A scream welling up inside, one without end. The only reason he did not let it out is that they would come. His friends, the very ones he no longer could trust. Viperish Night hisses, his eyes filled with utter rage and despair. It had been a mere two days since that stormy night. Since Titumus betrayed him. Titumus had been his friend, helped him through the madness that gripped him when he came here. He had been like a mentor to him...and just like the first mentor he had, Titumus had betrayed him. And so Viperish Night sits in the dark of his room, unable to sleep. Unable to calm his thoughts, the waves of rage and despair and confusion. Viperish Night looks at his claws, clean, but he can still see Titumus's blood upon them, still, feel it. His friend thought he was lost. That he was a monster, an abomination who would destroy the world, that the only solution was to kill him. Viperish Night's eyes narrow. His former mentor had told him to trust no one. That was one thing he had been right on. Viperish Night cared for people. Trusted them. And this was the result. People betrayed him, hurt him. Those that did not, died, forever beyond his reach. He had trusted Titumus and look where it got him! His friend dead set on ending him. Viperish Night having to kill him. He had in the end, refused to lie down and die. For a moment he almost became the sheep again, almost let Titumus strike him from this world. But the voice woke the wolf inside of him and all the hurt and rage inside of him melted together into an icy resolve to live and kill the betrayer. Viperish Night hangs his head down. He never wanted it to be that way. And on top of that the collar remains locked around his neck, he remains bond. Viperish Night wants out very badly...and now he thinks he may do anything to have that freedom. Maybe...Viperish Night shudders and blackness streaks across his vision, and for the first time since the night of the fight he sleeps, unable to say awake any longer.


Viperish Night takes his meal outside, as he has done since that night. He wants to stay away from the others. He cannot stand their eyes. Filled with pain and pity and utter confusion. No one knew why Titumus had done what he did. And perhaps they could not fathom how Viperish Night could kill him, despite the fact it was the only way to live. Or was it? Viperish Night stares at his food, his eyes. Could he have done it differently? Could he have knocked Titumus out, restrained him, something? Did they blame him for taking such final actions? The moment the voice spoke, it was as if a damn had burst inside of him. Was it out of control rage at the betrayal, or the icy cold desire to kill the one who betrayed him? Viperish Night closes his eyes. He...could not trust himself either.

Viperish Night's claws curl on the grass and he opens his eyes. Someone had followed him, Fernthorn. "Go away." he snarls.

Fernthorn sits near him, her hands moving through the grass. "I just don't understand it," Fernthorn says quietly. Viperish Night's eyes follow her.

"People betray." Viperish Night says. "Even those you trust. I am sick of being betrayed and hurt."

"But I would not do that!" Fernthorn says. "N..."

Viperish Night cuts her off. "Titumus did," he says coldly. The very same thing he told Zan'tabe. His eyes, full of hurt glare at Fernthorn. "LEAVE." he hisses, standing.

Fernthorn blinks a few times and then gets up. "Viperish Night even if you don't trust us, we trust in you," Fernthorn says quietly. "Please come back to use when your ready." she turns to go, Viperish Night's next words pause her.

"You should not trust me." Viperish Night says. "Now leave me."

Fernthorn looks back at him and then turns, running back inside.


Viperish Night walks toward the arena. The first time he's fought since that night. Kigum-dar approaches Viperish Night. He ignores Viperish Night's furious hiss and comes to stand beside him. "Viperish Night you must..."

Viperish Night cuts him off. "MUST?" he snarls, turning to face Kigum-dar. "I must do this. I must fight this way. I must be this. I am SICK OF IT." he snaps. "No one ever lets me just be. Just leave me."

Kigum-dar's brow furrows as Viperish Night stalks off. Zan'tabe walks beside Kigum-dar and places a paw on his shoulder. "Let him be," Zan'tabe says. "He needs to know we are here, but he also needs time."

"Kigum-dar does not understand why Titumus did what he did," Kigum-dar says. "This one...was in despair when I arrived. Tried to end it and Titumus saved this one before he could dishonor himself further. The Titumus I knew would have never done this."

Zan'tabe sighs sadly. "This one heard Titumus at night. Restless, fighting something in his mind. He..." Zan'tabe trails off remembering something Titumus told him. Kigum-dar gives him a curious look. "Necromancers left deeper scars on Titumus than we knew. It broke him somehow." Zan'tabe finally says.


