There was nothing glorious about battle. The Urshilaku Skirmish. The destruction of the Khuul Bloodband. The battle of Kvatch. The Siege of Anvil. These had been the few times that I considered myself part of something larger than a mere fight and I now added the Battle of Garlas Malatar to the list. At the end of the day though there was no real glory or honour after such events were masses of men and mer fought and bled and died despite what the bards and minstrels would proclaim.

The Order of the Nine had faced its foe and had utterly beaten it but not without cost. A dozen knights were dead and twice as many wounded, some critically. The men-at-arms had also taken horrific casualties and had almost lost half their number to death or injuries and even the titanic Black Knights had suffered. Three of their number were no longer counted among the living but all of this seemed paled in comparison to the lifeless body clad in the relics of the Gods.

There were no visible wounds on Caleb's body, even as we pried the helm and whatever pieces of armour we could manage but in the end there was no doubt to the matter. The sheer might of the energies that he had wielded had not been intended for mere mortals and the final blow against Umaril had snuffed his life out like a candle.

Those of us who were uninjured or injured to a minor degree were left with the daunting task of claiming the dead and seeing to the wounded even with the threat of counter attacks from the surviving elves. There were still over a hundred of them within the ruins and that wasn't including the dozens who were fleeing from the battle as fast as their legs could carry them but we were no longer in the condition to give chase. Moving quickly, I ordered half of the uninjured men-at-arms to form a defensive position between the battle site and the ruins in case we were attacked while we tended to the wounded.

Even for such a holy battle there was nothing truly differentiating it from the others I had taken part in. With the possible exception of Kvatch they all smelled the same and Kvatch was different only by the fact that most of the city and its people had been burned. Our cause had been holy and blessed by the Nine but that didn't stop the battle site, and most of those living and dead literally smelling like shit.

Flies were swarming already, their blue-black bodies writhing over the congealing blood staining the ground and grass and for most parts the only way that we could tell who was wounded and who was dead was by the way they attempted to wave the billowing swarms away. Their moans and cries of pain were pitiful and myself and the others like Brellin had our hands full as we used what restoration magicka and medical skills we had to treat everyone we could.

Some of the men-at-arms were tasked with the dirty job to seek our survivors among our enemy and move where they could be treated, or provide mercy for those who were too far gone but in the end there were not that many who were left. Only a dozen or so of our elven enemies ended being taken prisoner, as disturbingly they did everything they could not to be taken alive, including gashing their own throats as the Order's soldiers reached them or fighting back that they had to be killed. Only those who were incapacitated by their injuries and unable to fight back or take their own lives joined the tiny handful under careful watch, the rest were either dead or assumed to have escaped by sea as one of the ships began sailing away.

Despite it all we had still won, and we left the bloody site behind us with our dead and wounded as soon as we could. A handful of knights quickly checked the ruins to ensure that there were indeed no more enemies left to fight but it was not long at all before we began the long journey back to the priory.

There were no real celebrations during our travels, nor was there when we arrived back at the priory those weeks later. There was a sense of sombre realisation that we had succeeded in our task, that Umaril had been vanquished and potentially for good but everyone had lost a friend, partner or family member and it was hard not to grieve. I was also not immune from the feeling of loss and darkness, but not from the fact of being in battle. Death was a close companion as the days leading to a daedric invasion grew shorter and it was not something that was playing on my mind. What was eating away at me was the fact that all the men and women who had died had been under my command, and it was ultimately because of me that all they all had suffered and bled and lost their lives.

It was a difficult sensation to escape and despite knowing that the others had noticed the way I was feeling I had locked myself away, physically where I could. Alexi especially had tried his best but in the end I couldn't shake the dark depression that was weighing down on me.

The undercroft became my second home, a place of quiet and contemplation and I knew that while the deaths of those that I had led into battle were weighing down hard, it wasn't the true reason why I was purposely hiding away. The relics had been reclaimed, Umaril defeated and Viconia's and my task was complete but our duties were as present as ever. One threat had been dealt with but the other, the looming danger presented by Mehrunes Dagon and his followers was even closer at hand.

Despite the lingering smell of decay and rot that was making itself felt within the undercroft, it was still a place of calm and solitude and I sat with my back against the wall looking over the tiles where I had fought the ghosts. They had not shown themselves since the battle against Umaril but I was confident that they would reappear when needed. After all, the Relics were back within their alcove, united together and joined by the glorious lance of Talos and watching over the body of the being worthy enough to wear them.

