3E-427
Inside of the cave Addamasartus near the village of Seyda Neen, Vvardenfell, Morrowind.
Damon woke to find himself laying on a small cot situated next to a campfire whose embers were all that remained. Glancing around, He saw the vampire with the Raven hair, Breton by the look of him, sitting on a log and carving something. On closer inspection, Damon saw that it was taking the form of a very detailed stallion. It was rearing back on two legs, teeth barred, and mane flying behind it.
"How do you feel?" Damon flinched at the unexpected noise.
"I don't know. Where are we?"
"Short term memory loss is very normal, and will return soon. You are in the Cave Addamasartus, just north of Seyda Neen in the province of Morrowind." Sitting up, Damon threw the blankets off of him and wracked his brain to remember how he got here. Then it all came screaming back to him, Flashes of memory crashed into his mind as he remembered. Sneaking in, Picking the lock, Opening the first coffin, moving on to the next, finding what lay in wait, Hjrondir's death, And the pain. The terrible pain, Damon shuddered as he recalled the ordeal he experienced.
"Are you going to kill me?"
"Bit late for that. Do you honestly not understand what has happened?"
"You poisoned me. Torture most likely, I just don't know why. I don't think I know anything that you would want to know, so you may as well just kill me."
"Ha! Torture, No nothing so brash. I turned you, your a Vampire now."
"What?" Damon looked at his hands, noticing that the gash he had received was already nearly healed, and itchy. "How long have I been unconscious?"
"About a day."
"No, this wound is almost healed, that doesn't make any sense." The raven haired vampire smiled, revealing his toothy grin.
"No, it doesn't, does it?"
"You can't be turned like that! you have to be bitten!"
"Ha! that old myth? no, you don't contract it through a bite, otherwise there would be a whole lot of vampires running around. You have to introduce vampire blood to the bloodstream of a non vampire. From there, the vampire's blood cells attach to the normal blood cells, which infect other blood cells, and so on and so forth." Damon was silent for a long time, processing this new information. Finally he said:
"So what happens now?
"That's it? No pleading to change you back, or for a cure?"
"Is there one?"
"No."
"Didn't think so." The Raven haired Vampire smiled even broader.
"Well, in answer of your question, now I'll take you to our leader, familiarize you with the system, and get you your first assignment." He leaned forward and extended his hand. "We haven't been properly introduced, My name is Dante Blackraven." Damon looked at the hand, but did not take it.
"Damon Kaine. Do you have any food? I'm famished."
"Of a sort, yeah. follow me." Dante retracted his hand and stood, then led Damon down another corridor."
"You don't have to say it like that. I know what vampires eat."
"Well not everyone is comfortable with it. Especially since you kill them in the process."
"I have no intention of killing anyone."
"Hey, if you can stop yourself, Good for you. Not all of us can." Conversation stopped there as they traversed the rest of the dungeon soundlessly. In fact too soundlessly, Damon noticed. He wasn't even trying and he was as silent as a shadow. He also noticed that this dark corridor shouldn't be so light, there was no torches or light sources anywhere. There's a lot of things I'm going to have to get used to. Damon thought to himself.
After a while, they reached a large cavern that housed a caged in area. Inside were ten or so prisoners, each in separate cells. While there was a Nord and an Argonian, the rest were dark elves, but they all looked weak and unsteady.
"Damon? Damon is that you? Oh thank the hist! you gotta get me out of here, plea- eh? who's that with you?" Damon looked to the Argonian who had spoken and realized it was Fine-Mouth, the other member of his crew.
"What's he doing here?"
"He was captured harassing our gate guards. Fool should have know to not try and flee. Was he a part of your little band of thieves? "
"Yes, let him go."
"What?"
"You heard me, let him go or I don't take another step with you. I mean it"
"Damon, whats going on, who is this?" Fine-Mouth was griping the bars of his cell. A pungent smell secreted from him, the Argonian way of showing fear.
"Look, your not in a position to bargain, but... I'll see to it that he is set free. We are leaving this sanctuary soon anyway and we can't take all of them with us."
"No, Now. He will not suffer like this." Dante sighed.
"Look, i'm only doing this because I like you, but there's a way that we must go about this, we can't just let him go. We would have every vampire hunter in Vvardenfell after us. I promise you no harm will come to him, but you must be patient."