Viperish Night stalks onto the sands, swords already drawn. The roar of the crowd, Thjonwulf's roar. It blends into a furor of madness. How is the world this mad? Viperish Night's eyes find the crowd. None of them can see the depths of hatred in his eyes. None of them know if he could get them, he might just kill them. Very bad thoughts, he thinks as he faces the Orc called Man-breaker.

Man-breaker charges Viperish Night and he dodges her brutal ax cleaves. The next he swerves and ducks underneath and his sword flashes, sinking into her chest. She falls to the ground, dying in a few seconds. Viperish Night looks at the light leaving her eyes. He thought that brutality was the key, but it failed. He tilts his head, the Orc's blood flowing across his sand to touch the claws on his feet. What is the key? He heads into the pit, ignoring his friends' eyes. He knows he'll see hope in them. Hope he returned to his normal way of fighting. He only has because there is utterly no point in doing it the very wrong way. Even killing his friend failed to unlock it. Viperish Night's eyes fill with despair and he shuts them, trying to shut out the world, and thoughts and memories he cannot escape.


The next morning Viperish Night sits in the morning light, breakfast hardly touched. Away from the others yet again. And despite the warmth of the sun, he feels so very cold and so very alone. A butterfly flutters nearby and the shadow of a Khajiit falls over it and Viperish Night. Zan'tabe. Viperish Night thinks. They keep trying. Viperish Night reaches out with his claw and the butterfly rests upon it. Viperish Night's eyes take in the beautiful graceful creature, remembering a time when he felt such sorrow at killing a gathering of them. Enough to raise them from the dead, so they could fly a few moments longer. Where did that Viperish Night go? "I was different once." Viperish Night quietly says. " Titumus thought me a monster, that I would return to thus... but I was not a monster when I was practicing necromancy. Perhaps I would have become one, but I was not then. Just... naive. Stupid, foolish, and weak." Viperish Night's eyes narrow and he rises, crushing the butterfly in his fist as he turns to Zan'tabe. "The world destroyed who I wanted to be." Viperish Night hisses. "So I will be something else."

Zan'tabe's eyes are full of sorrow, and he is at an utter loss for words. "Viperish Night," he says.

"Don't." Viperish Night says. "Don't say you are here for me. That I can trust you." he turns his back. "I cannot trust any of you, I will not. And I do not trust myself either. I could have stopped. All of you must know. I could have stopped before I killed Titumus! But the thought did not even OCCUR TO ME." Viperish Night hisses, the sound full of agonizing pain.

"Zan'tabe thinks you were too hurt, too lost," Zan'tabe says. "We cannot blame you for this, we will not! This one... just does not want to lose both of you."

Viperish Night shakes his head. "It's too late, Zan'tabe." and with those final words, he stalks off toward the arena. Toward another day of this madness of blood and carnage.


Qa'Dar is the next to try. After the matches are over for the day the wiry Khajiit is standing near Viperish Night's door. Viperish Night stops, his eyes narrowed. "Move." he snarls.

"No, this one will not!" Qa'Dar says. "Titumus was wrong. None of us will do what he did!" Qa'Dar takes a deep breath. "This one is just a worthless thief, but Qa'Dar knows what Titumus was. He was a mentor to all of us. Saved us from the dark, brought our best into the light. And we failed him." Qa'Dar looks up at Viperish Night, his eyes are more serious than Viperish Night has ever seen them. "We did not know it was Titumus who needed saving from the dark as well. All of us failed Za'gh and failed Titumus. You have to understand why we stalk you. Why we will not leave you alone." Qa'Dar suddenly looks lost. "None of us want to lose you."

Viperish Night closes his eyes. "...Memories destroy us. This world destroys us." he quietly says. "I want to scream. One moment I wish to drown, the next I wish to drown the world. The river screams in my head! The rage consumes me utterly."

"Then let us help you," Qa'Dar says.

Viperish Night's eyes bolt open and he surges at Qa'Dar, pinning the Khajiit against the wall with his arms. "You want to save me?" he snarls.

Qa'Dar flinches back but keeps his eyes locked on Viperish Night's eyes. "Yes!"

"I killed Titumus." Viperish Night hisses. "I ripped him apart with my claws until my scales were drenched in his blood. I COULD have hit him over the head. I could have slammed him into the ground, I could have done a dozen other things to take him down without killing him, BUT I DID NOT." Viperish Night's eyes fill with utter anguish and rage. "He betrayed me, I betrayed him. I have been betrayed so many times, I knew in my soul I would NEVER do it to someone else. And yet, I did." Viperish Night lowers his arms. "I wanted to kill him, and so I did." Viperish Night turns his back on Qa'Dar's horrified face and walks to his room, pausing to look back. "I am beyond saving, Qa'Dar. And I will be free at the end of this, one way or another." Viperish Night walks into his room and slams the door.