Caleb's death was one of the few deaths that weighed on me as heavily as the prospect of having to return to the blades, and it was hard not too when his body was one of my few companions in the days since our return to the priory. All of those who had fallen in the battle had been interred within the under croft, knight and men-at-arms alike and they all had joined the original Knights of the Nine and the others who had died in Leyawiin's cathedral. They were the source of the stench that was seeping from the marble tombs, but Caleb was wholly unnatural.

In the month since the battle where the others had begun to bloat and rot, Caleb's body had remained immaculate and intact. There was no sign of decay, no traces of the normal affects that death had on a body and even after four weeks he still appeared as normal as he had the seconds before he thrust the Sword of Arkay through Umaril's chest. I knew that the word of what had happened was travelling throughout the empire and the Church of the Nine had already declared his actions, Umaril's defeat, and the fact that his body remained intact as official miracles. I also knew that there was current debate as to whether to declare him an official saint which for some reason felt like ashes in my mouth.

The click of a door and the slow grind of it opening was impossible to ignore, as was the footsteps that made their way into the undercroft. They were unmistakable, as familiar to me as my own heartbeat and it didn't surprise me in the slightest when Viconia walked around the corner.

"Hiding doesn't suit you mrannd'ssinss." She said, moving around and sliding down the wall next to me.

"We're all hiding in one way or another." My eyes glanced to her face as I felt her shift slightly to lean on me. "It's quiet down here."

Her soft breathing was the loudest sound in the room and I took comfort in it and her presence, especially how I could smell her scarred flesh over the lingering traces of decay.

"I understand the cravings of solitude." Without even bothering to ask she simply lifted up my arm and threw it over her shoulders. Despite its outward appearances of how I was now holding her I knew her reasons were not for affection, but so she was more comfortable. "Some pilgrims have arrived from Skingrad asking to see the Relics and Caleb."

"It's going to become very busy here."

I felt her nod, and she groaned with irritation for a moment. "Weak-willed slaves to higher powers, incapable of thinking for themselves. It is a wonder how this surfacer religion of yours is as powerful as it is."

There was no way to ignore the way that she stirred at my failure to take her bait and I felt her tilt her head back to look at me. "What's bothering you? Don't say those who died either because we both know that isn't the truth."

The crumpled sheet of parchment that I had stuffed into a pocket was dragged out and she unfolded it. "That arrived a week before we did." I said as an explanation and I felt her whole body tense as she read the words.

"The shipment of swords has arrived, but they request the last two immediately for an important task." She spoke aloud, looking over the parchment and sagging slightly as she deciphered the hidden meaning. "Oh."

"Yeah. Oh." I felt my spine crunch slightly as I leant back. "Looks like Martin has had success with that bloody book and they need our help with it."

"So you are hiding because of this?"

"Well, we certainly can't run from it."

The wolf-yellow eyes gazed into mine and it took all my willpower not to turn towards her. "You don't want to go back to the Blades?"

Breathing out heavily, I felt my conflicting emotions waging within me and shrugged. "I think I'm tired from it all. We've been at this together for over a year now and after everything we've done, we've accomplished there is still so much more to do."

"It has been an exciting time." she said with a hint of pleasure coursing through her. "But I do understand how you feel. Even the heroes we hear in those tavern songs have done a tenth of what we have achieved. Who knew saving the world would be exhausting?"

"Probably those same heroes, which is why they quit while they were ahead."

The moments silence between us was as heavy as the lids on the tombs around us. "Surely you're not thinking of abandoning Martin and the others?"

"The thought had occurred to me." My answer was truthful and I saw a flash of annoyance in her eyes despite the fact that I knew that she had been thinking similar thoughts over the previous weeks. "I have already deserted once, so it's in my blood now, but I don't think this is something we can run away from."

"Because Jauffre would be too good at tracking us down?"

The fact that she had specifically said 'us' instead of 'you' was somehow pleasing but I shook my head. "No. Because what is coming isn't something that we can run away from. The end of the world is happening, right now and there isn't anywhere to run to."

"True…" her head thudded lightly into my chest and I she sighed very softly. "So… When are we leaving?"

"In the next day or two I think. It'll give us time to make preparations…"

It was impossible for Viconia not to notice how I had trailed off in mid-sentence, and even more so not to notice the reason why I had stopped talking. The undercroft was lit by the ever-present magical flames burning in their sconces but as we sat there they were growing larger and brighter, the hiss of magicka and the tingle of energies building pressure in the back of my mind.

"What's happening?" I hissed, rising to my feet with building alarm as the flames grew even brighter and more powerful, rippling and coursing.

"I don't know." Viconia replied, her fingers tracing her own magicka in the air as she called upon protective spells. The enchanted flames had never burned this brightly, even when we had first entered the undercroft and the waves of magicka were quickly building to migraine inducing levels.

