Chapter Text
Arc I Born this way
Colos was surrounded by darkness, feeling immobile. She felt something similar to wood under her and the clacking of horse hooves. She could hear people talking above her. Above? No, above and beside. Where am I? What happened? Her head was aching, she felt something restraining her movements. All she wanted to do was bring her hand to her temple and caress it. But yet she was hold back by something holding her hands together behind her back. So she lay there, completely motionless and way to exhausted to try something else. Even opening her eyes would bother her, but instead she wanted to know what those people are talking about. Even if it sounded very dim and somehow far away, she wanted to know what is happening.
“No..can’t take.....to the city guard........ to dangerous. Besides.... knows something.... right here...” She couldn’t make out everything, but knowing the circumstances. It was probably about her or the other Vampires. What the hell do they plan to do with me? Just perfect. She recognised the voice of a woman. She strained her ears to listen more closely to the conversation. Switching to another female voice. “She just killed four of our men, including.... She is way to dangerous. How can we guarantee that won’t escape from her binds the second that she is in the castle? And worst case, that she won’t kill us all off?”
Colos felt her stomach sinking, giving her an strange cold sensation in her chest. Somehow she felt her dagger on her belt, without even touching it. A sense of something much more powerful washing over her and paralysing her in the same breath. Like someone was there, but she didn’t know who. She heard the conversation above her continuing and she strained her ears again to listen. But something was in the way. The other females voice starting to speak again. “I am well.... The one in question is............ so now its... turn......” She tried to listen as closely as possible. But something was in the way. Like someone just put something over her sharp ears.
All she heard was nothing, no horse hooves, no cracking wood under her. No talking, nothing. Then a deep but clear voice started to speak up. A sudden coldness erupting from her dagger and traveling all through her body. “I see mortal. You have laid a liking to my.... creatures. My followers. My believers. And even protected them, even if it meant to kill your own.” Her eyes opening rapidly, but all she saw was a void, no bindings holding back her hands and feet. Her body moving in black ink. It felt like water, but looked like entire darkness. Strangely enough, she could see her whole body. Like only everything around her is devoided of light. Everything but herself.
She swirled in this void, floating through it. There was no new message from the voice, only silence. She didn’t know where she was floating, but somehow it brought her somewhere. She came nearer and nearer an object that had the same radiance as her. Encaptured by darkness, but not dark like the void around it. It was floating in place, rotating around itself. It felt more familiar, the nearer she came towards that object. Soon she was near enough it to grab it and so she did. Holding it by the hilt, it was a dagger. Her dagger. How come that she didn’t recognise it immediately?
She turned the dagger around, so the hilt was pointing toward her stomach. She gave it a closer look and turned it in her hand. What does this mean? The deep voice coming back, not loud, nor scary. She didn’t feel any kind of sense of danger, this time the voice was much closer than before. “I see, you came to question only after seeing it. You are indeed an interesting mortal, just like I knew. I can hear you, you don’t need to speak to talk to me.” The voice was seemingly coming directly out of the dagger. She looked at it with a calm face and observed. Who ever it was, could seemingly hear her thoughts. “It is indeed wonderful to see a mortal with such loyalty. Even towards such little creatures as Vampires. Still, they are my own. And thus you shall be rewarded. You already have something powerful of mine in your possession. But I shall grant you another. You will know what it will be, when the time has come.”
Her being resonated with a light feeling, the dagger in her hands glowing a golden red. That engulfed her body in the same glow. It gave her a pleasantly warm feeling, even in such cold void. She recognised that the void she was in, was a rather cold place. Only now knowing why she couldn’t feel it before and only noticed it now. Her body engulfing in the warm feeling, she felt herself sinking deeper and deeper. The void in her vision fading and the noises slowly coming back. Her body practically falling on a harsh wooden floor, without any pain. Her brain buzzing, because of all the senses picking up on noises, movements and feelings again. Although this time it all felt much more overwhelming, like some lifted the blanket over her head.
She groaned as she regained her ability to move, even if her hand and feet were bound again. She was lying stomach down on the wood, with her hands behind her back. She heard the talking above her coming to her halt, as soon as she groaned. Colos felt eyes on her, piercing her with their glare. She craned her neck so that she could see to her left. Her vision more sharp and colourful than it was before. She saw a blonde woman looking down at her face, her face retorted in fear. She heard Ingjard’s sharp voice and saw her emotionless often times to know that this wasn’t her. So who was it? Her voice wasn’t sharp, it was rather calm and soft and her face was definitely not emotionless. Colos started talking before she could even hold herself back, not knowing where this suddenly comes from.
