9:15 PM, 19th of Last Seed, 4E 202
Fort Dawnguard, Dayspring Canyon, The Rift, Skyrim
Lucifer, Lydia and Tauriel were gathered in Fort Dawnguard. A tall, redguard of a man, presumably the Dawnguard leader, was conversing with a Nordic vigilant of Stendarr.
"Why are you here, Tolan?" The redguard asked, pacing, "The Vigilants and I were finished a long time ago."
"You know why I'm here, Isran." Said Tolan, the Vigilant, "The Vigilants are under attack everywhere. The vampires are much more dangerous than we believed."
"And now you've come running to the Dawnguard for safety, is that it?" Isran asked, his face like stone "I remember Keeper Carcette telling me repeatedly that Fort Dawnguard is a crumbling ruin, not worth the expense and manpower to repair. And now that you've stirred up the vampires against you, you come begging for my pardon?"
Tolan's voice suddenly hushed. "Isran, Carcette is dead. The Hall of the Vigilants... everyone... they're all dead. You were right, we were wrong. Isn't that enough for you?"
Isran's tone lost it's harshness for a second, "Yes, well... I never wanted any of this to happen. I tried to warn all of you... I am sorry, you know." The redguard turned to his side, noticing Lucifer, Lydia and Tauriel, "Who are you?" He asked the trio, "What do you want?"
"This," Lucifer said, dramatically gesturing to Lydia, "Is Lydia, my housecarl. To my other side, is Tauriel, my mercenary, and ex-girlfriend, who does a bad job of keeping me from doing skooma." As Isran raised his eyebrow, Lucifer continued, "As for myself, I am Lucifer Spellfair, thane of all holds, master wizard, and The Last Dragonborn. As for my intentions, you're looking for viable vampire hunters, and I, my good sir, am just the man your sad little faction needs!"
"The Lucifer Spellfair?" Isran asked, "It seems Stendarr is smiling on us. You three clearly have comat experience. That's good. I need someone out in the field, taking the fight to the damn vampires, while we're getting the fort back into shape... Tolan was telling me about some cave that the Vigilants were poking around in. Seemed to think it was related to these recent vampire attacks. Tolan, tell him about, what was it, Dimhollow?"
"Yes," Tolan said, looking nervous, "That's it, Dimhollow Crypt. Brother Adalvald was sure it held some long lost vampire artifact of some kind. We didn't listen to him any more than we did Isran. He was at the Hall when it was attacked..."
"That's good enough for me. Go see what the vampires were looking for in this Dimhollow Crypt. With any luck, they'll still be there." Isran said
"I'll meet you three at Dimhollow," said Tolan, "It's the least I can do to avenge my fallen comrades."
"Tolan," said Isran, "I don't thin that's a good idea. You Vigilants were never trained for..."
"I know what you think of us," Tolan sounded rather fierce, "You think we're soft, that we're cowards. You think our deaths proved our weakness. Stendarr grant that you do not have to face the same test and be found wanting. I'm going to Dimhollow Crypt." It was obvious that there was no arguing with the Vigilant.
"So," Lucifer asked Isran, "Any advice you can give to a few new vampire hunters?"
"Just two things," Said the redguard, "Number One: Stay alert. Number Two: Don't die. Skyrim needs heroes. Now go on, you three. You've got bloodsuckers to kill."
5:10 AM, 20th Last Seed, 4E 202
Dimhollow Crypt, The Pale, Skyrim
The road up to Dimhollow Crypt had been rather quiet, save for a few wolves and bandts, which Tauriel, Lucifer and Lydia dealt with with ease. The entrance to the crypt was a small cave, marked by a flaming brazier.
"Strange," Lucifer remarked, "Tolan should be here by now."
"Perhaps he's inside, my thane?" Lydia asked.
"Well," Said Lucifer, making his way into the cave, "There's only one way to find out!" He readied a fireball in his left hand, for lighting mainly, and drew Poena, his dagger, in the other, while Lydia followed, sword and shield drawn, and, lastly Tauriel, her bow at the ready.
In front of the trio, a cold, sneering, male voice remarked, "What's that light!" Lucifer immediately extinguished the fireball, and cast invisibility on himself. As he made his way, unseen, around the corner, he saw five vampires all trying to locate the source of the light.
"I can smell mortals!" Cried one of them, "But I can't see any!"
"Well, keep looking!" Cried another.
Lucifer, unseen, from the shadows, shouted, "Hey, you bloodsucking bitches! Find me, and I'll let you try and kill me!" While the vampires were rather excited at such an offer, Lucifer heard Tauriel and Lydia sound worried. "It's alright," he whispered to his companions, "Just stay there, and stay quiet. I've got this." He drew Poena, and crept up behind one of the vampires, slitting it's throat, and making himself visible.
"There!" Shouted one of the vampires, "It's there!" It tried to throw an ice bolt at him, but he dodged it, and the frost hit and killed another vampire.
"Two down, three to go!" Lucifer said, blocking a fireball with a ward, "Come on, you guys are barely trying!" One vampire charged at him with a greatsword, which the dragonborn merely cast disarm on, sending the sword flying into the stomach of another vampire.
"Just two now!" He cired with joy, thrusting his dagger into another vampire's neck, and exclaiming to the last one, "Just you and me, bastard!" The vampire pounced on him, pinning him to the ground, and opened it's jaw, going down to Lucifer's neck.
Suddenly,a loud twang sounded, and the vampire became very stiff, before falling down. Tauriel stood several feet away, her bow drawn.
"I had it under control!" Lucifer whined.
"That wasn't under control," Said Tauriel, "That was seconds away from death."
"Same thing." Lucifer muttered, "Come on, lets see where this gate goes. With any luck, Tolan's still alive."