Strength and Hunger -TES5 Skyrim Dawnguard-

Chapter 1:  Falling

70 years earlier...
...It drained passively, pooling up around the black back of those infernal creatures. I would eventually grow fond of them, but at the time I violently stabbed my sword into a Death Hound's muscle spazzing neck, and soon it was more still then the rocks around us. It swirled about my feet and I looked at it with disgust. Oh what a foreign substance it was to me then. Though I lived and breathed with it everyday of my life.
The Blood...Sticky, red, thick, fowl blood.
It tasted like Corundum and smelled like Iron. It was splashed everywhere as we all had just slashed our way through a few hideously large black dogs, whose snarl could make even a bear tremble and run for it's life, the walking Skeletons, and the Vampires that enslaved them in the first place.
Finding ourselves in a huge circular chamber was the last thing we had expected however. The blood made the place look dirty and violated, and piles of bones and strewn about corpses weakened its appearence.
Though what we were there for was most important. And when we found ourselves staring at a rib cage high pedestal, shaped with 5 points, and a mysterious button on top, we mutually paused.
It was rather clear there was no other option. No way to find out what that "secret artifact" Isran had mentioned was. A straight path ahead, and only one door.
But who would press the button...?

"I'll do it!" Celwean's bravery always stuck out the most. It wasn't quite fearlessness. It was courage. Bold, valiant, Courage.
Something I always envied my best friend for. A cute, humble Woof Elf from a different part of the Empire's hub, Cyrodiil, than me. She had the courage to face nearly anything, even if she didn't want to. And Celwean always raised the lion in me. I admired her for that.

"No! It could be a trap! I'm not going to let you fall through some false door or get hit by poison darts!" Celwean's love of her life, and soon to be husband, Farkas of the Companions, expressed a true concern...

How many times had we pulled upon a chain or lever only to be doused in darting poison or mauled by a ferocious log trap? I had lost count, but, honestly, I hadn't really been keeping count at all.

Celwean smiled to Farkas, an infinite expression of fondness for the dark haired Nord on her face. Fondness and true love.
"Its alright Farkas. You know I'm resistant to poison. Remember?" She flicked at her pointed ear. And she was right. Who could deny her race and it's keen resistance to any kind of poison?

"But who knows what else could happen!" Shoving his arms into a criss cross, he sighed and let a concerned look raise an eyebrow to her. He really did worry about her. His overprotectiveness made sense but at the same time, not quite so much.
Celwean had taken part in the Ritual. She was well capable of the Change. A Beastly change of Power and Strength. It was truly an incredible thing.

However, this button needed to be pressed. Activated, motivated to reveal the secret and hidden artifact that dwell in Dimhollow Crypt. The Treasure for Vampires.

"Go on Farkas, let your lady do it Lad. Whatever happens we're all here. Celwean's a big girl." Brynjolf's smooth and friendly accent echoed throughout the odd circular tomb. It relieved me just hearing it.

Farkas' tolerance for Brynjolf was always being tested, especially by Brynjolf himself. It was almost a game to him...Though what lie in front of us was-NO-game.
So Farkas scoffed with a sigh to Brynjolf and gestured for Celwean to go ahead and press the button. A nice smile came across her face and she walked up to the pillar. She paused.
Then she placed an open palm on the button and pressed down with quite a bit of strength. A loud sheen sound, like a swift dagger was drawn, jetted through the air and Celwean cried out quickly.
We all looked shocked and unable to comprehend what happened within the first 5 seconds but on the 6th Farkas reacted and darted to her.

"Celwean!!" He bent his knee nearly to the ground to scoop her up as she was close to falling to a knee.

A large spike was pierced through her palm. A long, menacing looking spike.
But after the shock had set in I was finally able to react, and I too bolted to Celwean's aide. As I did so, the most interesting thing happened...
Along the indentation of the inner most circle of the chamber, the brightest most shimmering violet light beamed up through the floor. It was a wall of Amethyst Magick, and it certainly Was as it slowly, unsuspectingly drained any magicka the 4 of us retained.
Farkas looked around with such a screen of confusion on his face. He quickly helped Celwean to her feet and took out a strip of linen wrap to encase the puncture in her right hand. But even she did not look so dumbfounded. She was more bewildered and amazed, and Brynjolf spun around every which way wondering what that earthbound Aurora was going to do next.
With a simple discovery, we would move through this magicka draining mist and it began to tell us something. One projecting line led us to realize that by moving those Braziers we could connect the magenta vapor.
Now it was more like a game.

