Lydia sat at the bar in the Dead Man's Drink, slowly nursing a tankard of mead. She had spent all of yesterday and today sitting here, slowly drinking and waiting for someone to pick up packages for "Greta". She was surprised that Kratos was being sufficiently patient. She had almost expected him to just send the men out combing the region for the Dark Brotherhood. Of course that would have been a waste of time and alerted their quarry. Impatient he might be, but he was no fool. So they had planned and now she sat drinking and watching.

A young imperial woman came into the inn, humming a merry tune, she came up to the bar and leaned against it, "Afternoon, Valga!" she called in a cheery voice to the innkeeper. She brushed back a few strands of blonde hair that had gotten free of the large braid that came down to her mid back.

The innkeep, Valga, came over to her, "To you as well. Here checking on Greta's package or just a drink today?"

She laughed and gave a wicked grin, "Can't it be both?" Lydia nearly jumped when she heard Greta's name, it was the alias Brynjolf had told them was used by the Dark Brotherhood. Was this little slip of a thing one of them and just putting on a show or was she just a go between? Lydia gave a mental shrug, in the end it didn't matter. She raised her tankard and pressed it to her forehead as if enjoying the coolness of the metal against her skin. This was her sign to the other watcher that this person was their mark.

After a couple moments of chitchat, the innkeep passed over a small, cloth-wrapped package tied with twine to the woman, who polished off her drink and with a wave made her way to the exit. Another of Kratos' men was in the bar sitting at a table next to the door. He had been watching Lydia and seen the sign. As the Brotherhood's agent passed he stood and followed her out. Just after they came out the door he called to her, "Pardon miss,"

The woman turned to him, green eyes shining, "Yes?"

He held up a septim, "I thought you dropped this back there… or maybe it's just a lucky day for me?"

She shook her head, "Not mine," and smiled, "maybe you are lucky today."

He pocketed the coin with a nod, "Hope so. Be well." With that he set off down the street in the opposite direction of the agent. The interaction had been the mark though, and now two other tails had identified the woman as their target. Kratos' men were spaced through the city to keep handing off and changing the tail. Anything less, Kratos had said, would expose them to the assassins.

The process continued as the soldiers rotated through following the woman for short stretches. They did not even need to be particularly subtle, or avoid notice necessarily, as no single one of them would be near the Brotherhood agent for any suspicious length of time. However, the truly difficult point was about to come as the imperial left the eastern gate of the city of Falkreath.

Knowing that they were hunting the Dark Brotherhood Kratos had taken his best scouts, those who were accomplished woodsmen, including one who claimed that he could lay a hand on a deer before it noticed him in the forest. These scouts were posted at the exits to the city, ready to take up the pursuit should it extend out into the wilds.

Lydia waited at the bar for a while in the Deadman's Drink, if for no other reason than to be sure that she herself was not being observed. Kratos had been very clear in his orders. When they were in their positions there was to be no sign of association. No idle word or look that could let a possible observer know that they were working together. Lydia finally rose and made her way to the stairs, while she didn't think that it was likely the assassins would be shadowing each other unless they were on alert, she could appreciate the precaution. She hadn't taken the attack in Havverfjord quite as personally as Kratos, but she too wanted the Brotherhood punished.

She went quietly up the stairs and into one of the rooms that they had rented at the inn. Kratos was sitting cross legged on the ground, meditating, and looked up at her entrance. He made a low inquisitive rumble. Lydia spun the lone chair in the room away from a small end table to face Kratos and sat, "We have a target. They are tailing her now. The final tail will come back when she goes to ground." She sat back and blew out a breath, "Now is just the worst part. The waiting."

Kratos closed his eyes, appearing completely at ease, "It is… deeply unpleasant." They sat in silence for a time. The moments dragged by. Lydia found herself growing more and more agitated, not only because of the waiting, but because of her inability to affect the outcome of their hunt at this point. It was completely out of her hands. Without realizing it her knee began to bounce, driven by her restlessness.

Kratos' eyes snapped open and locked on Lydia's bouncing knee. She followed his amber gaze and stopped with a wince, "My apologies…"

Kratos looked at her for a moment, his face expressionless before speaking, "Come. Sit with me."

