Skyrim: Lore Accurate Necromancer

Deep within the dungeon of NorthWatch Keep, Erik stood before an Altmer mage cloaked in black robes, his presence exuding an almost tangible darkness. Slowly, Erik pulled off his mask, letting the Thalmor mage see the cold amusement in his eyes.

"For a mere Thalmor mage, you sure gave me more trouble than expected," Erik said, glancing down at the scorch marks smudged across his gauntlets.

Not far behind, Kaiden was catching his breath, slumped against the stone wall, sweat slicking his face. The struggle with the Thalmor mage had pushed him to his limits, and for a moment, it looked as though the mage might have killed him. Only Erik's timely intervention had prevented that, stepping in to shield Kaiden and neutralize the threat.

In the tight quarters of the dungeon, where the Altmer couldn't rely on numbers to overwhelm them, Kaiden had proven himself against the scattered Thalmor soldiers Erik had intentionally left for him. Yet, against this particular mage, something felt amiss.

Serana lingered nearby, watching the mage with narrowed eyes. "He's no novice," she remarked, her voice tinged with suspicion. "But something… feels wrong."

Erik gave a slow nod, his gaze drifting to Kaiden. "I noticed that too," he murmured, his eyes narrowing as he studied the drained warrior. "Kaiden shouldn't have struggled like that. It's as if something was… holding him back."

After a brief pause, Erik dismissed the thought with a shake of his head. "No matter. Let's finish up here. Our business is nearly done." He raised his hand, lightning crackling in his palm, casting flickering shadows on the dungeon walls as he prepared to end the mage's life with a single, decisive spell.

Before he could release it, Kaiden's voice cut through the silence. "Please, wait a moment."

Erik's hand stilled, and he turned to Kaiden, one brow arched in mild surprise. "What is it?"

Kaiden hesitated, looking down as he searched for the words. When he finally met Erik's gaze, the usual calm in his eyes had hardened into something darker. "I'm ashamed to ask… but this man—he tortured me for days."

The reluctance in Kaiden's voice vanished, replaced by a fierce anger that flared brighter with each word. His gaze locked on the Thalmor mage, hatred simmering beneath the surface. "Dying like this would be… too easy for him."

Erik's lips curled into a slow, predatory grin. He looked from Kaiden to the bound mage, considering the cruelty Kaiden sought. "So, what you're saying is… you want this elf to suffer." His tone was chilling, an edge of amusement seeping through as he savored the prospect.

Seeing the dark grin on Erik's face, Kaiden felt a chill crawl up his spine. There was something unsettling, almost predatory, in Erik's expression that made Kaiden question if he truly wanted to witness what was about to happen. But he couldn't back down now.

After everything this mage had done—years of torment inflicted on prisoners, the sick pleasure he took in watching them break—this would be justice, or at least the closest thing to it in a place like this.

"It's only fair. He's the warden of this dungeon," Kaiden muttered, gripping the mage's robes and lifting him to his feet.

The Altmer was no longer the arrogant overseer but a sniveling, broken creature, casting wild, fearful glances between Erik and Kaiden. "And he took pleasure in torturing those he kept here. He deserves this."

Erik gave him an approving nod. "Good, good. Seems like you've caught your breath, so drag him along and follow me." Erik's tone was laced with dark amusement, the look in his eyes promising horrors that would make even necromancers recoil.

Behind them, Geri seemed to catch onto his master's excitement, trotting along with a high-strung energy. The corgi's nose flared as he sniffed the air, eyes locked on the mage with an almost gleeful hunger.

The Thalmor mage recoiled, desperately trying to pull away, but Kaiden's grip held firm, shoving him forward whenever he hesitated.

Intrigued, Serana watched Erik's calculated movements, a slight frown tugging at her lips. She stepped closer, her gaze questioning as she asked, "What exactly do you intend to do with him?"

Erik glanced at her, the predatory gleam still dancing in his eyes. "There are certain magics, rituals that reach into the oldest, darkest corners of our world… powerful and cruel rites I would hesitate to use, even on a cutthroat bandit."

He paused, his grin widening as he turned his attention back to the trembling Thalmor mage being dragged forward by Kaiden. "But for him?" Erik's tone was merciless, each word heavy with cold satisfaction. "I feel no reluctance. You reap what you sow, as they say."

Serana sighed, a faint look of resignation crossing her face. "I'm guessing this isn't something I'd like to see... is it?"

Erik chuckled, a dark gleam in his eye as he shook his head. "It's not something anyone should see," he said quietly, his tone carrying a hint of grim amusement.

He led the way down the dim corridor until they reached a small, enclosed chamber off the main hall. The walls were close and thick here, built to muffle sound—though Serana suspected they'd hear enough regardless.

Erik stopped and turned to Kaiden. "Throw him in, and if you really want to stay, you can. But fair warning: it won't be good for your mind... or your gut."

Kaiden gritted his teeth, a shadow of lingering anger tightening his features as he dragged the beaten Thalmor mage forward. "I want to see him suffer," he muttered, voice low but taut with conviction. "I need to see him suffer."

