I knew then that I was infected by Count Hasseldor. The very first thought that passed through my mind was that my two mothers (the Nines bless their souls) would have been overcome with grief. I remember them telling me once why they refused to let me play with the other children outside the walls of the Imperial City, especially at dusk. Many Necromancer Vampires have been known to steal little boys and girls to molest, mutilate, and use in their sick and twisted sacrifices deep in the caves.
My eyes were now red, and I immediately made my way to Polus and told him. He said that perhaps Count Hasseldor may aid me so I went to see him, and that's when I discovered his heart's massive burden. He told of his beloved wife, Rona, and how they were visited in the night by a Necromancer Vampire while they slept. The Count eventually came to embrace his newfound state but Rona, seeing what it had done to her beauty, her social life, and her honour and duty to serve the citizens of Skingrad, could never accept herself this way. She refused to feed on the blood of others and thus became deathly ill and fell into an eternal coma. The Count begged me to see Helisande, a former coven witch who resided in the wilderness of Blackwood.
Helisande, with her own personal agenda, wanted five soul gems from me first before further instructions. Once she had the gems she sent me on an otherwise impossible and very long errand to fetch the several ingredients for the potion to cure me and Countess Hasseldor. I had no choice but to set out at nighttime because the sunlight will burn me to death in seconds, and as I refused to be disgusting and feed on the blood of others, and besides, I looked unbearably horrible, my cheeks sunken in, wrinkles having their way with my face, and my eyes of deep crimson. People refused to talk to me except perhaps to comment on my sickly features.
When I finally retrieved all the ingredients (one of which I risked my life for going into the netherworld of Oblivion) Melisande concocted the cure and handed me two bottles and I greedily gulped one down. Immediately I was cured and became a young Wood Elf again. Thankfully Melisande said she would have more potions ready in case I was infected again.
I sped to Castle Skingrad at once and gave Count Hasseldor the other bottle of potion. His wife was lying in her bed and looked like she was merely asleep. Melisande was there (how did she get there ahead of me? Ah, she is after all a witch) to temporarily awaken her to enough time to beg her devoted husband to save her soul and to drink the special fluid he gave her. She felt immediately alive as a mortal once more, only to finally succumb to eternal rest that 50 years added right then to her, as she was now too old as a mortal to live. She collapsed back on her bed, but this time to sleep peacefully forever. Her nightmare was over.
The Count grew limp and fell over Countess Rona's body sobbing before finally collecting himself to announce he wanted to be left alone for a while, will I please return in 24 hours to see him. Overcome with grief myself and forgetting my own happiness in my recovery, I left him.
The next day I returned to Count Hasseldor as promised. Though I knew that he, as a vampire, lived for the night, he looked as if he hadn't slept for days in his sadness. He was happy, though, to see me again, and thanked me deeply for helping him finally end the suffering of his wife, may she rest in peace. Though I steadfastly refused it, he insisted I take a reward for such a noble deed. My jaw dropped. It was by far the highest amount of gold I have ever been given for my efforts, easily an emperor's wealth.
Before I could open my mouth he stated that I must leave him now that he may contemplate his life now without Rona, without her at his side, for eternity.
My eyes were now red, and I immediately made my way to Polus and told him. He said that perhaps Count Hasseldor may aid me so I went to see him, and that's when I discovered his heart's massive burden. He told of his beloved wife, Rona, and how they were visited in the night by a Necromancer Vampire while they slept. The Count eventually came to embrace his newfound state but Rona, seeing what it had done to her beauty, her social life, and her honour and duty to serve the citizens of Skingrad, could never accept herself this way. She refused to feed on the blood of others and thus became deathly ill and fell into an eternal coma. The Count begged me to see Helisande, a former coven witch who resided in the wilderness of Blackwood.
Helisande, with her own personal agenda, wanted five soul gems from me first before further instructions. Once she had the gems she sent me on an otherwise impossible and very long errand to fetch the several ingredients for the potion to cure me and Countess Hasseldor. I had no choice but to set out at nighttime because the sunlight will burn me to death in seconds, and as I refused to be disgusting and feed on the blood of others, and besides, I looked unbearably horrible, my cheeks sunken in, wrinkles having their way with my face, and my eyes of deep crimson. People refused to talk to me except perhaps to comment on my sickly features.
When I finally retrieved all the ingredients (one of which I risked my life for going into the netherworld of Oblivion) Melisande concocted the cure and handed me two bottles and I greedily gulped one down. Immediately I was cured and became a young Wood Elf again. Thankfully Melisande said she would have more potions ready in case I was infected again.
I sped to Castle Skingrad at once and gave Count Hasseldor the other bottle of potion. His wife was lying in her bed and looked like she was merely asleep. Melisande was there (how did she get there ahead of me? Ah, she is after all a witch) to temporarily awaken her to enough time to beg her devoted husband to save her soul and to drink the special fluid he gave her. She felt immediately alive as a mortal once more, only to finally succumb to eternal rest that 50 years added right then to her, as she was now too old as a mortal to live. She collapsed back on her bed, but this time to sleep peacefully forever. Her nightmare was over.
The Count grew limp and fell over Countess Rona's body sobbing before finally collecting himself to announce he wanted to be left alone for a while, will I please return in 24 hours to see him. Overcome with grief myself and forgetting my own happiness in my recovery, I left him.
The next day I returned to Count Hasseldor as promised. Though I knew that he, as a vampire, lived for the night, he looked as if he hadn't slept for days in his sadness. He was happy, though, to see me again, and thanked me deeply for helping him finally end the suffering of his wife, may she rest in peace. Though I steadfastly refused it, he insisted I take a reward for such a noble deed. My jaw dropped. It was by far the highest amount of gold I have ever been given for my efforts, easily an emperor's wealth.
Before I could open my mouth he stated that I must leave him now that he may contemplate his life now without Rona, without her at his side, for eternity.
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