A/N: DO NOT SKIP PAST THIS!

Okay, so I realize that when I first started rewriting my Dragonborn's saga, I said that it would now be one incredibly long book instead of being split into multiple stories. After beginning to write this chapter, however, I began to realize that it felt much more like an ending than a simple transition into the next arc. Now, this (and I cannot stress this enough) ABSOLUTELY DOES NOT mean that I am ending Valkyrie and Serana's story here. It simply means that I've decided to go the traditional route and split their story into multiple parts instead of having one unbelievably long epic quintilogy (Is that even a word?) in the space of one fic. Besides, I think a story that clocks in just shy of 150k words is more than enough for one book. I can only imagine that sticking to my original plan would prove to be quite tedious for new readers who may be looking to read my work.

Thus, this epilogue marks the official end of Part I of The Dragonborn Legacy. Look for the first chapter of Part II sometime in the next few weeks (hopefully).

Until next time...

20th of Sun's Height, 4E 200

Valkyrie couldn't help but beam slightly. After days of walking, she and Serana stood just outside the gates of Markarth, her home. Gods, how she had missed this place so. The Nord couldn't wait to see Ghorza, Moth, and even Eltrys and regale them with the details of her battle with Harkon. She looked behind her to catch a glimpse of Serana, lugging behind, her usual snarky demeanor having given way to a quiet, glum indifference. The vampire had been acting like this for some time since the both of them had set off for the city, but only now was Valkyrie truly beginning to feel worried. She couldn't remember the last time Serana had gone five minutes without cracking a joke or complaining, and it was truly starting to unsettle her.

Eventually, the Nord stopped dead in her tracks. "Are you alright?"

Serana immediately looked up from the ground, her face expressionless. "I'm fine," she said in an unconvincingly chipper tone.

Valkyrie sighed. "Do you... want to talk about it?"

"Talk about what?" the vampire retorted, as she continued to walk, going right past Valkyrie, who proceeded to reach out a hand to her shoulder.

"Listen," the Nord said. "It's okay to feel... conflicted. He was your father, after all."

Serana immediately turned around, her eyes squinting. "What are you talking about?" She asked, clearly annoyed. "You hated him."

"And I had my reasons for it," Valkyrie shrugged. "But I didn't know him like you did. Your relationship with him was more complicated than that." She recieved only a nod from Serana in response. "You didn't show it right after the fight, but I can tell it's been eating at you."

Serana sighed. "I don't think you can ever be ready to kill your parent," she said. "In the moment, it was easy. It was kill or be killed. I knew he was a monster, and that he had to be stopped, but... after..."

"He was still your father," the Nord finished for her.

"Honestly," Serana continued. "I think my father really died a long time ago. This was just the end of something else." Valkyrie put an arm around the vampire's shoulder, prompting her to keep venting. "I know I've said this more than enough times, but... ever since he found that damned prophecy, it became his life. My mother and I were just means to an end." She shook her head. "I don't regret killing my father. Not in the slightest. I just... guess there's some small part of me that wishes it could have turned out differently."

"I understand," Valkyrie said, before taking it back. "Actually, that's a lie. I couldn't possibly understand what it's like to have to kill your own father, regardless of the circumstances. I just knew it couldn't have been easy on you."

"I'll get over it. Eventually," Serana says, turning a genuine smile to her lover. "Thank you."

"My pleasure," Valkyrie smiled back, leaning over to plant a kiss on the vampire's cheek. And so the two continued to walk, up the stone steps that led to the city gates. The Nord's eagerness to see her family had not subsided even slightly during her conversation with Serana, but it was at least dampened when the both of them at last reached the top of the steps, and were stopped by a pair of guards, their weapons drawn.

"Halt!" One of them exclaimed, pointing his blade at them. "What's your business in the city?"

Valkyrie's eyes widened, a mixture of shock and annoyance overtaking her. "I live here," she shot back at the nameless guard. "Well actually, my family lives here."

"Hold on, Onryg!" The other guard said as he lowered his weapon. "I recognize her. This here's the blacksmith's girl."

"The blacksmith is an Orc!" Onryg tried to argue.

