The Dawnguard Hunter

An Old World

Rayan felt warm and a small amount of bliss as he stepped in the portal though it only lasted a moment as he was then met with chilling darkness.

He felt a hand on his shoulder which he immediately grabbed and held tight as he kept his eyes forward while the others appeared behind him. 

When he heard the last whoosh of wind he let go of his loves hand and pulled out a bottle of a liquid that resembled clear oil with some water spots in it and drank it. 

The darkness lifted just enough for Rayan to see a few more feet in front of him as a brighter light appeared behind him. 

"What the fuck did you do to me mage?" Mhara asked with fear and nervousness in her voice though she would never admit it. 

"I put a light spell on you." Kumeron reassured. "Both in case we get separated and so you can see." 

Rayan heard Mhara sigh with relief as he looked back almost blinded by Kumerons light spell.

Victoria turned his gaze forward to the cave path and to her as she kissed him then hugged him tight. 

"I might know how to use darkness to my advantage." She whispered. "But don't leave me here."

"Never." He responded as he hugged and kissed her back then let go and drew his sword as he took the lead.

The caves were long, cramped, and filled with a barnacle creature that gave off the purple light but hid itself when anyone approached it.

Rayan moved at a pace where everyone could keep up but quickly enough for them to get through the caves.

They came through a small opening with cocoons everywhere the size of barrels that burst open with large flying bugs whenever someone went past them. 

Rayan dispatched the ones in front of him easily with several sword swings then turned to kill off any left over and continued through the caves. 

In the quiet parts the group could hear a chilling scratching followed by movement in the distant shadows. He could see burrows out of his reach on the walls and was waiting with dread for something to jump out of them. Just as he saw an opening to a larger section of the cave Rayan head movement from one of the burrows as something jumped out and landed on him. 

It was a twisted, vile, pale white creature with its eyes scabbed and grown over as it growled at him forcing his head underwater. He had a brief look at the monster just enough to see it was malnourished thin and wearing crude armor yet incredibly strong. 

As he pushed the creature back Kumeron forced it off him with a spell that sent the monster flying in to the darkness ahead and pulled up the dawnguard out of the water. Rayan saw Victoria fending off one the abominations from Mhara. She killed it just as Rayan and Kumeron moved in by knocking its makeshift sword out of its hand and stabbed it in the throat.

"What the fuck are these things?" Victoria asked as she took some deep breaths.

"Must be the falmer Gelebor spoke of." Kumeron said. 

Rayan walked over to the dead creature after Victoria stabbed it one more time out of anger and knelt down to look at it. 

"Clearly blind, so it relies on hearing and its other senses." Rayan started as he looked of the dead falmer. "Strong and intelligent by its makeshift armor and weapons."

"It looks like an elf." Mhara said as she walked over to it bringing the light Kumeron cast on her.

Rayan nodded in agreement and stood up as everyone heard the clattering and scrapping of the falmer heading for them.