“Who are you? I think I saw you in the cave. Where are Lorst and Ember?” Colos asked without hesitation, her voice being different than normal. Even she could hear that. Much more calmer, even with her stuck in this situation. The girl gave her a different face. Showing of surprise and curiosity, her eyebrows shooting up. Colos let her face fall back on the wooden floor, letting out a sign and closing her eyes. She won’t get an answer by the looks of it. Either because out of surprise or out of fear, or anything else really. She felt her dagger warm her hip, instead of giving her a cold feeling it filled her with warmth. Surprisingly enough, odd in comparison to the normal feeling she got from it ever since she had it.
But she did not see the use of dwelling over the new feeling it gave her. Instead she tried to sort out where she was, it was definitely on the warmer end. And the horses were running along a stone path. And she could only hear one horse. Where are the others? Damn it. But surprisingly enough, she heard Ingjard speaking up. Talking in a mocking but prideful tone. “Well your freak friends have been taking care of. Their grave is a stony and cold cave.” You could clearly hear the smile in the last words. A sickening feeling in her stomach at hearing her words. The warmth of the dagger spreading through her whole body, as she felt her demeanour change. A low growl erupting from her throat and she instinctively began to speak. This time though it wasn’t as calm and collected as the last time. It was deep and laced with anger. “Just wait till I get my hands on you Ingjard. I guarantee you that your death will be painful and slow.”
Her message was spread with venom across the whole carriage. Opening her eyes and turning her neck, so that she had a perfect view of Ingjard’s stoic face. Her eyes shone with clear fear, but her face showed no emotions.She could see that there were two other Dawnguard minions on the carriage, looking at her. She saw Ingjard shift in her place and look around the carriage and out. She spoke up again, with a slight waver in her voice. “We are h-here, get u-up Vori.” Ingjard stood up and left her seat, jumping down the carriage. The girl to Colos’s left stood up, presumably Vori and stood over Colos’s back. Her arms were being lifted and her feet restraints were being cut, before she could even question anything. She was able to get on her knees and lift herself to her feet.
She turned to the end of the carriage with Vori holding her arms, even when they were still bound. She trotted down the carriages end and jumped of it, Vori coming up directly behind her. Accidentally crashing into her back, but Colos hold them both up. Vori straightened herself and positioned her hands back on Colos’s arms. Holding them tighter than before. Both slowly trotted behind Ingjard, into what looked like a cave pass. They went through it rather quite, no one daring to make a sound. Two Dawnguard walking behind Vori, keeping an eye on the the Altmer and Nord. Not necessarily wanting to end up being a punching bag for the Altmer.
They passed through the cave pass and came out at the other end of the mountain. You could see animals, trees and even a castle in the distance. Colos took in the environment. Looking for other possible exits other than the cave pass, sadly not finding any other exits. But she decided to keep up her hope of escaping, she somehow would do it, she just knew that she would be able to. The group of five trotted to the castle, her chest feeling cold the nearer she came to the destination. The girl behind her, Vori had fear in her. Or was it excitement? She couldn’t tell, but what ever it may be she was sure to use it for escape. She just had to wait for the perfect moment.
They neared the castle, soon they stood in front of it. The people in the camp before the castle giving her disappointed glances. What ever. Soon Ingjard turned around and looked at Colos, eyeing her up and down, surely looking for something that she might have overlooked. Then she catched something on her hip, eyeing it with venom. She looked at the girl behind her and began to speak in a displeased tone. “Vori, why does the traitor still have the dagger? She is to dangerous with a weapon on her, even if her hands are bound.” Colos could feel Vori twitch at that, she could hear her slightly uneven breathing behind her. “Well... she was bound a-and thus I thou-.” Ingjard now gave her a cold glare, making the girl behind her tremble on her position. “You thought? You thought so you didn’t know? You have seen what she has done, no need to think about taking that damn dagger.”