As sudden as they had begun, the magicka subsided and the flames suddenly died as though nothing had happened. Their soft blue glows returned to how they were when I had first entered the room and the pain subsided into nothingness.

"What is Shar's name just happened?"

Shrugging, I walked further into the room, moving around the marble tomb in the centre where Caleb had been interred and looking between the Relics on the far wall and back to Viconia. "Amiel? Was that you guys?"

The silence was deafening and the hairs on the back of my head begun to rise as my query was met with deafening silence. Viconia and I were looking about and back to one another constantly but there was no sign of anything out of the ordinary, which was suspicious for a room that was technically haunted.

"We might need someone down here to check this out. Maybe it's the Relics or something…"

Both of our attentions were suddenly drawn to the tomb in the centre of the undercroft, the simple marble coffin with a solid lid where we were now hearing the sounds of movement. Despite the fact that the undercroft was the perfect definition of haunted, it was unnerving to hear coughing and thuds on a lid that was supposed to be containing a dead man.

Viconia, treating the situation as she did all others where we had found ourselves in danger or otherwise reacted in her usual manner. Dragonbane appeared in her hand with a rasp of metal on leather and a hand was suddenly engulfed in magicka as her eyes met mine. The sounds were still coming from Caleb's tomb, right up until I carefully reached down and hauled the lid back with a scrape of masonry and stone.

For weeks Caleb had been laying lifeless on the back of a wagon as we returned him to the Priory, but within moments of the lid being lifted it was certainly no cadaver that I was face to face with. Squinting from the sudden brightness and coughing dust, the champion of the Nine turned his head with a faint smile in my direction.

For my part I practically threw myself backwards with a bout of swearing that could have got me excommunicated from the church, and Viconia was a heartbeat away from stabbing and blasting him with bolts of energy before we realised that he was no simple zombie. Between the coughs and the hacks from a throat clogged with dust Caleb slowly lifted himself up, looking about with a confused expression on his face at us.

"Commander? Where… where am I?"

His coughs were almost pneumonic but there was no doubting the health that was flooding into his limbs as he shook them from the weeks of immobility. Viconia and I were frozen to the floor in shock, trying to understand what we were seeing.

"You're in the Priory's Undercroft." I said slowly, trying to understand just what I was seeing and prove to myself that it was indeed real. "What…"

"What kind of necromantic sorcery is this?" finished Viconia, practically spitting the words and looking about the Priory and at Caleb with overwhelming suspicion.

"Nothing of the sort. At least I think so." He said, grasping his head as though suffering from terrible dizziness. "How long have I been here?"

"In the Priory? About three days." My answer seemed to please him and he was nodding as I made my way over. "You… You have been dead for a month."

"I think I prefer that explanation." My hand reached out and grasped his and I helped him climb out of the tomb and stand on shaking legs. "Death would be a lot simpler."

"What happened to you?"

There was something in his eyes, a power that I couldn't remember seeing and despite myself I felt out with my vampiric senses to confirm what my eyes were seeing. He truly was alive, filled with life and energy but there was also no denying the power his flesh contained. I had never seen or encountered someone of his like before and that alone terrified me.

"I remember stabbing Umaril in the chest, and then everything was gone." There was a click of bones and muscles as he stretched slightly in an attempt to remove the rigor mortis that had set in. "I… can't really describe what happened but I defeated Umaril."

"We saw you defeat him." Viconia replied, moving closer and studying him carefully.

"I mean I really defeated him. In Oblivion. I really don't know how to describe it but somehow I had followed him into Meridia's realm and destroyed his spirit."

The way that Viconia and I shared a glance was not lost on the reincarnated knight, and he smiled slightly. "It's crazy I know."

"Not as crazy as seeing you alive and well again."

"And it's not the craziest thing we've experienced." Viconia added with her own measure of trepidation from just how truthful the statement was. "How are you alive?"

"The Nine… The Nine protected me." His eyes were burning with a deep power as he gazed off into the distance for a second or two. "I'm sorry but I can't describe it. It's… like trying to describe colour to a blind man."

Shaking, he pressed his knuckles into his temples and massaged them as Viconia and I shared concerned glances. "They showed me a lot of things. About myself, about the world, about the two of you. The end is coming and they brought me back to help."

"I think that we might need all the help we can get."

There was pity in his eyes as he looked at me and I felt taken aback at the emotion boiling from him. It was almost a physical presence, and I couldn't help but think of how it felt to be standing before the shade of Pelinal all those months before. "Mehrunes Dagon is coming. His army is ready and the hammer is lifted to strike. You both will be needed where it is going to fall."

