Soul Cairn Battle pt. 2

(Serana POV)

She had never considered herself a weak person. Magic had always come easy to her while her vampiric nature gave her physical strength beyond any normal mortal. Being the strongest person in the room wasn't an uncommon thing, including around other vampires. Even when their group had split up in the Soul Cairn to kill the other Keepers, she had been able to defeat the undead monstrosity despite the difficulty. Things were different now.

She felt weak.

Fighting the undead dragon Durnehviir was showing her how much further she could climb in strength. The fight had not been going on long, yet she was already feeling exhausted. Her attacks hardly fazed the powerful dragon as it withstood any attack they tried. Without her companions here, there was no way she would be alive.

Serana had always known her mother was extremely powerful, being older than most countries can have that effect, but it wasn't till now she got to really see her in action. Valerica was an ancient vampire lord mage who had spent untold amounts of time honing her craft. Durnehviir had summoned countless lesser undead during their fight, and her mother had matched his summons. While the dragon used quantity, Valerica used quality. The hordes of bonemen, mistmen, and wrathmen were held back by Valerica and her conjured minions. Serana couldn't help but be in awe of her mother's conjured undead. Massive Flesh Atronachs were being supported by reanimated skeletons, but they were not the most impressive thing. She had no idea where her mother had conjured it from, but a lich was following her commands with its own reanimated skeletons and destructive spells.

Liches were not something any normal conjurer could dominate into submission. They were at least as intelligent as any other mage and were extremely magically powerful and resilient. Her mother having been able to summon one here of all places was beyond impressive. Still, this part of the battle was just the lower level minions fighting it out. 'I still don't quite understand why Alucard called Durnehviir's summons adds, but we are taking care of them without much problem like he mentioned we should.'

Thinking of Alucard, Serana couldn't help but glance in his direction. She was still not sure she liked the man. He seemed a bit arrogant at times and acted strange. His true thoughts and personality were difficult to place as she sometimes caught him slipping out of his serious demeanor, especially when he thought it was just him and Rictus talking. At those moments, she thought he actually wasn't too bad and would like him better if he acted that way around her. Before seeing him fight, she had thought he was all talk and no bite. Now, she thought he had good reason for his arrogance.

Serana watched as another mana infused arrow exploded against Durnehviir's shoulder, causing its breath attack to miss the nimble Alucard once again. A quick jump allowed the vampire lord to land on the back of his newly acquired undead horse as it sprinted around the dragon, allowing its rider to focus on unleashing more and more explosive arrows. While not killing the massive monster, Alucard had done some damage and fought it to a standstill so far.

Quick strikes with his bows combined with rapid movement on his undead mount let the vampire outmaneuver his opponent. When an attack seemed like it would land on him, he would use his vampire lord abilities to transform into a swarm of bats and get away. His horse had been resummoned quite a few times already because of these attacks, but Alucard had escaped mostly unscathed so far. Durnehviir was patient though and had continued attacking Alucard. The dragon could survive significantly more punishment than this, while a couple lucky hits would kill the vampire.

Additional booms came from the far side of the utterly huge boneyard they were in and drew her attention. Serana couldn't really decide what was more impressive. Her mother's conjured creatures, Alucard stalling the dragon, or Rictus fighting the other undead. She watched in fascination as Rictus had transformed into some kind of metal monster and brawled with the huge undead humanoid. Such a magical transformation reminded her of some of the legendary dwarven centurions. She wasn't entirely sure how powerful that undead was, but it was significant from what should could sense from here. She highly doubted she could have stopped it.

Another loud boom and cracking noise hurt her ears as the undead humanoid finally fell. Serana couldn't help smiling as she thought they would be getting some much needed backup soon. Yells drew her attention back to what was going on near her. Unfortunately, the moment of inattention proved disastrous as the last thing she saw was a massive tail coming at her before she knew no more.