"The blacksmith just raised her, you idiot!" The guard said, delivering a smack to the side of his companion's head. He sheathed his blade and walked forth to greet Valkyrie and Serana. "Sorry about that," he said. "It's been quite an eventful few days in the city."

"What happened?" Valkyrie asked.

"You might not have noticed, but a few days ago, the sun blacked out," the guard said with as much sarcasm as he could muster.

"I saw something like that," she said, crossing her arms. "Might have just been an eclipse."

The guard scoffed. "I've seen eclipses, kid. This was nothing of the sort." He shook his head. "Everyone thought the end times were upon us. There was panic in every corner of the city, riots even. The guards tried our best to keep order, but... not everyone survived."

Suddenly, Valkyrie grew worried, a pit forming in her gut. "Are Ghorza and Moth okay?" She asked.

"They're fine," the guard waved her off. "They were in the keep the whole time."

"Good," she answered, breathing a sigh of relief, before another thought occurred to her. "What about... do you know anyone named Eltrys?"

"Can't say that I do."

"Reach native? About my age?" Valkyrie continued to ask.

The guard was silent for a moment. He titled his head to the side before responding, "Reach native? What's a nice Nord girl like you doing hanging around with Forsworn scum?"

"Hey," her tone immediately sharpened. "Watch your tongue. That's my friend you're talking about, and he's not a Forsworn."

"Hmph," he scoffed at her. "Well, ever since the riots died down, we've had to do some... relocating. I'd look for him in the warrens with the rest of the Reachman trash."

"So you're just going to let them in?" Onryg shouted from behind them.

"Ehh, I don't see why not," the other guard shrugged. "I know her, after all."

"What about her friend?"

"You know what they say, judge people by the company they keep," he answered, nodding to Valkyrie. "This one's of a decent sort, I can only guess her friend is, too." He stepped away, resuming his position leaning against the gargantuan stone gate into the city, all the while ignoring the looks of disgust from Valkyrie and Serana. "Welcome to Markarth."

"You're alive!"

No less had Valkyrie knocked on the wall of her adoptive family's quarters, did Ghorza, Moth, and even Eltrys was there much to her surprise, all came rushing forward to smother her with hugs. She was only too happy to return them, even when her loved ones began to crush her. "I was so worried," Ghorza said as she finally pulled away. "They said the sun grew dark all of a sudden. Moth and I were in the keep the whole time, we didn't even see it."

"You weren't missing out on much," Valkyrie said. "Trust me."

"I saw it," Eltrys interjected, shaking his head. "It was terrifying."

The Nord sighed, before rushing forward to embrace the Reachman herself. "Good to see you, Eltrys," she said. "I'm sorry I didn't write you, things... got a little crazy."

"It's fine," the Reachman said. "I'm just glad you're alright."

"So," Moth now spoke for the first time. "That story you told us back at the fort? About how you had found a weapon able to blot out the sun?" Valkyrie nodded. "I guess we were fools not to believe you."

"I wouldn't have believed it, either," The Nord said.

"Are the both of you still heading south?" Ghorza asked, to which Valkyrie and Serana hesitated to answer, sharing a glance with one another.

"There's..." Serana piped up. "Been a change of plans. We have more pressing matters to deal with before we go gallivanting around the entire continent."

"More pressing matters?" The Orc raised an eyebrow.

"Alright, listen," Valkyrie said with a sigh. "I need to tell all of you what happened on Isle Volkihar. Keep in mind it's going to sound every bit as crazy as the story about the prophecy and Auriel's Bow." She paused, before adding, "And... I would appreciate it if you would all keep it to yourselves for the time being. Just until I know more about what I'm dealing with."

The five of them all took seats around the room as Ghorza, Moth, and Eltrys listened to Valkyrie explain the extraordinary circumstances of the last few days. Battling Harkon, very nearly dying at his hand, the sun being extinguished. All the way to Durnehviir being summoned with Valkyrie's use of the Voice, and her subsequent summoning by the Greybeards. Her loved ones listened patiently, attentively. When Valkyrie finally finished her story, not one of them said a word, and the Nord was somewhat relieved that she didn't have to justify her tale. That was, until Eltrys burst out laughing.

