Nate hugged the journal to his chest, watching the open stairway with worry. Escher glanced at the stairway, then brought his lips to Nate's ear to whisper. "Take the journal to the Jarl. Prove the human innocent." Nate turned his head just enough that his lips were close to Escher's again when he asked curiously. "You have a sudden change of heart?" Escher smirked, brushing his lips teasingly over Nate's as he whispered. "No. But you care. And I'm not letting that Vampire hunter get what he thinks in an easy reward." Nate grabbed Escher's shirt, telling him seriously. "Don't leave without me." Escher gave him a quick kiss, then dashed away to a corner by the door as someone stomped down the steps. Nate got to his feet slowly as a guard in leather and chainmail armor with a sickly green tunic over it all stopped to see him by the coffin. Rising slowly, Nate told him calmly. "I need to see the Jarl at once. I know where she went." The guard gestured him closer with his steel short sword, ordering him in a light voice. "Come along then. And no sudden moments." Nate slowly made his way toward the stairs, resisting the urge to look at Escher. He didn't want the guard to know he wasn't downstairs alone.

Marching him up the steps, Dumbuk glanced around and asked the guards in a gruff bored tone. "Well? Is Alva here?" The guards outside shook their heads, before one answered curtly. "No. But we'll ask around and keep looking for her." As the guard came up the steps with Nate, Nate's guard announced seriously. "Sir? You should have a look downstairs. I think this case IS up your ally. And I found the Bard below." Dumbuk turned around to face them, approaching with a disinterested expression. His narrowed eyes looked over Nate, before asking dryly. "This is a curious place to find you, Bard. What business do you have here late at night... in the home of murders?" Nate lifted his chin, retorted honestly. "Snooping around. Same as you. How else do you think Bard's get our tales and songs? And this one is a gem." Nate pointed to the stairway and Dumbuk walked down a bit to look at the room better. The second he saw the coffin, he froze on the steps and uttered out with sudden excitement. "Now THAT is something. This case has some merit after all." Stomping back up the steps, he asked with more determined interest now. "Where did she go?!" Nate held the journal to his leg like it was his own and told him firmly. "Follow me to the Jarl and I'll tell you."

Dumbuk shook his head, leaning closer as he growled out lightly. "Tell me now before she gets away. We don't have any time to waste." Nate stared the intimidating Orc down, stating out calmly. "She went to her coven for help. For even as strong as you are... You are going to need help for this one. And to do that, you'll need the help of the Jarl. Am I wrong? Or can you handle a whole coven on your own?" Dumbuk swallowed, then reluctantly exhaled out. "Get moving then. I wanna get this hunt underway." Nate inched around Dumbuk and headed quickly for the door. Dumbuk gestured the guards to follow, taking a bound and gagged Hroggar by the arm to practically drag him to the keep. The guards at the Jarl's keep quickly opened the doors to let them all inside. The Jarl's Housecarl knocked on the Jarl's bedroom door by the throne. After a moment, the Jarl came out and was dressed in her nightgown with a thick heavy fur cloak around her. Everyone bowed to her as she entered and took a seat on the throne. The moment she was seated, she asked loud and clear. "Well? Is Hroggar innocent or not?" Dumbuk rose from his bow, replying curtly. "Guilty, your highness. I believe he plotted with Alva who is conveniently missing. And according to Thonnir... A vampire may have indeed attacked his wife and turned her. So, I will take care of that with your permission?"

The Jarl gestured for the guards to take Hroggar, when Nate stepped forward to defend him. Holding up the journal to her, Nate rebutted aloud. "Hroggar is innocent. He's a victim to a Vampire's charms and I have proof. Written in Alva's own hand. Laelette started the fire as Alva ordered. Alva is the murderer." The Jarl's eyes widened in shock as she uttered out in disbelief. "Alva? Are you sure of this? Let me see that? Gorm?" Gorm, her Housecarl, stepped down the steps to take the journal from Nate. Flipping through it to check it for something, he then handed it to the Jarl for her to read. While she looked it over, Nate told her swiftly. "Alva is a vampire. Her coven has plans to enslave the whole town. I think this is what your vision was warning you about. If you can spare a few guards, we can go to the cave she mentions not far from here and wipe them out before Alva rallies them to come back here." The Jarl skimmed the pages to confirm his story, then bitterly muttered out to Gorm. "It's true. That traitorous bitch!" Slamming the journal shut, she told the guards holding Hroggar more calmly. "Guards? Take him to a holding cell until he comes to his senses. Then spread the word. Any man that wishes to join the hunt is free to do so. We need to deal with this quickly. Alva will no doubt already be telling them that her cover is blown."