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(Back to Rictus)

Turning from where he had just absorbed the power of his defeated foe, Rictus was just in time to see Durnehviir swat Serana like a fly. She was rocketed back and disappeared in a cloud of dust after crashing into a small mausoleum. Valerica let out a scream of rage, as she battered Durnehviir's summoned minions aside while sprinting towards her daughter. Her lapse of concentration and support allowed a couple bonemen to get through and charge at Alucard who was still maintaining the majority of the dragon's focus.

While the bonemen were not really a threat, they proved enough of a distraction that Alucard took his eyes off the dragon for just a second. The ancient dragon didn't need more than this to gain an advantage though. Swinging its tail like a whip, Durnehviir tried landing a serious blow. Alucard barely dodged the tail, but that was simply a distraction for the main attack. A mighty blast of force was Shouted and struck the vampire lord who flew across the field like a ragdoll. Thankfully, Alucard recovered by transforming into a cloud of bats before landing, looking very battered. Swarms of undead minions converged on the injured vampire not letting him unleash more arrows at the dragon.

Rictus hadn't remained idle though. As soon as Serana had been hit, he cast the Leaguestep spell which allowed him to sprint significantly faster and use less stamina. The spell even worked on his giant metal transformation. Crossing the boneyard took no time at all with his enhanced form which shook the ground with each pounding step. The dragon started turning to see what the noise was but was distracted as a Dazzling flash happened right before its eyes, blinding it to the incoming danger. Dipping his shoulder and jumping forwards, Rictus poured out his recently acquired power and rapidly increased his weight as much as magically possible.

The resulting collision made the ground quiver and quake as the two bodies went tumbling. Rictus finally got a good up-close look at the undead dragon, and it was disgusting. Massive protruding and partially broken spikes trailed from the back of its neck down its tail. Four horns sprout from the massive skull while the wings looked weathered and decayed. The grey-green complexion, dripping and oozing scales, and yellowing drool were vomit inducing, not to mention the smell. Scorch marks covered the body from the explosive arrows Alucard had shot, and flies could even be seen buzzing around and in the mighty body of the dragon.

Decayed flesh slightly gave way which meant that Rictus was now partially buried inside the body of the dragon. Durnehviir let out a mighty roar at the immense amount of damage suffered. The dragon's side was caved in while its right wing was a mangled mess. Despite the injuries though, it was not out of the fight. Claws rent deep furrows into Rictus's armored shell while the massive creature wrapped its sinuous neck and tail around him like a boa constrictor. Curling into a ball inside his metal armor, it soon changed from a humanoid shape into more of a blob while metal spikes continually shot out like a piston and into the undead dragon.

Even with all the physical damage done, Durnehviir continued stripping away the metal from his prey. Knowing it would not be long before the dragon reached him, Rictus caused the metal to bulge out on one side. Taking the bait, the dragon renewed its attack on that part thinking Rictus was trying to escape that way. A huge breath of fire combined with its claws ripped away the last of the protective metal. Finding nothing there, Durnehviir couldn't help but tilt its head in surprise. A thump on its neck gave it a foreboding feeling.

Rictus's form could be seen standing atop the dragon. All his metal armor had been discarded. The powerful dragon's breath attack had burned through his robes leaving it in tatters. Scales now covered his body from head to toe while a long, spiked tail extended from his lower back. Jagged claws sprouted from his hands and feet and were lit up in a blazing fire. With the feral look in his eyes, Rictus looked more beast than man at this moment.

Without wasting a single second, he stabbed his tail through the dragon's flesh as an anchor. His clawed hands and feet began rending apart the weak scales before him as he dug his way into the mighty beast. Its flailing around could not dislodge him, as he continued his grisly task. Durnehviir brought its massive head as close as possible to Rictus. Time froze for a moment as the two made eye contact. No words were spoken, but both knew this was the final moment. The ancient undead dragon opened its mouth as power began coalescing around it. Quick as lightning, Rictus flung himself forward as pure crackling magical power began blooming from Durnehviir's throat.

Silence suddenly reigned supreme in the area as a unique purplish fire suddenly covered the entirety of the mighty dragon's body. All around, the bonement, mistmen, and wrathman disappeared into shadowy flames. Nothing of any of the creatures remained after just a few short seconds.