Vori nodded and moved, stepping to Colos side. She held one of her shoulders with one hand while the other gripped the sheathed dagger. Then she pulled it off the belt. Her hand gripping the dagger so hard her knuckles turned white. The owner of the dagger sent her side glances, but they weren’t filled with hatred, rather with disappointment. She tried to hide the unsettling feeling she got from the relationship between this Vori and Ingjard. She would have never thought that the relation between Dawnguard members could be so tense. Is she new? Or is this normal? Maybe this Vori could be quite useful for her escape, who knew. She definitely made a note inside her head to have an eye on her.
Soon Vori moved over to Ingjard and gave her the dagger, not making eye contact with Ingjard. Colos stayed at her place and observed, trying to take in everything she could. This whole taking her as prisoner thing would surely soon end. Maybe I could even take down multiple higher members of this group. Vori moved back to her original position, behind Colos. She could feel eyes burning into her skull. But decided against speaking up. No need to, soon it would be over. Ingjard moved forward again and opened the gates. Stepping inside and moving to the hall tower mix. The floor consisted of angular bars. She made sure to not accidentally step in the spaces between. Just where would they hold me captive?
They neared the middle of the large room, soon she could see Isran standing there. His pride showing in his stance, their pace slowed and they came to a halt once every one had a clear view of him. He looked through the party, his eyes narrowing down on Colos for a bit longer than normally necessary. He pointed his face to the two minions and began to speak rather neutral. “You two, get back to your regular duties, you are dismissed.” Both minions turned and walked away in separate directions, without any further explanation needed. Isran then looked at Ingjard, looking down on the dagger in her hand. She gave the dagger to him without any command needed, their faces stoic.
He took it and unsheathed it, looking at the blade intensely. Colos felt anger rise within her at such a simple motion. She already hated his guts to no end. Who in talons name does he think he is? Both Isran and Ingjard suddenly turning around, how they knew it made her shift, she didn’t know. But whatever it may be, she will have to keep an eye on it. Ingjard looked at her with an emotionless face, but she could see the fear clouding her eyes. Ingjard was rather calm, much more collected than Ingjard. Yet she could see a falter in his prideful stance, at her face expression.
Vori all but observing the interaction and the tension from a safety distance. Her eyebrows shooting up, she never saw neither Ingjard not Isran in such a condition. She could feel a certain coldness being given off by their captive. It sent shivers down her spine. She never saw a mere mortal have such a effect on other people by a simple look in her face. She could see some of her colleagues looking down from the upper floor. Seemingly interested in this more than strange interaction. They didn’t even speak, their faces said most of it. Isran put the dagger back in its sheath and gave a simple command, his face showing nothing in particular. “Ingjard and Vori, I trust you both to bring the prisoner up to their stretch table. This is going to be unpleasant for you, I promise.”
The last words said in a cold tone. He hid the dagger behind his back, out of sight of the prisoner. Colos looked at him indifferently, how dare he touch my dagger? I will make you pay. She began to speak in a calm but fearsome manner. "I swear to you by Molag Bal, that you are going to deeply regret ever having set foot in that cave. I will make you regret every second of it." Isran lifted a nonchalant eyebrow at the comment, seemingly not one bit impressed. His next words spoken in a collected manner. "For someone who is bound, you surely do speak big words. But emtpy in meaning. If I were you, I would be grateful for the last minutes of peace. Before you will have to face the consiquences of your own actions. Now get that thing out of my sight, before I forget myself." Colos shot him a cold glare, foreshadowing what will happen. But he turned around a vanished deeper into the castle. Ingjard and Vori glancing at each other before taking the prisoner by both arms. Leading her deeper aswell. Colos choose not to speak and rather start to observe the close environment. Not trusting luck to lead her out of here one day.
They both lead her upstairs and into a room that looks like it had already been used to a certain extent. The floor was covered in blood and blood clumps, to the left was a stretcher rack, to the right was a table with various tortoure elements on it. Both woman turned Colos around, unbinding her arms and binding them again at the stretcher rack. Making a quick deal of binding them there and moving on to the ankles. She knew that if she would attempt to flee now, it would only lead to her being catched and having a harder time making a second attempt. She had to make one attempt her only attempt, or else she would be stuck here forever. They made a quick deal of her ankles as well and Ingjard moved onto her belt. Unclasping it and giving it Vori. Next were her clothes, Ingjard took out her Dawnguard dagger and held it to her throat. Colos tilted her head upwards, not having anticipated for the tortoure to already have begun, and it did not. She put her other hand in her leather collar and put the dagger above it. Then she pushed the dagger down, succesfully cutting through the leather. Going over a second time, to cut the second layer of leather.