The guards bowed, then took Hroggar from the keep. Dumbuk even left with them to clearly make sure that Hroggar didn't get away and to help gather up some men. Nate began to follow to meet up with Escher, until the Jarl stopped him by saying curtly. "Wait, Nathan." Reluctantly, Nate stopped and turned to face her. She gave him a small smile, then told him lightly. "Morthal owes you a debt. Gorm? Fetch the reward purse. As promised for solving the crime." Nate watched Gorm dash off into another side room to ask someone inside for the purse without letting the Jarl from his sight. Nate guessed it was the war room. After receiving the large purse, Gorm walked back to hand it to Nate. Nate accepted it and bowed to the Jarl in respectful thanks. The Jarl then leaned forward a little to tell him hopefully. "Might I ask one last favor of you?" Nate shifted a little uneasily, knowing what was probably coming. The Jarl lifted the journal as she told him in a softer voice. "If what this says is true. Morthal is still in danger. You managed to figure this out on your own. So, I want you to lead the men to this place. Like your father, you clearly have knowledge of these creatures. Help me get rid of them for good." Nate gestured to himself, muttering out a bit sarcastically. "No offence, Highness. But do I look like a warrior to you?"

The Jarl chuckled to herself, looking him over before answering truthfully. "No. But I have warriors and they didn't help me. YOU did. Help me and I'll double the price in that coin purse. I want this issue resolved yesterday. I don't care what it takes. I'm not losing my home to a bunch of soulless blood suckers." Hefting a sigh, Nate bowed to her and answered in a torn voice. "I see. As you wish, Highness." Turning on his heel to head for the door, Nate exhaled grimly. He didn't feel like turning her down was an option, but he was also struggling with his own feelings for a certain Vampire. He barely knew Escher, but he didn't feel like he was soulless. Escher had saved his life. He'd had plenty of chances to kill him. Yet, he was still here. It was sad to say that Escher felt more like a friend to him than his actual friends. Pushing open the doors of the keep, Nate stepped out into the chilly night air and his heart sank. The people that were rallying outside were anything except warriors. They were able-bodied but most were farmers and not very promising. Dumbuk was looking them over with the same disgruntled look. Turning to look at the guards, Dumbuk asked them curiously. "Are there no guards willing to defend their homes? You wanna leave your homes safety to THESE six people?"

The guards around glanced at each other, before four stepped forward to join them. Nate inhaled slowly, praying the coven was tiny... because otherwise they were screwed. Dumbuk whirled around to face him, asking him hopefully. "Please tell me that you know how to use that sword and will join us?" Nate put his coin purse away on his belt, telling him as confidently as he could muster. "I know how to use it well enough and I'm pretty skilled in the arcane arts. Let's hope that's enough." Thonnir raised his axe, yelling out in anger. "I want vengeance!" The group cheered as a woman snapped out. "Time to make those blood suckers pay!" Thonnir brought his axe to Dumbuk's neck, snapping out sternly. "We are marching to that vampire's lair whether you come with us or not!" Thonnir turned to the group, shouting out. "We are Morthal's best warriors, and we will end this! Once and for all!" Thonnir ran through the crowd toward the bridge. The group followed him, yelling into the night like a bunch of crazy people. Dumbuk crossed his muscular arms, watching them with an unfazed face as he said dryly. "They are going to die horribly..." Nate snorted, hopping down the steps of the keep as he retorted to him. "Oh, please. Don't sugar coat it... What's your war speech? We're all going to die? Try lying a little. Crazy people tend to win more fights than you think."

