And there is an extremely loud 'bang,' a crack almost like thunder - Harkon jerks forward - five more in rapid succession - 

Harkon turns to ash, revealing Lace standing on the balcony behind him, a smoking gun in her hands and a furiously calm look on her face.

She begins reloading her revolver with almost mechanical precision, gaze sweeping to the few lesser vampires still standing.

She drifts forward and almost lazily begins killing the remnants.

They're not able to flee fast enough. 

Lace keeps her gun in her hand, but lowers the barrel once it's loaded and it looks like Elana has their enemies well in hand. 

She waits up on the balcony. 

She drops the Lord form with a shudder once again, and goes to join Lace.

"You okay?" she asks.

Hug.

"I think... I am."

Tight hug.

"Good."

"Let's go find the Star."

"Let's."

She keeps hold of Elana's hand through the keep. Nothing else challenges them. Azura's Star is in the chapel - unsurprisingly, perhaps - and Elana is able to get around the traps protecting it with a bit of caution and time. There's a heavy feeling in the chapel, a sensation like blood in the air or eyes on their backs, but nothing actually stops them.

"I'd rather not do the ritual here," Lace says, voice soft, squeezing Elana's hand. 

"No, it's not exactly... auspicious."

Nod. "Where we met seems - a storybook sort of place to end this." Small smile. "And we haven't exactly accumulated many other special places."

"It has been a bit of a whirlwind, hasn't it? That seems fine to me."

Squeeze.

"And I'll only have to put up with one last boat ride."

She tugs Elana gently out of the chapel, down through the keep toward the coast.

Away from this terrible castle, hopefully for good.

Lace doesn't look back, and the mist swallows it soon enough.

She stays close to her girlfriend the entire trek back to Dimhollow Crypt, either holding her hand or riding along in her arms. Lace seems almost restless and certainly driven, insisting on stopping only for meals - Elana can carry her while she sleeps, after all. There's the usual aggressive wildlife on the way, but none of it seriously challenges them.

Dimhollow is the same as they left it. 

Lace takes a deep breath, closing her eyes briefly, then says, "Any convenient places for giant runic circles?"

"...Are you all right with this?"

She squeezes Elana's hand, turning to kiss her cheek. "Of course, darling." Small smile. "Some first time nerves is all. And I'd rather things not go wrong at the last dramatic moment."

"I think I do love you."

She grins, smile brilliant, and turns more fully to hug Elana. "I love you so much. And I want the world for you."

Kiss!

Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. Kisses!

She nuzzles her girlfriend after. "C'mon. Let's get to making you into a god, darling."

"The central auditorium should have enough space..."

She holds Elana's hand the whole way there, grinning.

Carving in the actual circle's a bit of a pain, made easier by magic - and then the channels need to be filled with Lace's blood, she's pretty sure, and the Star marked with the same to profane it...

Elana is almost tender about taking Lace's blood for this, treating it like a precious commodity.

Awwwwwwwwwww.

She smiles, softly, pretty much glowing with happiness, giving Elana gentle kisses for every cut. Her blood runs freely, and a heady feeling builds around them as they finally anoint the Star. Its white hue shifts to red, and it hums in their hands, floating to above the center of the circle when released.

Lace kisses Elana again. Quietly, because this moment feels sacred, she draws Elana to the innermost circles, where Lace kneels as she did before Akatosh, head down in sincere supplication. 

Everything seems ready for Elana to begin draining her.