Rictus thumped into the ground as his transformation slowly reverted him back to his normal self. Exhaustion set in as he closed his eyes, gasping for breath, and thankful he could do such a normal thing after the battle just fought. He quickly pulled out a large black robe and put it on since all of his clothes had been completely destroyed. The only thing remaining of them a metal cord around his waist which had his dragon priest mask, Vokun, attached to it. Once clothed, he flopped on the ground. In all his time here, this was the closest he had ever come to death. The fight between him and Durnehviir had not lasted long, but it had been brutal. One single misstep could have resulted in his death.

Ever so slowly, Rictus could hear the ground crunching as footsteps neared. Cracking open an eye, he took in their battered appearances. Alucard was covered in wounds and his normally immaculate appearance was a complete mess. The normal confident demeanor nowhere to be found. Valerica looked like she had aged years despite such a thing being impossible. Her eyes had a far off and detached look to them. Serana was by far the worst off of all of them. Her arms and legs were completely smashed and limply dangled from the arms of a flesh atronach. Cuts and bruises covered every inch of her body. Shallow, labored breathes escaped her while her face was a grimace of pain. It was a wonder she was even alive.

Battling his exhaustion, Rictus moved towards the broken body of his companion while conjuring up some more magic. Her eyes shot open, and a scream ripped out from her throat as her body forcibly knitted itself back together. Serana fell limp again as the magic finished stabilizing her. Valerica rushed over in concern and checked on her daughter.

Rictus didn't really pay much attention as he slowly sat back down. A comforting presence soon pressed against his back. Feeling Billy behind him, Rictus relaxed as he rested against his familiar. While not helping against the dragon, Billy had been busy making sure nothing interfered with his master's battle. Soon, everyone else was sitting on the ground resting. Valerica was the first to find her voice.

"I never thought I'd actually witness the death of that dragon."

Alucard let out a snort.

"It's not like we actually Killed the dragon. Durnehviir will probably be reconstituting his physical form right now. We should try and get going as soon as possible."

Rictus let out a sigh as the thought of moving. Alucard was right though.

"No need to be an ass Alucard. We all nearly died fighting that monster. How about you go get the Scroll real fast for us then Alucard? Then we can get going as soon as possible."

Feeling a little chagrined, Alucard's expression quickly turned eager as he started moving towards the location of the legendary scroll. Rictus and Valerica sat in silence besides the gentle breathing of the passed-out Serana. A small but pained smile appeared on Valerica's face.

"Once he comes back with the scroll, you all should be on your way."

Her hands softly stroked her daughter's hair. She kept talking without looking up at him.

"I am grateful for you."

Rictus raised an eyebrow at the unexpected words.

"If it wasn't for you, I doubt I would have been able to see my daughter again. I have not been the best mother, this much is obvious, but I have never stopped loving her in my own way. She is all I care about even if my own arrogance blinded me at times. Having someone like you watch after her makes me feel much more at ease."

"I guess that means you are staying here huh?"

She nodded her head sadly but with some conviction.

"I have no choice. My return to Tamriel only increases Harkon's likelihood of bringing the prophecy to fruition, and I am not willing to let him win after all this time."

He gave her a strange look.

"I don't really understand your reasoning there honestly. How could that increase the likelihood?"

She gave him an exasperated look at his question.

"I thought you were smarter than this. As I told you before, I'm a daughter of Coldharbour. This means I could also be used to complete the prophecy thus doubling the risk. Besides, my returning would only hinder your efforts. Harkon would likely sense my return, and the last thing you need right now is a trail for him to follow."

Part of her reply at least made some sense to him. If Harkon could track her, that would most definitely be a pain. He knew the part about her being a daughter of Coldharbour, but he figured she would be staying near Serana which would just add another layer of defense for each of them. Still, it wasn't his choice to make.

"You do know we may never return here. It's not like the Ideal Masters really welcome our presence."

A pained look crossed her face as she focused on Serana's face before turning to him. She held his gaze for a moment before speaking.