Dumbuk rolled his eyes, following Nate as he growled out seriously. "I love a good fight... but they will only alert them to everything and make things harder. Useless. Vampires require stealth and a hunter's keen senses. They are peasants. They'll scatter like spooked goats among wolves." Nate shrugged, he couldn't argue with that, but he replied honestly. "I hate to say this... but sometimes to catch a predator off guard... a hunter must use bait, right? So, protect the herd and you'll make quick work of the predator." Dumbuk's eyes met Nate's, asking perplexed. "That's not a bad plan... Have you hunted vampires before?" Nate looked away, heading over the bridge where the group was waiting, while answering uncomfortably. "No. But I've known people who have." The group waited impatiently and as Nate passed them, he chuckled out to Thonnir. "Forget that you don't know where you are going?" Thonnir glared at him, put finished helping the group light their torches. Nate was against going into the marshland, but it was somewhere out there. From behind him, Dumbuk asked him curiously. "Do you know where you are going?" Nate kneeled to look at the ground. There were plenty of large footprints that went to the mill and horse hooves. However, when he saw small footprints that were heading off into a strange part of the marsh, he put his fingers to it and uttered a spell.

Some of the mist that hung over the marshy ground rolled into a Clairvoyant line over the footprints to lead the way. Straightening up, Nate dusted off his clothes and told Dumbuk over his shoulder smugly. "I'm pretty confident." The group slipped past him to follow the line of fog, running their hands through it completely mystified by it. Dumbuk smirked at him, huffing out. "Not bad, Kid. How did you learn that being a simple Bard?" Nate smirked, telling him as he performed a simple disappearing card trick without the use of magic. "Bards are taught to be observant and entertain with simple tricks. While Mages are taught to look for the unusual things in nature. It's not as hard as you think. You just have to know what to look for." Dumbuk snorted, grunting out. "Magic. Got it." Nate rolled his eyes, pulling the vanished card from his sleeve as he said flatly. "I didn't use... Nevermind." Nate started shuffling his playing cards to distract himself as he followed Dumbuk. They traveled pretty deep into the dark marshland, when the group started getting a little spooked by the sounds of twigs snapping. Nate put his cards away and drew his sword, the twig snapping did sound close enough to make him worry.

Up ahead, a woman distracted them all by asking in a shaky voice. "Is that blood?" The group brought their torches closer and began to murmur to themselves. Dumbuk kneeled to discreetly pull a human skull from the marsh to show him. Nate swallowed, glancing at the marshland absently. Were the Vampires using the marsh to hide the bodies that they were done with? How many were scattered throughout the marsh? Rising to his feet, Dumbuk told him in a low voice. "We are getting close." Dumbuk reached up to grab the handle of his long hammer with a sun rune on the blunt ends off it. Reaching the end of the fog trail, Nate ended the spell to look at a small cave in a low hillside surrounded by dead trees and plants. The place smelled of stagnate water and Nate wondered if it would be better to wait for daylight. It would at least mean that they had an escape plan if all else failed. Behind him, one of the men asked in a shaky voice. "Quick question. How many do you think are in there?" Nate tried to keep morale up by answering promptly. "One." Unfortunately, at the same time, Dumbuk blurted out with dark assurance. "Probably thirty or more. That's not counting if the leader is slowly draining people to turn them or feeding Thralls to his latest turned members." The guards and people began to mumble and back up. Nate narrowed his eyes on Dumbuk as the group began to make up excuses before turning tail to run.