Zan'tabe stares at Rayrl and Israean over his food the next morning. "You will not even try to speak to him."

Rayrl's eyes fill with fury. "What is there left to say? He attempted to take hold of forbidden, sacrilicious magic by horrific means. And when Titumus saw that, he took action. Actions he should not have taken, but something HAD to be done." ." Rayrl snaps. "It would be better if he fell in the final match tomorrow."

"Rayrl," Israean says. "To wish another's death, the Sister I know is better than that," he says quietly. Israean turns to Zan'tabe. "You know that there is nothing further to say. We all heard what Viperish Night said to Qa'Dar."

Fernthorn puts her fork down. "He was badly injured. How could Viperish Night take him down without killing him?" she says quietly.

"Qa'Dar is right here," Qa'Dar mutters, and leans against Fernthorn. "This seems like the end."

"There are so few of us left," Kigum-dar says. "And if Viperish Night's intentions are to be free...he may try to fall in the arena." he trails off looking lost.

Zan'tabe looks at his food and pushes it away. "Zan'tabe is no longer hungry. This one knows things cannot continue. The gladiator games are nearly done."

Fernthorn curls her hand in Qa'Dar's paw. "What is going to happen to us then?"

"We are unfit to be mine or house slaves," Kigum-dar says. "Too aggressive. To wild. Thjonwulf will likely sell us to other gladiator owners, in other lands."

"NO!" Fernthorn says. "I would rather rip my own throat out than to be without any of you." She snarls and grips Qa'Dar tighter. "This is not fair! We lost Titumus, we are going to lose Viperish Night, and now everyone else?" She lets go of Qa'Dar's paw and flees.

Qa'Dar rises and looks at the others. "Qa'Dar is scared," he admits, before following Fernthorn.

"Zan'tabe misses Titumus," Zan'tabe says. "He would know what to do. Could even talk to that mangy mutt into somehow selling some of us together. Or...setting us free even."

"He would never do that," Rayrl says.

"He might," Israean says. "He has no purpose without the arena. To let others have his gladiators, I am not certain that is something Thjonwulf would ever do."

Zan'tabe rises. "This one is going to stretch his legs before the match." he walks out.


Zan'tabe stands by the gladiator quarters door, the sun shining on his fur. His eyes are on Viperish Night, who's alone on the grass, staring at the distant horizon. Zan'tabe moves closer. "Do you intend to die?" Zan'tabe softly asks him.

Viperish Night freezes and turns his head to look at Zan'tabe, a growl building in his throat. "Stop trying." he snarls.

"Answer Zan'tabe first," Zan'tabe says.

Viperish Night looks away. "I... don't know." his eyes stare out at nothing, lost in despair and rage.

"This life is almost over," Zan'tabe says. "If you hold on a little longer, Viperish Night. Something better could happen."

Viperish Night's eyes close as he trembles. Memories swirl in his mind. Peaceful days in the sun with Rishima. Denros's contagious joy. The animals that came to him, warm and alive. "Everything good is taken from me," he says and rises. "Leave me alone." Viperish Night says again. "I am lost in the dark and am beyond saving." Viperish Night walks off toward the arena, leaving Zan'tabe behind, a look of despair on the Khajiits face.


Viperish Night's face is turned to the crowd. The Argonian he killed with two swift strikes of his blades lies dead at his feet. Anger fills his eyes and he snarls and stalks off the field. It was the last match of the night. The final night of the celebration was tomorrow night in a grand battle royal. Viperish Night pauses as he sees the other gladiators and stops, letting them return before him. He has no desire to speak to them. No desire to be saved. Death was the only way out for any of them. He stalks across the grass to the gladiator quarters.

"Stop."

Viperish Night pauses and turns his head at Thjonwulf, and he hisses. "Leave me alone," he says. "Or just kill me and get it over with."

Thjonwulf's eyes shift from brown to golden and he shifts into his wolf, bounding across the field. Viperish Night spins around, dodging to the side. Thjonwulf slams down in the grass and swerves, his claws knocking Viperish Night down. Bounding Thjonwulf leaps, Viperish Night rolls and misses the pounce by a hairbreadth. Viperish Night leaps up and spins, his claws ripping furrows in Thjonwulf's fur, Thjonwulf spins and clips him, sending him crashing down, and is on him in a moment. Thjonwulf's jaws hover just above Viperish Night's neck. "If that's what you want," he growls and opens his jaws wide to snap them on Viperish Night's neck.