"I'm too sober for this," the Reachman said.

"You don't believe me?" Valkyrie asked, clearly offended.

"Valkyrie," Eltrys said, reaching over to place a hand on the Nord's shoulder. "You know I love you to death. But I think you've been hitting the mead a little too hard." He stood up from his seat, stretching his stiff limbs for a moment. "Anyway, I've got to get back to Rhiada," he said, before his eyes suddenly went wide, and he turned back to Valkyrie. "I didn't even tell you. Rhiada's pregnant."

"Really?" Valkyrie questioned, to which her friend gave a nod. "Congratulations. Are you excited?"

"Terrified beyond belief sounds more accurate," Eltrys shrugged. "I hope I can prove to be a good father, but..." His voice trailed off.

She simply responded with a gentle punch to the shoulder. "You'll do fine." The two exchanged their goodbyes, and on his way out of the room, Eltrys bumped shoulders with a stranger, a young Breton man, out breath, seeming as though he had just run for miles.

"Can we help you?" Moth asked the boy.

"Yes... got a... letter here," the stranger said in between breaths. "For one Valkyrie."

"That's me," Valkyrie held out her hand, exchanging a sealed piece of parchment for a single Septim. "Who's it from?"

"Some... big brute of a Nord," the boy explained. "Had to... travel all the way... from Riften."

With that, the stranger exited the room, leaving Valkyrie, Serana, Ghorza and Moth in a state of perpetual confusion. "Well," Ghorza said, leaning back in her chair. "Seems like you're miss popular all of a sudden."

"If you know a way to make it stop, I'm all ears," the Nord said back. "Big brutish Nord from Riften. Sounds like Gunmar." She promptly unsealed the letter, leaning back against the nearest wall, and proceeded to read aloud. "Valkyrie... Isran has gone completely insane," she looked to Serana. "Wonderful way to start a letter."

The vampire sighed. "What else does it say?"

Valkyrie continued reading. "We didn't even make it halfway back to the fort before he woke up. Started raving about how there was more work to do, that the vampire menace was more of a threat now than ever. We tried to talk sense into him, but it was to no avail. He called us all cowards, and stormed off into the wilderness."

"Sounds like his true colors are finally coming out," Serana remarked, a twinge of malice in her voice.

"I don't know what he's planning, or if he'll even try anything," Valkyrie kept going. "I just thought I should give you fair warning. As for the rest of us, I had a long talk with Sorine and Florentius. We've all agreed that the best of course of action now, with Harkon dead and Auriel's Bow destroyed, is to disband the Dawnguard and go our separate ways. We all have lives and duties that we put on hold to help the cause, and now it's time for us to get back to it. Good luck, wherever your path may take you. Gunmar."

Valkyrie was at a loss for words. She'd known Isran had started to come unhinged after the battle at Castle Volkihar, but this was something else entirely. The man who had welcomed her into the Dawnguard was harsh and stern, but was still logical, rational, and cared deeply for his comrades. The man described in Gunmar's letter sounded like a paranoid fanatic, and a dangerous one at that. "Is it too late to say I told you so?" Ghorza remarked after Valkyrie had finished, only to be met with rolling eyes.

"So what are we going to do?" Serana asked.

The Nord was silent for a moment, before ripping the letter in half. "Nothing."

"Nothing?" The vampire questioned. "Val, you did read the letter, right?"

"I did," Valkyrie said, resuming her seat. "And I don't know about you, but I don't have the patience to go hunting Isran down. We have bigger things to worry about now."

"You mean the Greybeards?" Ghorza asked, to which the Nord nodded. "Look, I'm sure you're used to my skepticism by now, but... I don't know about this, Valkyrie. A bunch of crazy old men who live on a mountain..."

"Trust me, I'm wary, too," Valkyrie said. "But we all heard their voices from across the entire province. They don't seem like the kind of people you can just ignore."

"But what about Isran?" Serana jumped back in. "Not to say that you and I couldn't take him, but I think we should at least be prepared in case he finds us."