Lydia reluctantly knelt and then shifted to a similar cross legged position, "I don't know that I will be able to meditate right now, Kratos."

Kratos gestured dismissively with two fingers, "Then it is all the more necessary that you do so. Breathe." Lydia sat and tried to recapture the calm that she was able to find during her regular morning meditations with Kratos. His voice was low and soft, "You must remain centered. Focused. Controlled." She let herself sink into the cavernous sounds of his voice, focusing on her breathing. "Impatience, agitation, fear, rage, all may be fuel to drive you. Only if controlled." Lydia sank into herself and latched on to the monolithic and endless strength that she could sense before her. Time slipped away from her.

Some time later a knock came at their door. Lydia shook herself from her reverie. The sun had fallen below the horizon and the room was lit by a single candle. Kratos rose without a single hesitation or indication of stiffness despite having remained motionless for hours. He opened the door and a slight man in a drab woodland cloak slipped into the room. He quickly saluted Kratos and then Lydia, "Thane, Redhand, may I make my report?"

Kratos poured a glass of water for the man from a pitcher on the table and passed it to him, "Speak, Algar."

The man nodded and took a quick sip. "I tailed the woman from the eastern gate through the woods." He paused before continuing, "She's one of them, thane, no doubt. The instant she cleared line of sight from the road she began moving like a completely different person. I nearly lost her there." He swallowed, "They are skilled. I managed to stay with her as she circled back around the city heading west. The east gate was a red herring from the start. I stayed with her as she went out west of the city a goodly distance before…" He took another nervous sip. "I lost her, thane." He bowed his head. "I have failed you."

Kratos let out a snort, "You tracked an assassin through the woods in failing light. You did well." He poured himself a cup and took a drink. "You can find the place where you lost her again?"

He nodded emphatically, "I am sure, thane."

Kratos looked back at him, "Then come first light that is where we will be. Go. Rest. Tomorrow may be the day we find and destroy the Dark Brotherhood." Algar set his cup down and saluted again, slipping out of the room without a sound.

The next morning found them standing in the woods. They had set out well before the rising of the sun, which was only now beginning to illuminate the edge of the horizon, though that view was blocked by the tall conifers that surrounded them. Kratos was down on one knee hanging back while Algar and the other scouts slowly combed the woods before them for any sign of the assassin's passing. Behind Kratos in a loose skirmishing formation were the remainder of his men. They all were crouched low and concealed as well as they could, hands at their weapons. They understood the danger posed by their prey. Everyone kept an eye to their neighbor.

Kratos and his soldiers waited silently in the chill morning, the men hardly even willing to shift their weight for fear of giving away the group's position. One of the scouts came shifting out of the grey-green darkness between the trees. He swiftly approached Kratos and took a knee next to him. The man spoke in a whisper, easily covered by the birdsong of the woods, "Honor, thane. Algar has found the trail. He and the others are following and leaving clear trail sign for us."

Kratos nodded, his voice almost so low that it was as much felt as audible, "Good. Lead on then." The scout raised fist to heart and set off along the trail slowly. Kratos nodded to Lydia, who rose to a crouch and made several commanding gestures. The various squad leaders signalled back their readiness toLydia, who in turn caught Kratos' amber eyes and gave him a solemn nod.

Kratos set out after the scout, who was careful to stay within view of those following. The woods were peaceful, clad in a deep and calm grey green of the pale morning, but Kratos felt keenly a growing sense of… something. It was difficult for him to put words to. Not a hunger, as that ascribed maybe too much emotion, but perhaps an emptiness. An awareness but a cold indifference and dispassionate malevolence.

Kratos could liken it to the presence that he had felt in the mountains west of Solitude, but this was an older and much darker being than the one who held some sway in Haafingar. He caught Lydia's eyes and quirked one brow in question. She looked back at him, puzzled. His voice broke the silence that seemed almost requisite here, "The... presence." He could see the instant recognition flash in her eyes and did not need to see the nod that followed. The sense of that presence only grew as they continued along the trail.

Perhaps an hour of careful creeping through the woods later they reached the rest of the scouts. Algar's face was twisted in frustration and he saluted as Kratos approached. His voice was bitter, "Again, I am forced to admit my failure, thane." He gestured to the forest before them, "I fear I have lost the trail. We are beginning a wider combing of the area. Hopefully we will pick the trail back up soon. I suggest that the main force remain here so as to not disturb any sign."

