome, I don't see why. But apparently helping the guy fight the rebels back in Helgen counted as 'saving his life', although I was mostly trying to save mine."

"I bet you fought bravely and impressed him, plus you didn't put an arrow between his shoulder blades. That counts for a lot in Skyrim."

"I suppose so. They asked me just to do one thing for them - to go to their local town and inform the jarl about the dragon, ask him to send some guards to this village in case a dragon turns up there. Ok, that's the least I could do. Plus, I ran into my brother there, and figured I'd be staying for a while."

"You have a brother?"

"I do. It's a long story for another time. He stayed in Skyrim, so if we go there together, you can't avoid meeting him."

"I wouldn't miss it for the world! When are we leaving?"

"Not tonight."

"I see" - Hauk felt that there was more. More about the dragons, more about the brother, much more of everything. Perhaps the best thing was just to let it develop at its own pace. Too bad that Nords are not blessed with patience... "Well, let's get back to the dragon then. Did you go to see the jarl?"

"I did. He thanked me and mentioned some errands that I might do for him, in case I was in need of coin. Fine, life was getting back to normal. Until a couple of days later a dragon attacked a watchtower causing chaos in the jarl's palace. Of course they will never admit it was chaos, but why else would they ask me of all people to help fight the dragon? 'You survived Helgen, you know more about dragons than anyone here!' I knew how to run away from one... but sure, I joined them."

"So how do you fight a dragon?"

"How do you fight any flying creature? With arrows or spells, what else can you do? We got it down and got it killed. An I absorbed its soul."

"Whoa!!" That was something else. It wasn't just about slaying a fearsome ancient monster, it was about taking over its power too. "You are Dragonborn?" Hauk knew exactly what it meant, what it implied and why Lena needed time to get her head around it. Each Dragonborn throughout history had a mission to accomplish, and choices to make, and none of it was easy.

"Yeah, that's what I discovered." Lena was relieved that she did not have to explain what it meant. She wasn't sure herself yet. "The Greybeards called me, but I haven't gone to see them, not yet anyway. Instead, I returned to Cyrodiil to get my head in order."

"And your brother?"

"He is not Dragonborn, if that's what you're asking. But he'll be there for when I am ready to go to Skyrim to find out more."

That wasn't what Hauk was asking, and they both knew it. But should Lena drop another bomb by saying that her brother was the White Wolf? Did Hauk even know who that was? Yeah, he probably did. He seemed to know a lot of things...

"My brother needed some time for himself. He's been through a lot in the last few years, so he came to Skyrim to get away from it all for a time, to get his own head in order. Our father was a Nord - that much we know - so Geralt figured Skyrim would be a perfect destination, a perfect change of pace."

"Geralt?" Yep, Hauk knew that name.

"My brother is the White Wolf."

Things were making sense now. The famous witcher was not Dragonborn, but it took more than an average person to become a witcher at all, and Geralt was quite a character. The news of the Northern Realms did not reach Tamriel very promptly, but eventually things became known, and some of them were even true. Hauk heard of the Wild Hunt that was tormenting the Northern Realms, and of the frost and ice that the Wild Hunt left in its wake. They were said to be wraiths - but what would wraiths want with the living? Why would they abduct whole villages at a time? Hauk thought it more likely that they were beings of flesh and blood coming from another realm looking for slaves, and the frost was simply their magic. The witchers would fight them, and it was said that an apocalyptic battle recently took place. The Wild Hunt was gone. For now or forever? The White Wolf was involved somehow, some said it was he who defeated the Wild Hunt king, other said no, the White Wolf was captured and was a prisoner himself, and someone else had to free them all... Whatever of it was true, it wasn't a walk in the park, and if the White Wolf was now here in Tamriel, then the Wild Hunt must have been dealt with. It wasn't in his character to run away. "His Nord blood wouldn't let him" - Hauk thought. "He finished his mission and came to seek out his roots."

"So what now? Are you going back to Skyrim at all?"

"Yes, I'll have to, I need to find out more, at least. But there is no rush, and my home is still here."

"Yeah, in Bravil" - Hauk remembered the effort that Lena put into getting back that house.

"Yeah."

The publican had been topping up their ale and mead for a long while already. Whatever those two were discussing, was keeping them drinking, and there's nothing wrong with that. Besides, they mentioned Skyrim - what better topic could a Nord wish for under his roof?

The regulars were finally going home, but Lena and Hauk didn't feel like sleeping. The conversation still hung in the air, and they just sat there, drinking silently for a while. They were getting more and more at ease with each other, no longer needing to talk.

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31 Evening Star, 4E201 - Lucien Lachance

"What did Lucien want?" - Asked Hauk at breakfast at Count's Arms.

"He... I thought you were asleep!"

"I was, until he banged the door on his way out. Who else comes to visit you in your sleep?"

That was solid logic, and there was no point arguing.

"He wanted me to rejoin the Brotherhood" - Lena conceded.

"Rejoin?"

"Yes. I was suspended after I refused to kill everyone in the Cheydinhal Sanctuary."

"And you lived?" - that was most unusual. The Dark Brotherhood wasn't just another Guild, transgressions came with a death sentence.

"Oh, they were sending assassins after me for a time until it transpired that the traitor was much higher up than anyone in the Cheydinhal Sanctuary - he was a Black Hand, and he was out for revenge after Lucien personally. That's a completely mad story" - Lena shook her head. "Then I was no longer the target and they let me be. Now they decided it was time I returned to the family."

"And will you?"

"Already have."

Hauk wasn't surprised. After Lucien's visit the night before, Lena disappeared for 24 hours. She returned during the night. Lucien's ways were rubbing off on her.

"So, if you were given a contract on my life, would you kill me?"

"First of all" - Lena was getting cross - "they would not give me a contract on a friend unless this was a test or a Purification Ritual. And second of all, this would be against my principles, so I'd kill the contract giver instead, and they know it. So you're quite safe from me" - Lena smiled.

"You put friends above your oath?"

"I do not serve Sithis. I have rejoined because Lucien did know my mother - he hadn't lied. When I refused to purify Cheydinhal, he exclaimed 'Just like her mother', and I learned later that indeed their paths had crossed."

That was as much as Lena was willing to tell, that was obvious. So Hauk dropped the topic.

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5 Morning Star, 4E202 - Lucien's offer

I've been promised the abandoned house in Cheydinhal for keeping a cool head and sparing them all back then. I was to perform the Purification Ritual with which I would break the tenet to never harm a brother. But were I to refuse, I would break the tenet to never refuse a contract. I did not believe the "evidence" and chose to refuse the contract. Another assassin was sent to perform the Purification, and failed. I had to face the Wrath of Sithis, but it wasn't my first wraith... Living assassins were sent after me, all in vain. Then the "evidence" that I discarded, was proven to have been fabricated. The traitor was much higher up and he was after Lucien Lachance personally, which of course broke a tenet of the Brotherhood. I was cleared, but it was considered best for me to stay away. Until now.

Lucien came to see me a week ago - they wanted me back. But they owed me, not just their lives, but their continued existence as members of the Brotherhood. Would I accept a promotion? Surely, I would make a superb Black Hand. No, thank you. I do not serve Sithis, and I dare to say it - I'll kill his wraith again if I have to.

"You are just like your mother. And your great-uncle, he too went rogue." Lucien hadn't lied, I received my great-uncle's will - he left me his sanctuary near Leyawiin. But he served Sithis, and I don't. I just want a normal house.

"A house? I think we can arrange that" - Lucien brightened up. "The Count here is not keen to have an ugly abandoned house in the city, but we are very persuasive. Plus, he still remembers - less than fondly - Morag Tong from his native Morrowind. I think he would be pleased if the house was no longer abandoned. But would you be willing to allow access to the Sanctuary through it?"

As I am the only member who likes to use that door, it isn't much of a problem. New members have to earn the right to use direct access, so new members need that route through the house, but I was the last new member to join, and that was 200 years ago. I would not worry. After the traitor used a new member - me - to try to get to Lucien, Lucien has been reluctant to accept anyone else.

"Go see the Count in a couple of days. What do you want to call the house?"

"The Wolf Sanctuary."

"How befitting" - Lucien smiled.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

5 Sun's Dawn, 4E202 - A visit to Lucien

Lena knew where Lucien lived and how to get there bypassing the guards. Of course she did, she spent a lot of time there herself. It was time to let Lucien know about her little enterprise. Lucien knew what's been done already and guessed rightly that she had plans for more.

On a piece of parchment Lena wrote a list of names.

She sealed the letter and left it on the table.

She returned a few days later. There was a brand new silver dagger where the letter had been. The barrel with poisoned apples had been unlocked. A bouquet of flowers lay on the bed: goldenrod, morning glory, lily of the valley, blue hyacinth. Good fortune, my dear - yours, always.

"The choice of a lily is... unusual" - Lena thought. "I would have expected something more neutral..."

She took the flowers. She knew that Lucien would see them in the Wolf Sanctuary kept fresh and understand her acceptance. But she wasn't laying ambrosia fruit on her bed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

14 Sun's Dawn, 4E202 - Death and Resuscitation - Wolf House - Prince Sheogorath

"This isn't as crazy as I thought it might be" - Hauk was saying at breakfast.

12 Sun's Dawn

Having breakfast at noon is not crazy at all if you only went to bed at 4 a.m. as they did. They brought the tongs and calipers to Tove, and he paid Lena 5 septims for each one, resulting in a very tidy sum.

"Oh I insist - for your trouble."

"That wasn't crazy after all to drag them all the way to here" - Hauk started to see sense.

After that they had a job to do at Xedilian.

"Now that I had to kill the Gatekeeper again, I need to fix Xedilian" - Lena was trying to explain it to Hauk. "It will attract people that don't belong here and make them belong."

Xedilian was overrun with grummites. They had removed the resonator crystals and attached them to their magic staves which made them so much more dangerous. At one point four Deathbringers and a Magus swarmed on Lena and Hauk from all directions and got them surrounded. Lena was using a lot of poisons but they weren't as effective on these grummites as they were on the ones in the hatchery. The battle was ferocious and Lena got knocked out - and couldn't get up. When Hauk finally dispatched the last of the grummites, Lena was still on the ground. Not unconscious but dead. One of the Deathbringers apparently kept hitting her after she lost consciousness - he was determined to live up to his title.

Hauk tried healing spells on Lena, cure poison and cure paralysis, smelling salts and aloe sap, to no avail.

"Ok then, it's the old-fashioned way again" - he thought removing her armour for CPR.

Resuscitation was successful. Lena sat up, still dizzy but alive.

"That was some battle... Thanks for bringing me back" - she said watching Hauk sorting through a pile of potions, clothes and pieces of armour that he dropped in the rush to get her heart beating again. He was still casting healing spells at her and at himself, and the sweat on his torso was shimmering in the mist of restoration magic.

"We'll need to take a break now" - he said wrapping Lena in some robes from their pack. "You need to warm up - don't bother wearing these, you'll be warmer in a wrap."

Being a Battlemage was clearly different from being an Adventurer, and having gone through the Great War behind the enemy lines taught Hauk survival skills like no training ever could. He actually knew what he was doing.

...

After a rest with some food and drink, they put their armours back on and decided to continue going through Xedilian. After all, they seemed to be nearly done.

"So this is the frog that got me?" - Lena stood over a grummite that lay where she had gone down.

"That's the one" - Hauk confirmed. "He just wouldn't quit which probably saved my own life - I would have been overwhelmed by an extra one joining in."

"I'm glad you weren't" - Lena looked at Hauk realising that were the roles reversed, she would have done everything in her power to bring him back.

13 Sun's Dawn

Xedilian was restored and the first group of adventurers was taken care of. Knights of Order appeared too, and were dispatched. Lena and Hauk stood outside again, it was mid-morning. They hadn't slept, but neither of them wanted to just now.

"What's next?" - asked Hauk.

"We could walk back to Passwall and rest at the inn there for a while" - Lena pointed West - "or we could start towards New Sheoth and get distracted along the way" - she pointed North East grinning.

"East" - said Hauk and started walking.

...

