Qu'iin

Keeping low, I followed the wall deeper into the underground Aleyid ruin, straining my ears for any trace of life. There was so much magicka residue lingering here I could only begin to imagine what the Aleyids had used this place for, possibly a school of magic? Because whatever they had used it for, it was massive.

Creeping through the labyrinthine corridors, I was suddenly hit with the rancid stench of a strong health potion. Health potions were always the most vile, Stamina tasted minty and Magicka tasted like Jazbay grapes, but for some reason Health potions didn't taste like Snowberry. Weird, I know.

A door stood open at the end of the corridor.

Silently gliding across the marble floor, I approached the doorway and peeked inside. The room was very out of place with dwemer contraptions filling the space, two cylindrical tubes taking pride of place against one wall. One of the tubes was occupied by a muscular redheaded man, encased in ice... 

Brynjolf.

At the exact moment that I picked up the sound of someone breathing, a beam of magic shot towards me, causing me to roll and get back up again. My attacker was suddenly behind me, and dealt a heavy blow, causing me to be tossed across the length of the chamber and into a cage.

'Hello, kitty.'

My attacker revealed their identity to me (a mistake you don't want to make unless the moment is epic and dramatic).

'Quite the specimen, aren't you?' Cooed Xria as she walked closer, some type of small pill in her hand.

'Come on.... this won't hurt....'

Breathing heavily, I backed against the wall of my cage, eyes trained on Xria. She was going to force me to take a pill, but she was my friend... This couldn't be right, considering she was my friend and fellow thief, she must be brainwashed or something... right?

'Xria... Xria this isn't you... Xria stop and think about what you're doing... Xria... XRIA!' I was getting desperate now as my old friend stepped into the cage and seized me by my upper arm.

After a moment of struggling, my high elf friend grabbed my jaw and forced me to look at her while she swapped the pill for some kind of potion that shimmered a familiar sunshine yellow. Pain spread up my arms as my claws were dipped into the acidic potion, Xria's glowing orange eyes boring into mine as she held me in place.

 'Vampire...' I choked out as the High Elf allowed me to slump to the floor, helpless.

'Indeed. I think you'll be of much use right where you are while I tend to my little ice cube. Nice disguise by the way, Shadow. You know this one? He was a feisty little snapper, got him during a nightmare. He kept saying your name. How cute. So what is he? Lover? Best Friend?'

'Let... let him go... I...I'll give you anything at all for his freedom.' 

'And there goes your fatal flaw. All heroes have a great weakness, and once you find that weakness you can bend their will. You will give up anything if it means the safety of others. You were prepared to sacrifice your life to defeat Alduin, you sold your soul to that dragon too. All in exchange for the souls of your friends... and a few others. I don't need anything, Shadow. Nothing you could give me anyway.'

And with that, she turned to Brynjolf.