The last Brazier was pushed into it's place, our hearts all beating faster as more wonderment and anxiety filled us more, with every slow second.
And then...the room began to rumble.
It was a sight none of us could have predicted. A plume of that glowing violet magick throttled to the ceiling. The floor quaked in fury and broke apart in unison.
It rose.
It began to rise and it was all we could stare at, unknowing and uncertain.
And that's what scares me the most. Uncertainty. Not knowing how and what the future would yield.

So I latched onto Brynjolf and screamed, "What the hell is happening?!" in a feeble, panic stricken voice.

His bravery also made me envious. He did not hop into anyone's arms and yell for help. He did not cry out in vain. He did what a good husband does, and shielded me from the wonderful horror in front of us.

"I don't know Lass! Just hang on!"

But the "horror" did not last long. The glistening amethyst light dispersed into the air, without even the smallest trace. The pillar that pierced Celwean's hand was now a big dark box, emerged in stillness and stone. A large vertical indentation went up one side, something I never figured out what was for.
Our heads tilted, from one side, then to the other. The artifact was definitely in that box. Isran would be pleased.

...But...how to open it? None of us had the a clue beyond bashing it open barbarically.

"What...is this thing...?" Celwean was the first to investigate. Her curiosity relieved me greatly.

"Looks like...I...dunno..." He followed her closely, going up to the thing as well. Farkas never stayed to far behind her.

Next was Brynjolf and I. We, too, inspected the giant box. It was certainly creepy enough. No writing incscribed, in a language we could understand or not. Not even the tiniest insignifigant scratch. Bewildering it was.
I stuck my nose practically in the straight indentation on the front. I was insanely curious myself now.

Isn't curiosity a funny thing though? I was sure there was a saying about being analytical to an extent of some kind. And perhaps I should have headed to that warning. For then the wall of that box began to shake and it slid with a stone-rubbing-stone echo. But maybe this time, curiosity brought me something I believe was sent from the Lady of Infinite Energies herself.

From within the box a woman lay standing, arms delicately crossed over her chest.
It was Serana.
I was so stunned I could not move. But not trapped in fear. Engulfed in Awe.
She fell forward, clearly not completely conscious. She feel right on top of  me, right into my arms. At first I stumbled back thinking I could balance myself before I fell and shattered this gorgeous woman. I failed and landed flat on my back, Serana's body thumped over on top of mine. And then she looked up...at me. I don't think she even realized she had fallen. The look in her orangy-red eyes was sleepily in and out and she didn't move except to stare directly at me.
The pupils in our eyes, hers as visible as the sun on a clear day, and mine as hidden as the thief in the shadow, interlocked, intertwined, and froze time for what I was sure was forever, but it felt like a flickering, fleeting second.
Then she groaned as she began to comprehend her surroundings better.

"Oh my-!" Celwean shouted, then less concerned about her wound. One of her best qualities and why she was the greatest friend I had ever known. She had less concern for herself when others were at stake. I would have smiled at Celwean's obvious worry for the newly found Serana. But it was her, Serana herself, that seemed to have caught my breath and will.

Celwean, Farkas, and Brynjolf rushed to Serana's aide, gently lifting her from me.

"Raven, are you alright?" Brynjolf came straight to my side after Serana was on her own two feet, wobbly but standing on her own.

I could do nothing but nod, nothing but manage a small whimper of "Mm hmm.". I was too captivated by Serana. I couldn't move, just fixedly gazing up at her.
She had suddenly captured me, taken me, enchanted me, enthralled me. There was no doubt of what she was. A Vampire. But she did not need to use her vampiric seduction to make her my mistress.
I was...falling...falling somewhere, somehow, and I kept so still I wasn't sure if I really was falling or not.
I'm almost sure I was though.
Falling...in love...

"Um...Where is...Wh-who sent you here?" She asked in a drowsy voice.

I wanted to ask her the same thing. Her voice was even more ensnaring than a Black Soul gem! I wanted to ask her, "Did Heaven send you? Did all the Gods who bring us abundance, love, and happiness take the most precious and endeared things in all of Nirn and cast them into one singular being to make you?!"
I refrained from asking. When in fact I had been relinquished silent. Silent and enraptured. I had found the most beautiful woman in Skyrim. A Treasure that even I would have to covet.

"Lass!" The firmness in his voice brought me back. Back to a reality I had almost forgotten about. Brynjolf looked so worried. So I smiled at him, accepted his help from the ground and rewarded him with a kiss.

Turning to Serana, I felt the flurry of butterflies and luna moths tickle my insides. Although, another emotion just as tingly nudged more and more into my heart, stomach and gut.
How could it happen? I was already so in love with that orange haired thief, my loving husband, Brynjolf.
But...I had fallen again...