"Honestly," the Nord shook her head. "If I never see Isran again, it'll be too soon. I don't even want to think about that crazy bastard if I don't have to." She turned to face Serana. "I say we forget about him. And if he finds us, and tries something, we'll deal with him. If and when..."

The vampire sighed. "Alright. If and fucking when."

21st of Sun's Height, 4E 200

Valkyrie and Serana stumbled through the door to their room, mouths entangled, grabbing frantically at one another's clothes. The vampire slammed the door shut from behind with her foot, and immediately shoved her lover down onto the old, worn bed. The both of them had set off from Markarth that very morning, and Valkyrie had every intention of not stopping until they reached The Throat Of The World, but Serana, it seemed had other plans. As evidenced when the vampire had gotten a devilish look in her eyes at the very first roadside inn they passed. She had whispered into the Nord's ear, "You. Me. Week in a bedroom. Now," to which Valkyrie had only been too happy to oblige. Serana had dumped a bloated coin purse onto the inkeep's desk, and that was that...

Serana grabbed at the bottom of her own shirt, loosely fitting as it was, and promptly removed it, revealing nothing but her own undergarments beneath. She slowly strode over to the bed where Valkyrie lay, throwing her legs over the side to straddle the Nord's hips.

As much as Valkyrie was enjoying herself, something, which she simply couldn't put her finger on, felt off. And it seemed Serana had begun to pick up on it. The vampire lowered down, her forehead now touching Valkyrie's. "You alright?"

"Yeah," Valkyrie answered unconvincingly.

"Val," Serana said sternly. "Don't lie to me. What's wrong?"

The Nord sighed heavily. "I'm sorry, it's just..." she paused, struggling with her choice of words.

"Have you..." Serana began. "Never done this?"

"A few times," Valkyrie answered honestly. "Just never with another woman."

"Ah, I see,"

"I promise I'm fine," the Nord continued. "I just... need a minute, okay?"

"Take your time," Serana said, adjusting herself to lay her head down in the crook of Valkyrie's neck. "I'm actually kind of curious now," she spoke again. "Who was the lucky man?"

Valkyrie laughed. "Would you be disappointed if I told you it was Eltrys?"

The vampire burst into a fit of cackling. "I fucking knew it."

"Yeah," the Nord shrugged. "I let him bed me a few times when we were teenagers."

"How was it?"

"Ehh..." She struggled. "It was okay. He got the job done, but..."

"Say no more," Serana said, tracing her hands across Valkyrie's shoulders. "Was he the only one?"

"There was one other, but..." Valkyrie began again. "I'm kind of ashamed of it."

"I know that feeling all too well," the vampire tried to comfort her. "Who was it, if you don't mind me asking?"

"You remember Ondolemar?" Valkyrie asked, and received only squinted eyes in return. "That really snotty High Elf who stays in the keep?"

"Him?" Serana's eyes grew wide. "I'm actually... genuinely shocked. What prompted that?"

"I had just come of age, and I was very drunk," Valkyrie shook her head. "The sad part is... it was actually really good. But he pretended the whole thing never happened afterwards. A man of his supreme blood couldn't be seen with a lowly human peasant."

"So that's why you hate him so much," Serana remarked.

"It's one of the reasons I hate him," Valkyrie said.

"Well," the vampire began to shift her body again, now straddling the Nord's hips once more, and beginning to plant kisses on her neck. "I can promise you," she continued, slowly moving her way up to Valkyrie's mouth. "That I will be the best you've ever had."

29th of Sun's Height, 4E 200

When Serana said a week, she had meant it. Barring breaks for food or sleep, every last moment the two spent in isolation was used to explore one another's bodies and learn more about one another on the most intimate levels possible. Valkyrie had almost tapped out several times, but somehow managed to keep up with the vampire's desires and demands, much to both of their surprise. Eventually, the time came to move on, leaving behind the old, cramped room in a roadside inn now a bit more decorative having the words Do Not Disturb carved into the door. Not that Valkyrie minded the time she had spent with her vampire in the slightest, but their escapades were currently making riding horseback slightly more annoying, as evidenced when the Nord let out a groan.

