Standing up, Nathan took Walter's reins and slowly made his way across a little bridge. Sniffing the air and scanning the road, he followed the blood. Turning off the road, he had a little trouble finding the blood in the grass, but noticed a little cave hidden within the mountainside. Giving Walter one last pat, he told him softly. "Stay here, buddy. I'll be back." Wedging himself through the narrow slit in the mountain, he eased himself into what he believed was Forebears' Holdout. The tunnel was really dark, but he let his eyes adjust to make it easier. Quietly creeping through the tunnel, he noticed a dim light at the end. Upon leaving the tunnel, he stopped and took in the interior cave with awe. The cave was huge with ruins of an old castle fort inside. He could see a large cylinder of magic pulsing and swirling from a spot in the back of the fort, piquing his curiosity into what the people were doing here. Inching closer to the stone railing, Nathan observed the large rushing river that ran through the cave and the little bridge that crossed it. There was no way around it. There was only one way into the fort. Planning out his route, he nodded and stepped back to head for the stone steps.

Just before he started to make his way down, he stopped short. Just ahead a husky dog in thick padded armor was sitting by the bridge. Crouching, Nathan cursed silently. He recognized that mutt. It was a Dawnguard dog. Taking a moment to process that, he removed his bow. This was an interesting turn of events. He had expected Vampires. Not Vampire Hunters to be here. He had to be careful. Lifting his bow, he aimed his arrow at the dog with a little reluctance. He didn't want to kill the dog, but it was going to give him away if he didn't. Releasing the arrow, the arrow whizzed through the air and struck the dog in the head. It was dead before it even uttered a sound. Nate started to move again, until another dog rushed out to check on the other. The dog whimpered, sniffing the arrow before turning to look right at him. Quickly drawing the bow as fast as he could, he shot another arrow to shoot the dog between the eyes. The dog yelped but died quickly. Tensing, Nathan looked across the bridge where a woman dressed in heavy Dawnguard armor got up from a chair. Letting out a soft whistle, she waited to see if the dogs would show.

Casting his invisibility spell, he dashed with inhuman speed down the steps and jumped across the river where there was a spot that he could make it. The woman drew her sword, inching across the bridge with caution. Trying not to make any noise to alert her, he rushed up behind her, just as she saw the dead dogs. Gasping, she went for a whistle around her neck, but Nathan grabbed her and broke her neck in response. Her body slumped in his arms, but he easily picked her up and moved her back toward the chair. Laying her down in the bushes behind the chair, he whispered to her guiltily. "Sorry... I'm a little pressed for time." Leaving her, he stayed crouched and followed the ledge around to the gate of the fort. Peaking around the burning brazier that sat at the entrance, Nathan narrowed his eyes to see what was waiting inside. Around a massive bonfire, three Dawnguard soldiers sat around eating and chatting. He felt like he could easily avoid them. However, there was one problem. One BIG problem. They weren't alone. Standing in the corner where he wanted to go to get to the steps, was a large furry troll in thick iron armor. The troll snorted, standing patiently and obediently with alert eyes.

Even invisible, trolls and dogs had a nose that could sniff him out. Unlike the dogs though, he couldn't do anything to the troll without it alerting the others. While he took a moment to think, he overheard one of the Dawnguard soldiers walk across the wall over him to call down to the group. "They're killing the last of the vampires now. Have you three searched around for anything we can salvage? Or have you been sitting around for the last four minutes gorging yourselves?" One of the male soldiers sitting at the bonfire, grunted out bluntly to him in return. "Will you relax! Damn. We killed everyone here. All they had was food for their Thralls and most of it wouldn't last the trip. Hence, why we're eating it. So, forgive us if we wanted to relax a little." The man on the wall, groaned before snapping back. "You can relax on your own time! Damn it! Try to take this seriously! More of them could show up to take the Moth Priest! We need to be ready to leave!" A woman sitting at the bonfire, chimed in then to say in a bored tone. "Chill the fuck out, will ya! We have dogs at the entrance and a fucking armored troll! We slaughtered these vampires without breaking a sweat. We're fine."