It didn't take long and they ran into another ruin and decided to investigate. Xalara housed some zealots, and obviously had to be thoroughly searched for the Fork of Horripilation.

The Fork wasn't there, but they found some substantial loot in an urn held by a statue.

"Good thing real Hungers aren't nearly as big as this one" - remarked Hauk admiring the statue. "Very decorative though."

He was definitely getting into the spirit of the place.

Xalara was a bit of a labyrinth with traps, sliding wall panels, collapsed sections and newly dug out bypasses. They kept coming out near the entrance which would normally be welcome, but in this case it wasn't because Lena was determined to search every nook and cranny for the Fork. Of course it was all for naught, but you wouldn't know it until you'd done it.

Exhausted, they decided to eat the zealots' food and sleep in their beds. It was getting quite late anyway.

14 Sun's Dawn

In the morning they set off for New Sheoth, this time intent on getting there without distractions. The landscape was swampy, but the water wasn't deep, and they didn't expect any creatures apart from baliwogs. Then suddenly Lena got knocked out.

"Whaaa-?" - Hauk heard her yelp but couldn't see what attacked her. Summoning a dremora just in case, he felt a little like that Orc adventurer that fell victim to Xedilian's magic - how do you fight the unseen?

The next moment Hauk was hit from above by a Skulking Scalon - a creature with a power to turn invisible and jump high and far. So this was what knocked out Lena - a scalon's touch also carried an electrical charge.

Hauk staggered, but his dremora swung into action, and soon the scalon lay defeated.

"Ugh, those scalons can really surprise you" - Lena was saying wringing out her skirt. The swamp wasn't deep to walk in, but it did get you thoroughly wet if you fell in.

New Sheoth wasn't far, and they didn't tarry and longer.

...

"We need to go see the Prince about Xedilian but not in these wet clothes" - Lena said as they entered Crucible. "There's a house here that we can use - it was left to me by a chap I did a favour for." There was no need to explain what the favour for Hirrus Clutumnus was.

When Hirrus left Lena the house, she went to have a look and didn't like it. Too much blood, torture tools and self-flailing in there. But now her wet clothes under her iron armour were chilling her to the bone, and she was ready to make use of the house even with Hirrus' spirit still hanging about.

They entered. Someone had redecorated. Gone were the torture tools, blood stains and cobwebs. Gone was the gloomy atmosphere - it's amazing what a few tapestries can do. It was still a Dementia house, but it was now clean and welcoming.

Dylan. It had to be.

But Dylan himself wasn't there, so Lena and Hauk spent some time in the Wolf House - as it was now known - to freshen up and rest. There was food, good wine and mead, and even fresh sweetrolls... nothing that Hirrus would have kept there.

In the afternoon they went to see the Prince. Lena put on a Red Finery dress that she had found in the cupboard. Hauk couldn't take his eyes off her.

The Prince was galant, as always, making jokes and never letting you forget who was in charge. Lena let him get on with it, not argueing or reminding him of things past. They both knew it was just a façade. He sent her to get acquainted with the new Duke and Duchess - Thadon and Syl, again? Well, yes, the same ones, or may be their twins... But they won't remember you, so don't you worry. But didn't I cut Syl's heart out last time? Yes, you did, but we don't let such minor details get in the way. Off you go now and enjoy your felldew.

Coming out of the Palace, Lena noticed that the Flame of Agnon wasn't burning - the Saints and Seducers must have been quarreling again. She had work to do.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

15 Sun's Dawn 4E202 - Another letter from Lucien

"Before I get embroiled in Shivering Isles politics, I need to return to Cyrodiil for a bit" - Lena was saying to Hauk at breakfast. "There are a few things I need to take care of, on my own." She looked at him somewhat uneasy.

"Of course" - Hauk nodded. "Give Lucien my regards. I'll stay here - can I use this house?"

"Please do" - Lena gave Hauk a long look. He was planning something. "But I don't think I'll be meeting Lucien" - she added.

"You'll see."

...

Returning to Cheydinhal, Lena found a letter waiting for her on the table at the Wolf Sanctuary. It was from Lucien:

Darling Wolf,

Come and see me at your convenience. We have business to attend to.

Yours -
Lucien

She went in the evening, planning to sleep at the fort if necessary, while waiting for Lucien to appear. She didn't have to wait long.

"I need you to go to Skyrim" - said Lucien pouring the wine. "There's a group there that calls themselves the Dark Brotherhood and is taking on contracts, but we don't have a branch in Skyrim and the Night Mother does not talk to anyone there. Go see what they are all about."

Lena heard of them when she went to Skyrim before, but because the Dark Brotherhood had a regional structure, she didn't expect to know any of them. Now it turned out they were imposters, which went some way to explain why they tried to kill her - and didn't know who she was. No one verified their contracts, obviously.

"How do you want me to approach them?" - she asked Lucien, helping herself to cheese and grapes.

"We'll bait them - we'll spread a rumour that you've gone after one of their contracts. They'll be in touch."

"If the Night Mother doesn't speak to them, then where do they get their contacts from?"

"From rumours, mostly. People know how to summon us - the real us - and so they perform the Dark Sacrament over and over, thinking that more is better, no doubt. Then, when no one comes, they start talking about it, and sure enough, soon afterwards someone appears."

"Your friendly neighbourhood assassin, here to help" - grimaced Lena.

"Quite. Ham or mutton?" - Lucien was taking roast off the spit.

"Mutton, please, and some of that orange chutney on top."

Two old friends sat down for dinner. Nothing unusual about that.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter 2

Matters of the Heart

19 Sun's Dawn, 4E202 - Back to Skyrim

Skyrim calls. But Lena wouldn't leave without seeing Hauk first, after all he was waiting for her in the Shivering Isles, and she didn't know how long she would be gone.

"And this time I am coming with you!" - Hauk was adamant. Ok, let's go.

Lena and Hauk crossed the border to Skyrim and reached Riverwood without anything significant getting in their way.

"Hello, brother" - Lena noticed Geralt on the porch of Sven's house. "Have you been talking to Sven's mother again? You know she spreads rumours."

"Yep, and where else do you think witchers get their contracts from?" - Gerald grinned. "Good to see you, sis. And I see you brought a Nord to Skyrim" - he nodded at Hauk.

"This is Hauk, we've been adventuring together back in Cyrodiil. Is there any food at the cabin? It's been a long way."

Lena always kept the hunter's cabin well stocked with supplies when she was around. She hoped that Geralt didn't leave it empty. He didn't, and soon the three of them were sitting by the fire with mead and roast.

"Hadvar is back in Riverwood" - Geralt remarked casually. "Something must be going on by the border. He claims he is on leave, but I don't believe him. He asked about you."

"Did he now? In what way?"

"Either he was sent to get you to join the Legion, or to prevent you joining the Stormcloacks."

"Well, there's no danger of that - I have no wish to meddle in Skyrim politics."

"Too late for that, I'm afraid. They all want you now - you're the Dragonborn. Why are you back, actually?"

"I need to find out more about this Dragonborn business, why I never noticed anything before, what it does exactly, except letting me shout, which is kind of neat but not world-shuttering. I mean, other people can shout too, and they are not proclaimed to be Dragonborn. Didn't Ulfrick kill the High King by shouting at him? Yet no one calls Ulfrick Dragonborn."

She didn't say anything about her investigation for the Dark Brotherhood. This was her business alone. Hauk was watching the exchange between Lena and Geralt and thinking how close they seemed, even though he knew they could not have spent that much time together - they only met fairly recently. And the difference in years... Geralt was much older then Lena, as he didn't "skip" nearly two centuries as Lena did while residing in the Shivering Isles. Yet he wasn't 250 years old as he should have been... Time must pass differently beyond the Great Maelstrom. Geralt looked just over 50, but was probably pushing 100 - you can't tell with witchers. His age only showed in the things he said - wisdom coming from experience.

The roast was significantly diminished and the mead bottles around them were nearly all empty, when they heard footsteps coming their way.

"Hadvar!" - Geralt saw him first. "I see you've heard Lena is back. Come and join us, before all of the roast is gone."

"This is--" Lena started introducing Hauk.

"Hauk" - Hadvar didn't look surprised at all. "Hello, old friend!"

Was that a secret handshake or some such that they exchanged?

"We've met during the Great War, but Hauk returned to Cyrodiil afterwards and I stayed in Skyrim" - Hadvar offered, making it clear that this topic was now closed. This meant only one thing - there was so much more to that!

The conversation turned to lighter things, to stories of recent adventures in Cyrodiil - Ayleid ruins, caves, battles with beasts and undead, comparisons of draugr of Skyrim with skeleton heros of Cyrodiil, that sort of thing. It was already dawning when Lena finally declared she needed a nap and went into the cabin, and Geralt went to Sven's house where he was staying - Sven's mother insisted he should use their spare bed. Hauk and Hadvar stayed by the fire a bit longer.

"How do you know Lena?" - Hadvar asked.

"Met her through the Mages Guild."

"Tracked her down?"

"No, that was a real coincidence. I spotted her at the Arcane University, thought she looked out of place somehow, made some enquiries... Then introduced myself and we've been adventuring together ever since. I was getting pretty bored without any work, you know. I didn't know she was Dragonborn until later."

"That she is, but it doesn't mean much in itself, I think we both know that. It's what she does with it, if anything."

"Is that why you're here?" Hauk didn't believe that Hadvar was hanging around exclusively on Legion business.

"Well..." - Hadvar looked a bit uneasy. "The Legion is not going to interfere unless she tries to join the Stormcloacks, which we don't believe she will."

"And?" - Hauk was not to be put off that easily.

"And... Are you two... Should I leave her alone?" Finally! The real reason.

"We are just friends at this stage" - Hauk wasn't about to burn any bridges either. "But she is not wearing an Amulet of Mara."

She wasn't, not at that point anyway. It wasn't that long since Lena returned from the Shivering Isles, found her citizen rights suspended, went to the Northern Realms, met Geralt, came back to escape the war there, ran around the Imperial bureaucracy to get her rights reinstated, and she was still in the process of recovering her repossessed property, and now also this Dragonborn affair added on top. Lena's life was too tumultuous right now for the Amulet of Mara! Perhaps later. Hadvar and Hauk both saw that, and each was willing to wait.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

20 Sun's Dawn, 4E202 - Hauk and Lucien

Jarl Balgruuf had made Lena a thane of Whiterun, granted her permission to buy a house within the city walls and assigned her a housecarl - Lydia.

"This is all extremely inconvenient" - Lena noted thinking over her investigation for the Dark Brotherhood at breakfast. "I hope the group here isn't going to be spooked by my status and will still take the bait and contact me."

Lucien had arranged for rumours to be spread that Lena was the one who murdered the woman at the orphanage in Riften in response to some young lad's summons. One small detail however: it happened before Lena returned to Skyrim, but Lucien summised correctly that the group of Skyrim assassins wouldn't know the difference. Information wasn't their strong suite. All Lena had to do now was wait for them to take the bait and contact her, and being a thane - even just in title - was very inconvenient for that.

"Jarl Balgruuf just wanted to be the first to claim the Dragonborn" - Hauk seemed to have read her thoughts. "You are here for Lucien, aren't you? No, no, don't tell me - it's your affair." He broke five eggs for an omelette.

"How did you know?" - Lena needed some answers now, and Hauk saw that.

"I didn't, but I guessed. You had no intention of going to Skyrim before, in fact in the past four months you've repeatedly said you were not ready. Then suddenly you were leaving immediately. It stands to reason you got an assignment to follow through, and that could have only come from Lucien."

"It could have come from any number of sources - the Fighters Guild, the Mages Guild, the Legion, the... what do I know!" - Lena wasn't satisfied as yet. The omelette bubbled and squeaked in the pan filling the hunter's cabin with enticing aromas.

Hauk gave her one of his looks taking his eyes off the pan for a moment - oh please!

"The Fighters Guild does not operate in Skyrim, they are terrified of the Companions, so no. The Mages Guild or the Legion - I would have known, as I'm a member of both, and in fact you haven't joined the Legion yet, so don't exaggerate. What is left? A personal favour for someone? Possible, but I doubt it would have carried this urgency."