Erik gave him a nod, satisfied, while Serana watched them disappear into the chamber. She sighed, rolling her eyes. "I'll wait out here, thank you very much." Her voice was light, but there was a hint of tension there, a slight frown creasing her brow as she glanced down the corridor.

Erik chuckled, throwing her a look over his shoulder. "Wise choice." He nodded to her before disappearing into the chamber.

Left alone in the dimly lit hall, Serana glanced at Geri standing beside her with his pale blue eyes fixed eagerly on the door. She smirked and said dryly, "Well, at least you'll keep me company, won't you, boy?"

But Geri turned to look at her, and she could have sworn that in those intelligent eyes was an unmistakable glint of disdain. He gave her a huff that sounded suspiciously like a scoff, his tail wagging as he turned his back on her without a second thought, happily trotting into the chamber to join Erik and Kaiden.

The door closed with a definitive thud, leaving Serana standing alone.

She huffed and leaned against the wall, folding her arms. "What kind of mutt is that..." But her light-hearted mutter died on her lips as a piercing, guttural scream erupted from the chamber beyond.

It was a raw, hoarse cry—one that clawed up the stone walls and into the darkness with the agony of a creature stripped of any dignity or control, his voice cracking under the force of pain. Serana's eyes flew open, and she found herself frozen, rooted to the spot as the horrified wails echoed down the corridor.

She'd never heard such screams, not even in the dungeons of Volkihar castle.

She pressed herself against the wall, her arms crossed tightly over her chest as she tried to ignore the sounds echoing through the hall. Another scream followed, harsher and more desperate, the Thalmor's voice sounding more animal than man.

...

The door swung open with a low, creaking groan. Kaiden stumbled out, his face pale and ashen, dark circles under his eyes. He barely managed to get a few steps before dropping to all fours, his entire body shuddering as he heaved, spilling the contents of his stomach onto the cold stone floor.

The nauseating sound echoed through the dimly lit hall, and for a moment, Kaiden was lost in the harsh, sickening aftermath of what he'd just witnessed.

Serana watched him with a calm, detached interest, one brow arched as he slowly collected himself.

When Kaiden finally rose, he groaned, wiping his mouth with a trembling hand. "I... pity that elf," he managed, his voice hollow and unsteady, as if the words tasted bitter on his tongue.

Serana's eyebrow arched even higher, her gaze cool as she took in his disheveled state. "Funny," she remarked, her voice edged with dry amusement. "Weren't you the one who was so eager to see him suffer?"

Kaiden shook his head, still looking slightly dazed. "And yet I pity him now," he replied, a shadow of pain flickering in his eyes. "That alone should tell you the extent of horror inflicted in that room."

Serana paused, a faint spark of curiosity crossing her expression. She hadn't wanted to know at first, but Kaiden's reaction intrigued her. "What exactly did Erik do in there?" she asked, her tone softer, though her words carried a hint of reluctance.

Kaiden shuddered, his jaw clenching. "Trust me... you don't want to know," he replied, and the way he said it—the hollow, broken sound in his voice—was answer enough.

He took a shaky breath, swallowing hard as he regained his footing, his expression darkening as he forced himself to straighten. "I'll need to find my armor and weapons," he said at last, his voice steadier now. "And I'll make sure to free the others here." He met her gaze briefly, a flicker of residual horror still in his eyes. "I'll... see you later."

He turned and walked away, his steps heavier, each one carrying the weight of what he'd witnessed. The dim corridor swallowed him up, his figure fading into the shadows until Serana was left alone once more. She turned her attention back to the closed chamber door, her mind turning over what she'd seen—and hadn't seen.

The silence that filled the dungeon was thick, but not peaceful. It was the kind of silence that suggested more than simply the absence of screams; it was the silence of a place drenched in misery, a place where fear had worn into the stone like old bloodstains.

The screams had ceased, but Serana doubted that meant Erik had stopped his work. More likely, the Thalmor mage was simply beyond the ability to scream anymore.

She leaned against the wall, her arms crossed, her mind drifting to Erik. He was... complicated. The cruelty in him was unmistakable, a shadow that lingered over him like the silent promise of a storm.

And yet, his cruelty wasn't reckless. He wielded it like a blade, honed and precise, disciplined and patient, albeit tinged with some recklessness. From the moment she'd met him, she'd recognized that his wasn't the senseless violence of someone who killed for the thrill.

He wasn't a monster who acted out of pure enjoyment; he was controlled, deliberate. Even when he first awakened as a vampire, he'd kept his thirst restrained, curbing the bloodlust with a level of self-control she rarely saw in others of his kind.

Whatever he was doing inside that chamber, she doubted it was solely for his own amusement. Erik's mind worked in layers, and his actions rarely seemed to serve just one purpose. 

As she pondered, Geri trotted out of the chamber, his fur slightly ruffled but his expression as content as ever, like he'd just come from a pleasant stroll rather than a scene of utter horror.

He trotted up to her with a cheerful gait, tail wagging as he regarded her with those piercing blue eyes, glinting in a way that was almost... mischievous.