"After what I put Serana through, I would understand if she never wished to see me again. I leave that decision in your hands."

Surprised colored her face as Rictus started chuckling.

"Ha! Leave the decision in my hands? Wouldn't it make more sense to leave it in Serana's hands? I'm not some master she just blindly follows along. It's not like I can simply command her or that she can't make her own decisions. Isn't that right?"

Valerica was slightly stunned and opened her mouth to respond. Before she could, another voice chimed in.

"Of course, it is right. I am a big girl now, capable of making my own decisions mother."

Rictus laughed at the look on Valerica's face as he stood up and gave the mother daughter duo a chance to discuss some things in private. He didn't bother listening in as he moved over to where Alucard went to retrieve the Elder Scroll.

Seeing the scroll again still gave him a surreal feeling. By the look on Alucard's face, he also felt something mystical about the scroll. The things were strange just to be around.

"First time holding one of those is such a weird feeling huh?"

The vampire lord nodded his head in agreement.

"There is no telling how many times I have seen one of these behind a screen, but holding it here is so surreal."

After a moment of contemplation, he looked back towards Rictus with a smile.

"Now we just have to get one more scroll before we get the exact location of Darkfall cave. Then we can go get Auriel's bow, which I hope that I get to keep seeing as I'm the Skilled of Archery after all…"

Rictus stared at him with a blank look as he kept rampling. He took a deep breath as ran his head down his face.

"Wait…Are you telling me you knew the name and location of where the bow was all this time?"

Alucard lifted an eyebrow in confusion.

"Well not the exact location beyond it being in the mountains between Markarth and Solitude. I think there was an Orc Stronghold near it too, but I forget its name. Naturally, I remember the name of the cave for the bow though. It is only one of the most important locations in the whole Dawnguard DLC."

Hearing his reply, Rictus tried his best not to get frustrated. His voice was strained as he clenched his teeth.

"Why did you not tell us this earlier?"

"Umm…I thought you already knew?"

Rictus let out a sigh at his answer. If he had known as much about the location as Alucard did, he would have already sent his people out searching for Darkfall cave. While they may not know the exact location, it would have close enough. Having an in with the forsworn and hags with Moira would have made it significantly easier as well since they were extremely familiar with the wilds of that area. Then, the whole trip to the Soul Cairn could have been bypassed.

Looking up at the still talking mother and daughter, as well as all their injuries, Rictus admitted it was a good thing he had come, at least for Serana's sake. The three people here were extremely powerful, but he doubted they would have survived without him, at least not all of them. He would have been upset if he was the reason Serana had died. 'At least we all made it through and can now go home.'

As the two men approached the others, Valerica turned and looked at Rictus.

"Against my better judgement, I will be leaving with you."

That came as a bit of a shock.

"Really? What made you change your mind?"

She glanced over at Serana who was looking quite pleased with herself.

"My daughter can be very persuasive when she wishes it. Besides, what kind of mother would I be if I sent my daughter into danger I was not willing to face myself? I have wasted enough time hiding as it is, hopefully now I can actually make a difference."

Rictus was curious about what was said to get Valerica to change her mind. This was not something which was an option in the game. Seeing the dumbfounded look on Alucard's face only reinforced that idea. Still, it didn't really bother him all that much. He shrugged and then smiled at the pair.

"Well as long as you two are happy I am good with it. I may even be able to provide you a safe place to lay low if you so desire."

If offering such a thing led to her becoming more indebted to him, well that was just a bonus. It wasn't every day one could get the favor of an ancient and powerful vampire lord. Valerica nodded in appreciation as Serana motioned towards the door leading out of this place.

"Now that everything is settled, how about we leave this place?"

No one objected to that as they hastily made their way out. Once out the door, they all froze as a familiar purple fire blazed before them. Before they could do anything thought, a deep and ancient voice spoke out.

"Stay your weapons. I would speak with you Qahnaarin."

They all stood dumbstruck at this development. Rictus hadn't believed this exchange would happen at all. None of them were the dragonborn, so what did Durnehviir want?