"Ok" - Lena conceded that he could have just deduced that, accepting a plate with half an omelette that Hauk handed to her. "But how did you know I was going to meet Lucien when I left the Shivering Isles? I didn't know it myself, I was just going to do a few things and come back."

"I know Lucien."

"How?"

Lena was pretty certain that Hauk had never been a member of the Dark Brotherhood. Of course one did not need to be a member to have heard of Lucien Lachance, but Hauk's knowledge of him seemed to be more than hearsay.

"Our paths have crossed during the War. No, he wasn't after me and I wasn't after him, but we appeared to have had the same target, although with a slightly different purpose. I wanted information, and I reached the target first. Admittedly, there wasn't much left to do for Lucien when he appeared, but I let him fulfil his contract. We had a chat and parted ways. So I got the feel for the man."

"Which doesn't explain how you knew I'd be meeting him" - Lena wanted to know more, Hauk's delicious omelette disappearing quickly.

"When Garrus mentioned that someone gave you flowers that you carefully kept fresh in an urgently ordered urn, I knew it was from Lucien. Garrus was teasing me of course, but I knew just why you kept them - a reminder of things past, a recognition of his gratitude, more than gratitude - lily of the valley, was it? Of course you kept it, regardless whether you felt the same or not. And goldenrod and morning glory - back to business, sister. You've been promoted, whether you know it or not, so a special assignment wasn't far off. I wasn't certain of course when it would come exactly, but I didn't think it would be too long."

Lena suddenly saw a whole different side of Hauk. There was a lot more to him than met the eye, even after some four months of adventuring together, all the fights, the wounds and the campfires shared. With everything he just said, he still hadn't told her a thing about his duties during the Great War - that information wasn't his to give, the Legion was keeping its secrets. The same as Hadvar - be convincing without revealing anything of importance.

"I see..." - Lena started thoughtfully, picking at a bunch of grapes, deliberately, one by one. "Well, since you've figured out that much, you won't be surprised when something odd happens. Come with me to High Hrothgar, I need to follow up on that Dragonborn business anyway, and I could use the company while... well, I could use your company" - she concluded firmly, looking straight at him.

"Not taking Lydia with you then?" - Hauk gave her a wink, slicing up some cheese. "'I'll protect you with my life!' She's very eager, you know."

"'I am swooooorn to carry your burdens' - yeah, right" - Lena was particularly annoyed by that line. "She'll only get in the way and get herself killed. I'm not the kind of thane she was hoping to get assigned to. Although you might have been one - we can bring her along, if you like."

Was it time for another one of Hauk's looks? Perhaps. But he kept it to himself and just laughed.

"Ask Wolf to come too" - he said. "I think he's had enough of Sven's mother."

This post has been edited by Lena Wolf: Yesterday, 05:30 PM

[Lena Wolf]

Rain's Hand, 4E204 - Showdown

"We are going to the excavation site," Lena turned to her pawns. "They keep pawns as slave labour there, they have Godsway all over the place, I shall try to shield you but cannot guarantee it. You will get headaches at best or you will fall under their control at worst. There is no telling what will come to pass... If you'd rather not go, leave now."

Rook and Mason didn't move but their fighter shuffled his feet uncomfortably.

"I'd rather not go there, master," he said, blushing. "My will isn't that strong... I prefer to return to my own master instead."

"Good luck in your future endevours then, and thank you," Lena nodded and smiled. "No hard feelings at all. After all, we are going into the jaws of hell... No pawn should be going there."

He dithered a little, then turned and walked away.

"Into the jaws of hell, then," Mason looked resolved. "I am not quitting. If I die there... it's been an honour."

"Don't say that," Lena shook her head, hugging him. "I hope no one will die... that's not the plan, anyway..."

"I am ready," Rook straightened his back. "Do you want me to lead? I know the way."

Lamond was standing slightly behind them, watching.

"Two pawns, two Arisens," he rubbed his chin. "I wonder... You may find yourself torn." He looked at Mason and Rook. "I heard that Godsway amplifies an Arisen's power as well... So that even mine may come through. It will be up to you to try and evade danger. And then there are all those other pawns there..."

"Enough deliberations," Lena put her hand on the hilt of her dagger. "We cannot predict what will happen. Let's go."

...

They approached the excavation site without an incident. They entered the camp and did not get challenged, and neither Rook nor Mason noticed any influence of Godsway.

"It is through those gates," Rook pointed at a sturdy gate leading up the hill. "The pawn camp and the works are there. This is it."

They entered the pawn camp. It brought a flood of memories for Lena, but she steadied herself, trying to focus on the scene at hand. A lot had changed since last time, after all, the excavations continued.

"The cells were that way, were they not?" She turned to Rook, pointing at a tunnel entrance. "Scorpio must be there."

They entered the mine. The dimly lit corridor made a few turns, then opened up to a long hall, cells lining the walls. Two guards stood looking bored, the pawns inside the cells barely looked up. The cell at the back was curtained off on the inside. Lena rattled the door, but it was sturdy, and it was locked, she could not see through the curtain.

"Hey, what are you doing?" One of the guards snapped at her angrily. "That cell is off limits!"

"Just that one?" Lena squinted at him. "What about the others?"

"The others as well," the guard fingered his sword. "Get lost! You have no business here."

"Let's go," Rook said in Lena's ear, taking her by the arm. "We should find the key."

She scowled at the guard but followed her companions out.

"I feel no Godsway," Rook said quietly, having pulled them into an alcove without torches. "It only has a limited range, so if we stay clear, it won't affect us."

"Clear of what?" Mason looked around nervously. "I don't like it."

"The overseer has a staff with a Godsway crystal," Rook explained. "A great big crystal glowing red. Unless they've got more of them now... I wouldn't know."

"The overseer probably also has the key to the cells," Lena noted. "Which means you stay back and I'll go alone."

"You stay back and keep watch," Lamond looked at Rook and Mason. "Keep your heads clear, if you can. We'll go about getting the key."

...

"He's in that house," Lamond peeked into an open window of one of the stone houses on the site. "I can see his staff, too. It's Godsway but it will cast any other spell as well, make no mistake."

"I'll get the key." Lena slipped to the front of the house and pushed the door, but it was locked or barred from inside.

"Who's there?" The overseer shouted, looking out the window. Lamond moved back into the darkness. "Guards! Who's rattling my door?" Guards from several directions ran towards the house, but Lena already moved back too. This was not going to be easy.

"Wait until he falls asleep," Lena whispered to Lamond when the guards resumed their posts. "I'll go through the window and get the key."

"Will he still be alive after that?" Lamond grinned.

"No, he won't."

There was nothing else for it but wait.

...

"Guard!" The overseer stood in the door frame with a scroll in his hand. "Take this to the lab with all haste. I feel trouble brewing..." A guard took the scroll and sped off. The overseer peered into the darkness around the house, shut the door and bolted it from inside. He looked out the window again, then finally lay on his cot without undressing, still clutching his staff.

"He's nervous alright," Lena breathed to Lamond. "I doubt he'll fall asleep. Watch the guards. There's no point in waiting any longer." She pulled down her hood and leapt through the window. There was a scream, noise of a struggle, then a bang of metal against stone and a heavy crush. All that commotion did not go unnoticed and several guards set off towards the house. Lamond readied his sword, but still kept to the shadows. Finally, Lena emerged from the window and they dashed from the scene just as the guards surrounded the house. The door was still barred, and it took a few moments before one of them leapt through the window and discovered what had occurred. By then Lena and Lamond were near the tunnel to the cells, with Rook and Mason joining them.

"Quick, before the word gets around!" Lena motioned them to follow.

It wasn't hard to overpower the guards. She unlocked the door of the curtained off cell and pulled back the cloth to let in the torch light from the hall. Then she froze. Scorpio was chained to a crucifix on the back wall, held off the ground with cuffs around his ankles and wrists, a collar around his neck pulling his body back. His breathing was laboured, his eyes half open, with only the sclera showing through, bloodshot and yellowed. His body was covered in cuts, bruises and warts and a large dark patch was spreading on the side of his abdomen... It was exactly what she had seen in the crystal ball. She felt all life drain from her, and if Lamond hadn't caught her, she would have collapsed.

"It's bad, very bad... but he is alive," Lamond said in her ear. "We are not done yet, Arisen. Your pawn needs you now."

A moment later loud noises were heard from the entrance as guards were rushing in.

Hearing Mason engaging the guards and Rook casting a shield, Lena jolted back to life, her anger turning to rage. She tore through the guards as a flaming fury even before Rook enchanted her daggers. Seconds later the guards were merely corpses.

Several more waves of guards tried to enter the cavern, all to meet the same fate.

Finally the camp was quiet. The pawns in the cells were shaking off the stupor of Godsway.

"Let us out, we'll help," one of them called out to Lena. "That key should unlock all the cells... Whatever you did, lifted the haze... somewhat... We're yours to command, Arisen!" He smiled. Lamond picked up the key and started unlocking the doors.

"Stay alive," Lena said to all the pawns. "Or return to the Rift. No pawn must die outright tonight. Trouble is coming." The fight was far from done, it was merely a pause before reinforcements arrived, summonned by the overseer's scroll sent just before his demise.

Not wasting a moment, they released Scorpio's cuffs and chains and laid him down. He was still unconscious but his eyes were moving behind the eyelids.

"Keep him alive," Lena nodded to Rook who was already incanting a spell. "This will hurt." Unflinching, she cut open one of the warts on Scorpio's body ignoring the blood and puss jetting out. The pain made Scorpio twitch, but there was no time to waste. Another cut revealed a crystal embedded into the flesh, she dug it out with the tip of her dagger. The cavity filled with blood. The crystal fell to the floor and she crushed it. One down. Dozens more to go.

...

They heard noises coming from the camp - reinforcements were on the approach. Lena had cleared most of the warts on Scorpio's body but some still remained. Rook's healing was enough to close his wounds, and he seemed stable for now.

"If Ambrosius or Phaesus come here, make sure to keep them alive!" Lena addressed the pawns in the camp. "I have need of them. Everyone else - do as you see fit."

Two or three waves of guards and soldiers stormed the prison compound, but the narrow tunnel leading to it allowed for easy defence. The pile of bodies was forming a barricade of its own. With the situation under control, Lena resumed squashing warts on Scorpio's body. Finally, she was done.

With the last bit of Godsway crystal crushed and the pawns breathing a sigh of relief, she knelt over him looking into his face. Yet no miracle occurred and he remained unconscious.

"That was to be expected," Rook said softly. "But he is alive, and that's the best you can hope for now."

Lena was just going to say that there was still the matter of the dark patch on his abdomen, but battle noises made her look up - another wave of reinforcements was upon them, greater than before. She joined the battle, her daggers blazing.

"There! That's the Arisen!!" Someone shouted further ahead. "Get her!!!"

She twisted and turned, evading the onslaught of heavily armed guards, having no illusions that a single hit of such a sword or a spear would kill her. She wanted to get to whoever gave the command, the voice seemed familiar. And then she saw him - Ambrosius was casting a spell. She lunged but was too far away, her throwing knife nicked his skin and interrupted his casting, but he moved and two heavily armoured guards were now blocking her way...

"Formless Feint," she thought - a master maneuvre she picked up from the local assassins. "Now's the time!" She rarely found herself in such a tight spot and hoped that the lack of practice would not cost her her life this time. A twist, a lunge, a puff of smoke - and the guards missed their mark. Jumping between them, her daggers extended, she cut two throats at once. "Phew!" She landed in a crouch, watching the guards slump to the ground. She looked up - Ambrosius was just ahead, casting his spell... Searing pain hit her chest, and for a moment she blacked out.

...

"It's done, you got him," Lamond helped her up. "We've defeated all the guards. Ambrosius is ready for you."

Slightly bewildered, Lena decided not to argue. Battle statistics could always be handled later, and it really didn't matter who delivered the final blow. Ambrosius had been captured and she needed a chat.

"You found your pawn but you're too late," Ambrosius scowled at her. "Strong as he is, no pawn can withstand the spread of Dragonplague. That patch will consume him."