"Just what are you, mutt?" she muttered with a shake of her head, crouching down to scratch behind his ears. Geri responded with a huff, his gaze darting back toward the chamber door, clearly unfazed by what he'd witnessed.

She chuckled, though it was a mirthless sound, her hand lingering on the corgi's scruff as she fought back a wave of dark curiosity. Erik might have ended that Thalmor mage in a dozen different ways, each quicker and simpler than what she imagined he'd chosen.

Instead, he'd drawn it out—making it as much a punishment as an execution. Still, the sinister magicka emanating from within the chamber made it clear that it was neither.

He was clearly performing a dark ritual of sorts, as to what purpose, Serana had no idea.

Another sound broke the silence, the faintest scuff of footsteps, and then the door opened. Erik stepped out, his face calm, unreadable, though there was a slight tension in his jaw that suggested he wasn't entirely untouched by what had taken place within. He closed the door behind him with a quiet finality, as if sealing away something best left unseen.

Serana straightened, arching a brow as she crossed her arms. "All done, then?" she asked, her tone casual, though her eyes were searching.

He met her gaze with a nod, a faint, humorless smile flickering at the corner of his lips.

"A fitting end for a man who reveled in suffering," he said simply. There was no pride in his voice, no satisfaction—just the casual tone of someone who had carried out a necessary chore. He didn't look back at the door, his focus already shifting forward.

Serana's lips twisted into a smirk, though it was tempered by a slight frown. "It certainly sounded memorable," she replied, half-joking, though the echo of those screams lingered in her mind like a distant memory.

Erik's smile remained, cool and enigmatic. "He'll linger in his memories of it, even in his afterlife, I'd wager," he said, his tone light, though his words held an edge.

He turned and started down the hall, his steps unhurried, leaving the remnants of his dark work in the shadows behind him. "Come along," he added without looking back. "We've finished what we came for."

...

Stepping into the open yard of Northwatch Keep, Erik took in the grim scene before him. Freed prisoners huddled in small groups, tending to one another's wounds with shaky hands and hollow eyes. Most of them were Nords, their faces weathered by hardship, bearing the unmistakable look of survivors.

Some wore the hardened expressions of warriors, muscles taut even under the bruises and bloodied skin.

But a handful looked out of place—men and women who clearly had never wielded a sword, and whose calloused hands likely belonged to miners, farmers, and simple craftsmen. They wore expressions not of stoic resolve but of confusion, and even shame.

Erik's eyes traveled over the group, taking in the scars that lined their faces and limbs, the heavy marks of torture that left some bandaged or hunched in pain.

But it was the ones missing limbs—a hand here, an eye there, a leg gone from just below the knee—that made him pause, his jaw setting with a slow, simmering fury. These civilians, who likely had nothing to do with the ongoing wars or political maneuvers, had been maimed—permanently marked, rendered vulnerable and helpless.

Behind him, Serana caught up, her gaze flicking over the prisoners with a mixture of sympathy and disgust. "Looks like they've had their fill of Thalmor hospitality," she muttered, her tone dry.

Erik's expression darkened.s. "The bastards knew they couldn't hold them here for long," he said, his voice low. "Not without stirring up trouble with the Empire. But they wanted to leave a mark, something that would cripple them for life."

He clenched his jaw, his gaze fixating on one older man missing his right hand, now awkwardly trying to wrap a bandage around another prisoner's arm. The task was nearly impossible with one hand, but the old man persisted, his eyes burning with stubborn defiance.

Erik's anger twisted into something sharper—cold, bitter purpose. Torture was one thing, but to cripple these people, to leave them defenseless even upon their release, was nothing short of cruelty for cruelty's sake.

Beside him, Geri whined, his ears flattening as he sniffed the air, sensing Erik's simmering anger. The corgi paced slightly, never straying far but alert, his hackles raised as if he too understood the wrongs inflicted here.

Erik looked down at the corgi, his gaze softening for a brief moment before he turned back to Serana. "If there was ever a sliver of doubt about what I did to that warden," he said quietly, "this would have burned it away. The Thalmor couldn't destroy the empire through war, so they resorted to dismantling it, piece by piece...."

Serana's mouth pressed into a thin line, her gaze hardening. "The Thalmor aren't just waging a war on soldiers," she said softly, almost to herself. "Maiming one or two fishermen and farmers might not make a big impact, but if they've been doing this for a long time... and on a larger scale..."

A few yards away, Kaiden emerged from the crowd, his face pale but resolute. He joined them, casting a quick look at the prisoners he had helped free, many of whom gave him nods of gratitude.

He met Erik's gaze, his expression grim. "They're ready to move out," he reported, his voice steady despite the recent horrors he'd witnessed. "But a lot of them… won't make it far on their own... especially if the Thalmor sniff us out and give chase..."

Erik's gaze turned cold as he scanned the prisoners before settling his gaze back at Kaiden. "There's no need to worry. The Thalmor won't have the leisure to chase after these people... I'll give them something else to worry about..."

...

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