From the Bones of Dragons

We had just arrived at Fort Dawnguard, carrying the precious Auriel's bow with us. Serana wanted Isran's help in defeating her father, and so we went back here to ask him. I thought we could have taken the whole castle by ourselves, if we prepared enough. Kiya thought Isran was the one who has been fighting the vampires for decades now, and that he deserved to be one of those who finished the job. I agreed.

Easy there, buddy, it's not as if you're going to use it.

Isran, upon seeing the magnificent bow Kiya was carrying, exclaimed, "You have Auriel's Bow!" That look in his eyes, the hope that his dream and his cause were going to be realized with this weapon made us smile. I stopped thinking that this was a waste of time, going to the fort from the Sanctum (which was only a few miles from the castle), and back again. I suddenly felt some anxiety, seeing Isran like that. My mind turned to what he'd be doing after this was all over, and in turn made me think of what Kiya and I would be doing after, too. I wanted to ask her then and there, if not for Isran calling all of Dawnguard and making a speech.

Yeah! They suck! Excuse the pun.

I guess you could say that Isran really inspires these people who fight for his cause. He may not be someone who's easy to get along with, but his will to see this through is what gives them all hope to finish what they started. As he inspired them with his speech, my mind wandered to my past. I thought that maybe it was time for me to tell my Kiya what it was that made me who I am and put me where I am today. I lost it all then and thought I had nothing to go on, but here I am now with her. I knew I'll get a chance to tell her when we start preparing. 

I'll gather my things all right, but I don't think I'll be able to rest well, if you know what I mean.

I had already fixed my bag and Kiya's full of potions we'll need for the journey and the battle ahead. She doesn't look as worried as I was at that point. I kept thinking to myself how we might not have anything to do after the final battle at the Castle, but she doesn't seem to think any of it. I approached her, my mind racing of what to ask her. She was intent on brewing her potions and it didn't seem like she noticed my approach when she said, "Do you have something on your mind, my dear?" I was startled. I fumbled on my words when I started to ask what we were going to do after Harkon got defeated, but she stopped me from uttering the last words by going to the forge and started smithing... something. I'll tell her of my past some other time, I guessed.

She stayed quiet while her hammer pounded on metal and bone, and as she did I noticed it was a sword made out of dragon bones. I have not the chance to forge it myself but it is astounding that she knows how. After a few more hours of molding steel and bone together, she stood up, sweating from the heat, and handed the sword to me, still wet from cooling. She took my helmet off, held my face with both of her hands, and said, "Remember that we have a lifetime of adventure together, my sweet," as she pressed her forehead against mine. I breathed a long sigh of relief. All this time, she knew what was in my mind. I had to do something for her.

Dragons were harmed in the making of this sword.

Auriel's bow is a very strong bow, I agree. But the fact that it only works best for the undead makes it a bit frustrating to use against bandits and other living things, so I decided I'd make her a bow. I haven't had the chance to learn dragon weapon smithing, but with a few days to go before we leave for Castle Volkihar, I started working on it. I got out of bed when she fell asleep and finished the bow by morning. She caught me putting the finishing touches on the bow, and her face immediately lit up. She hugged me and said, "Oh, you shouldn't have." I smiled. Everything's going to be fine.

Ah, I think I've forgotten which side of the metal I should hold.

We arrive on the dock near Solitude days later. Kiya and I left the Fort a few hours earlier than everyone else, agreeing to scout the area first and make sure it's clear before everyone else arrives. The vampires might know we already have the weapon and chose to ambush us. We found nothing, fortunately.

Dawn, dusk, sunrise, or nightfall, she looks beautiful.

We had a few hours to kill before the rest of Dawnguard arrives. I started writing this diary, and Kiya started fiddling with the bows she had with her. She wanted to try out the Sunhallowed Arrows with the bow and see how devastating it really was. To sum it all up quickly, here's an illumination of the  bow's effect:

It really IS the light in the dark.

Isran and his men finally arrive, and no matter how slow the rowboat was, it was a quiet way to get to the island. We stood there before the castle with our weapons drawn, and while Isran finished his morale-boosting speech, I am finishing this entry. It will be a few hours, days even, before the dust settles. I just hope everyone survives. May the gods watch over us.

Or when none of us are left standing.