"Dragonplague?" Lena was taken aback. "The disease that jumps from pawn to pawn and brings death and devastation in the end?"

"That's the one," Ambrosius grinned. "Pawns contract it from drakes and dragons through contact with dragon blood. They are related, you see... or at least Lord Phaesus thinks so. May be. But regardless... Your pawn has had enough dragon blood pumped into him to kill an army! You lost, Arisen." He glared at her, watching Lena's face turning gaunt. "But tell me..." he looked puzzled now, a scholar in pursuit of knowledge above all else. "Why do you care? He is but a pawn... And how it is that he still lives?"

Lena glared back down at Ambrosius and said nothing. She walked over to Scorpio and knelt over him again. His wounds were no longer bleeding and his pain must have lightened up in Rook's care. His breathing improved, his face, although still heavily bruised, looked calm. She pressed her cheek to his and whispered in his ear: "I came for you... Forgive me that it took so long... Stay with me and I'll stay with you till the end of times..."

[Lena Wolf]

Rain's Hand, 4E204 - Cold flame

"Enough of that!" A mage with a Godsway staff walked into the prison block of the excavation site. He slammed the end of his staff against the floor and every pawn collapsed in agony. "You found your poor pawn, I see," he turned to Lena. "Well, you are too late! There is no cure for the Dragonsplague."

"That isn't actually true, Phaesus," Lamond stepped forward.

"Nonsense!" Lord Phaesus scowled. "Yes, Dragonsplague can be passed on to another person, thus curing the original carrier... even such an advanced form as this one. But in all our trials, passing on infected blood killed the recipient, whether human or pawn." He paused, looking at Lamond quizzically, then turned to Lena. "So if you wish to cure your pawn, all it takes is for you to take over his infection. All of it. All the dark blood in that patch. Trouble is, you will die before you are even half way... So go on. Both of you will be dead then." He smirked with disdain. "And if you think you can force anyone else to take it on... Dragonsplague is a peculiar illness. It has to be passed on in its entirety, you cannot spread it between several subjects. We've tried. Your pawn has been exemplary... so very long lived. You've got a bond beyond the basics, I suspect that's what sustains him. Perhaps he even has a piece of your soul..." Lord Phaesus paused, watching Lena who could not help flinching. "Ah... indeed. Well, no matter. He will die, and so will you."

Lena's first impulse was to kill him. It must have reflected on her face because Lord Phaesus quickly cast a shield around himself, he was an exceptional mage. Lena's blood was boiling with rage and despair, her judgement was clouded... what to do? She ran out of the cavern... was Godsway affecting her too? How could it? She was no pawn... "Godsway affects the Arisen as well as the pawns," she recalled Lamond's words earlier. Why did he know so much about the matter? He never explained how he knew Lord Phaesus... Whose side was he on? Was there still a side to be taken? Or was everything really already lost..?

Lena shook her head - that wouldn't do. The situation called for a cold, calculated response, not her usual hot-headed impulse.

"I know about it because I crossed paths with Phaesus before," she heard Lamond's voice behind her. "As did the oracle that you consulted. As did most other Arisen. He seeks us out, one way or the other... us or our pawns."

"Is it true, what he said about the Dragonsplague?" Lena asked cautiously. She so wanted to trust Lamond... but she was also cooling off, with her judgement becoming guarded. "Is it true that all is really lost?"

"It is true what he said about needing to pass it on fully," Lamond spoke slowly, watching Lena. "You can trust his research, he values knowledge above all else. It is also true that no mere mortal... not even an Arisen, and no pawn can take it all and not die before it's done. The size of that patch... it's beyond belief." He stopped talking. Lena turned away.

She paced the pit of the excavation site, looked at the sun just visible behind the high cliffs... Was that the end that the Sphinx spoke of? "You will reach the end when you find the beginning," she had said. "You will not reach the end until you collect all the strands." Had she collected them all? She thought she did... the crystal ball was the oracle, the brother was Lamond, the sword of sorrow was her Godsbane, the grains of sand in the desert... She recalled the man blinded by his drive to provide what his loved ones did not want... "Take stock of what really counts..." Was she still going after her missing heart? Was that even important any longer? She felt emptiness and pain in her chest... It's been so long since she felt a heartbeat... She used to press her ear to Scorpio's chest and listen to his heart... Would one heart be enough for them both?

"The cold flames..." She suddenly realised that one strand was still missing. "If that's what it takes... very well."

She straightened her back, determination returning to her features. Lamond watched, nodded and smiled. "You've made up your mind, sis," he came up behind her. "I'll be watching your back." Lena returned to the cavern.

...

The scene there was the same as before, it appeared that Lord Phaesus had been waiting for her, not expecting to be attacked. He still had his shield up, but otherwise seemed relaxed. Ambrosius looked nervous in his cell, especially since Lord Phaesus made no attempt to free him. The pawns were cowering with pain, unable to move. Scorpio was still lying on his cot, unconscious as before.

Lena took it all in as she entered and walked straight over to Scorpio, not even glancing at Phaesus. Lamond blocked the entrance to the hall. No one would go in or out.

With a flick of her dagger, Lena opened the wound in Scorpio's side and dark, viscous liquid started oozing out. She knelt over it and drank.

...

"Have to drink it all..." she thought, watching the patch shrinking as she ingested more and more of the dark blood. "But that's a lot... That indeed will kill me... unless..."

"I can help you, Dragonborn!" A voice spoke in her head. "Just say the word... You can have it all, and it will only make you stronger! Or die, like cattle..."

She hesitated. Was it indeed the only way?

"You can now transform at will," a voice of a memory spoke. "Just think it... All you need is blood."

She stood up. She had drunk perhaps half of what had to be drunk, but her head was spinning and she was loosing feeling in her legs... She saw Lord Phaesus watching her with interest, expecting her to collapse. She removed her lorica exposing her upper body... "Just think it..." She'd never done it before, not to that extent. "Transform..."

She felt warmth drain away from her, replaced by cold fever. Her fingertips started to tingle with a familiar feeling, growing long, rounded claws... her fangs re-emerged... her eyes, she had no doubt, turned red... and something else... something new... her skin pulled tight and hardened, like armour... there was a sharp pain in her back... and her feet no longer felt the ground...

She heard a gasp. She opened her eyes.

"What..?!" Lord Phaesus backed off, a flash of panic in his eyes. "How..?" He pointed his staff at her, ready to fire a spell...

It took but a moment. She leapt at him, her wings carried her high, away from Phaesus's magic bolt. One swing, and she smashed his staff, the Godsway crystal cracking in two, Lamond crushing the rest into dust. Phaesus' magic shield fizzled out and he backed against the wall. A higher vampire in its winged form was hovering over Phaesus, its cold breath forming icicles on the wall. "All you need is blood..." a memory kept pulsing in Lena's mind - she was famished.

With the Godsway crystal destroyed, pawns started to regain consciousness, but seeing a vampire in its full glory, many backed off into the depths of their cells - it wasn't really their fight, after all.

"Behold the cold flame," Rook said to no one in particular. He shot a glance at Lamond who was still barring the exit, they exchanged nods and Rook unlocked Ambrosius' cell. Ambrosius backed into the furtherst corner.

"Blood..." the thought kept pulsing in Lena's mind. "All you need is blood..." Her senses led her to the one victim with pure, untainted human blood... Ambrosius.

...

Nourishment brought some warmth to Lena's limbs and cleared her head. Pale as a sheet, Ambrosius collapsed in his cell. He wasn't dead, but wouldn't even make for a modest breakfast, Lena thought. Without a word, she returned to Scorpio's side and continued drinking the dark dragon blood from the patch.

"You disappoint me, Dragonborn," she heard a voice in her head. "But have it your way... embrace my gift! It saved your life today."

"Go away, Molag Bal," Lena thought lazily. "I am busy."

...

"What are you going to do now, vampire?" Lord Phaesus was looking at Lena in disgust as her features were turning gaunt again with all the infected dragon blood that she had consumed. "It won't kill you, granted... But where will you go? You are now a monster just like all the others in this world, there to be hunted and killed... I win again, methinks."

"Perhaps..." Lena folded her wings and walked over to him. "Would you like to give me some of your blood? Tainted with Godsway as it is, but I'll accept it. What say you, Lord Phaesus?"

"Have you gone mad?!" He cried out, backing off. "No!!"

"Ahhh... We'll see." She smiled and cast a spell. Lord Phaesus dropped to his knees, his robe slipped down his shoulder revealing his neck.

"Mistress..."

...

Once fed, Lena regained her human form. Her eyes were still red and she still had the fangs, but her claws became nails and her skin looked pink, if a bit pale. Her wings retracted completely. Her vampirism was receding, all she needed was a little more blood... a few more feedings would make it completely recessive. It was time to leave. Lamond unblocked the entrance and the pawns walked out in search of the nearest riftstone to take them back to the Rift. Only Mason and Rook remained. Ambrosius was still alive in his cell, pale as a sheet. Lord Phaesus too was alive, and not much worse for wear; he was making notes in his little book, looking at Lena with a newly found fondness. Then finally Scorpio regained consciousness.

Sitting up with difficulty, he looked around the room.

"What have you done..?" He stroke Lena's cheek as she sat next to him. "You can't go biting necks, you'll get arrested," he smiled.

"Ah, but I have a thrall," she smirked, jerking her head towards Lord Phaesus. "You survived. Forgive me that it took me so long."

Although Scorpio was conscious, he could not walk, so rather than trying to teleport to the city, they decided to move to the main camp and occupy the buildings there. Lena also had to stay out of sunlight for as long as her vampirism was active. Then everyone realised that it had been two days since their last meal... what with all the goings on they had no chance to eat, and so mundane activities took over. Corpses of all the guards killed in the past few days started to smell, too, and had to be thrown into the sea. In a word, there was a lot to be getting on with.

A few days later Scorpio was well enough to walk and Lena's vampirism finally went in remission, her eyes turning amber again and her fangs receding. A slight gauntness in her face still reminded them of all that came to pass... that, and Lord Phaesus still looking at her with fondness.

"What did you do to him?" Lamond asked watching him once again sliding his robe back to reveal the neck with many bite marks on it. "It looks like he's craving you feeding on him."

"That's exactly how it is," Lena nodded. "A strain of vampirism I picked up in Skyrim... He is not a vampire himself but he is infected nonetheless. He craves being fed on. It is so useful to have a compliant thrall."

"Just like having a compliant escort," Rook grimaced with a shudder. "Don't remind me."

"How come you know so much about Godsway, Lamond?" Lena realised that she never asked him that question. "It's almost like you tried it yourself..."

"I have," he nodded. "When I lost my pawn..." He paused, watching Phaesus make notes about something. "The Legion gave me another, but we didn't connect... The pawn would follow my commands and fight without reproach, but his heart wasn't in it... Perhaps it is a common thing, I do not know, but my first one was not like that."

"It's common enough..." Mason nodded. "I've seen it many a time."

"Well then..." Lamond looked at him and smiled. "Perhaps it wasn't my fault. But I thought that it was... that my will wasn't enough... and I heard that Godsway could amplify an Arisen's will. And so I sought out Phaesus... who was all too happy to give me a steady supply..." He paused, then took a sip of his Newt Liqueur. "You can imagine the rest. A nice bit of research. My dragon came and I failed to slay it. My pawn returned to the Rift. I am now but a drunk..."

"I am sorry..." Lena hugged him around the shoulders. "That's tough."

"Don't cry for me, sis," Lamond patted her hand. "I could help you, and thus it was not all for naught. What do you plan to do with him now?" He looked at Lord Phaesus.

"Kill him," Lena shrugged. "What else? That's the merciful thing to do. But first... there is another loose end."

She walked over to him.

"Tell me, Lord Phaesus," she spoke quietly. "Why would the oracle not speak about Godsway?"

"Because that's what keeps her away on her plane," he shrugged. "The insense she burns - that's what makes her appear as a ghost. Deny her that, and she'll regain her human form, whatever left of her... withdrawal can be severe... Why do you ask?"

"No reason," Lena smiled and walked away.

