Cearbhail: Finally, it is time for the sequel. Ok, it will take me time to do this because I'm on finals the next two weeks, so expect posting in about two weeks. Then, it will be rapid fire with this and so many new stories along the way. Not only elder scrolls, but halo, anime, I'm going to be busy for a while, but it's worth it. Anyway, please enjoy this new... The Rouge Shadowscale.


-Nexa-

The War Room. It was the one place is all of Argonia that housed the thinkers behind Argonia's hierarchy. The leaders of the shadowwraiths, the shadowscales, the Queen, and the Warlord gathered here on a daily basis, almost hourly now that the Aedra were breathing down our necks. It was the coming of the Aedra that made us form an alliance with the shattered Empire of Cyrodiil as well as the newly forming Aldmeri Dominion. It was that reason that I was freed from the Shadowscale Prison; where only the most treasonous prisoners were sent. I was freed because I had experience fighting these creatures and now I was supposed to be in charge of my own Shadow Squad, comprised of a few shadowscales and shadowwraiths.

My time in the prison was horrifying. I almost lost touch with my sanity as the long painful days stretched by. I wasn't sure how much time had passed before the torture would start again. I wasn't sure how much pain my body could take each time my captors started again. They always seemed to know how much pain I could take. They always has a Hist with them, whose sap could heal my wounds with a tiny lap of my tongue.

After all this time and pain, do you think that I was happy to be out of prison and helping the very nation that tried to hurt me? I…I was not doing it for them, but for the friends I made while I was in the Arcane University. I wanted to see what happened to my friend. I had a small escape from my torture and heard from Lord Sithis that my friend had perished. I went into a trance to help him get back. Now, I wanted to see how he got in such a state and if he improved afterwards.

But right now…I was stuck standing with my hands tucked behind my back, looking at Warlord Zeelius. He was pacing around a holographic map of the war. The new machine was created from some of the greatest alchemic minds that the Aldmeri Dominion had at the moment. It showed all friendly forces as green, all civilians as white, all Daedric forces as yellow, and all Aedric forces as red. Right now, there was plenty of white gathered around the world, but there was almost as much red. The green and yellow forces were few and stretched thin…with Argonia as one giant empty spot. Our land was not hospitable for war so…we had a bunch of white on their way to our land.

I looked up at Warlord Zeelius. I did not know exactly what he thought about that. Was it his plan to allow refugees into our country, or was it the Queen's? Since the Queen was Warlord's Zeelius's mother, she had enough control over his military. That was the way the hierarchy of Argonia worked. The Queen's husband or son was the Warlord. Since her husband was killed during a surprise blood-raged Khajiit, her son was named the Warlord. I was only a hatchling when that happened. That was when I was sent to the Dark Brotherhood for training.

I continued to stand to the back of the round dark room, only illuminated by the single giant Welkynd cluster hanging above our heads. The room was silent as we waited for our orders. Zeelius was still just standing over the hologram, looking for something. I don't know what it was, but his blood-red eyes were scanning the image with full intensity.

"There!" His scratchy voice ripped through the air. He pointed half a claw at the mystical image of the refugees coming into Argonia. "They are taking the Southern Gideon route. If they continue through that route they will arrive in Gideon within the hour. Shadow Squad!" He looked up at me, which made me lock my arms behind my body. "Go to Gideon and deal with them."

I nodded. "Yes, Warlord. What orders do you have for the specifics on how to deal with them?"

He opened to reply, but it was the Queen's voice that rung through the air. "Situate them into the refugee camp and see about turning the older ones into a formidable resistance force." She narrowed her eyes to me. "What did you believe your orders were, Shadowscale Nexa?"

I held my tongue for a second and allowed my breath to catch up to me. "I was curious if I had to detain certain individuals. Are we still imprisoning Khajiits on sight?"

The room fell into a deep uncomfortable silence. Zeelius pushed off the table and said, "Still your tongue, Shadowscale. Our history with Khajiits will not interfere with this war. Gods…I wished a few of those blood-crazy Khajiits still lived. Imagine how useful they'd be in this war."

"Sir, there is a blood-crazy Khajiit out there." One of the shadowwraiths replied.

Warlord Zeelius and the rest of the room grew silent. He glared up at the shadowwraith and said, "And how would you know this, Shadowwraith Tar-Meena?"

She bowed her head. "There was a time before the war started that a Khajiit with red eyes and a nasty temper was recorded in the Pre-Battlemage Training Program. His condition was discovered during a training exercise and he was briefly taken to a medical ward for analysis. During that time, Sister Marie Palielle shared with me the data she had on the subject. She wanted to know if some sort of Daedra was known for creating such conditions. I assured her that no such thing existed but she should try throwing holy water in his face to release whatever evil holds it."

I growled under my breath. I had no idea that Tar-Meena was shared the information of Vatu's experience. I thought I covered that incident up, but I guess I was wrong. I only hoped that she didn't remember his name.

"Do you know this Khajiit's name?" Warlord seemed wary about asking. His knuckles were pale pink with all the pressure he was building. His face looked even darker red than it did a moment ago. I could tell that he was upset. My father never liked Khajiits, not since his father was killed by one. In fact, my father lost half of his index claw thrusting his claw through an armored Khajiit bandit. It was his reminder of how much he wanted to kill them.

I looked over at Tar-Meena, who looked lost. She bowed her head. "All I know is that he is a battlemage…how many of those could there be?" She looked over at me and her eyes narrowed. "I also know that Shadowscale Nexa met this individual personally. She was assigned as his bodyguard during the uncertain moments of his condition."

The entire room's attention settled on me. Queen Ali-jinasha rose from her throne and walked a few steps toward me. "You knew this Khajiit?"

I nodded. What else could I do?

Warlord Zeelius's eyes narrowed. "The two Khajiits we captured when you arrived from the Arcane University. They were with a battlemage. Did you arrive here with a blood-raged Khajiit? Was that older on the blood-rager? Or was it the little cub?"

I shook my head. "No, it was neither. The little cub was the blood-rager's sister. The actual blood-rager was not at the University when we were attacked. He was elsewhere and I have not seen him since. From what I heard from the after-battle reports, his unit was attacked by Aedra and a powerful Khajiit was killed in action."

Warlord Zeelius's eyes averted down. I could not tell how the news hit him but it didn't matter. He brushed his cape off his shoulders and turned around. "Your new orders, Shadow Squad. Once you settle the refugees in…I want you to find this unit. If that Khajiit still exists…protect it until the end of the war. Once the war is over…slit its throat."

Both the Queen and Warlord Zeelius looked over at me. They were watching for my reaction. If only they knew how badly it hurt to hear those orders. Would I do it? Could I betray a friend like that? I don't think that I could but if I wanted to get close to him…I had to lie at least.

I bowed down to my father and said, "As you wish, Warlord."

He nodded respectfully back at me. "If you keep this up, Shadowscale, your previous rank will be restored and you will earn your right to be called my daughter again."

I looked him in the eye as evenly as I could. I did not flinch, I did not waiver. I did allow myself to smile. He was dead to me and I think he knew that. Maybe he was just too prideful to believe that I would hate him. He allowed me to be tortured for who knows how long. There was no way that being called his daughter would have any sway over me. But…I was an Argonian, this was my land, and I would honor the assignments that I would be given. Right now, that assignment was protecting my friend. The moment that assignment goes from protection to assassination…I don't know what I will do, but killing my friend won't be an option.


Cearbhail: This will be a fun ride with new enemies, and so many new characters. Not to mention... watch the end of the story when it finally comes to a close because it will prelude to a new story... you'll see.