"Are you alright?" Serana asked from across horses.

"Serious question," Valkyrie said, adjusting herself slightly. "Is that how it's going to be every time with you?" The vampire cackled, only for Valkyrie to roll her eyes. "Forget I asked."

"No, not every time," Serana said. "Just when we actually have time. Honestly, I'm surprised you were able to keep up as well as you did."

"Just don't expect that from me regularly," the Nord smirked.

"Well, we're headed to an ancient monastery, home to a group of very old, very religious hermits," the vampire shrugged. "That could very well have been our last chance for a while."

As the road the both of them were traveling split off into the forest, Valkyrie began to say something else, but was cut off when a crossbow bolt struck the ground right in front of their horses. She didn't even have time to react before the bolt exploded, sending the horses into a panic, very nearly bucking Valkyrie off until they stopped, very suddenly, and the Nord looked over to see Serana, her hand outstretched, a faint glow encompassing her palm. "Easy, boy," the vampire said in a soothing voice. The both of them looked on in the direction the attack had come from, and off in the distance, obscured by the trees, Valkyrie could just barely make out a figure before it turned around and bolted further into the forest.

"You've got better sight than me," Valkyrie said. "Did you see who that was?"

"Oh, I know exactly who it was," Serana growled, turning back to look the Nord in the eyes. "If and fucking when, remember?"

"Shit," the Nord groaned, steering her horse around. "Alright, let's get after him. Yah!" She snapped the reins, leading the horse off into the woods with Serana very closely in tow. Anger swelled in Valkyrie's mind. For the life of her, despite all evidence to the contrary, there was some small part of her that couldn't believe this was the same man who had taught to her fight, to survive, who had made her feel welcome amongst a legion of trained warriors. And here she was about to use those very skills to kill him. The irony wasn't lost on her, and Valkyrie thought that perhaps she began to understand some semblance of what Serana had felt after the battle with Harkon.

After a short bit of galloping, the two reached the spot where the old man had fired from, or so Serana seemed convinced. The vampire hopped off her horse, inspecting the ground around them. "You see anything?" Valkyrie asked after a moment.

"I... think so," Serana answered, still not looking up from the ground. "It looks like his tracks head this way, but..." Her voice trailed off.

"But?"

"They're much lighter than I would have expected from a human," the vampire noted.

"Well, he is a trained vampire hunter," Valkyrie pondered.

"I guess," Serana said, still sounding unsure. "We should leave the horses here. Don't want them getting spooked again." Valkyrie complied, throwing her horse's reins over a tree branch as she followed Serana deeper into the forest. They tracked for some time, what seemed like at least and hour, as the Nord tried to stop herself from growing overly annoyed that the old man was leading them on a wild goose chase. After a short while, the trees began to grow more sparse and spaced apart, until eventually, Valkyrie and Serana emerged from the edge of the woods into an open field, one that went on as far the eye could see. Rather, as far as the seemingly abandoned fortress in the distance would allow them to.

The building, even from this distance, looked to be almost falling apart. An opening in the crumbling walls revealed what looked to be a courtyard, completely empty, with the main fortress doors just beyond. Valkyrie and Serana exchanged a quick glance with one another, before nodding and marching off to the fort's entrance, as foreboding as it was.

The inside of the fortress was every bit as empty and bleak as its outside, and even more dimly lit, as the moment Valkyrie and Serana stepped inside, the Nord found herself struggling to see anything in the darkness. This was fixed a moment later when Serana summoned a sphere of light in her palm, only slightly lighting the large, barren foyer. Every so often along the walls were doors, clearly leading to elsewhere in the fortress, but one in particular, off in the corner, stood out to Valkyrie and Serana. As they approached, they discovered this door had the symbol of the Dawnguard painted on it. All in red, to be precise...

Valkyrie's stomach dropped. The symbol had been painted in blood. It was almost shocking how far the old man had fallen in such a short amount of time. The Nord's mind was ripped away from her thoughts when Serana suddenly turned around, sniffing the air around them. "What's wrong?" Valkyrie asked her.