[Lena Wolf]

Second Seed, 4E204 - An Arisen and her pawn

"There she goes - the current Arisen and her pawn," people would say seeing Lena and Scorpio around town in Bakbattahl. Pawns had all but disappeared from the city streets to the delight of the locals, still mistrustful of them. People would watch her for a few moments, then return to their lives and their affairs. The dragon was gone, and the people were even prepared to tolerate one pawn in their city - that of the current Arisen.

...

Once Scorpio could walk well enough, it was time to leave the camp at the excavation site and go somewhere more suitable for habitation.

"We'll see you to Bakbattahl," Rook said when Lena suggested that he and Mason head for the nearest riftstone. "In case there's any trouble... not that I would expect any. But Lord Phaesus will need escorting, unless you want to end his life here? And Ambrosius? Isn't he still alive?"

He was. Still collapsed in his cell, pale, but clinging to life.

"He will need care and treatment," Lena turned to Lord Phaesus. "He lost a lot of blood. He is your subject, he is here on your orders. You decide."

"He outlived his usefulness," Lord Phaesus looked down at Ambrosius. "Leave him here to die."

Lena put a dagger through his heart. "He deserves better."

They teleported to Bakbattahl all together, causing a little stir at the oxcart station porticrystal. Lamond vounteered to escort Lord Phaesus back to the Forbidden Magic Laboratory under the Imperial Palace. "Are you sure he won't escape?" Mason squinted at Lena when she announced her decision to let him go.

"Escape? And go where?" She smiled. "Besides, if I ever wanted another sip of his blood, that's where I'd go to find him..."

"Until we meet again," Lord Phaesus smiled, kissing her hand - he could be such a charmer when he wanted to. "My Lady."

With Lamond and Phaesus gone, Mason, Rook, Lena and Scorpio reached Lena's house without any trouble.

"Go home," Lena hugged Rook. "Benita is waiting." She kissed him, one last time.

"Don't let me catch you causing trouble again," he smiled. "Be well. And see you around..."

"It's time for me to leave as well, Arisen," Mason said his goodbyes. "I'll be walking the roads, so if you need any help with your roast, just call... you never know."

...

"Stop fussing over me, those cuts will heal in time!" Scorpio was protesting when Lena once again went about putting ointment on each and every cut and bruise on his body. "I am a pawn, I'm used to this..." Lena gave him a look. "Well, may be not in such quantities, granted... Oh alright, if you must..."

One day he ventured another question: "What are we going to do about your heart?"

"I don't know..." Lena sighed. "The dragon didn't have it... I wonder who does?"

"The Legion, who else? That's why the old Arisen here still live after the dragon is slain."

Lena nodded, it did make sense. But how to get it back from the Legion? And after that, how to return to Tamriel? She didn't dare to think that far.

"I don't want to talk about it," she said decisively and shook her head. "We're out of danger and you are alive, that will suffice for now."

Scorpio didn't press the matter.

"Come here," he pulled her close. "I may not be capable of much else as yet, but I can still kiss you." He took her in his embrace and she knew there was not a trace of the wall around his heart left. "My heart is yours. I know your heart isn't mine, but I've got something else... and that's more than enough. I may not understand how you deal with multiple bonds... but I shall not question ours again."

"You are a part of me as I am a part of you," Lena repeated what Lamond made her understand. "The bond only deepens with every trial..." She pressed her ear to Scorpio's chest and listened to his heart.

...

The following few weeks were peaceful. Scorpio was recovering from his ordeal, but it was going to take time, ointments notwithstanding. He retained a deep scar on his abdomen where the dragon blood had been injected as some of the tissue had perished. Lena never went back to the Forbidden Magic Laboratory to check on Lord Phaesus, she was sure he would still be there, making notes about everything he'd learned. She wondered sometimes just how much he suffered from his cravings to be fed on, but it wasn't important enough for her to go and check.

"You could have just killed me, you know," Scorpio said one day. "I mean, sent me back to the Rift. That would have cured the Dragonsplague. That's what every Arisen does: throw their pawn off a cliff."

"It was too much of a risk," Lena shook her head. "You didn't just catch it from another pawn... I think you would have really died if I had killed you."

"So what happens if I catch it again?" Scorpio gave her a long look.

"Then... you tell me about it," Lena smiled. "Before it takes you over. And I shall probably have to throw you off a cliff..."

"I wonder what the nature of it is," Scorpio mused. "I was unconscious of course, yet I remember visions... I remember flying... like if I had wings."

"Like a dragon?"

"I don't remember turning into a dragon," he smirked. "But may be a bat? No, I jest - I couldn't tell. The visions weren't very clear."

"Visions never are," Lena nodded. "We'll just have to deal with it if you do get infected." She paused, then asked looking away: "Do you get called for pawn duty much these days?"

"Not now, no, not in my current condition," Scorpio answered slowly. "Also, I think, since I am not bound to an Arisen by the Legion... I would not be their first choice."

"That's good," Lena perked up. "I'd miss you."

"But you aren't supposed to even notice..."

"Oh but I do."

"Then why did you ask?" He looked at her with a penetrating gaze. "I wouldn't lie."

"I wondered..." Lena looked down, avoiding Scorpio's gaze. "I wondered if I stopped sensing it... You haven't been called since we slayed the dragon, correct?"

"That's right," Scorpio nodded. "Since my Legion bond to you was released."

"Hmm... The bond was released..." She repeated pensively. "So if you were to return to the Rift, would I even be able to get you back?"

"Of course, I would answer your call at once."

"Answer my call... So this is then how, back in Gransys, you were able not to answer my call which made me jump off a cliff in despair?" She looked up at him sharply.

"That's right... that's the one choice we get. And I did it on purpose - to send you back home."

"Well, don't do it again!" Lena exclaimed hotly. "We return to Tamriel together or we don't return. I meant what I said: I shall stay with you till the end of times... because unless I am killed, my life will have no end. I am not a regular mortal."

"I heard you say that..." Scorpio smiled. "Wasn't sure if I simply imagined it... it seems I did not."

They stood on the edge of a cliff, the scenery of Battahl spreading before them.

[Lena Wolf]

Second Seed, 4E204 - A trail of shards

A scene of lovemaking met Lamond's eyes when he entered Lena's house in Bakbattahl. Perhaps he should have knocked. He shook his head and busied himself brewing coffee in the front room.

"You have no shame, do you?" He grinned, passing Lena and Scorpio coffee once they were finished, as they didn't stop on his account.

"What's there to be ashamed of?" Lena shrugged. "It's a perfectly natural thing to do... Everyone does it..."

"And yet everyone is ashamed when someone else catches them at it," Lamond objected.

"So, what's your point?" Lena looked at him quizzically.

"You've been around pawns for too long, sister," Lamond smirked. "Their ways are rubbing off on you."

"Not my fault!" Scorpio protested. "She was like this already before we met!"

Lamond grinned but didn't say anything, just refilled everyone's coffee.

"Pawns are unfazed by pretty much anything, of course, be it intimate intercourse or vampire transformations alike," he finally spoke, sitting down again. "Perhaps my own journey as an Arisen was too short to understand them. Perhaps I didn't care enough... was too focused on the dragon... which I failed to slay in the end."

"And I slayed mine, yet here we are," Lena said softly. "I don't think the dragon matters, Lamond. Didn't you say yourself that an Arisen is nothing without the pawn?"

"I came to realise it much later," he nodded. "I've seen many Arisen come and go, having failed to slay their dragon for whatever reason... They never cared enough about their pawns... Not the way you two..." He looked at them and smiled. "Perhaps that's what the Legion wants... telling us that pawns are only there to serve, that the Arisen is all the hype... I don't think you're supposed to actually care for each other."

"It isn't common," Scorpio said softly. "The Arisen normally treat us as slaves, and the fact that we have to call them 'master' only makes things worse... Just look at the garments they have us wear so often... 'It's enchanted, it offers protection,' is the usual argument, while you would never catch a human mage or knight wearing that sort of bondage... more suitable for a brothel than a battlefield."

"I never made you wear that rubbish!" Lena protested.

"I am not talking about you," Scorpio smiled at her. "But when we are called for duty, the Arisen can have us wear whatever they want... give us any command... and we must obey the wishes of the Arisen. Sometimes I think it's the women that get the worst of it, but other times..." His voice trailed off and he looked away.

"I'll let you wash up and get dressed," Lamond took their coffee cups breaking the awkward silence. "Put on some armour, there's something I want to show you up on the beach. After we've cleared the harpies and rattlers, that is..." He paused, taking in the state of Scorpio's body, still covered in scars and remnants of wounds. "You will manage, it's not too hard," he nodded to himself.

...

Clearing the beach of monsters didn't present any problems. Between Scorpio's frost and fire, Lena's bow and daggers and Lamond's greatsword they managed it easy enough. When all was quiet, Lamond pointed at a structure out at sea.

"That tower wasn't there before, I could swear it!" Lena exclaimed in surprise. "And there seems to be a path to it, too..."

"That tower rises and sinks back into the depths from time to time," Lamond nodded, holding Lena from rushing off. "And there's more. Look around - all those Godsway crystals."

Indeed, this was the very beach where Ambrosius had asked Lena to collect blue crystals for him, then lamented that the shards were too small.

"Not Godsway yet, but shards used to make it," Lena nodded. "They seem to float in from that tower... Oh and look - there are some big ones!"

She turned to him in surprise but he only smiled.

"We must explore the tower," Lena concluded, marching off, Lamond tried to say something, then shook his head and remained on the beach.

...

"The way is blocked, we have to try it from the other side," Scorpio finally gave up attempting to destroy boulders blocking their way. "I am not even sure we're supposed to destroy it. May be there's a trick... a mechanism of some kind..."

"Which is why Lamond is still on the beach," Lena realised. "He knew it all along, yet let me find out for myself..."

"As if you would have it any other way, Arisen!" Scorpio grinned. "Let's hear what he's got to say for himself."

Lamond was sitting on the beach, waiting for them to return.

"There is a way, but it's from the other side," he said when they approached. "I tried to tell you..."

"Well, never mind," Lena shrugged. "But I sense that there's more..."

"Indeed," Lamond got up and pointed North. "The cavern of the Dragonforged is that way, I suppose you know it?"

"He can enhance our gear with dragon blood crystals," Lena nodded. "But... don't tell me - there's more?"

Lamond smiled and started walking North.

...

"How long I've been here? I honestly could not tell..." The Dragonforged looked at Lena in surprise. "Does it matter? I used the time to learn aught of the dragon blood."

"And where is your pawn?"

"My pawn?" A long forgotten memory seemed to have risen in his mind, and he smiled, looking into the distance. "Oh yes, my pawn... He remained in the other world... The man on the hill, having come there in the fullness of time... Say..." He looked at Lena as if seeing her for the first time. "Have we not met before? You and your pawn... The Arisen's Bond... yes, I remember," he smiled, looking at them both. "You slayed the dragon and my heart was forfeit with it... I perished, along with every old Arisen in that world. Then I woke up in this cavern... not unlike the one on the hill... but my pawn wasn't with me, I had to continue my existence alone..." He paused, looking around him as if seeing his cavern anew, too. "I miss him, you know. He was a good friend... We used to talk... reflect on the world and the goings on... I never felt lonely with him around..." His voice trailed off and he turned away. "And since I lost him, my soul has frayed... small shards are being torn off and carried away on the waves of time... or solitude... or regret..."

He walked out onto a platform overlooking the sea and just stood there, staring into the distance. Lena decided to leave him alone.

...

"Tell me what's inside that tower," Lena turned to Lamond when they stood outside again. "I have a feeling you know exactly what we shall find."

"The same as what I found, no doubt," he nodded. "The Mad Sovran."

"Rothias?!" Lena spinned in surprise. She had read old tomes in long forgotten archives telling of the very first Arisen of that world - Rothias. He defeated his dragon and established the law that the current Arisen should be crowned as the Sovran of Vermund, to reign until another Arisen slays his or her own dragon. There was no mention of Battahl in those tomes, it appeared that both kingdoms were in fact one, known as Vermund. That was eons ago. How and when Battahl became its own kingdom, remained unclear. Rothias turned out to be a cruel ruler, executing his subjects by the dozen for any slightest misstep... but again, just how he was removed from power and what became of him, remained unclear. To hear that he indeed still lived... well... that was no small wonder.