Kratos did not respond immediately, but closed his eyes, feeling for that oppressive emptiness that dogged them. With some focus he could determine a direction. He opened his eyes once more and looked to Algar, "Continue your sweep. However, I and the main force will go that way," he said, raising a hand and pointing towards the heart of the darkness he sensed.

Algar bowed despite his obvious confusion. "As you will, my thane. We will send word should we find them."

Kratos nodded and began to follow the oppressive presence. Lydia had heard his conversation and quickly had the men formed up and following after. Kratos could not determine a perfect sense of direction, but through trial and error they managed to weave a meandering course that brought them to a meadow with a low depression on one end. At this point Kratos could almost hear hissing, sibilant whispers from some unseen stygian beyond.

He stopped the war band at the edge of the meadow and lowered himself into a crouch, peering into the glade. Kratos turned to the soldiers, his voice a low growl "This is the place. We go quietly, prepared for war. We will kill all who oppose us." He looked over to his housecarl, "Lydia, divide the force. Task a quarter of the soldiers to remain hidden and cut down all who flee. Also, send a runner for the scouts, but we will not tarry for them. When we move we go with speed. Against this foe we cannot hope for stealth with so many."

Kratos gave Lydia a few moments to see to the details implementing his orders. Soon enough she returned and gave him a quick nod, "We are prepared, thane. On your order."

Kratos stood, his teeth bared in a lupine grimace, "Go." Following his own command he rushed across the clearing towards the depression, followed closely by the assault team. The remaining men also ran, taking up positions in pairs, encircling the small glade.

Kratos descended the gentle grassy slope into the hollow, followed closely by Lydia and the soldiers. One side of the depression was occupied by a large pool of water. Lydia felt goosebumps stand up on her arms as a chill passed over her. Somehow in descending the 15ft or so from the level of the meadow into the depression it had become noticeably cooler. The pond itself was ominous. The water appeared far too still and far too dark for the cloudless day, Lydia could not even hazard a guess as to the water's depth.

The pond, however, was the least unsettling portion of the hollow. Set into the steepest portion, in a rocky protrusion, lurked a door. It was large, it's top higher than Lydia could have reached. On the door was a relief of an ominous scene. A large skull dominated the door, below which were strewn smaller, fallen skeletons pierced by a variety of weapons. On the brow of the large skull was the print of a bloody hand. The chill of the hollow seemed to emanate from the metal of the heavy door. When Lydia started at the door, the very light of the sun appeared to fade and dim.

Lydia and the rest of them stood for a moment, transfixed by the macabre and unsettling image, not merely for its appearance, or even for the chill it exuded, but for the half-heard rattling, graveyard breathing they all hoped they were imagining. Shaking off the oppressive presence Lydia turned to the men, "Torches. Get them ready, we're going underground." With some continued worried looks to the door, the men complied.

Kratos' lip curled with disdain as he eyed the strange portal for a moment. With a slight shrug he stepped forward and made to pull on the handle. He was stopped by a dry, raspy voice, one that could have been mistaken for a chill wind whistling through a sepulchre, which filled the hollow with its sourceless, black susurration, "What… is the music… of life?"

The soldiers behind him were shooting nervous looks around them trying to ascertain the source of the hideous voice. At a hissed command from Lydia they stilled, attention on the door and their thane. Kratos paused for a moment, considering his reply.

His answer resounded through the hollow when his fist slammed into the door with a thunderous clang, deforming the hand print on the door. He took a step back and leapt forward again with a snarl, applying devastating force. Kratos could feel that he was not contending with iron. There was a will bound to this door, some creeping darkness that powered it and gave it strength. Kratos grit his teeth and bombarded the black door with blows of titanic force, deforming and damaging the metal despite the strange enchantments bound to it.

With a final shout, Kratos' booted foot blasted the battered door inward with a resounding clang and a dark, tenebrous hiss that lasted far longer than the impact of metal on stone. Lydia stepped up to Kratos' side and offered him a torch, "Well, thane, I think they know we're here."