"I can smell one of my kind from a mile away," the vampire said cryptically.

The Nord's eyes widened as she clasped a hand on the hilt of her sword. "There are vampires here? With Isran?"

"I don't know," Serana said, eyeing every last corner of the room. "It's... different than usual. I'm not really sure how to explain it." She turned back to the door, opening it slightly to reveal a set of stairs leading downward. "Stick close, Val," she said as they began to descend. The further down the both of them went, the more Valkyrie disliked the idea of being here altogether, and the more she simply wanted to be done with this place and move on. Eventually, they reached the bottom of the stairs, at their base another closed door that seemed all too uninviting.

Serana stepped forward carefully, opening the door as slowly and as silently as she could manage, eventually revealing behind it yet another large, empty room. Or so they thought at first glance. The vampire forced the light in her hands to shine ever brighter, and in doing so uncovered prison cells lining the walls, each of them empty, sporting unlit torches at their doors. Every last one remained uninhabited, except, as Valkyrie and Serana discovered when the light continued to shine, one farthest away from the entrance. A person lay inside the cell, chained to the wall, unresponsive to the two women who had just entered the room.

With a wave of the vampire's arm, every torch in the room lit up, at last freeing them from the eerie darkness. Serana marched to the end of the room with Valkyrie close behind. When the door to the cell wouldn't budge, Serana simply ripped it off its hinges, tossing it against the wall with a deafening clang. As both of them entered the cell to examine the prisoner, a Dunmer they could now tell, dressed in rags, Serana suddenly let out a gasp.

"Serana?" Valkyrie asked. "What's wrong?"

"This is Garan Morethi," Serana said quitely.

"Who?"

"He was a member of my father's court," Serana knelt down, placing a hand on her fellow vampire's shoulder to attempt to shake him awake. "I didn't see him at the battle, I just assumed he was killed along with everyone else."

"Nearly was," Garan spoke suddenly, his voice clearly labored. He let out a groan as he lifted his head, his unnatural amber eyes glaring at both women. "Lady Serana," his voice was thick with venom. "How lovely to see you again."

"Who did this to you, Garan?" Serana demanded.

"An old friend of yours," the Dunmer spat. "I fled the castle when your mortal friends attacked, you know. I thought I'd gotten lucky and escaped with my life." He breathed deeply, letting out a few coughs. "If you're here," he said. "I can only assume that..."

"Harkon is dead," Serana confirmed. "And Auriel's Bow is no more."

"I suppose it's for the best, like Lady Valerica wanted."

"What in Oblivion did he do?" Valkyrie spoke now. "Isran just kills vampires, he doesn't hang them from the wall like trophies."

"Your friend is truly mad," Garan said. "He... did something to me... something I didn't think was possible."

Neither woman had a chance to ask what it was that the former leader of the Dawnguard had done to this vampire, because in that moment, the sound of the dungeon door being slammed shut sounded out, and at its entrance was none other than Isran himself, his Dawnguard leathers in tatters, a worn hood obscuring his face. Both Valkyrie and Serana stood up, exiting the cell to face him once and for all. The old man scoffed. "Ladies..."

"Hello, Isran," Valkyrie said, surprised at her own civility.

"I'm sorry it had to come to this," Isran said, his hand hovering above a war axe attached to his hip.

"It doesn't have to," the Nord fired back, mirroring the Redguard's motion with her blade.

It was then that the old man laughed, something Valkyrie had never even imagined him doing in the entire time she'd known him, it unsettled her deeply. "Is that what you're doing?" Isran asked her. "Trying to appeal to my sense of honor? For old times sake?"

"Old times sake is the only reason I'm giving you a chance to walk away," Valkyrie gritted her teeth. "It's over, Isran. Harkon is dead. Just... let it go."

"I'm afraid it's too late for that," the old man said cryptically.

"You know this won't end well for you, Isran," Serana said, her palm beginning to brim with magic.

"Maybe," he shrugged. "But I have to try." He began to laugh again, and Valkyrie drew her blade, waiting for the old man to make the first move. "You know, it's funny," he said. "You know I was part of the Vigilants years ago. Before they deemed my methods too extreme."