Lena walked up and down the beach, visibly distraught. If Rothias was still alive, confined to a tower that rose and sank from time to time, with the blue crystal shards floating from it... with larger shards appearing when the tower came up... "...small shards are being torn off and carried away on the waves of time..." Did she not put a crystal shard on the stand before the Sphinx to represent a piece of her soul? What made her choose a shard? An impluse, an intuition... or may be something she'd seen before, a long, long time ago.

"How do we get into the tower?" She returned to her companions.

"There is a path from Harve - a village on the other side of the bay," Lamond replied. "Have you ever wondered why a small fishing village should have its own porticrystal?"

Lena pulled out a ferrystone and whisked them to the other side of the bay.

...

"And who are you?" A ghostly figure was sitting on a crumbling throne in the middle of an arena. "What do you want? Speak up! I get tired of waiting!"

"Rothias?" Lena approached the figure. He wasn't a ghost, exactly, but rather his shape was surrounded by a cloud of mist. "I was told I'd find you here."

"Well, thanks for your visit, and now be off!" Rothias scowled at her. "I have no time for your kind..."

"My kind..?" Lena was taken aback.

"The current Arisen, is it?" Rothias squinted at her. "Slayed your dragon and got my throne! I know you've done it, or you wouldn't be standing here, smug as you are! What do you want?!" He nearly shouted, growing angry and impatient.

"I want a lot of things," Lena answered in an even and cold voice. "Is that your soul bleeding out? It poisons this world."

"And it deserves it!!" Rothias bellowed. "I've been dethroned by an inferior pleb!!"

"And where is your pawn?"

"My pawn?!!!" Rothias almost exploded with anger. "I had no pawn! I had to defeat my dragon alone!! It was the strength of my will and that of my sword that slayed that beast! Pawns..!" He glared at Lena, then looked further and finally noticed Scorpio standing behind her. "They ruined it all!!" He screamed, pointing at Scorpio. "The pawns!! The Legion!!! I could have ruled the world entire, were it not for the pawns!!"

This outburst seemed to have exhausted his strength and he collapsed onto his throne.

"Begone, Arisen!" He hissed, breathing heavily.

...

"Went to see the Mad Sovran, did you?" An old man on the beach in Harve was stirring a pot over a campfire. "Yeah, I know what's in that tower... what floats from it as well... Rule the world entire, indeed! This IS the world entire, there is nothing more... There is naught beyond the horizon..."

Lena realised with a start that she kept forgetting that the old man was in fact an old Arisen. Indeed, the scar was still visible on his chest.

"Did you slay your dragon?" She asked him.

"Aye," he nodded. "'Tis not that hard, as you well know..."

"And you ruled over Vermund?"

"Nay, not I," he shook his head vigorously and spit. "I want no throne. They found another soon enough."

"Why do you sail out to sea each day?"

"Why not?" He shrugged. "Lived in this village my whole life before that stupid dragon saw it fit to make me immortal... Fished in this bay all my life, so why would I stop?" He gave Lena a long look, his eyes were clear, alive, like those of a young man.

"Your soul isn't fraying," Lena concluded.

He gave a short laugh.

"Why would it? I found my peace. I came home and am happy here."

They didn't speak for a while, Lena sat by his fire looking out to sea.

"But you are not of this world," the old man said quietly. "I know there are other worlds out there, some like ours, others not... You are from a world that isn't bound by the Dragon's Dogma."

"How can you tell?" Lena asked quietly, still looking out to sea.

"You slayed your dragon, you got the throne, but that wasn't your goal... You keep company of pawns, not people... pawns and old Arisen..." he nodded towards Lamond and Scorpio standing a few steps away. "You are still searching for your heart, and for a way home..." His voice trailed off and he resumed stirring in the pot over the fire. "I've never seen an Arisen quite like you."

Lena didn't answer. The waves were rolling in and fizzling out on the rocky beach. The seagulls were circling over the water, occasionally diving for fish, their cries were the only sounds for miles, it seemed. A vision of Cassardis rose in Lena's mind, the fishing village in Gransys where everyone called her "cousin"... she missed it, it felt like home. She was once prepared to spend an eternity there, provided Scorpio stayed with her... it was so long ago. Then she saw the shores of the Niben, the bluebell meadows and the modest house where she grew up. Her Argonian grandmother was stirring in a pot over the fire. "Hi, grandma," she smiled at the memory. That was so long ago...

[Lena Wolf]

Second Seed, 4E204 - Sweet dreams are made of this

Lena sat on a rocky beach in Harve looking out to sea. With her mind's eye she saw in the haze before her every place she once called home. The shores of the Niben. The mists of Dementia. The banks of the Pontar. The beaches of Cassardis... Perhaps she should find a home in this world, too. Scorpio watched her for a bit, then walked over and sat next to her, pulling her close. He unclipped his wolven wrap and draped it over her shoulders more than his. "I am here," he said in her ear. She could feel his heartbeat. She closed her eyes and allowed the day to fizzle out.

...

"Do you think she'll do it?" The old man by the sea looked quizzically at Lamond.

"Sacrifice our world?" Lamond looked up from the fire. "Nah, not she... She'll find another way."

"Are you not tired of the endless cycle?" The old man resumed stirring in the pot. "Every time it is the same."

"You've got your Godsbane, you can end it any time," Lamond objected. "Yet here you are."

"The choice when to die is rarely given, granted," the old man agreed. "All in all, it's not a bad place to live."

The stew was ready and they shared a meal, gazing at the stars above.

...

"Tell me about your research, Lord Phaesus," Lena stood in the Forbidden Magic Laboratory. "Why are you making Godsway?"

"To control the dragon and break the Dragon's Dogma. To free our world," he shrugged.

"Free it..." Lena nodded. "And what, pray, do you know about this world?"

"It is vast... There must be lands beyond the horizon... lands beyond the mountain ridges... This whole world must be made free." Lord Phaesus looked at her and smiled, and Lena thought that instead of her standing there, he saw new lands beyond the horizon.

"Do you suffer much from your cravings to be fed on?" She suddenly changed the topic.

"Suffer?" He looked at her in surprise. "Does one suffer in between moments of ecstasy? Perhaps only by comparison..." He looked at her with a deep longing. "You lost your fangs, Mistress... But perhaps you could use a dagger..?" His hand was already pushing back the robe revealing his neck.

"These healed quite well," Lena touched the scars of the previous bite marks, barely visible now. "I don't need a dagger," she smiled. "All I have to do is will it..."

"The transformation..!" Lord Phaesus gasped, watching Lena's canines pull out turning into fangs, her face growing gaunt and eyes feverish at the same time.

"I am naught but a monster akin all others, here to be hunted and killed," she said in a low voice, paraphrasing Pheasus' own words back at the excavation site. "I have been for centuries..." She was looking into his eyes. "How do you kill the immortal? There are ways, of course... You have been trying to kill my pawn, yet you failed."

"Mistress..." Phaesus backed against the wall, the air in the room growing cold.

"What will you do once you've freed this world from the Dragon's Dogma?" Lena stood quite close to Phaesus now, speaking quietly. "The king in Vermund is your son, is he not? But I do not believe you care for him or his mother... Yes, I saw you there, at The Rose... their escorts show more warmth or conviction than you did taking her into your arms..." she smirked. "Is it the throne you want? The riches, the power?" She gently stroke his neck with her cold hand and he moaned, his knees growing weak. "Should I grant you your moment of ecstasy?"

"I do not wish to be king..." Lord Phaesus said in a hoarse voice. "Everything I want is here..." he looked around the room. "The Empress of Battahl is oblivious to my research, yet she's funding it... women are so easy to manipulate..." He returned Lena's gaze and for a few moments they stood locked in it, Phaesus' dark brown eyes and Lena's amber, with a hint of red... "Yes, Sven is my son," he nodded. "An investment I made twenty years ago. Disa simply wanted a child, I wanted the Arisen Sovran to have a heir. Break the pattern one step at a time... I had no definite plan then... I still don't. The Godsway we make will not control the dragon, it barely controls pawns..." His voice trailed off, he looked away, but remained standing before Lena.

"Ambrosius is dead," Lena walked around the room, picking up a few books and notes, quite a few in Ambrosius' hand. "He was your loyal assistant, yet you wouldn't care for him... He could have recovered."

"He lacked brilliance," Phaesus made an annoyed gesture. "He was collecting shards for years, yet still made no connection as to where they came from or what they were..."

"And you... you know it?" Lena looked up.

"They are fragments of an Arisen's soul," he nodded. "That of Rothias in the tower and the Dragonforged in the cavern..." He paused, thinking. "They are not all the same, and it isn't the size that matters but the substance... something that Ambrosius could never understand."

"You wanted to kill me for my soul," Lena suddenly realised.

"I thought to capture it through your pawn," Lord Phaesus walked over to a bookshelf and pulled out an old tome, handing it to Lena.

"On the Transference of Souls," she read.

"You know it, I take it?" He noticed a spark of recognition in Lena's face. "I am still searching for the second tome. This here is but the first half."

Lena put down the book.

"The easiest way to control the dragon and the pawns," she said in an even tone, "is to become an Arisen yourself, Lord Phaesus." She paused and he looked up sharply. "Oh come now, you know how it's done... The dragon chooses the challenger, always. Not the mage taking notes. Not the reseacher hidden deep inside the earth. Next time the dragon comes around, seek him out, he's easy to find. A good lightning bolt will make you lose your heart and gain the power... And then, when you face your dragon, stab him with your personal Godsbane."

Lord Phaesus stood transfixed as a long silver dagger, or a short silver sword, appeared in Lena's hand, shimmering with an unknown enchantment. She put it on the table before Phaesus.

"This one is mine," she said simply. "You can touch it but only I can wield it. This sword exists with a single purpose: for me to commit suicide. Every Arisen gets one when it comes near the time to face the dragon."

"But what is the point..?" Phaesus touched Lena's Godsbane and it gave him a powerful discharge.

"Interesting," Lena smiled. "It doesn't like you." She put it away. "Every Arisen can break the cycle, can lift the Dragon's Dogma. Very few choose to do it. I did it once in another world... But what came next was not worth it, and I worked hard to undo it. The same would happen here, I wager... Or something very much like it, at any rate..."

She walked around the room, glancing at the many tomes in Phaesus' library.

"The lands beyond the horizon that you speak of... How do you know that they exist?" She stopped close to him.

"I saw them... with my mind's eye..." Phaesus said softly, seeing them again. "Forests teeming with game... Deserts of warm sands so unlike Battahl... Frozen peakes of rugged mountains... An Elven city on an isle with a spire so white and so tall, it can be seen from every corner of the land... All of this... is beyond the horizon."

"All of this is not of this world," Lena smiled, pulling back the robe on Phaesus' shoulder to reveal his neck. "Let me give you another dream..."

...

Scorpio was sitting outside Lord Phaesus' chamber waiting for Lena. He had to resist the urge to charge in and just kill Phaesus where he stood, but Lena specifically instructed him to stay out and to keep everyone else from even approaching the door. All was quiet and no one came to Phaesus' chamber, and so Scorpio listened without interruptions.

When Lena came out, she looked completely human again, with all visible traces of vampirism fully receded.

"Phaesus?" Scorpio asked, checking her over, just to be sure.

"He'll be alright," Lena smiled. "I took more than a fair share, but he can handle it. He'll be craving it all the more next time we meet..."

"Are you sure we shouldn't just kill him?" Scorpio looked through the door opening - Lord Phaesus was slumped on the cushions, looking quite pale. "I mean, after some of the things he was saying..."

"He is no threat to us now," Lena shook her head. "And I still need a thrall sometimes..."

"Then take my blood instead..!"

"No, Scorpio, let's not make it into a habit," she kissed him on a cheek and motioned him to go. "In an emergency, if I have no other choice, I shall take your blood... But not if it can be avoided!"