Everything seems to freeze, the nighttime breeze quiets, the insects stop mid chirp. Viperish Night stares up at death, razor-sharp teeth that can tear life from him and lead him into the void, and forever nothingness. "No!" he suddenly snarls, his eyes filling with rage, and he thrusts up his hand, hitting Thjonwulf's neck with his palm. Thjonwulf chokes and Viperish Night head-butts him and throws him to the ground, snarling in rage Viperish Night leaps upon Thjonwulf and starts to rip him with his claws, sinking his fangs into Thjonwulf's shoulder for a better grip. Thjonwulf howls and rolls, knocking Viperish Night's grip from his shoulder. He slams into Viperish Night, who flies and hits the ground hard. Viperish Night leaps up and snarls, but Thjonwulf holds up his hand, and shifts back.

"So death is not what you want. At least, not your own." Thjonwulf says with a grin, even as the blood drips from his body. Viperish Night breaths hard, staring up at Thjonwulf. Confusion and anger fill his eyes. "Titumus was a fool." Thjonwulf continues. "Your not, are you, my Savage Argonian? You want to live. You want to be the wolf." he laughs as he walks away.

Viperish Night stares after Thjonwulf for long moments, then looks down at the bands on his wrists in confusion. Did Thjonwulf turn them off somehow? He felt his full strength when fighting against him. Viperish Night sighs and walks into the gladiator quarters and stops by Zan'tabe's door. The Khajiit looks at him startled by his state. "I will not die." Viperish Night hisses. "That is not something I desire." he stalks away to his room.

Viperish Night slams the door shut and stalks his small room. His rage is like a tsunami, it drowns him, it drowns the river. Rage at the world. Rage at the bloodthirsty crowds. Rage at his friends for trying to save him. And as the rage fills him, drowns him, it turns inward. He could have stopped. He could have done something to save Titumus. He throws back his head and howls, a scream of utter anguish and rage. It fills him, and just when it's on the break of drowning him, Viperish Night stops and lowers his head. Thjonwulf's words come back to him. Why is he blaming himself? Titumus betrayed him. This world betrayed him, over and over again. So very many people hurt him. Why is he drowning himself over it? Viperish Night closes his eyes, shaking violently. Why should he die? Why should he suffer? Why should he scream when all the rage did was utterly nothing. Long moments pass and slowly he stops shaking. When Viperish Night's eyes open, all the rage has vanished, leaving behind utter awareness. He had been fighting with such rage and brutality. Firey anger consuming everything. Including... Including the river. It's no wonder he failed time and time again. Fire burned and destroyed everything. Rage led to madness and out of control brutality. It never would set him free. Viperish Night tilts his head. Then what would? The answer was there, just out of reach. Viperish Night slowly sits, staring out at the window. So very close to an answer, tomorrow's last fight would take place at night, under the moons. He stays that way till sleep comes.


Rayrl and Israean speak quietly through much of the night. Rayrl had moved to her brother's room when Viperish Night's bloodcurdling howl sounded. They sat in silence for long minutes, before Israean spoke. "Viperish Night?" he asks his sister.

Rayrl knows what he is asking. If she felt the trickle of his power this week. She shakes her head. "Nothing brother, since ..." she trails off. "He gave up. He must of," she says, an unreadable look passing over her face.

Israean leans back against the wall. "Viperish Night is a tortured soul," Israean says. "We should pity rather than hate him, Rayrl."

"I do not hate him, brother," Rayrl says. "I fear him. And I think pity is also, somehow worse than hate."

Fernthorn rests her head against Viperish Night's door. He does not want her help, any of their help. He's even managed to lock the door somehow. "Don't be a monster, Viperish Night," she whispers cradling her arms to her chest. His tortured howl still seems to echo, it froze her blood to the core. She looks over at Qa'Dar's room, and Qa'Dar has poked his head out, his eyes filled with sadness and a hint of fear. Fernthorn sighs softly, looking at him. Fernthorn moves to Qa'Dar. "You stupid cat," she says softly. "Let me in." Qa'Dar nods and both vanish into his room.

Zan'tabe sits against the wall, his heart torn by his friends suffering and the unshakable fact there is nothing he can do to help. "Zan'tabe is useless," he says with a heavy sigh.