Kratos' voice was gravel in a mill, his face thunderous, "Good." He took the torch in one hand, and with the leviathan axe in the other stalked into the tunnel, pausing only to look over his shoulder briefly "No prisoners. No survivors." Kratos accelerated, barreling down the tunnel, seeking the battle he felt coming.

Several arrows came whipping out of the darkness, glancing off Kratos' flesh, hardly marring its pale surface, but prompting a cry of "Shields!" from Lydia as she raised her own. Kratos responded with a shout and sharp upward slash of his axe, which flung an arc of icy light. The temperature dropped further as the blast of Niefelheim's lethal chill raced up the tunnel before them.

Kratos continued on, charging by one fallen form clad in dark leather, covered in rime, face frozen in a twisted grimace. Seeing light ahead, he rushed forward with a growing roar and burst into a large room. It seemed to be an office or war room judging by all of the bookshelves, chairs, and the large map table in the center.

Kratos ducked and juked as he entered, one arrow whipped by him and a deft flick of the leviathan axe redirected a sword stroke. Without breaking stride he stepped and shoved the massive map table with one foot, sending it shooting across the room at two archers. One was lucky enough to dive out of the way but the other was caught between wall and table, shattering bone and leaving him splayed across the table violently retching blood.

The swordsman leapt out of the dim light at Kratos, with a vicious lunge, attempting to run him through. Kratos stepped back and brought his axe cross in a blur, the force tearing the sword from his opponent's grip and sending it flying across the room. The assassin hesitated for a split second, shocked at the sudden reversal and his numb hand, which was all the opportunity Kratos needed to bring the leviathan axe back across his body in a low backhand blow. The axe head blasted through both of the man's legs, severing them and jerking him sideways in the air. Before his body could hit the ground Kratos stepped forward and kicked him sending his legless body soaring across the room leaving a scream and a cascade of arterial spray from the stumps of his legs in his wake.

Kratos' whipped his bloody axe through the air, deflecting an arrow before continuing the motion in a spin and hurling the axe across the room where it smashed into the other archer, embedding itself in the stone and staking the horrified assassin to the wall. She clawed futilely at the axe for a brief moment before falling slack.

Lydia and his soldiers poured into the room, Lydia immediately directing them towards the tunnels leading off deeper into the complex, "Shields up! Watch for each other and keep an eye out for traps!" She eyed the devastation dispassionately, "Your orders, thane?"

Kratos turned to her and gestured towards the largest of the 3 tunnels, "I will go this way, where I expect heaviest resistance. Divide the men into three squads. One for each of the other paths and one to accompany us." Kratos recalled his axe, the corpse falling to the stone floor with a wet thud as the axe soared back to his waiting hand.

Kratos set off down the main tunnel which after a turn to the left opened up into a large cavernous chamber with a stream running through it. The tunnel exited out onto a platform about halfway up the caverns wall. The main level of the cavern was accessible by a ramp which led down into it. There were torches around the space, illuminating a large training area and a forge on the main level. Glittering high up on the far wall was a strange window of stained glass, depicting an unclear but ominous scene in tenebrous tones of scarlet and shadow.

The air charged with an ominous crackle and a lightning bolt burst across the cavern. Kratos reached out, clawing at the magicka in the air, and deflected the bolt to the side. It connected with the rock face next to the tunnel, hurling shards of broken stone and filling the air with the scent of ozone. Without hesitation Kratos gripped his axe, channeling energy into its runes and hurled it towards the source of the spell.

Kratos charged forward after his thrown axe, leaping off of the platform into the shadows of the main floor, Lydia and the others followed quickly after via the stone pathways. Kratos had hardly landed when a redguard robed in shadowy tones of grey and red came whirling out of the darkness, wielding two scimitars that flashed and flickered in the low light of the cavern. His dark eyes burned above the dark swath of cloth that veiled his face.

Kratos weaved with preternatural speed and agility, either deftly avoiding the dervish's strikes or deflecting them with the heavy metal plates backing his bracers. Abruptly, the man lurched forward, a shout of surprise and pain driven from his lungs as the leviathan axe slammed into him from behind, embedding its rear blade into his back as it sought to return to its master.

Kratos left the man no time to recover and stepped forward, cracking him across the face with a quick jab that left him dazed. Kratos continued past the dervish, grabbing the handle of his axe and tearing it free. Kratos continued the spin, crushing through a hastily raised scimitar and struck the man's head from his shoulders. Such was the speed of the blow that the head sailed across the cavern, trailing blood and the scarlet cloth of his turban as it unraveled.

