Skyrim: Fall of the Dawn

26. Lost Memories

They circled like wild beasts around eachother, holding two-handed swords. Each of them earned his by winning in glourious battles and duels such as this one. It was in their blood to win. None of them knew of losing.

Blaise charged, clashing the Dawnguard sword with No'El's silver one. The cold metal radiated and it disturbed Blaise. Could he...possibly know? The ocean blue-eyed warrior wondered. But he had to shrug away that thought. Maybe it won't be needed to use it.

However, No'El was one of the most skillfull swordsmen in Tamriel. Blaise couldn't break his defense no matter how strong and precise his attacks were. Soon enough, he started sweating and panting, while No'El's fur was still dry and lips were still hiding sharp teeth.

"Enough of this games. If you wanna play dog and cat, so be it."

Blaise hissed and sank his sword into the ground. His eyes suddenly became bigger and more animal-like, but still kept the blue colour of rage. And then, the transformation begun. The ears became longer and wolf-like, black with slight brownish shimmer of his hair. The body skewed, became twice as bigger and muscular but cowered with same fur as ears. And then, the human hand was quickly replaced by long black claws which were thirsty for blood.

In front of No'El was no longer standing Blaise, but werewolf. No'El knew about his licantrophy and how he achieved it in Companions. Long ago, No'El himself was member of them, but left when they offered him this gift, as they call it. This is only a pact with Daedra. Something that should be avoided and destroyed.

The werewolf charged at him and all of the technique No'El knew was now useless. Nobody taught him how to fight werewolf, after all. He could only run and try to stab him. Even the silver sword wasn't helpful, Blaise seemed as a too strong werewolf to be bothered with it.

After Khajiit managed to slip away from Blaise's reach for third time, fourth was fatal for the warrior. Blaise grabbed his leg and swung him, throwing him on the other side of the room.

No'El let out a roar of pain, hearing a loud crack in his spine. After he realised he can't feel or move his legs anymore, adrenaline coiled through him and his heart pumped blood faster.

Suddenly, he remembered what his mentor once told him about fear. Three stages: fear, panic and terror. Fear is when you are afraid, but you know you'll live. Panic is when you are not sure. Terror is when you know you will die.

No matter how calm No'El was, he felt the terror. The werewolf seemed hours away from him as he suddenly remembered every face he met. His teacher, the Jarl, Alesan, Sybille...At that last face, he felt a terrible dread in his heart.

"How pathetic! You can't even move."

Blaise spoke with demon-like voice combined with werewolf growling. No'El stared at him, not showing any emotion, especially not fear, but Blaise knew he was scared. Everyone is scared when they meet death face to face.

"I'll be good so I will kill you fast."

Blaise chuckled as he grabbed No'El and raised him in the air, Khajiit's feet above the ground. The werewolf opened his jaws and bit No'El's entire shoulder, breaking every bone and cutting every vein with his sharp teeth. But, suddenly, he felt a terribly painful sting in his ribcage.

He let go of No'El who was almost dead, only to pull out the silver sword out of his ribs. He screamed in pain which caused him to transform back to human. The wound wasn't deadly, but enough to slow him down.

The warrior raised up and approached to No'El who was already spitting blood, leaving this world. Probably hoping to reach Sovngarde.

"As an honorfull warrior, I would have end your myseries. But, you didn't play well, so I will leave you to bath in your own blood."

He crouched and lowered his head next to No'El's ear.

"Your vampire wizard girl is next."

After that, he left. No'El knew he failed. And he knew he will die without knowing if Sybille and Alesan made it. But his life wasn't important.

The Khajiit closed his eyes.

◇◇◇

"Where is the chalice?"

Alesan asked looking behind to see whether Lucrezia was still following them. There was not a trace of her, which only made him more worried.

"Here."

Sybille said when they finally reached the room where indeed was placed a chalice filled with blood.

"Helval left it here after he recieved it from Mina. You need to drink that, Alesan."

Alesan was hesitating, remembering that entire time he was fighting those blood-feeders and now he will do the same they do? It was so unnatural to him.

"Alesan, we need to hurry."

Sybille said, knowing Lucrezia will be here any second. Black-haired man nodded and approached the chalice.

The scent of blood burnt his nostrils, but it was a pleasure. He enjoyed it. It awoke ancient hunger inside him.

"Alesan! Stop! Don't drink that!"

Lucrezia's voice echoed through the room when she entered, exhausted from running.

"Please, Alesan, listen to me! They want to kill you! They want the vampires to destroy Skyrim!"

"Why should I trust you? You lied to me from the beginning."

Alesan asked, burning with rage. Lucrezia let a tear flow from her eye as she begged him.

"It was for your own good! Do you think they didn't lie to you? Look at Sybille! She is a vampire! She wants to decieve you! She is the real enemy!"

Alesan looked at Sybille who stayed calm. She looked at him with her flaming, vampire eyes. She didn't need to utter a word to him to confirm Lucrezia's words.

"Alesan, you know your allies and enemies. Decide."

Sybille said. For a moment, Alesan thought what to do. Then he drank the blood.

A sudden unbearable pain filled his body and soul, making him shrivel. The eyesight blurred, the sense changed.

Alesan Darkash remembered everything.