Kigum-dar looks out at the night from his window, staring up at the moons, or where the moons are. The nights have been filled with heavy clouds, blocking out all of Jone and Jode's light. It seems an ill omen indeed. "Jone and Jode," Kigum-dar says. "This one has a very bad feeling. Watch over us all."


The clouds are heavy and ominous the next night. The moons hide as the gladiator's trek to the gate, where they wait for it to rise, and the grand battle royal, the final fight of this month of games. There is only silence among them, the events of last week are so very fresh and still utterly unbelievable. Viperish Night's eyes are on the gate, keeping his distance from the others. Viperish Night finds he's oddly calm as he waits for the fight to start. The answer is close. He can feel it, it nibbles on his tail. Every time he has turned to snap at it, it flees. And so, he will wait for it this time.

Thjonwulf's voice roars. "The final day of celebration for glory! For blood! The battle royal!" Thjonwulf cries as the crowd goes crazy. "Three teams, 21 fighters. Only when one team is left standing, will the match be over! FOR BLOOD AND GLORY, GLADIATORS!"

The gates open and the gladiators surge upon the sands, light by a multitude of flicking torches. Viperish Night's eyes flicker to his friends and then focus on an Argonian fighter coming at him. Titumus would have urged them to fight as one. But that requires trust, something Viperish Night no longer has. He surges away from the others, claws curling around his twin swords as he engages the Argonian, who wields a single sword but is nearly as fast as Viperish Night.

Qa'Dar steps forward but Zan'tabe's words halt him. "Focus on yourself," Zan'tabe says. Qa'Dar gives Viperish Night one last look and then turns to Fernthorn, who has charged with wild abandon toward an Orc. Another Orc from the same team has noticed and is moving to intercept. "Orcs." Qa'Dar scoffs. "Too slow for the two of us." he races into the fray and soon he and Fernthorn are leaping and bounding around the two Orcs, getting them angrier and angrier.

Kigum-dar and Zan'tabe take on a pair of Bosmer, the two are very fast, but despite their size, so are Kigum-dar and Zan'tabe and the battle is full of quick slashes and shallow cuts as the four gladiators go at it.

Rayrl and Israean are moving as if one, attacking a group of gladiators that have stuck together, three Khajiits. When one Khajiit gets too close to one of the siblings, the other is there to take the advantage back.

Another Argonian is rolling on the ground with an Orc. Ashlander sword clashes with Redguard steel. Khajiit claws glance off Argonian scales. It's a full on melee of chaos and blood, and as quickly as one gladiator falls, another rises to take their place, leaving no time to rest, no time to think about anything but the battle. The crowd's roar grows louder and louder as the royal progresses, the sand is soon drenched in blood, fallen gladiators littering it.

Viperish Night stands in the middle of the arena, a Khajiit dead before him. A moment's break before another gladiator appears to challenge him. Before his blades taste their flesh before the crowd gets another fix of blood and carnage. Viperish Night's eyes stare at the spectators, a familiar glint of hate in his eyes. But instead of fiery rage, an icy coldness drapes them. Viperish Night's eyes move from the crowd to his friends. Rayrl and Israean are tangling with two Argonian's, their perfectly synced moves leaving no doubt what two will win. Kigum-dar is trading blows with a powerful heavyset Orc. Fernthorn and Qa'Dar are leaping and bounding around an Ashlander and a Bosmer duo and Zan'tabe is engaging in a swift blade match with Redguard. Viperish Night's eyes continue to shift, every other gladiator his eyes fall upon is dead and sprawled upon the ground, the sands red beneath their still bodies. Viperish Night looks back at the crowd. Their screams and cheers. It's a kind of madness that grips them, and Thjonwulf is watching with a savage smile on his face, swimming in the same river of madness. The madness of blood and chaos, for no purpose beyond death.