He cast his eyes around the cavern where the battle was joined. The assassins fought desperately for their sanctuary, with no hiding places left to them. They were skilled, every one of them, but they were, for the most part, not soldiers and their true skills lay elsewhere. Kratos' eyes caught on a scene at the edge of the main conflict. One of his soldiers was on the ground and his screams had just then stilled. Crouched on top of him was what appeared to be a child, a little girl wearing a simple peasant dress, but when she raised her head, her face was a mask of blood and her eyes burned like coals. The bones of her face stood out in stark and almost inhuman angles and her hair hung lank, now coated with blood and viscera.

The creature looked at Kratos, its' scarlet shining eyes catching on the headless, robed body next to him, and screamed. It was a long and horrifying sound, a cry of outrage and anger that recalled all childhood fears of the unknown and of unseen terrors in the dark, those that lurked just outside of sight and reach. Kratos saw soldiers and assassins both wince and hesitate, the cold hand of terror suddenly gripping them as they recoiled instinctively from the sound. The creature's shriek flowed over Kratos like a breeze over a mountain and with just as much effect.

The thing which wore the form of a child, leapt for him, flying across the distance faster than the eye could follow. She - it - went for his throat. Kratos brought his forearm up between them, blocking her lunge. The force of its rush pushed Kratos feet skidding back along the stone floor of the cavern. Its maw closed on his bracer, jaws gaping wider than should ever have been possible and filled with sharp teeth dominated by a pair shining fangs.

Those same fangs grated along his bracer, pulling up curls of steel. Its fingers were skeletal and long, tipped with talons no human ever had. They scrabbled at Kratos seeking for purchase. He could feel those claws actually cutting into his skin. One tiny fist managed to clip his chin, delivering a startling amount of force with such a glancing blow.

Over it all was the miasma of otherworldly power Kratos had come to recognize as belonging to one of the daedra. It was not a daedra that he had encountered before, but certainly one of their kind, and, of course, a blessing from whatever dark being ruled this cloister of murderers and assassins.

However this creature was still small like a child and its legs dangled in the air. Kratos raised up the arm the beast was attached to and reached under with his other hand, seizing it by the ankle. Kratos tore it from his arm, spun and slammed it into a nearby stalagmite, shattering the stone formation. Kratos swung it back up in the air and beat the monstrosity against the ground with such force that nearby rocks and chips of stones jumped into the air. He repeated this process twice more creating a resounding meaty thud each time.

Kratos released the dead creature's ankle and was about to turn away when he heard a low gallows growl issue from its frame. Amber eyes widening in surprise, Kratos leapt forward, stomping on the middle of the creature's back, pinning it to the ground. He dropped to his knee, slamming it between the beast's shoulder blades. With a growl Kratos reached down, snaking an arm under its snapping jaws and locked his other hand behind its head as it began to buck furiously, pushing him into the air. Driving his knee down, Kratos wrenched upward and pulled.

The creature hissed as its neck extended and then hypertended, tendons straining. After a moment locked in straining silence, Kratos let out a snarl and jerked, tearing the head free from its now limp body. He stood, holding the head by its bloody hair in his left hand. His amber eyes narrowed dangerously when he heard the clack of teeth snapping at air. Kratos raised the head up and watched grimly as its shining red eyes rolled madly before eventually focusing on him. Somehow despite the lack of lungs it still managed a strange, sepulchral hiss.

Kratos cocked a brow at the head before leaping forward spinning like a hammer thrower and hurling the head at a nearby wall with a shout. The head rocketed across space, a barely visible blur and struck with incredible force. Shards of bone and scraps of torn flesh flew as the head exploded against the wall. Kratos turned to see the beast's headless body spasm briefly.

The leviathan axe leapt from the ground to its master's hand as he surveyed the cavern. The battle appeared to have largely moved on as he was dealing with the abomination. His men were surrounding and finishing the final few assassins rather handily at this point. The battle was effectively won. Kratos was advancing deeper into the cavern when he heard a crash and simultaneously felt a rush of anger flare, marked with Lydia's essence.