"Very well. Fine-Mouth, Sit tight, I won't let them harm you. You'll be out of here in no time."
"And you'll be coming with me yes? Damon?"
"No, I don't think I will. I'm sorry, my friend."
"But-" A vampire Damon had not seen walked over to Fine-Mouth's cell and opened it. He grabbed the Argonian by the throat and forced him to drink something. Fine-Mouth slumped to the ground, apparently in a deep slumber.
"What did he do to him!"
"We can't have him Riling up the other prisoners. He's fine I assure you. now which one would you like?" Feeling as if that was the most ridiculous question in the world, Damon gazed at the other prisoners.
"Which one should I pick?"
"While they would all suffice, I've found I prefer human blood over Mer. Some say we all prefer the taste of our own species, but I've known many who swear to the opposite opinion."
"This is Absurd."
"Agreed, but you need to eat. I recommend the Nord. Their blood is simple, like eating bread. Simple is probably what you need right now." Dante motioned to the Nord's cell and the vampire who drugged Fine-Mouth walked over to it and opened it. Taking him by the arm, he dragged him to a different chamber, to which Damon and Dante followed. Inside the was a small fire and a bloodstained rug, but was otherwise bare. The Nord lay on the rug, his eyes rolling.
"They are all drugged to be in a semi unconscious state. Makes things easier." said Dante.
"Then why wasn't Fine-Mouth like this?"
"Doesn't work on Argonians."
Damon felt very uncomfortable. the same feeling as when you are standing over a cliff above water and everyone is telling you to jump. He walked over to the prone form of the Nord. As he got closer, He noticed a slight thumping noise. it grew louder as he approached, and he realized it was the man's heartbeat. Suddenly Damon was very hungry, as though he had never truly eaten in his entire life. Bending over him, Damon could feel his incisors elongating and his head Pumping with anticipation. Unable to contain himself any longer, Damon clamped down on the nords neck, instantly learning to use his fangs as one would use a reed straw. His vision narrowed as he devoured more and more volumes of blood. But suddenly the flow stopped. Frustrated, Damon Sucked in harder, but was only able to glean a drop or two.
"What was that about not intending to kill anyone?" Damon heard Dante say. Realizing was happened, Damon broke off from the Nord. The Nord, who had once been flush with color and twitched randomly, was now white as snow and moved no more. After a moment of silence, Damon looked up to Dante and said:
"Can I have another?" Dante smiled again.
"As much as you want."
4E-201
Heading west from Whiterun, Whiterun hold, Skyrim.
"Between the war and the reemergence of the dragons, I wonder if we should not ply our trade elsewhere." Said Atahbah
"I admit, The dragons are a concern, but we can avoid them if we do not stay in one place for too long." said Ma'randru-jo
"That may be, but what of the war? That is not so easy to escape from."
"The war? That is not a reason to leave, that is a reason to stay!"
"And what makes you think that?"
"Because war is good for business, of course." This reason didn't really seem to convince Atahbah, but she feel silent nonetheless. I plodded along in the middle of the caravan, behind Ri'saad and in front of Khayla. We walked single file along the stone road.
I enjoyed the physical labor of carrying the heavy pack as I looked out on the Tundra that is Whiterun hold. In the distance I saw two giants herding three of their Mammoth livestock. If not for the intensity of the sun, It would have been a perfect evening.
"Does the sun not shine Magnificently today, Damon?" Ri'saad called back.
"You can say that again!" I called back, glaring up at the sky.
"Why would I say it twice?" Ri'saad looked back, confused.
"What? Oh, it's a human expression. It means I agree."
"You are truly an oddity my friend."
"You don't know that half of it."
"You seem to know much about my people, but you still slip up here and there. Tell me, where did you learn about our customs?"
"It's a long story, but I used to Travel with two Khajiit for many years. During that time, they taught me your culture and way of life. I grew to respect it and find myself agreeing with it more than that of my own people. I hold Khajiit in very high regard." Ri'saad chuckled into his whiskers. I always enjoyed hearing the laughter of Khajiit, especially the children.
"That in itself is a very odd concept indeed. Not many humans look upon us in such a way." Off in the distance, There was a roar of an animal of some kind. The khajiit didn't seem perturbed, But I was instantly alert.
"Did you hear that?" I said, looking around and dropping my pack.