The clouds suddenly part and a crimson pall falls over the arena. Viperish Night looks up, his blood chills as he stares up at the moons, their familiar light replaced by a blood-red glow. The air seems to still, the sounds of battle grow muted as Viperish Night keeps staring up at the moons. Suddenly words spoken to him long ago come back to him. The only path to freedom is death. But death was all around him, including gladiators he killed himself, and freedom was just as far out of reach as it always had been since his former mentor betrayed him on that faithful day. Viperish Night's eyes close as the moonlight turns his scales red. "You told me I would do anything not to be weak and helpless again." Viperish Night whispers to the night. Viperish Night shudders, as he finally understands how very right his mentor had been with those words. The lengths he had gone to be strong, to try to break free. In the end, it had caused his friend to betray him. In the end, it was his friend's blood on his claws. Viperish Night's eyes open and he lowers his head, looking at the gladiators once more, those who he had called friends before he learned that even they would betray him. Pain fills his heart, and his eyes show a glimmer of confusion. They held him from the abyss, gave him handholds to grip even when he thought he was sure to fall. Even when he tried to fall on purpose. Viperish Night's heart stills as Stalks-In-Darkness's words come back to him. Submit to the icy river. He thought he had been doing that very thing, causing such pain to his foes this month. But, he realizes, he never had submitted. Even in the vicious battles, he stepped back. He ran away like a scared little sheep. Thoughts and feelings swirling inside of him. This is very bad. He would never betray his friends. And when betrayed by Titumus, and in turn betraying him by setting upon him with such rage and savagery...he ran from it. He was always running.

A savage hiss and a bloodied Argonian runs at Viperish Night. He had been on the ground seemingly dead. Viperish Night turns to him and drops his swords to the sand as the Argonian leaps at him. Viperish Night stays still, so utterly still as the Argonian's claws pierce his shoulder, only a hint of pain flickering through his eyes. With a snap of his wrist, Viperish Night grabs the Argonian by the neck and holds him aloft, the Argonian twists, ripping at his hand and arm with his claws. Viperish Night stares into those eyes, ignoring the pain. There was rage in them, the desire to win in them, and... fear. Viperish Night tilts his head. "I fear." he softly says. "You fear death, I fear falling. I fear the icy river, I fear losing all I have and all I am." His grip tightens and the Argonian starts fighting for breath. With a snap, Viperish Night breaks the Argonian's neck and drops him onto the sand. He stares at the dead body. "I have little left to lose. Little left to break," he says and gives one last look at his friends, who are seconds from winning their final matches. They are all that is left, and they... Viperish Night's eyes fill with ice. "Titumus betrayed me. So will they, someday." Viperish Night says, the anguish in his voice. They are lost to Viperish Night, he just had not realized it. He turns his eyes from them and stares at the crowd. Nothing left to lose, there should be no fear. Viperish Night's eyes close as he lets go of the last of his fear, and dives into the river, into the ice. Into the only salvation left to him, for all other roads have closed. All other paths have been destroyed.

Viperish Night suddenly turns his head towards the heavens, his eyes opening to take in the blood moons. He howls, not with rage but utter despair and the final shattering of who he once was. He no longer fears the abyss, no longer fears what he will become. And so, he lets go.

The ground starts to shake and the sands crack, jagged lines streaking away from Viperish Night. The crowd stills, the gladiator's pause, turning toward Viperish Night. Toward their friend. The shaking gets worse, one by one the torches go out, leaving the arena and the stands light only by the light of the blood moons. Cracks streak across the collar around Viperish Night's neck, and with a loud snap, it shatters, sending the pieces flying to the sands. Viperish Night's howl fades and he lowers his head, his crystalline eyes glowing. Blood drips from his shoulder and claws and it hits the ground glowing an eerie blue. The blue spreads across the sands and with an unholy burst of light the fallen gladiators rise, flesh, scales, and fur melting until only the bones are left. With a raise of their heads each of the skeletons shriek, their eyes glowing with eerie blue light. And it's not just the fallen on this night that rise. The graveyard that lies behind the arena, where all the fallen gladiators are buried, they too rise as skeletons and climb the walls scattering into the stands, setting upon the crowd. The snap of swords, the sound of claws and fangs sinking into flesh, the screams of the spectators. At long last, they suffer. They suffer for their blood-lust, for their desire to see slaves kill for them, die for them.

Zan'tabe's head whips around as he stares in horror at the chaos around him. The dead rising, the whole horror show painted in the blood-red light of the moons. He bounds toward Viperish Night. "Viperish Night!" he says. "Stop this, you can stop this! Come back to us!"

Viperish Night's head turns toward Zan'tabe and he slowly tilts his head. "I don't want to stop it," he says.

"Please, Viperish Night!" Zan'tabe insists. "My friend...sto..." A sword bursts through Zan'tabe's chest and blood splatters from his mouth. His eyes lock onto Viperish Night as the light leaves them, confusion bleeding into the cold of death as he falls from the Redguard's skeleton's sword.