Kratos rushed up one of the rough hewn tunnels and burst out into a large room set with pews and strewn with strange occult items. Tapestries hung along the walls depicting a woman communing with a formless darkness, murder, and a skeletal being whispering in the ear of a hooded figure. The room was dominated by a tall intricately wrought metal sarcophagus at one end that bore a woman's twisted visage. Behind the casket was the large stained glass window that he had seen from the main cavern.

Lydia was in the center of the room doing battle with a howling man wearing red and black motley. Her shield was gone, lost somewhere along the way. Judging by the damage and overturned objects strewn about the room, they had been fighting for sometime. The jester moved like a snake, every attack like a striking serpent, charged with frenetic energy. Lydia on the other hand fought with an efficiency and economy of motion that spoke of deep skill and evened the odds against her faster opponent.

Kratos watched her swing a fraction too high, her stance off for that attack and the jester darted within her reach, deflecting her sword upwards with his dagger. Lydia merely flashed a razor grin as her assailant took her invitation. Her mail clad foot shot forward with a speed she hadn't yet shown, smashing into the clown's knee making him howl with pain and using her free hand deflected his brutal ripost, causing it to merely grate along her armor as it was sent off target. She leapt to the side of the jester's strong leg, leaving him unable to pivot on his bad knee, and whipped her extended blade back, hamstringing the man and sending him crashing to his knees.

His manic babblings never ceased, but all that could be understood was, "No, Mother! Please!" He may have said more, but Lydia gave him no chance as she rammed two and a half feet of steel through his back, the point bursting out his chest. Lydia stood, breathing heavily and watched as the jester's corpse slumped forward, held up by her sword through his chest. The limp corpse slowly slid down the blade until it was flat upon the ground.

Kratos took in her battered armor and ragged appearance. Her shield was gone and one pauldron had been ripped free. Wedged between the other and her breastplate was a dagger matching the one in the jesters hands. He raised a questioning brow at her. Lydia made to shrug, but cut off in a wince. With a scowl she reached up and pulled the dagger free, tossing it to the ground

Kratos eyed the blade, before looking back up at her, "He stabbed you."

She smiled and held up her hand, thumb and forefinger held close together, "Only a little bit."

Kratos let out a bark of a laugh, and gestured to her, "And the rest?"

Lydia coughed and sat down heavily on one of the few pews that had remained standing, "That was the werewolf."

He sat beside her, his face stoic, "Ah, yes. The werewolf. Of course."

Lydia caught sight of the claw marks on his arms and pointed, "And you? What happened there?"

Kratos looked down at his clawed arms, the marks beginning to fade, before turning back to her, "That was the vampire."

Lydia fought back a smile trying to maintain a blank face, "Ah, yes. The vampire. Of course." After a moment Lydia leaned against him, resting her head on his shoulder. They stayed like that for a moment in silence, the sounds of battle having faded, enjoying the peace that came after.

A few minutes later they both shifted, the room becoming more oppressive and feeling the prickle of eyes upon them, of being watched. Kratos stood and scanned the room casting about with his senses and saw Lydia do the same. There was the same presence that was throughout the entire complex, that dispassionate depth of malevolence, but here there was something else. Kratos approached the tomb and felt the attention on him sharpen.

He eyed the sarcophagus for a moment, the presence seeming to crystalize within it. Kratos' lip curled and he spat on the ground before the relic. His voice resounded through the room, "Creature. You came to my home. I came to yours. Do not make the same error again." With a sudden shout Kratos stepped forward and kicked the sarcophagus. Such was the force of the blow that it flew backwards, shattering the stained glass behind it and sending it tumbling into the cavern below. Kratos turned and walked back to Lydia.

She gave him a smile and an approving nod, "What now, my thane?"

Kratos looked around the room, eyeing all of its sinister trappings with distaste, "We burn this place. We burn everything."

AN: I did go in a slightly different direction with Babette. I know she isn't technically a daughter of Cold Harbor, but I like that vibe. Also I'm just applying a lot more age to her generally. This is also a way of me expressing my general disappointment in the vampires of Skyrim. Dawnguard helped that a little bit, but still they don't exactly seem like the supernatural horrors that they should. I wanted to change that a little.

Sorry this chapter took so long to get out, but here it is!