"Heard what? that animal? probably a bear or saber cat." Said Khayla.
"That was no bear..." I said. Then, out of the mountains I saw it. A dragon, its wings outstretched and heading this way.
"Take cover! Dragon!" The rest of the company dropped their packs and sprinted to some nearby bushes. Too late though as the dragon swooped down and released a stream of fire, just barely missing the company. Pulling out my bow, I yelled: "Too late, we're going to have to fight it off, there's no cover in these plains!"
"Fight it? Are you insane? We cannot hope to survive!" Cried Atahbah.
"He's right, Atahbah, Steel yourself!" Rebuked Ri'saad. Atahbah instantly fell silent and drew her small dagger. She was not a warrior, merely a Pawnbroker. Khayla and Ma'randru-jo however were already engaging. Khayla and I loosed arrows as Ma'randru-jo threw firebolts at it. Pulling an arrow to my eye I released it as The dragon passed. As it tried to snap Ri'saad up in it's maw, the arrow collided with it's left wing, passing through the membrane. The dragon missed Ri'saad and screamed in pain as hot blood dripped from the sky.
"Aim for the wings, Khayla!" I yelled. She nodded and let fly another arrow, successfully slicing through the dragon's right wing at an angle, tearing a line through it. A stream of blood leaked from it as the beast gave another bellow. Swooping down, It snatched Khayla up in it's claws, causing her to scream in a pitch the human voice could not reach. I felt my bones chill as I heard it. Fortunately the grip was bad and Khayla wiggled free, still falling about fifteen feet and landing roughly on her back. Obviously winded, she lay there clutching her stomach and gasping for air. A firebolt splashed against the dragon's hide, but it seemed to absorb it.
"Don't use fire against it! Do you know any Frost spells?" I yelled over to Ma'randru-jo. He nodded and sent an Ice spike hurtling into the dragon's right wing next to the wound Khayla inflicted, leaving a gaping hole. The dragon roared appeared to no longer able to sustain flight and it swerved violently to one side, flying sideways. It crashed into the earth in an awesome display of soil and rubble exploding from its path as it slowed to halt. Drawing my sword, I yelled: "Charge!" and we all sprinted toward the earthbound monster. Khayla joined the fray, Slashing ferociously with her steel sword as we all attacked in unison. The dragon was not done yet however, for it let loose a torrent of fire, engulfing Ma'randru-jo in it's heat. In an effort to stop the flow, I jumped onto the beast's head and began hacking at it's skull. But to no avail, the dragon hide was too thick and I couldn't pierce it. In desperation, I remembered the way turtles use their shell to protect them and I jumped off. Getting under the neck I slashed up into the more tender flesh, Creating a deep Gash that spilled galleons of Dragon blood onto the ground. The stream of fire halted as the dragon choked on it's own blood. in the corner of my eye I saw Ma'randru-jo fleeing away from the battle, nursing many burns that suffused his body.
"Drive it back on it's hind legs!" I yelled. The remaining three Khajiit stabbed at the dragons neck, forcing it to back up. Finally it reared back on its legs and let loose a thundering roar that hurt my ears. Taking the opportunity, I sprinted at him and jumped, Holding my sword with both hands and sunk it into where I guessed the heart would be. The dragon crumpled inward, causing me to fly off and tumble several times before I slid to a halt, barely noticing how most of the skin on my legs was sheared off. As the Dragon fell onto its back, it Shrieked so loudly, the company had to cover their ears to protect their eardrums. Finally it crashed into the earth, sending up huge plumbs of dust and debris from it's crash landing. Suddenly it spoke something that sounded like words, but none the like of which I had ever heard:
"Dovahkiin, Nid!" Then it's body went still and it's muscles relaxed.
"Get back, something is happening!" I heard Ri'saad yell. The Khajiiti fled back about fifty feet to where Ma'randru-jo was laying. But there was a sudden feeling of peace and safety that flooded me as I moved closer to the body. Then I watched as the dragon suddenly lit on fire with very curious flames. the flesh seemed to melt off, leaving only the bones. Suddenly a stream of red-and-purple wind rushed into me, blowing into every pore of my body and filling me with such power I felt like I could take off and fly around the tallest mountains of the world and defeat any foe. Then it was gone, but the feeling of power stayed and left me breathless.
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