Rayrl whirls, her eyes filled with rage and horror. She raises her swords and starts to run toward Viperish Night, and the Argonian she had ended moments ago surges up before her, his skeleton claws piercing her throat. She falls to the ground, her eyes finding her brother before the last light fades from them. Israean lowers his arms, his swords fall to the ground as he starts walking toward his fallen sister. "I will see you in the Far Shores, my sister," he says as the second undead Argonian raises his claws to strike him down. He falls, and the last thing he does before he dies is to stretch his hand out to clasp his sister's.

Kigum-dar lets out a mighty growl and swings around as the Orc rises behind him as an undead skeleton, and his club smashes down upon Kigum'Dar head, sending Kigum-Dar crashing to the ground on his belly. He lies there struggling to rise, before his movements still.

Fernthorn's eyes fill with tears. "No... Viperish Night no," she whispers and then turns as the undead Ashlander and Bosmer set upon her. Qa'Dar leaps to her defense but more of the undead surges upon them. Their blades and claws fly as they furiously fight off the undead and one by one they fall. As Fernthorn takes down the last one it sinks a blade deep into her left side, and she lets out a strangled cry. She turns and her eyes find Qa'Dar, reaching out a hand to him as she falls to the ground. Qa'Dar stumbles to her side and sinks to the sands by her side. "My Fernthorn," he says. Fernthorn's eyes look up at him, so full of fear. "I...guess I am yours." she quietly says. More undead race toward them, surrounding the two. Qa'Dar wraps his arms around Fernthorn. "Just close your eyes," he says to her as the undead fall upon them with claws and blades.

Zan'tabe's pleas. Rayrl's rage. Fernthorns tears. Viperish Night's eyes close. He should...stop? But it is far too late to stop. And the voice is so quiet and only getting quieter. Viperish Night tilts his head. The voice is the last little bit of who he was and the river is drowning it. It wants him to stop, it wants to be saved. But that Viperish Night was so very weak and scared. Someone that people hurt so very much. He no longer wants to be that...and so he lets the river drown it. Viperish Night opens his eyes and the voice is gone, as is the pleas, the rage, the tears. He saw Zan'tabe fall, and his eyes scour the arena. Fernthorn and Qa'Dar are in each other's arms, together at the very end. Kigum-dar is lying face first in the bloody sand and Rayrl and Israean lie close to each other, Israean's hand wrapped around his sister's hand. Viperish Night looks at the bodies of his friends for long moments. They no longer cried out for him. No longer tried to save him. They were so very quiet, and they were free. In the only way, they could be.

A howl snaps Viperish Night's attention back to the stands. Spectators are dying by the droves, overwhelmed by the sheer number of undead that has descended upon them with only one purpose, one intent. Death. Thjonwulf has shifted to his werewolf form and is fighting to get to the arena, the sands. He plows through the skeletons, ignoring the claws raked across his pelt, the slashes and stabs by blades. He finally makes it to the edge and with one massive lunge, he leaps into the sands and races to Viperish Night, skidding to a stop in front of him. He rises on two legs his golden eyes locked onto Viperish Night's icy crystal eyes.

"So." Thjonwulf growls. "this is the monster you are." Blood drips from his many wounds but he stands strong before Viperish Night.

Viperish Night holds up his wrists and in a surge of power, the slave brands break apart and fall to the sands. He tilts his head at Thjonwulf's words. Monster. Abomination. He has truly become what he has always fought against. Always fought from becoming. "There is no other river." Viperish Night hisses.

Thjonwulf's eyes fall on his fallen gladiators. "So this is how it ends," he says. "Good! I would want to go out in glory then slowly dying along with this island," he growls.

Viperish Night's eyes narrow. "This is not glory." he spits. "Its madness." Viperish Night bends down, gathering his swords in his hands. "I'll be the one to end this madness that the living cause."

Viperish Night runs at Thjonwulf and Thjonwulf howls and leaps to meet him. Viperish Night spins to the side and his swords flash out. Thjonwulf spins his claws clash against Viperish Night's sword thrusting him back. Viperish Night surges to the side and comes at Thjonwulf again, throwing the werewolf to the ground. Thjonwulf's claws grip the ground and he launches himself at Viperish Night and the two roll in the bloody sands, the crimson light of the blood moons shining down upon them. Viperish Night thrusts his sword up and Thjonwulf howls in agony and leaps away Viperish Night's sword buried deep in his guts. Thjonwulf rips it out and blood gushes down. Thjonwulf sways, pressing his paw against the grievous wound trying to keep his guts inside. Finally, he sinks to his knees. "Never... thought I would ever find a monster stronger than me." Thjonwulf growls. "End it then, my Savage Argonian!" He staggers up through sheer force of will and leaps at Viperish Night. Viperish Night meets the lunge, he sinks his remaining sword into Thjonwulf's neck. The werewolf staggers back and crashes to the ground. Thjonwulf stares up at Viperish Night and soon the only thing in his eyes is death.