"I've already heard this story," Valkyrie said angrily.

"The funny thing is," Isran continued, unfazed. "During my time with the order, I saw Keeper Carcette do things that made me seem tame. I asked her about it once, and she gave me a piece of advice that I scoffed at, but recently I've come to see the wisdom in."

"Is there a rest stop between now and the fucking point?" The Nord snapped at the old man.

"She told me that sometimes," he said, grabbing at the edge of his hood. "In order to defeat a monster," he ripped the fabric away from his face, and Valkyrie and Serana were horrified when a pair of unnatural glowing eyes stared back at them. "You have to become a monster yourself."

With nearly impossible speed, Isran drew his axe and charged, closing the distance between himself and the two women. He swung horizontally at Valkyrie, and she was only just able to block his blow, but the newly turned vampire's strength pushed her back. That was, until Serana came in from the side, planting a boot into Isran's chest, forcing the old man to stagger backwards. Serana fired a bolt of blood magic from her palm, one that Isran sidestepped, then another, which he deflected with his axe. Yet another bolt was fired, this one Isran rolled underneath, upon returning to his feet he threw his axe directly at Serana's head, which she managed to dodge, leaving the weapon buried in the stone wall behind her.

Valkyrie charged forward again, swiping her blade with all the precision she could manage, but Isran's new speed and reflexes allowed him to weave in and out of her attacks with little effort. It was then the Redguard vampire revealed yet another new trick. In a split second, his palm began to radiate with the same crimson aura that Valkyrie had seen Serana use so many times, and his open palm quickly struck her right in the sternum. Valkyrie was knocked back, her feet scraping against the floor as the breath was knocked out of her, and the Nord was thankful for the Armor of Auri-El's protection.

Serana was back in the fray now, seemingly enraged that Isran was using the same form of magic that she possessed. Both vampires hands permeated with blood red energy, and bare handed, they made swipes with their claws at one another, letting out monstrous and venomous growls every time one of them managed to cut into the other's skin. Finally, Serana leaped upward, coming down on Isran with every last ounce of force and magic she could muster, but the old man was ready. He quickly constructed a magic barrier between the both of them, leaving him unharmed by Serana's attack. It was then Isran began to push his magic shield back, forcing Serana away from him, eventually catching Valkyrie in its snare and slamming both of them into the wall of the dungeon.

Both women fell to the ground after the impact, but Isran wasn't done. He reached out his hand, and the axe he had thrown in Serana's direction began to shake, before removing itself from the wall and returning to the old man's grip. The moment the weapon made contact with his hand, it also began to radiate with blood magic. Isran backed away slightly, as though daring either woman to try and attack him.

"Nice trick," Valkyrie said, eyeing the Redguard's axe. "Let's see if I can do that, too." She returned to her feet, focusing intensely as she felt her magicka flow from her center, into her palm, then suddenly leave her body as a brilliant, blinding gold energy enveloped her weapon. The Nord smirked. She knew that sun magic beat blood magic, but was curious if Isran possessed the same knowledge. Valkyrie rushed forward once more, and Isran was only too happy to meet her. Their weapons clashed, and the old man was knocked backwards, almost losing his balance. The Nord charged again, this time the Redguard vampire only just barely managing to deflect her blow, before being knocked to the ground by its force.

Valkyrie raised her blade, bringing it down quickly to try and finish Isran once and for all, but the old man managed to roll out of the way at the last moment, and the sword met only the stone floor. Isran rushed for his axe, only to be met with a bolt of blood magic to the midsection from Serana. Isran staggered backward from the impact, being met with the end of Valkyrie's blade, shining with sun magic, running straight through his back and out his chest. The Redguard let out an awful, inhuman scream borne of agony, as though he were being burned alive from the inside. Mostly because he likely was. After a moment, his body went limp, and fell to its knees, the glowing in his eyes now replaced by a dull and lifeless gray.

Valkyrie yanked her sword out of Isran's corpse, a small part of her feeling some sort of regret that this was how it had ended. Granted, it was only a small part. She looked at Serana, and both of them exchanged a nod before the vampire turned back to the prison cell, where her former family member was still chained to the wall.