"Where…" Viconia breathed.

"Bruma. His army is going to invade and attack Bruma. They know Martin is there, and he alone is the key to saving Tamriel and Nirn itself." Our expressions of horror were obvious as he simply stated a detail that he had no right to have known, and his smile was truthful at least. "The Nine have shown me a great many things. I know you are both Blades, I know how you both met." His burning gaze narrowed on me for a moment. "I know of your curse and I truly understand now why and how you have done the things you have done. You have my respect, but our tasks are not yet complete. You need to return to Martin. He and the others have great need for you both."

I couldn't help but nod. "If what you say is true, they're going to need more than just us to face off against the Prince of Destruction. We're going to need an army."

"And an army they will have." "Go. Assist the Emperor and his protectors and trust in your own strength."

"They could use the Order." Viconia added, trying her best not shrink under the power that was growing in the man before us. She as well as I could see the glow beginning to infuse his flesh.

"They can and they will, just not right away." A shiver crawled its way up my spine at the sheer will in his tone and less and less of Caleb was visible in the man that was the Divine Crusader. "The Order of the Nine will march for Bruma, but not before I rally every Knightly Order in Tamriel…"

Our conversation was quickly over, not from our discomfort of the events but by the fact that several others burst into the undercroft to investigate the magical activity that every living being within vicinity of the Priory had felt. The shock of seeing Caleb alive and resurrected was overwhelming and it took minutes before the throng of people trying to enter the priory was overwhelming. From the new arrivals, to the men and women of the Order there was at first the same shock and disbelief that Viconia and I had, but then it quickly changed to amazement and joy. Despite all the death and suffering we all had experienced it was somehow heartening to see him among the living once more, proving to the pious that the Nine were still watching over us all.

His recovery and return still held great portents of the future and it didn't take long at all for the word of his intentions, and mission from the Nine to become known. The reactions from the men and women of the Order were mixed, but unsurprising. They had fought and bled and had comrades in arms die from their faith and now they were faced with unmistakable proof of the righteousness of their cause, so when Caleb announced that a new crusade was to be formed, most reacted with unquestioning zeal.

The 'Oblivion Crusade' as it was quickly coined was going to be one of the greatest gathering of military might in the history of Tamriel. With the likes of the Divine Crusader as its figurehead I couldn't help but feel cold at the simple proclamation that he was going to unite every Knightly Order in the Empire under the Red Diamond's banner. It was crazy, insane to even comprehend but when I was face to face with the man with the blessings of the Eight and One I found all my doubt gone.

Even the cynical part of my mind believed his words and while my mind still considered dark powers at work, the corruption within me spoke otherwise. His presence was now painful to be near, similar in how my vampirism reacted to the proximity of the relics themselves and this alone left no doubt in my mind.

And so the Order once again turned into a beehive of activity, of armours and weapons being prepared and every man and woman preparing to march. Messengers were sent to the nearest towns with the proclamation that the Divine Crusader lived again and that the Oblivion Crusade had been declared, and while we waited for some form of disbelieving or disproving response from the Church itself the first pledges began to arrive. The Black Knights of Talos, their remaining members still present at the Priory were the first to officially join the crusade, and it was less than two days after Caleb's return that word was received from the Order of the White Stallion. Two thirds of the Knights of the White Stallion had pledged their swords and lances to Caleb and I had suspicions that other Orders would respond in kind.

The momentum was growing quickly and while everyone was preparing for this event, Viconia and I were preparing to leave. Ultrin and Trygve were cared for, reshod and our armours returned to their finest conditions and as the budding Crusade prepared to march, so too did we.

The ranks of Knights and soldiers were forming even as we saddled our warhorses for the trip to the north, arraying themselves and the wagons of supplies in a great column. While few in number at the moment I had no doubt that it was going to grow but for the moment I spent my time giving my farewells to those we had travelled and fought alongside.

Alexi's face was downcast as he and some of the others came to Viconia and I as we finished packing our saddlebags of all our worldly possessions, and it was an expression mirrored by many. We had already said our farewells to most, and my hand still throbbed from the number of handshakes I had received from the likes of Falid and Mazoga. Avita and Carodus had ambushed me earlier with a mug of ale in a traditional Legionary farewell that had left my hair damp and partially sticky despite my best attempts to rinse the alcohol out and surprisingly the Ghosts had briefly appeared as well. Word of how the founders of the Order of the Nine were not joining the Crusade was rampant through the camp, but only a few truly knew the real reason why we were heading north to Bruma.

"After all this time we find out that you two are Blades." Alexi said, his expression dark but his voice filled with humour. "I knew you two were too damned good to be mere adventurers."