"What have you done?"

Viperish Night turns to the voice to see Kigum-dar has staggered up. The fur on his head is matted with blood. Viperish Night tilts his head. "Silenced the madness." Viperish Night says softly, just as the last screams fade from the stands. All who swam in madness, all who cheered for death now have met it in crimson light.

Kigum-dar stares at Viperish Night as if he does not recognize him. "They were your friends! This one was your friend!" he says the horror and despair in his voice.

"Yes." Viperish Night says. "I set them free." Kigum-dar grips the handle to his ax, his eyes full of anguish. "I will free you too now." Viperish Night says, and Thjonwulf's body rises behind him, fur and flesh melting from his bones till all his left is a massive werewolf skeleton, eyes glowing eerie blue. It surges at Kigum-dar and snaps its jaws around the Khajiit's neck shattering it, before dropping his body onto the sands.

Viperish Night looks at his body for a moment before turning and walking across the sands. He bends down to pick something up before he walks out of the arena. Not the gate that leads back to the gladiator quarters, but the one that leads to freedom. To the road that will lead him to the coast and off this cursed island.

The carts that brought the bloodthirsty are parked, but the horses and various other pack animals lie dead in the dirt. They have been torn apart, their blood and guts splattering the ground. Viperish Night raises his hand and a horse rises out of its flesh and trots to stand before him. Viperish Night mounts the skeleton horse and rides off toward the coast, toward the docks.

It's a silent journey. No insects chirp, no night birds cry. The predators of the night are silent, and not even a rodent stirs. Glowing blue eyes peer out from behind rocks, bushes. Skeletons stand on the side of the road, in the hills, and in the ash. The dead are so very silent and so very free. Free of the madness and pain. They will not betray him, unlike the living.

The horse stops at the mine and Viperish Night leaps off. He walks past a Dunmer body, Falmus. He lies dead just outside the mines. Blue eyes glow from inside the mines. Viperish Night pauses briefly, before walking past and down to the swamp where the dead are buried. Or...was before Viperish Night's despair washed over the lost and forgotten dead of Oblivion's Isle. But not all the dead has risen. One still lies in his rest in this spot. Viperish Night kneels at the swamp and places one of the things he picked up from the sands just on the edge of the mass grave. A piece from his slave bonds. Viperish Night rises and stands in silence for a time before turning to return to his horse.

The next place he stops is Nelimar's manor. Viperish Night's former owner is lying in the grass just outside the front door in a pool of blood. Viperish Night pays him no mind as he walks around to the back. He never got the chance to be here...after. Viperish Night bends down before Rishima's undisturbed grave and lies the second piece of his slave band down upon it before rising. Again he stands in silence before the grave before he turns and walks away.

The skeleton horse takes Viperish Night into town. It's so very silent here as well. The ground and the buildings are covered in blood and gore, the bodies lie where they have fallen. Viperish Night dismounts and walks through the carnage to the docks. His eyes scan all the ships and he picks out the smallest boat and walks aboard. The crew's bodies are lying on blood-soaked planks, and at Viperish Night's command, they rise and make ready to sail for their master. Viperish Night stands at the bow of the boat. "The marsh." he hisses. Soon the boat is unmoored and sailing in the deep dark sea, the water as black as death. Viperish Night's eyes stare out at the distant horizon, his claws curled against the rail. This... was not what he had wanted. But in the end, it what was needed to set him free. And now that he was free? Viperish Night's eyes narrow. He had to find those who destroyed all other paths, who took so very much from him. His former mentor. Stalks-In-Darkness, the egg parents that abandoned him. He would show them what it felt like to have every choice taken, every river cut off. The last thing they would see before they died was the monster they had helped create. He would see fear and despair in their eyes. And then? Viperish Night tilts his head. This world was mad and so very loud. Screaming, agony, despair, and betrayal. Only the dead were free and so he would drown the world, as the world had drowned him until all was still and silent and nothing could ever betray or hurt again.

Act 2

Fin