Nate's ears twitched as he heard the soft whispers of voices coming from the portal. He couldn't make out anything they were saying but it was giving him goosebumps. Unsure what would happen when they entered, he tried to take precaution. It made him happy that Jack listened without asking for details. Turning in Nate's arms, Jack wrapped his arms around his neck with clear reluctance. His voice a low grumble when he seriously told him. "Don't tell Mark about this part or... He'll kill you." A chuckle left Nathan, when he replied. "I'm sure he'll have to get in line like everyone else. Is Tiidgein secure?" Jack tapped his shoulder to beckon Tiidgein out of his hood, hugging him between their chests. When Tiidgein had attached himself to Jack's shirt, Nathan tightened his arms around them and slowly rose into the air. Jack buried his face against his chest and Tiidgein, while Nathan hovered over the portal. He could see the wispy hands reaching out toward them, but their hands passed through his legs. Curling his wings, Nathan let them freefall into the portal. Jack yelped, clinging to him desperately, but Nathan could feel Tiidgein's excited purrs vibrating between them.

As they fell, Nathan watched spirits swirl around them. Their wails of distress mixing with the rush of wind. Some reached out for Jack, but they were falling too fast for any to touch him in time. He wasn't sure what kind of souls these were, but his instincts told him to keep Jack from them. Their sunken eyes rippled with colors and their long gnarly limbs with agape mouths were frightening to look at. They were distorted and haunted looking. He guessed they'd suffered a fate that lost them to a world between worlds. The portal went on and on, before Nathan finally saw the bottom approaching. Timing it to the best of his ability, he passed through the last cloud of the portal and then flicked out his wings to halt their decent to the ground. As he slowly brought Jack down, he looked up to see the portal swirling and closing, forcing the hands to pull back before they were lost. Upon touching the ground, Nate tried not to be offended by how fast Jack stepped back from him. He understood Jack was taken, but the idea that he couldn't stand to touch him was a bit insulting. Though, he didn't want to jump to that conclusion, it was just hard not too in his Vampiric form.

Jack looked up and Nathan looked up again to see if he'd see anything that might creep him out. However, by now the portal was shinnying with a bright light as it closed the rest of the way. Revealing the swirling sky with clouds of soft colors with the occasional rumble of thunder or a flash of blue lightning. Lowering his gaze to meet Jack's he couldn't help sounding a bit eerie when he told him. "Welcome to the Valley of the Mists. Otherwise known as... Purgatory." Nathan took in the blinding fog that laid before them, while Jack asked him hopefully. "Where do you think Mark will be?" Folding his wings, he moved up to a set of fireless braziers at the top of some stone steps that led down to a path that vanished into the fog. Staring out at the heavy fog, he closed his eyes a moment and tried to listen for him. He listened for his name or his voice. Even if he had only heard his voice once, he had enough of it committed to memory. Yet, there was nothing. Opening his eyes, he honestly informed Jack. "I don't know. The Valley of Mists is designed to either eternally get you lost on an endless road... Or keep you from going into the wrong afterlife. Everyone that dies comes here... Unless you're sucked into a soul gem. So, he could be anywhere."

He was pretty sure that Jack would understand this because he was a Mage. Although, this was more of a Necromancers study than any other school of Magic. So, he doubted that Jack had very much knowledge it this area. Jack held himself with confidence starting toward the fog, but Nathan quickly grabbed his arm. Warning him in a deep resounding voice, he told him seriously. "Whatever you do. Don't leave my side or you'll get lost in the mist too. Since you aren't dead, this place will try to trick you. It wants you to get lost. And don't forget... Alduin is here." Jack nodded to him, and Nathan released him. Puffing his chest up, Jack said softly to himself. "Ok. Let's be smart about this." Nathan nodded, then winced as Jack braced himself and shouted out to the fog. "LOK VAH KOOR!" Nathan's shoulders fell, but his ears perked up to see if he could hear the rush of dragon wings. Was it smart to shout here? Hearing nothing, his eyes watched the fog melt away a few feet to reveal the path. For a moment, Nathan was a little impressed. He hadn't thought that would work. Without waiting, Jack walked out across the rocky dirt path, calling out loudly. "MARK?!"