"What would you speak of?"

The dragon shook itself as it settled onto some of the nearby rocks before it started talking again.

"As you can clearly see, I am trapped between laas and dinok, between life and death. My desire to speak with you was born from the result of our battle, Qahnaarin. My claws have rended the flesh of innumerable foes, but I have never once been felled on the field of battle. I therefore honor-name you "Qahnaarin," or Vanquisher in your tongue. I merely wish to respectfully ask a favor of you."

A small flame of hope flared in in Rictus, but he quickly squashed it.

"What kind of favor would you want from someone like me?"

Durnehviir stared off into the distance as he spoke in a weary voice.

"For countless years I've roamed the Soul Cairn, in unintended service to the Ideal Masters. Before this, I roamed the skies above Tamriel. I desire to return there. My time here has taken its toll upon me though I fear. After all this time, I now share a bond with this dreaded place. Should I venture far from the Soul Cairn, my strength would begin to wane until I was no more."

The flame of excitement he tried squashing reignited with a passion at this point.

"How would you have me help?"

"I will place my name with you and grant you the right to call my name from Tamriel. Do for me this simple honor and I will fight at your side as your Grah-Zeymahzin, your Ally, and teach you more of my Thu'um."

This was big. Rictus could not have imagined that this would have actually happened to him. He was no dragonborn. How could he be granted this ability?

"How could I do this though? I am no dragonborn, nor do I have the ability to Shout like one."

A deep chuckle emanated from the dragon before it got a contemplative look.

"Are there no other besides a dragonborn who can utilize the Thu'um? Back when I roamed the land, Dovahs had taught other mortals the way of the Voice. Does no one still practice this? What of all the Priests?"

The words made Rictus come back to his senses. The dragonborn was not the only one who learned Shouts. Didn't Paarthurnax teach the Greybeards? Why couldn't Durnehviir teach him?

"You are right. I simply forgot in my surprise at the request was all. I would be happy to help you see the skies of Tamriel once more. You were a more than worthy opponent, and I relish having a chance to fight beside you instead of against you."

Fast as lightning, Durnehviir had his head directly in front of Rictus. Before he could respond, the dragon leaned forward and touched their heads together. A powerful force beyond normal magic slammed into his being. Time lost all meaning as Rictus was imparted with knowledge. In a flash, things returned to normal as he took deep gasping breaths while the dragon kept an eye on him.

Seeing something, Durnehviir nodded his head with a pleased look.

"You are strong to be able to learn so fast. It seems my instincts were correct in granting you the title and my name. Simply speak my name to the heavens when you feel the time is right. I look forward to what the future may hold, Qahnaarin."

As the dragon started flapping its wings, Rictus stared on mutely. Durnehviir took off into the sky and quickly faded from sight. Everyone was still a little shell shocked from the entire experience. They just got done fighting a life-or-death battle with the dragon, and then it stopped them and granted Rictus an incredible opportunity.

"Well…That just happened…"

Serana's words seemed to draw them from their shock. Seeing all the questions on their faces, Rictus quickly cut them off.

"We can talk more about this later. Right now, I just want to get out of this place."

They weren't particularly happy about that, especially Alucard who kept muttering about life being unfair, but they wanted to leave as much as he did. Soon, each of them was mounted on a different conjuration as they were racing back to the portal they came from. Rictus sat in contemplation as a smile adorned his face. He knew a Shout. Not just any one either. This was one of the most powerful ones, and it came with the chance to be taught more Shouts from an ancient and powerful undead dragon. Didn't get much cooler than that honestly. Rictus couldn't wait to get back and try it out. Things were definitely looking up at this point.

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[AN]: Well we are finally done with being in the Soul Cairn! This was almost long enough to be two separate chapters, but I was ready to go ahead and get it done, so one big chapter was made instead. Hopefully you liked it despite some of the lingering questions not answered.

I also figured Rictus should learn a Shout, because it is a Skyrim Fanfic after all. Hard not to give the MC a shout.