Dumbuk gave Nate a nonchalant shrug, asking perplexed. "What? That's just been my experience with Vampire Covens." Nate blinked, asking as gently as he could. "What did I say about lying?" Dumbuk lifted his chin proudly, stating dignified. "My tribe doesn't lie about such things. We tell it like it is." Nate groaned, grumbling back rhetorically. "Tell me... Do you always hunt alone, or does it usually just end up that way?" Dumbuk snorted, waving a hand off in the direction of the fleeing people, stating out. "We'll be better off without them. Less noise." Nate pinched the bridge of his nose, mumbling out grimly. "So... my plan to use them as bait to bring them out to us just... slipped your mind that fast?" Dumbuk shook his head, replying boldly. "I didn't forget. I just liked my plan better." Nate dropped his hand, asking a bit darkly. "Which is...?" Dumbuk pointed with his hammer, informing him bravely. "We go in after them and catch them off their guard. We make our way through the cave and kill every last one as quickly and as quietly as we can. Less people. Less noise." Nate raised an eyebrow, huffing out curiously. "Really? That's your plan, is it? How many covens have you cleaned out exactly?" Dumbuk lowered his hammer to glare at him, upon answering in a defensive voice. "More than you have. This will hardly be a fight."

Nate opened his mouth to say something, when a familiar voice cut in smugly. "You didn't do your research, Dawnguard. This guy isn't some rogue vampire trying to make a name for himself. This is Movarth. A man who used to hunt his kind as easily as mouth breathing is for you." Nate's heart skipped as he turned to see Escher stepping out of the shadows. Dumbuk looked the man over, then raised his hammer as he growled out. "YOU!" Before Dumbuk could move, Nate rushed between them, pleading out. "Wait! We need him." Dumbuk shook his head, stubbornly snapping out. "No! Get out of my way!" Dumbuk shoved Nate to the side with his arm, raising his hammer better to swing at Escher. Escher stood unfazed as he told him calmly. "You really should keep your voice down." Nate got to his feet in a panic. Dumbuk swung, but Escher just seemed to vanish in the shadows. Nate yelped as he was grabbed and pulled to the side away from the cave entrance. Dumbuk whirled around, raising his hammer again as he yelled out. "Let him go and face me, you coward!" Escher draped his arm over Nate's shoulder lazily, muttering out. "Don't say I didn't warn you." Dumbuk charged toward them, then yelped as a blur dashed from the cave and slammed into Dumbuk.

The both of them splashed into the waters of the marsh, where a young child vampire was practically drowning Dumbuk. The vampire snapped its mouth down on the metal arm brace that Dumbuk tried to whack it with to get it off him. Nate flinched, huddling into Escher as he exclaimed in shock. "Holy shit!" Escher removed his wooden dagger, telling Nate dryly. "I tried to warn him." Dashing over, Escher sank his dagger into the vampire's back, causing her to explode into ash. Stepping back, Escher waited as Dumbuk sat up and coughed. After which, he looked up and reluctantly growled out. "Thank you..." Escher stepped back a little more wearily, replying neutrally. "You're welcome." Looking to Nate, Escher gave him a genuine smile as he said. "I was going to stay in the back... but looks like you'll be needing someone more hands on." Nate smiled back at him, then tried to hide it as Dumbuk got up from the water asking sourly. "Why would a blood sucker like YOU want them dead? Aren't you things all the same." Escher looked mildly offended, when he answered tensely. "No. We're not. I'd think being an Orc would make you less inclined to use that statement. Or did it come to mind because you hear it a lot yourselves?" Dumbuk bent over to pick up his hammer, glaring darkly at Escher as he sneered back. "Mind that tongue of yours, blood sucker. Or I'll smash those fangs in like nails!"

Escher flashed him a menacing grin that showed off his extending fangs. Dumbuk pointed to Nate, asking him sternly. "How do you know this, blood sucking leech?" Nate opened his mouth to answer, but Escher cut in. "I only met him today. He's helping me wipe out the Coven. I'd think you'd want the same?" Dumbuk huffed, snapping back. "And after he helps you? What then? You plan to drain him dry?!" Escher shrugged, seeming honest when promptly stated in a cool voice. "That would depend on how the fight plays out. Now do you want my help or not? Because I'm telling you now... You won't get close with that smell of warm blood clinging to you." Dumbuk shook his head but grumbled out with distain. "Fine. We can use you. But after we destroy the coven. I'm killing you if you're still around. None of your kind deserves to live." Dumbuk trudged cautiously passed Escher before sneaking into the cave. Nate gave Escher a worried look, but Escher just winked at him like he had a plan. Seeing Escher so calm and confident made him feel better about this whole thing. To Be Continued...