"You aren't too bad for a noble." I replied, feeling his grip around my hand as we shook. "Take good care of yourself Alexi."

"Oh, I will. Guaranteed." His expression darted between myself and Viconia before resting on her. "You take care of this bastard, you hear? I think he'll need all the help he can get."

"It's not my responsibility to care for imbecilies," She replied, her own tone as dark and cold as the grave but for us we could hear the measure of amusement. "That is up to your gods. At least they seem partially capable."

Their grins were infectious despite the sensation of leaving everything and everyone we knew, but I could feel myself growing increasingly nervous for other reasons. Alexi had come over with two others, a pair of individuals that I knew all too well and I nodded to them both.

"I have to thank you all for doing this for me." I said simply, looking at Detane's scarred expression and Brellin's tattooed features.

For the first time since our meeting, Detane actually looked uneasy and had difficulty meeting my gaze. "Sir Desin… I…" Slowly he swallowed, smiling honestly and bowing his head to me. "Thank you for everything you've done."

Our hands clasped together and I couldn't help but wonder at the changes that the short Breton had gone through since our first meeting. There wasn't much warmth between us, not like myself and Alexi at least but he was a trusted comrade that I no longer had any hesitation in fighting alongside.

"Is this where we find out what great plan you have for us?" Brellin asked, giving a faint smile but looking uneasy at why I had asked for him specifically. "I mean, the Order is marching for war and yet it's healer isn't going with them?"

"I had heard that you still have connections in Falinesti." I said, reaching into a saddlebag and pulling out a small item wrapped in cloth. "I need you all to deliver something to the Druid Circle there."

Handing over the wrapped object, Brellin looked at it quizzically, unwrapping it slightly to reveal an immaculate bone dagger in a sheath made from spiders silk and chitin. His reaction was one of shock as he quickly wrapped the cloth back around it again before staring at me open mouthed.

"What? How did you…"

"You probably wouldn't believe me if I told you." I replied, seeing the way how the significance of the dagger was lost to Alexi and Detane. "They will know what that dagger means…"

"Putting that mildly aren't you?" I found it somewhat funny that he was now looking around at the camp and the people preparing to go to see if anyone had seen what he now had in his possession.

"Once you deliver that you all will be able to catch up to the Crusade I think."

"We will." Alexi shifted forwards and shook my hand again. "We will also meet again Kaius. Don't think that you can hide from me. And Viconia…" he turned to her, bowing his head with a theatrical wave of his hands. "I'm sorry but it could have never worked between us."

"Oh well." She sighed with equal amounts of drama. "Looks like I am free to seek out your pathetic surfacer love with another. However will I recover from such a mortal wounding?" Her smile for once wasn't blood curdling and had the briefest trace of warmth within it. "Try not to go and get yourself killed."

Horns echoed over the priory and the movement of the men and women of the Order increased as they jostled into positions in the column. Not many people at all were staying at the Priory, and even less weren't taking part in the new Crusade. Alexi and Detane would be travelling south to escort Brellin delivering the dagger to the Bosmer before re-joining the Crusade but for many of the others they were ready for the long march north through Hammerfell and into High Rock.

With Caleb at their head, dressed in the darkness-destroying purity of the Relics there was no hesitation as he signalled the advance and the long column set off. Viconia and I too set off at the same time, bidding our final farewells to our friends and comrades and riding north towards Bruma.

And war…

Well... this is it. After almost two years of writing, Knight is finally completed.

Thiss last chapter doesn't have the right amount of oompth that I really wanted but once again my life is getting int he way and my writing ability seems to be degrading slightly as a result.

On the topic of these stories, now that I am gifted with the benefit of hindsight I believe I should've broken Knight down into two separate stories and turned Bloodtide Rising into a quadrilogy insitead of a trilogy. 300,000 words is bloody huge for a fic and is equivalent to George R.R. Martins A Clash of Kings. (Maybe that's why I feel a bit burned out haha!)

If I was to break Knight down, I would make the split somewhere around where Kaius and Viconia retrieve the Helm of the Crusader. The chapters before that would remain Knight, but afterwards the theoretical book would be titled "Crusader"

Otherwise, I definitely want to shout out to my handful of dedicated readers that I appear to have accumulated. I never actually intended on writing and posting all these fics for anything beyond my own gratification of actually doing something but the fact that I have what appears to be a two dozen or so people actively reading everything is fucking amazing! So thanks to you all for reading, and even more so for those who comment! There's plenty more stories to come!

Kaius and Viconia's adventures will continue, and we're entering the endgame now!