Above him, the man began muttering and cursing as he stomped off. Leaving the soldiers to laugh and call the man names under their breath for being a hard ass. Nathan smirked to himself. He was in the right place. Now it made sense. They had done most of his job for him. Although, he wasn't sure which one he'd rather deal with. Putting his bow away, Nathan removed his dagger and kissed the flat of the blade for luck. He'd have to do this fast and pray it worked. Dashing out toward the bonfire, Nathan slit the throat of the first man in one fluid motion. The woman sitting close saw the blood run down from the man's neck and started to get up, but Nathan quickly turned to stab her in the neck to keep her from screaming. The last man saw both the first and second soldier go down, before getting to his feet quickly, he turned to run toward the troll. Stopping in place, Nathan threw his dagger so hard that it pieced the light armor the man was wearing and hit his spine. Just as the man fell to the ground, Nathan only managed a smirk, before he was bitch slapped clear off the ground by the enraged troll! As fast as he was, the troll had been onto him from the moment he rushed in. Hitting the stone wall, Nathan hit the ground chest first and grunted.

Any air that his lungs happened to of had was gone now. Fortunately, he didn't need it. Springing into a roll, he managed to miss the troll's fists as they came down where he'd been. The troll wildly swinging his arms out to try hitting him, but Nate didn't get up right away. Instead, he stayed low and tried to creep out of his reach. The troll took a deep sniff, whirling around to slam his fists adown again, barely missing Nathan again as he rolled away. This time the troll flailed his arms at a lower level to try hitting him. One of the hands hit Nathan's side, knocking him off his feet to tumble across the ground. The blow nearly putting Nathan into the bonfire! From the wall, the other soldier rushed out. "What is going on?!" Sitting up, Nathan hit the soldier with a paralyzing spell as he strained out. "Wait your fucking turn!" His moment of hesitation, allowed the troll to grab him by his shirt, lifting him off the ground and into the air like he weighed nothing. Wrapping his legs quickly around the Trolls arms, Nate leaned closer to the Troll, before pushing off and arching his back to flip the troll over him! Trolls were usually far too heavy for this, but with his own vampiric strength, they were pretty even.

Bracing his hands on the dirt, Nathan put all his strength into his legs to slam the troll down into the large bonfire. The troll let out the most horrendous screams as its fur caught fire and it tried to scramble out of the flames. Nathan's feet landed in the flames briefly, but with a startled cry, he jumped out so fast he fell from lack of balance. Patting his legs to put of the fire clinging to his boots and pants, he glanced back to see the troll flailing out of control as it raged against the fire burning it. While it was distracted, Nathan removed his normal short sword and ran out to slice its legs to bring it down before stabbing his sword through its chest to finish it. Running for the steps to get up to the top of the wall, Nathan stood over the last soldier, panting out. "If it's any consolation before you die... you were right." Stabbing the man in the throat to finish him while he was paralyzed, Nathan let himself calm down a minute. Upon hearing the soft clashing of shields and swords, Nathan crouched and crept across the wall to the second floor where the massive cylinder of magic was coming from. Lingering in the shadows by a gargoyle statue, he saw two more Dawnguard soldiers fighting two vampires.

After dispatching them, the female soldier breathlessly panted out. "That's the last of them. Damn, those vampires put up a fight. I needed that." The woman then approached the cylinder barrier of magic that appeared to be keeping the Moth Priest within it. As she got close, the Moth Priest slammed his hands on the barrier with a crazed look. The woman jumped back, asking the man with her. "Vanik, do you think they turned him?" The man shrugged, looking over the barrier as he said a bit distracted. "I don't know. Maybe. We won't know for sure until we get him out of there." The woman scoffed, gesturing to the barrier as she asked. "And how are we going to do that? We didn't bring a mage with us. And this... Whatever it is-" Vanik moved away from her to look around, snapping over his shoulder as he cut her off. "I'm working on it! Now give me some silence so I can think!" Seeing the vampire ash around the room brought out a darkness in Nathan. He didn't think that it would bother him, but the idea that the Dawnguard killed vampires, and he was now one of them bothered him. Getting to his feet, he slowly moved out where they could see him, his eyes locked on the closet person to him.

The woman noticed him, turning to face him as she said aloud. "Vanik! We missed one!" Vanik snorted, telling her calmly. "Kill him. I'm busy." She twirled her silver sword to loosen her wrist and hefted up her silver crested Dawnguard shield as she said excitedly. "With pleasure!" Approaching her, he told her in an icy voice. "I'm just here for him. You can still run." The woman huffed, then swung her blade at him as she said. "Not a chance, Bloodsucker!" Lifting his own sword, he blocked hers and sneered back coolly. "I warned you." She thrusted out her shield to try staggering him, but he jumped back and kicked her shield so hard that it knocked her to the ground. She rolled back up to her feet, thrusting her sword out at his chest. He turned sideways to let her sword miss, then grabbed her neck in his hand. She gasped in surprise, and he yanked her closer to tell her through clenched teeth. "I'm way out of your league." She dropped her sword and shield, quickly going to her belt to remove a wooden dagger. Which only prompted him to snap her neck that much faster. Releasing her body, he turned his eyes toward a set of stairs leading up to a floor that overlooked where he was. There, the last Dawnguard stood in complete shook.