...

They returned to Vermund, leaving behind the land of red rock and the stigma surrounding pawns. Here, among the green mountains, the air was both cooler and less toxic, which was a welcome change.

"The people in Gransys didn't like us pawns either," Scorpio observed as they were walking up a mountain path. "Yet in Battahl I experienced a whole different level of rejection... not hate, but distrust and disdain... I am glad to be out of there."

"Agreed," Lena nodded. "But here it is the reverse. I wonder what they will make of us now... I should be the Sovran but I abdicated... Some will see it as slander or even a provocation. We won't find many friendly hearts here, I think."

In Vernworth life continued as before. To Lena's surprise, most people appeared not to care that she wasn't fulfulling her duty of presiding over the throne. "It must be awfully dull," they would look at her with understanding. "All those laws and decrees... Hardly the stuff of dreams, now is it?"

Lena went to the Pawn Guild.

"Arisen!" The receptionist greeted her in his ever dispassionate tone. "You cannot summon pawns in times of peace like these. However, if you have need of assistance, the Guild can provide support for a fee."

"I had something else in mind," she shook her head. "I wish to travel the Rift."

"Only pawns can do that, Arisen."

"Not even for a fee?" She smiled, putting a small mountain of rift crystals on the table, with one small Godsway crystal just visible inside it.

"Well, since you put it like that..." The receptionist quickly extracted the Godsway crystal from the pile, stashing it in his belt. "Where would you like to go?"

"Today - nowhere," Lena smiled. "I am glad we've reached an understanding. That is premium purity, I am sure you will realise. Sweet dreams."

...

"What are you planning?" Scorpio waited to ask this question until they were inside Lena's house.

"A way home, an escape," Lena smiled. "You traveled to Tamriel through the Rift, we'll take the same route."

"I am a pawn, you are not," Scorpio looked sceptical. "The only reason I can do it is because the Legion needs the pawns to move between worlds... As long as they own me, I can do it... That's why I never let my mark vanish completely, lest I would not be able to find you again..." He rubbed the mark on his hand and it responded with a steady glow. "Besides, we cannot leave until you regain your heart."

"My heart..." Lena pressed a hand to her chest, the emptiness inside was almost palpable. "Vampires have hearts, but they don't beat. When I grow cold... my heart stops... yet I do not die. When I grow warm again, my heart once again starts beating, thanks to the cure I took. Vampires' hearts don't beat no matter what, I've been told. And yet I know it not to be true. All it takes is something to warm it..." She stopped talking, emotion making it difficult to breathe.

"Your first bond," Scorpio said softly. "Now I understand."

"In time," Lena nodded. "I shall return to him in time, but only once my soul is at peace..." She pressed her hand to Scorpio's chest, feeling his heartbeat. "My soul, which is also yours."

"And when your human bond runs its course, I shall still be there," he took her into his embrace. "And perhaps then it will be I who warms your heart."

The night had fallen while they were talking, a night of sweet dreams.

[Lena Wolf]

Second Seed, 4E204 - A matter of the heart

"Being a vampire weighs heavily upon you," Scorpio looked at Lena sideways as they were strolling through the wooded countryside in Vermund. "You have not been your usual self since you drank the dragon blood from the patch in my side." He twitched as the scar on his abdomen gave him a painful pull.

"That still hurts?" Lena looked up with worry, noticing Scorpio cringe.

"Yes," he nodded. "But don't avoid my question."

"Yes," she nodded back. "Yes, it does weigh heavily upon me. I got infected by accident when I was young, I've done everything I could to cure it, and yet every time I attempt to rid me of vampirism, I only find myself sinking deeper in... When the choice is between vampirism and death... I keep choosing vampirism..."

"Death is not the answer," Scorpio agreed. "For as long as you have something to live for, you will choose life, in whatever form."

"But then the times when my vampirism is in remission, are nothing but a lie..." Lena said in a small voice. "Since I do not want to be mortal."

"There's more to it than just mortality, isn't there?" Scorpio objected. "You could be permanently killed also as a vampire, there are always ways... Why is it then that every time you relapse, you insist on pushing it back in remission?"

"I like to feel warmth in my heart," Lena answered without hesitation. "Not just warmth in my body - a good feeding does that already. I like the heartbeat..." She pressed a hand to her chest but felt nothing. "When the dragon took my heart, it was like being forced into perpetual void without the chance of escape..."

"And that is why we must find your heart," Scorpio said firmly. "We cannot leave it behind. We cannot return to Tamriel without it."

...

When they returned to Vernworth, Lena noticed someone waiting for her near her house.

"Glyndwr," she stopped in her tracks. "He will want to go on a trip, no doubt. Show me how much his archery skill has improved since last we met... Why is it that people find it perfectly acceptable to wait for you at your house and then demand you depart with them the moment you return to the city? Like, may be, we'd want to rest and tend to our wounds first?" She turned to Scorpio, irritation clearly visible on her face.

"You could just refuse him, you know," Scorpio shrugged.

"Then he'd be upset," Lena sighed. "I have nothing against a trek, we are not exactly busy, and he's nice company. But - right now? As in - immediately this instant? That's insane."

"That's insolence," Scorpio nodded. "But they all do it. It's the way things work in this world."

"Well, then he can stand there and wait for a bit longer," Lena decided, turning on her heels. "It's too bad I sold the mansion, but there's always the inn. Come on."

...

"Welcome to my inn!" Shakir greeted them as they entered. "The best hospitality in Vermund is right here! Do you just want to rammage in your storage again or will you be actually renting a bed or two?"

"I'd like a private room," Lena got out her purse. "You've got one, don't you?"

"Ahh, someone is waiting by your house and you would rather prefer some rest first," he nodded. "We hear it all the time. Bath and breakfast as well?"

"Yes, please."

"There," he handed her a key. "Down the steps, then turn right. It's the last door along that hall. Better than The Rose," he grinned and winked, following Scorpio with his eyes.

...

"Something isn't right," Glyndwr said softly after they've been on the road for half a day and Lena didn't say a word. She targeted most foes from far with her bow, picking them off one by one long before they could come near. If any survived her arrows, Glyndwr finished them in turn. Scorpio didn't have to cast a single spell, hostile or healing. He too didn't speak. "You've been away for half a year... I've heard rumours, but I am not sure what to believe. I wanted to check on you, that is all. I apologise if this was just an intrusion..."

Lena stopped, turning to face him. The Malachite Forest around them rustled its leaves, muffling every sound. The clearing they were standing on, felt private.

"I am sorry, Glyndwr, it isn't your fault," Lena sighed. "You've done nothing wrong, and I do appreciate the attention, truly..." She paused, then sat down on a mossy log, her companions sitting down as well. "We've gone through hard times... We made sacrifices... It isn't true that anything that you manage to survive, makes you stronger."

"If you don't want to tell me, I understand," Glyndwr said softly. "I can see for myself that your pawn is not just your pawn... He disappeared first, then you went to his rescue, that much is clear. But I feel that isn't what is weighing on your heart."

"My heart..." Lena looked up. "That's just it. I haven't got it."

"After all you've gone through..?" Glyndwr was taken aback. "Slayed the dragon and all..? And... nothing?"

"And nothing," Lena nodded.

Glyndwr was visibly disturbed by this. He got up and paced around the clearing, clenching and unclenching his fists, muttering something under his breath in Elvish and shaking his head. After a little while he returned and sat down again.

"I am of course your junior in every way," he started cautiously. "Barely an adult... and I have no right to give advice..." He shook his head again and blushed, then looked up at Lena without raising his head. "But if I may? This might be of use to you."

"Glyndwr, please dispose with the formalities!" Lena exclaimed, blushing as well. "You seem to know rather more about me than most people... which should make it easier to talk! Years isn't everything."

"So it is as I thought, you are much older than me," he smiled. "Youthful looks notwithstanding. I daresay you have more experience too... But do you know Elves?" He looked at her with doubt.

"I know some elves..." Lena said without much conviction. "Dark Elves more than othes..." Glyndwr didn't seem to understand, and she hastened to clarify. "In my world there are three elven races, they differ in just about everything, from looks to beliefs to traditions... The only thing they have in common is their disdain for humans... Even those with elven roots... particularly those with elven roots... or those like myself whose race is considered to be a cross of man and mer."

"Then you know Elves," Glyndwr nodded. "When you come to Sacred Arbour, they are happy enough to take your money, yet none will speak your language," he smirked. "You think they cannot? They can... we've been living in this human land for generations... They understand everything you say, but will not speak it. I disapprove of that." He paused, considering how to say what he had to say. "This land isn't ours by right... It wasn't always ours," he corrected himself. "One day a group of elves arrived here from another world... They found this forest, wild and avoided by humans, so they settled here. The humans never made any attempts to evict them, yet the elves shunned humans nonetheless." He looked at the ancient trees around them as if asking forgiveness. "My point is this: those elves had traveled from another world. How they did it and whence they came, is written in old tomes, closely guarded from prying eyes..." he smirked. "But I read them. They came from a world where the dragon held the Arisens' hearts... They fled because the Arisen among them did not dare to slay the dragon... They sought to escape the fate that awaited all old Arisen in that world - they would perish when a new Arisen finally slays the dragon, slays it and regains his or her heart. You should retrace their steps," Glyndwr looked straight at Lena. "You should go to the world where slaying the dragon restores your heart."

"That old Arisen you spoke of..." Lena smiled. "I think I met her. She lives in a self-imposed exhile together with her ageing husband... Yet she does not seem to age herself."

"An elf and a dwarf, yes," Glyndwr nodded. "Another conundrum there. Just how many dwarves have you met in this world? Two, I wager. There's a smith in Bakbattahl as well. Two dwarves in an entire world?" He smiled and his eyes twinkled.

"I see," Lena grinned. "And they say it is only pawns who can travel across the Rift..."

...

"Good morning!" Lena greeted the receptionist at the Pawn Guild. "I trust you enjoyed my little gift from a few days ago?" A broad grin on the receptionist's face told her all she needed to know. "Well then... This..." she placed a larger Godsway crystal before him, "...is of the same purity, but look at the size. Take it all at once for a trip of a lifetime or split it up for several milder rides."

"What do you want for it?" He asked in a hoarse voice, not taking his eyes off the crystal.

"Gransys," Lena said. "You know it, I presume?"

...

It was another storm in Cassardis, and people huddled in their houses to wait it out.

"This isn't just a simple storm," Rook stood on the doorstep of his and Benita's house, pointing at the angry clouds that seemed to twist in a vortex.

"You think the dragon is coming?" Benita looked over his shoulder, hugging him from behind. "It hasn't been fifty years yet... I wonder what's brought it on."

"Not what - who," Rook smirked. "'Tis the wolven hour."

They went back into the house and barred the door. It the Rift was going to open over Cassardis, they would notice it soon enough, there was no need to get your house destroyed for it.

The vortex thickened, condensed and spit out a body. It fell onto the beach and remained still.

The storm continued to rage and anyone looking out the window, had the immediate urge to shut it and bar it from the inside. It is for this reason that no one besides Rook and Benita saw the dragon descend onto the beach. The dragon looked around, spotted the body and prodded it with his claw.

"You again!" He reeled, recognising a blond female that slayed him twice already. "What have I done to deserve it?!" The dragon's roar blended with the roar of the storm. "Oh very well, if I must!" He spit a mouthfull of fire. "But this time I'm taking your heart!"

He split Lena's chest in a much-practiced gesture... and reeled once again.

"No heart?!" He screamed in a high pitched voice, quite unexpected in a dragon. "What have you done with your heart?! I've got to have the heart for the magic to work!!!"

"You'll manage," Lena raised her head, pulling the wound together. "I will want it back when we meet again, so you better have it ready, Grigori," she smiled. "And nice to see you too. I rather prefer you to the other dragon."

"What have I done to deserve this?!" Grigori flapped his wings throwing a few fishing boats against the rocks, then rose into the air, circled the bay of Cassardis one last time and flew off, taking the storm with him as well.

"Here we go again," Lena shook her head, clutching her open chest. Although the wound wasn't deadly, it was still very painful and she blacked out, right there on the beach.