Nathan followed behind him, grimacing with every loud call, but couldn't bring himself to scold Jack for it. Listening closely after every call, Nathan finally told Jack gently. "Nothing. The mist might be blocking him out. These mists are like their own personal hell. Soundproof and a bitch to navigate through." Nathan looked around at the beautiful scenery. It was full of bright exotic flowers, and everything blended so well in the tinted hues of magenta and violets. It all was locked in eternal beauty. He could imagine that Mages would kill to be here and take samples. To study everything. He was sure that a lot of Necromancers made it their life's goal. As the fog creeped back in toward them, Nathan heard the fog whisper to him in his mother's voice. "Nathan...?" Turning to face the creeping mist, Nathan stilled. A little voice in his mind told him to ignore it but hearing his mother's voice after years was gut wrenching. He hadn't realized how powerful hearing her voice was after so long. The creeping mist reached out to him, continuing in his mother's voice. "Is that you, Sweetheart?" He started to reach out for the mist, when behind him Jack shouted again to clear the fog, forcing it to retreat from Nathan.

Taking shaking steps backward, Nathan shook off the effect the mist had as Jack yelled out. "MARK?! Can you hear me?!" Jack looked back at him with hopeful eyes, but he could only give him a little shrug in return. He couldn't hear anything. Refusing to give up, Jack continued to follow the path and Nathan stayed closer to him. The mists appeared to have a harder time whispering to them when Jack's shouts kept dissipating it. Hurting it. The next time Jack cleared the fog, a human male soldier jumped at the sight of them. The Soldier quickly withdrew his sword, prompting Jack to raise his hands in surrender as he rushed out desperately. "Hey! It's alright! We're looking for someone. Have you seen him?" The Soldier slowly sheathed his blade, replying in a dreamy sounding voice that echoed in the mist around them. "Beware! The world eater waits within the mist!" Nathan tensed as Jack inched toward the soldier, saying cautiously. "I know. That is why I am here." The Soldier's expression turned desperate as he pleaded out to him. "Hurry! Before Alduin devours your life too! Bring word to Shor's Hall! Tell the Heroes of our hard fate!"

Nate moved closer in case he had to separate them, when Jack gave him a confused look and asked him. "Shor's Hall? What's that?" Nathan opened his mouth to answer, but the irate ghost beat him to it. Reaching out to grab Jack's robes, the ghost pulled Jack close and told him in a confounded panic. "Don't you know? The Hall of Valor where the heroes wait to follow Shor for the final battle at the end of the world? When I first started on the path, I could see the Hall so clearly in the distance. It beckoned me! Then a shimmering veil fell upon it and... I can no longer see it! I've lost my way! Now I wonder blindly... Alduin's hunger is insatiable! He hunts the lost souls in this shrouded veil! Where I once heard screams... I now only hear silence..." Nathan could see the fear and worry building behind Jack's eyes. Unable to allow him to be exposed to more, he carefully pried the Soldier's ghostly hands off Jack, telling the Soldier comfortingly. "Easy. We know where the Hall is. We'll go get help. Just stay hidden." The Soldier nodded solemnly, relaxing his grip on Jack's robes as he distantly mumbled out. "Yes... Yes... I will wait for them. I..." Without finishing, the Soldier turned and started walking aimlessly into the mist and within seconds he was gone from sight.

Jack pulled Tiidgein off his shoulder to hug him to his chest, shakily saying aloud. "This mist is driving them crazy... Oh gods, what if Mark-!" Nathan quickly covered Jack's mouth to stop him, saying sternly into his ear. "Don't say that! You don't know how long that soldier has been walking the mist. Don't forget. Mark is a werewolf, isn't he? You think this will shake him? Keep it together." Jack nodded and Nathan lowered his hand from his mouth, his eyes glaring at the creeping mist. The mist was starting to affect Jack. Trying to scare him. Trying to get him to run off and split up from him. He could sense it. It needed them to be apart to play with their hearts individually. To prey on their feelings of loss and loneliness to steer them down an endless road of shadows. He couldn't let that happen to Jack. Jack shouted the mist away again, looking a little better. However, the longer they lingered in the mist, the worse it would get. They wondered the mists for a while longer, running into more scared souls along the way. Each one making Jack more anxious and scared then the last. Resulting in Jack's heartrate spiking. Nathan tried to ignore it at first, but eventually his instincts were being driven mad from the mist amplifying the sound of Jack's beating heart.