"What fun that was," Garan Morethi said sarcastically. "Though, in truth, I'm glad the bastard's dead."

"How long has it been since you've fed?" Serana asked him calmly.

The Elf raised an eyebrow. "At least a week," he said cautiously. "Why do you ask? You know we can hold out longer than those mongrels, Lady Serana."

"Because I'm not taking any chances," she said sternly. Serana reached into her pouch, pulling out a vial of blood which she then held to her fellow vampire's mouth. "Drink."

The Dunmer was only too happy to comply, downing the contents of the vial in moments. He let out a sigh as the glass was removed from his lips. "Ah," he sighed. "Much better."

"Can you walk?" Serana said, carefully undoing the shackles which held Garan to the wall, the vampire collapsing to the ground the moment he was freed.

"I believe so," Garan said, returning to his feet and massaging his wrists. "So what happens now, Lady Serana?"

"I guess that all depends on you," Serana crossed her arms. "Do you still feel an unwavering sense of loyalty to my father?"

"Hmph," the Dunmer scoffed. "You said it yourself, Harkon is dead. Hard to be loyal to a pile of ashes, wouldn't you agree?"

Serana smirked. "Wise words."

"He," Garan nodded his head towards Isran's corpse. "Was clearly too stupid to simply walk away. I'd like to take that choice in his stead, if it's all the same to you, my lady."

"Fine," she said, before stepping dangerously close to the Dunmer. "Just make sure you never cross my path again, Garan."

"Trust me," the Elf said, slowly stepping around Serana and out of his cell. "I won't. Good health and good fortune to you and your..." he stopped short, turning to glance at Valkyrie, who was shooting a glare through him from across the room. "Well, I suppose it's none of my business what she is to you."

"No," Valkyrie spat at him. "It isn't."

Garan simply bowed his head, walking directly past Valkyrie and out of the dungeon. "Farewell, Lady Serana."

The last of the dirt piled onto Isran's makeshift grave. Why Valkyrie had insisted on burying her former mentor, given all he had done to herself and Serana, the Nord couldn't quite explain. She only felt that she owed him some small semblance of respect, as the old man had been the one to put her on this path in the first place. He had taught her to fight, he had been the one to send her to Dimhollow Crypt and discover Serana, and the prophecy in the process. It was a damned shame how the man had turned out towards the end, becoming one of the very things he was so determined to destroy, all for a half baked vendetta against Valkyrie and Serana.

Serana placed a hand on Valkyrie's shoulder, and for some time, no words were spoken. The Nord titled her head, resting it on the vampire's shoulder as Serana ran her fingers through Valkyrie's hair. No tears were shed, no great feelings of loss were awakened, Valkyrie simply felt a twinge of regret. Not that she regretted killing the old man, simply regretting that it had to be this way.

"So," Valkyrie said after some time. "I guess this part of my life really is over."

"Are you okay?" Serana asked.

"I guess," the Nord shrugged.

"It's okay to feel conflicted."

Valkyrie chuckled. "Where have I heard that before?" She removed her head from Serana's shoulder, opting instead to slide her hand into the vampire's. "It's just... the respect I used to have for this man." She shook her head. "His paranoia drove him crazy, and he let his sick idea of justice and revenge consume him. I don't want to remember him like that, you know?"

"Where have I heard that before?" Serana laughed, and Valkyrie did the same.

"Who knows what's next for us?" Valkyrie pondered. "These Greybeards... I'm still not sure what to make of them."

"We can form an opinion once we actually meet them," the vampire said. "Regardless, I have a feeling my father's prophecy was only the beginning."

"As long as you're there with me," Valkyrie turned her head to face Serana.

"Always," the vampire responded, before planting her lips together with Valkyrie's. After a few moments, the two broke apart. They whistled for their horses, and as the animals came running, Valkyrie, despite her fear and apprehension about the uncertainty of the future, felt hopeful that she could face anything if only Serana would stick by her. The two rode off from the fortress together, determined now more than ever to discover what destiny had in store for them...

END OF BOOK ONE