[Lena Wolf]

Second Seed, 4E204 - We meet again

"Nice of you to drop in on us like that," Benita smiled when Lena finally regained consciousness. "Rook told me of your adventures in the other land... That was rather gruesome," she looked somber. "So I suppose you are here to chase after your heart?"

"How do you know all this, Benita?" Lena tried to sit up but the wound in her chest was still raw. "Even if Rook told you every detail..." she shot him a glance, but he only smiled. "Even then..."

"It's obvious, dear," Benita shrugged. "To anyone who is paying attention, which, admittedly, is rare enough. Our world goes through a simple pattern... and you know what - I don't mind a bit. It is still a nice place to live."

"I am sorry that I shall have to destroy it again in order to regain my heart," Lena smiled apologetically.

"Pay it no mind, for everything will be rebuilt overnight once you've completed the cycle," Benita gently pushed Lena back onto the pillows. "Now, you should rest. That wound is real and unless you allow it to close and heal, it will kill you before you see the dragon again."

Lena tried to protest that she had to get up and go looking for Scorpio, but Benita would hear none of it. "Scorpio will wait for you in the Rift," Rook tried to reassure her too. "All is back to where it should be for the moment."

...

A few days later Lena was well enough to walk around and her initial foray to the beach outside Cassardis didn't go too badly. Of course, this was mostly due to Rook shadowing her everywhere with his healing spells. "Accompanying a new Arisen is my job," he would dismiss her protests. "The only way you can get rid of me is to throw me off a cliff." And since Lena had no intention of doing it, she stopped protesting.

Arriving at the encampment West of Cassardis and to the main riftstone in the area, they found everything as it had always been - the place was buzzing with soldiers and pawns. Some people seemed to have recognised her, but didn't find it strange to see her again, she answered their greetings and went about summoning Scorpio. She approached the riftstone and heard a familiar voice.

"Well met, newly Arisen! Can you hear our voice? We speak to you over a great distance..." The voice continued telling her a few basics about being an Arisen, then asked her to demonstrate the strength of her resolve. Lena snorted and turned to Rook.

"Do you think it is a recorded message?" She squinted at him. "They didn't seem to realise who I am."

"It may well be a recorded message," Rook nodded. "With the trial pre-arranged as well. I do find it suspicious how it is that a very particular marked cyclops appears just outside the encampment immediately after a new Arisen touches the riftstone for the first time. But no matter - we still have to slay it because the havoc it is causing is quite real!"

The encampment was indeed in a bit of a turmoil with soldiers running back and forth, some towards the gates leading to the cyclops, others in the opposite direction. Out of the gates they joined the fight, and soon the cyclops was slain, gaining Lena a nice piece of hide, a rugged task and two misshapen eyes...

"Two eyes?" Lena looked at Rook in astonishment. "From a cyclops?"

"Never mind, pick up your loot and let's go back to the riftstone," Rook grinned. "Perhaps he had a spare in his pocket."

Back at the riftstone another pre-recorded message congratulated Lena on a successful completion of her trial and invited her to select a companion for the journey ahead, a pawn who would serve her and her alone. "Now, that's a lie," Lena suddenly noticed that line. "Pawns serve other Arisen as well when they are called for duty. I wonder why the Legion would lie to us like that..." She touched the riftstone and entered the Rift.

...

"Here to select a pawn?" A clerk started shuffling some papers without looking at Lena. He'd done this countless times before. "Male or female?"

"Scorpio." Lena said in an even tone.

"What..?" The clerk finally looked up. "You again!" He scowled. "You can't have the same pawn over and over again," he shook his head. "Choose another."

"Scorpio." Lena repeated with more urgency in her voice.

"I said no," the clerk looked stern. "You're not supposed to be here, even. You've been assigned to the other world. We can just send you back there if you continue being a nuisance."

"Is there a problem?" Lena heard Scorpio's voice behind her. "You cannot overrule an Arisen's call."

The clerk buried his face in his hands.

"Fine! Have it your way!" He grabbed a pile of papers and dropped them into a desk drawer, locking it. "Let's say, I never saw those. I am no fighter. I cannot fight an Arisen and her pawn..."

"Fight?" Lena was taken aback. "What are you talking about? What were those papers?"

"You're not supposed to be reunited with your pawn," he looked up at her. "Those are reports from the worlds you've been in about all the trouble you two make. The Legion decided to split you up. And if you refuse, I am supposed to fight you." He pointed at a rusty sword behind his desk. "What a joke!" He smirked. "You'll kill me, I'll respawn elsewhere in the Rift, you'll come back for your pawn and we'll be doing it until the end of time."

"Let's go," Scorpio put his hand around Lena's waist preventing her from lunging at the clerk. "He's just a clerk. We'll talk elsewhere."

...

"You took your time!" Rook was standing by the riftstone looking worried. "What happened?"

"Not here," Scorpio shook his head.

Back in Cassardis they were sitting around the table in Pablo's inn with Pablo fussing over the food and drink.

"It's good to have you back, cousin!" He kept repeating. "Truth be told, we missed you and your pawns," he grinned at them. "You bring excitement to our quiet village!"

"Aestelle still glares at us though," Scorpio smirked. "Even at Rook!"

"Aestelle is like that," Pablo shrugged. "She's doing it out of habit more than anything. Yet she doesn't think twice about calling on Rook for every bruise and scrape she gets, which happens all the time!"

"Why is Aestelle getting bruises and scrapes?" Lena looked up in surprise. "She's a shop keeper! What's so dangerous in her shop?"

"Well, she handles crates with merchandise, doesn't she? Apparently they have all rough corners and edges..." Pablo rolled his eyes and everyone stared at Rook.

"What?!" He looked around defensively. "I cast a healing spell, that's all! Apparently, that tickles..."

When hilarity finally settled down, it was time to discuss more serious matters.

"The clerk in the Rift said that the Legion wanted to see us split up," Scorpio summarised the events for Rook. "He had a pile of reports of the trouble we caused, apparently," he grinned. "What I want to know is what the Legion really wants from Wolf."

"They want her dead," Rook shrugged. "She's a threat to the established order. Not only is she constantly going after the dragon, but she also spreads ideas about the free will. And that is the real threat to the Legion."

"I don't actually give anyone free will," Lena objected. "You already have it."

"Ah, but we're being brainwashed to the contrary," Rook shook his head, rubbing the pawn mark on his hand, bright as ever. "It's not just the Arisen who are being told that pawns are but empty husks, the pawns are being told that as well. Some even believe it... Well, a lot of pawns believe it, in fact."

"A lot of people believe something similar too," Lena sighed. "Soldiers who follow orders without thinking... spouses who defer every decision to their 'other half'... servants who do whatever 'their betters' tell them... It is so much easier not to have to think for yourself, and there's always someone you can blame for your misfortunes." She paused, and no one spoke. "I really don't think that if I tell a few pawns to wake up, it would have a lasting effect on the Legion as a whole."

"May be it isn't that..." Rook rubbed his chin. "May be it is rather the fact that you are not from this world. The worlds controlled by the Legion all run in a simple cycle with the dragon and the Arisen, it renews the world without allowing it to change all that much. If pawns start getting ideas and traveling the Rift beyond these worlds like Scorpio here, those ideas may spill over to the inhabitants and ultimately break the Dragon's Dogma cycle. That would be an issue."

"Lord Phaesus in Battahl has already been trying to break the Dragon's Dogma for a very long time," Lena objected. "I had nothing to do with it."

"May be not, and may be you have," Rook gave her a long look. "They also had the elves and the dwarves... Some travel has been happening for eons already. But what is new, I think, is that you taught it to your pawn... in a manner of speaking..."

The day was turning into an evening, and they still couldn't solve the conundrum of the Pawn Legion.

"You know what," Lena got up from the table. "May be we don't need to figure it out. May be we should each just try to live our lives... such as they are." She smiled, looking around the inn, now filling with people coming for dinner. "One step at a time. I'll need my heart back first of all, then we'll see. This time things are better than ever before," she smiled radiantly at them. "Rook is actually at home. He can come with us for a few days, then return to Benita, and all of that will be happening in real time. This is how life works for the rest of us, Rook. This is the real thing. No more fragments or shards, they won't call you away while there's an Arisen right here. And I... I feel at home here too. May be I don't need to rush the dragon this time..? Less fighting, more eating fish, perhaps?" She looked at Scorpio who seemed confused by such a change in tactics. "We kick Selene out of my house and settle down for a while? What say you, Main Pawn?"

"My all is yours to shape, Master," he answered automatically. "I wouldn't say no to fish myself..."

"Flounder and haddock today," Pablo put a platter of grilled fish on the table. "Hope you like it... we can never tell what the sea will give us, but there's always enough..."

The inn was getting loud as the drinking overtook the eating, and no one really noticed when Lena and her pawn left the room.

...

"Were you serious about settling down for a while?" Scorpio turned to her when the logs in their campfire were reduced to ambers. The night was beautiful and they chose to spend it on the beach.

"Perhaps," Lena nodded. "I don't know what's the right way any more," she looked at him. "I am tired, Scorpio... That chase in Battahl took more out of me than I would have liked... And your wound is still hurting."

"It is... It seems we both need more time to heal." He put another log into the fire and it flared, then calmed down again. "Perhaps the answers will come all without us chasing after them..."

"Immortality has its perks..."

"I never had any issues with your fangs..."

"Fangs I can deal with," Lena smirked. "I want a beating heart again."

"You'll get it back, I have no doubt." Scorpio looked quite serious. "It will destroy this world and you will fix it again. You will even be allowed to remain here forever after that... possibly even with me at your side..."

"But..?"

"It's what Rook said - they don't want you to leave, they don't want pawns to leave this sphere."

"How did you manage to travel to Tamriel?" Lena suddenly realised that she didn't know how pawns traveled the Rift.

"I simply grabbed another ledge..." Scorpio smiled at Lena's incomprehension. "Remember the Everfall? The endless well you're falling through? With ledges and lights along the way? There's one in the Rift. Possibly even the same one, or may be it just appears differently to different people... I found it and jumped into it, and those ledges and lights led to different worlds. Eventually I landed in the Shivering Isles... It wasn't the first ledge I tried."

"Oh..." Lena's voice fell. "So it isn't a straight road home..."

"No, we'll have to find a more secure way," Scorpio nodded. "I imagine this is why it wasn't guarded - who would want to jump into the unknown for no reason? I had a reason of course, but most pawns do not."

"Pawns that go mad with despair on the Bitterblack Isle might prefer to jump in," Lena objected. "If they knew about it, that is..."

"But that's the thing with despair - you stop looking for a way out."

"You need a friend to help you along," Lena looked up, thinking of her own despair back in Battahl, and how Rook pulled her out. "All it takes is warmth..."

[macole]

Of course a two-eyed Cyclops, one eye in front of its head and one in the back of its head. Since you only see one at a time, what you see is a cyclops. But then of course he could just be carrying a spare in his pocket.

Free will, a concept everyone has access to yet many refuse to exercise preferring to blame fate or others their misfortunes.

"But that's the thing with despair - you stop looking for a way out." Yes, very well put.

[Lena Wolf]

Of course a two-eyed Cyclops, one eye in front of its head and one in the back of its head. Since you only see one at a time, what you see is a cyclops. But then of course he could just be carrying a spare in his pocket.

There was no eye on the back of his head! I just started the first Dragon's Dogma again, I realised it has more charm than the new game. Bigger is not always better, it appears... So we fought the cyclops and got two misschapen eyes as a semi-random reward. Must have been carrying one in his pocket.

Free will, a concept everyone has access to yet many refuse to exercise preferring to blame fate or others their misfortunes.

It's easier that way, isn't it? What struck me this time also is that Aestelle, the shop keeper who dislikes pawns, says that she doesn't like them because she finds that following orders to fight for someone to your death is unnatural. Err... yet she does not have the same problem with human soldiers who are supposed to do the same... except the ones who run in the opposite direction when a cyclops attacks, that is.

"But that's the thing with despair - you stop looking for a way out." Yes, very well put.

Isn't it just how it feels. Thank you.