There was no use in resisting the process, she knew they would sooner than later make a loophole for her if she keeps being compliant. Everyone gets a little soft after sometime, she just had to endure and get away at the right time. Ingjard had now completely cut through the Thieves Guild Armor. By Molag Bal, this is going to cost me so much to get another one. Maybe I should go to the Dark Brotherhood after this whole ordeal, if someone is still alive when I get out of this place. Or rather get a chance to. Ingjard had already cut away at the arms leather, taking her sweet time. She ripped the hanging lumps of the armor off Colos, after she had cut away most of the material that holds it in place. Great so now she was standing almost bare infront of two Dawnguard pigs, atleast her lower body is still covered. What she did not anticipate was that her lower body was not touched. Ingjard just looked at her, one eyebrow lifted, Vori behind her looking like she saw something that was never meant for her eyes. Her face gainning a strong red colour, she glanced away as she was caught staring at Colos. Ingjard only shook her head and mumbled something under her breath. Colos was quite thankful than she had more than excellent hearing in that moment, allowing her to hear the profanity that Ingjard had mumbled. "That girl could have been a nice service if she was not siding with those Monsters..."
Vori had at that point stood in the doorway, looking away from Ingjard and Colos, reasonably even so, her being much closer to Ingjard's position than Colos. Must have heard what she said, maybe she is not like the other members of Dawnguard. She seemingly has some kind of manners, or at least common sense. Maybe she could be my way out of here. Vori looked down at the scrabs of leather in her hand, her back turned to the other two people in the room. But Ingjard showed no mind, she instead sighed disappointedly and sheathed her dagger again. Colos felt rather calm, well yes, they destroyed some of her armor, but that is not the worst. Molag Bal stop thinking like that, they are not even supposed to tortoure you. Ingjard moved over to the table and looked at it, checking if every element was there. Sure enough it seems that everything was in place. She turned back to Vori, who was still turned around and spoke up. "Hey there, you still with me? We are done here, just have to report back, then our little toy will have some fun in here." Ingjard was sounding quite tired, the events of the day starting to press down on her. Dawnguard lost more than Molag Bal did. Vori turned her neck and looked at the other member, having stayed quiet the entire time, not trusting herself to find the right words. She nodded and started standing straight, instead of leaning on the doorway. Her back was turned the entire time. Mhmm certainly something to think about. She seems to be quite affected. She started to slowly walk down the path they brought her in, only when Ingjard came up beside her did she start moving in a normal pace.
Okay, calm down, and start thinking. Where are possibilities for you to escape? Outside the castle is only one, through the path we came in. Okay, that is bad. What about the castle itself? There has to be multiple was to get out of here, that is not through those big attention seeking doors... Well that brings up some ideas, they want attention, they will get attention and if they fall for it then her escape will be easier than expected. If everything would go according to plan, just because she has one does not mean that the others will fall for it. My main strategie is to let them get soft, or atleast let their guards down, get some of their idiotic looking armor and just go with the flow. Perfect just perfect, all you need to follow through is holding out without going to visit Sanguine... Her thought process stopped when she heard footsteps coming down the hallway. She did not know why, but her heart immidiately started beating like there was no tomorrow. This felt so similar to something else, like she lived it a second time. But why can't she remember? Her eyes stared at the next best wall and she defocused, the noise dulling, her head started swimming. The tortoure did not even start, why does she feel like this? Why can't she remember? Her vision turned darker and darker but the stepping sound started to pick up again. It only got louder and louder, all the while her vision faded more into black ink.
Her head shot up, her vision turned back to normal, although still a bit blurry. She thought she lost her hearing for a second, until she noticed the popping sound of the fire infront of her. Fire? Where did that come from? She looked around, surely, the room was the same. It just turned unbelievably hot in here. Her whole body felt like it was on fire, she looked down at herself and noticed that her entire upper body was showered in cuts and bruises. What? She looked up again, only now noticing that someone was sitting in a chair, just in the corner of the room. She felt shivers travel up her spine. How did she not notice them? Her vision was still to blurry for it to see the other person clearly. The Person started to speak up again, a gruff deep voice booming in the room.
"Well, who would have thought that we would meet again like this?"