Hanging back from Jack just enough that the mist couldn't split them up, he began to pace with inhuman speed between Jack's normal walking pace. Almost shaking apart from the sound and the growing hunger it induced in him, until he finally muttered out darkly. "Will you calm down. Your heartrate is driving me crazy!" Jack whirled around to face him, snapping back in a disheartened voice. "This is taking forever! How am I supposed to find him?! What if Alduin already got to him?! What if we are lost?!" Growing more agitated with this place by the minute, Nathan puffed his chest up and restrained himself from using his full strength as he smacked Jack across the cheek. Jack staggered back a bit, clutching his cheek and mumbling out in a sudden innocent tone of voice. "Why did you hit me?" Nathan exhaled the air from his lungs, coolly growling out. "You need to calm down. This place is not meant for the living and if you aren't careful the fumes of this place are going to make you forget why you are even here. Stay focused!" Whether Jack had realized it or not, he hadn't said Mark's name in a while. Which was causing Nathan to worry about him even more. Jack rubbed his cheek, mumbling out defensively. "You didn't have to hit me... Why aren't the fumes affecting you?"

Nate locked eyes with Jack, noticing that they were a little unfocused and cloudy, prompting him to say in a dry tone that he hoped would snap him out. "Because I'm UNDEAD. I'm immune to this shit. And I hit you because you are making me hungry! Now... CALM DOWN!" His tone made Tiidgein retreat from Jack's arms to scramble back into his hood with soft whimpers. Jack's response was to sit on the ground, taking up a meditating pose, while he muttered under his breath. "You don't have to be so mean about it. You could have said it nicely." Nathan rolled his eyes, thinking back on how he'd been telling him nicely for the past few hours, before grumbling out. "My patience for that ran out after the thirteenth time I asked you nicely." Nate paced a bit, trying to keep a lookout. While Jack suddenly hugged himself and asked in a meek but hopeful voice. "Nate...? Tell me... Tell me we will find him... Please?" Nathan stopped pacing. He didn't want to give him hope where there might not be any, but the Nord in him knew that a little hope was better than nothing. A little flame could burn brighter. Snuffing a flame was hard to relight.

Kneeling in front of him, Nathan put a hand on his shoulder, warmly telling him with strong confidence. "We will find him. Your shout has been clearing the way. We'll come across him." Jack sniffled a little, but his words had helped calm him. Jack grabbed his wrist, squeezing it as he took a few smaller breaths. Then Nathan helped him back up onto his feet and patted his back comfortingly. Jack straightened up with more confidence, unleashing another shout to clear the fog. This time when the fog recoiled, Nate's ears perked up to the sounds of someone humming a Nordic lullaby. In front of him, Jack tensed up and called out to the retreating fog. "Mark...?!" Nathan tensed with sudden unease. Was this the fog playing another trick? From within the fog, the song stopped. As the last of the fog retreated, a form stepped out into the clearing. Nathan could only smirk as all the air exhaled sharply from Jack's lungs at the sight of Mark. Mark seemed just as startled by him, asking a little confused. "Jack?" Dropping all his gear, Jack began to cry as he inched forward hopefully. The second Mark grinned at Jack, Jack lost all composure and ran into his arms.

Jack buried his face against Mark's neck and Mark hugged him so tightly that Jack's feet left the ground. Mark's breathless voice strained out with a deep blissful love for Jack. "I'm so happy to see you, Jack! I love you so much!" Nathan looked away from them, trying not to think about Escher. Did Escher miss him? He was a little jealous that they were so happy together. His wings drooped a bit, when he couldn't help hearing Jack strain out through tears. "Oh, Mark... I thought I lost you... I'm so sorry. I tried to heal you... I didn't know... I couldn't stop it... Mark, forgive me... I love you so much!" Nathan pinched the bridge of his nose, trying not to cry tears of blood right now. Managing to keep the urge down, he looked back at them. Mark dropped to his knees, keeping Jack wrapped up in his arms as he shushed him lovingly. Nate scoffed silently to himself. Of course, Mark was able to calm Jack down without using any words. Against Jack's ear, Mark whispered to him. "There is nothing to forgive, Jack. It's ok... I just wanted you to be safe and-" Mark suddenly stopped talking.

Nathan tensed, watching Mark grab Jack's shoulder tightly before pushing him out a little to ask sternly. "Jack? How did you get here? You didn't-?" Jack sniffled, wiping his nose on his sleeve as he shook his head innocently. Mark's eyes seemed to glance at Jack's wrists discreetly, before they widened at the sight of Tiidgein peeking over Jack's shoulder shyly to look at Mark. Nathan started to walk up to them, while Jack cleared his throat, chuckling out. "I have so much to tell you." Nathan stopped short of them, watching Mark's eyes drift from Tiidgein up to himself. Mark looked him over closely in his vampiric form, before nervously answering. "Ya... I can see that. You can start by telling me who or what that is." Nathan crossed his arms in response, rolling his eyes sarcastically. This was going to be an interesting conversation. To Be Continued...