Removing his helmet, the Redguard man gawked out to him. "Holy shit... It's true. You're one of those Volkihar Vampires. They... They're real?" Slowly Nathan made his way up the steps toward the man without a word. The man backed up from him, then stopped as he uttered out. "Wait... I know you. Nathan? But Dumbuk said-" Nathan stopped, blurting out confused. "Dumbuk is alive?" The man flashed him a smirk, then lifted his crossbow to fire a bolt at him, commenting smugly. "He is. You're not." Jerking back, Nathan caught the bolt before it pierced his chest, then snapped it in half. Glaring at the man, Nathan hissed out. "That was rude." Dropping his sword, Nathan lunged forward with inhuman speed to grab the man. Slamming him up against the wall, Nathan instinctively went for his throat to bite him. The man screamed but Nathan didn't stop until he was dead. Once he was drained, Nathan impaled the man through the heart with the broken piece of the bolt, just to be a little poetic. Taking a deep breath to calm himself back down, he wiped his mouth on his sleeve and took a good look around. He'd worry about Dumbuk later.

His only worry now was to get the Moth Priest and get out. Noticing the little podium that was glowing a bit like the magic barrier, he moved over to it. The podium had a weird bowl cavity with a strange swirling glow along the edges. Touching it cautiously, he tried to see if anything happened. When nothing did, he tapped his finger on the podium and leaned over it to see the floor below. What was he missing? Walking back down to the floor, he went to the propped up coffins and searched them for anything in the general shape or that glowed. Nothing. He searched the chest there and found a few weapons that he discarded, but he took the bag of gold coins. Turning around, he looked over the barrier, until he noticed the ash piles of at least two dead vampires. One of the piles was glowing a little. Kneeling, he dusted the ashes a bit and found a strange stone. The stone was as big as a human head and appeared to be of some kind of possible meteorite. The crevices glowed with a soft greenish blue light and an iron band had been forged around it. The power he felt coming from it was unlike anything he'd felt. Picking it up, he carefully took it up the steps to the podium.

Giving one last look at the magic barrier, he realized that there were tall stones within that matched the smaller one in his hand. Deciding not to think too hard on it, he carefully put the stone into the empty cavity of the podium. It fit perfectly into it. When nothing happened, he tried turning it like a key and the magic barrier started to rumble. The barrier faded away as the tall stones slowly started to sink into the floor where a heavy mist rolled up. Hopping down to reach the Moth Priest, Nathan tried to be nice as he asked curiously. "Hi. Are you Dexion? Because- WHOA!" The Moth Priest let out a loud war cry, withdrawing his katana blade and charging at him. Grabbing the Moth Priest's wrist, Nathan told him seriously. "Hey! Look. I don't like this anymore than you do, but I need your-" The Moth Priest cut him off by taking a hand off his katana and punching Nathan in the face. Staggering back more from shock, Nathan touched his bleeding nose and growled out. "Alright... Fine." Yanking the blade from the Moth Priest, Nathan grabbed the front of his robes and yanked him closer to hiss aggressively at him.

The Moth Priest stopped, jumping a little at his sudden aggression. Locking eyes with him, Nathan forced his Vampire Seduction powers onto him by purring out a bit sternly. "You are going to stop and obey my EVERY command." The Moth Priest hesitated and tried to resist. He had a strong mind, but Nathan knew how to fight that. Leaning in, Nathan gave his neck a brief firm bite. Just enough to break his concentration. Upon stepping back, Nathan exhaled to try and shake off his growing stress. While the Moth Priest calmed down and suddenly told him in a loving voice. "By the divines! It's as if my eyes have been opened! I am blinded by the light of your majesty. I... I must know your name. Please. What would you have of me, Master?" The Moth Priest reached out to touch him, but Nate swatted his hands away, snapping out. "Don't-! I don't want to be touched right now. Is your name Dexion?" The Moth Priest nodded, then bowed as he told him with a lovestruck grin. "Yes. Dexion Evicus. At your humble service, Sir." Nodding, Nathan told him in return a bit flatly. "Good. I'm Nathan. You're coming with me to Castle Volkihar. Let's go." To Be Continued...