-Mournhold-

Iveryni reads over the papers once again as everyone pours out into the courtyard to enjoy some morning sun. Razum-dar stops by her. She sighs and looks up at Razum-dar. "Unless he is foolish enough to return to Daggerfall, I cannot tell where this necromancer may go. I cannot even figure out what he wants. There are little clues to go on." she says.

Razum-dar's tail twitches. "Razum-dar agrees. We are at a dead-end regarding both searches.

Softly-Speckled-Crab rolls on the grass and then sits up. "Iveryni, you said you'd show me!" she says. Iveryni rises and joins Softly-Speckled-Crab and the two are soon immersed in magic.

Theodyn looks over at them but before he can get up and join them, Razum-dar pads over. "Razum-dar wants you to practice with him," he says.

Theodyn looks up at him and stands. "I... am not that good," he says.

Razum-dar withdraws his sword. "Rodyn seems to disagree with you. Now come at Razum-dar!"

The two spare a bit and Razum-Dar gives Theodyn pointers. Theodyn is better than he thinks he is. Razum-dar soon pauses and holds out a paw. "This one thinks you have potential. You should follow it if you want." he looks over at Rufico. "Spar with him. You can borrow Razum-dar's sword. Just not a scratch."

Rufico rises and walks over, gingerly taking the sword before facing off with Theodyn. Razum-dar watches, curious. Rufico seems to shy away from the sword, but he knows how to use it. Considering his background, it would be unusual for him not to be taught something of sword-craft before he ran away.

The training lasts a while before Iveryni breaks off from Softly-Speckled-Crab to approach Razum-dar. "Can I speak with you?" she asks. The two move away from the others and Iveryni paces a few moments before settling down. "Razum-dar, assuming we can find Jeziasi, can we trust her?" she finally asks.

Razum-dar folds his arms over his chest. "If this is about what was said in Vvardenfell..."

"Not just Vvardenfell," Iveryni says. "You went to meet with someone and would not let us go. You never even told us who you were meeting. Just that they were very dangerous. And Anvil has a reputation these days. Why would the Vestige be involved with someone like that, in a place like that?

Razum-dar's eyes narrow. "Razum-dar will not speak of Jeziasi's secrets. She is due that much respect. She has given much to save Nirn on more than one occasion."

"I understand that," Iveryni says. "But if her secrets could harm our mission..." she stares right at Razum-dar. "Without the Vestige darkness is cast, With her, it may yet still be," she says, quoting the prophecy. "We need her, but what does the second part mean, Razum-dar? That she may fail? That her actions may cause harm instead of helping us prevent it?"

Razum-dar takes a deep breath. "This is why this one does not like prophecies, princes, and, anything like them. Trust Razum-dar. If keeping her secrets threatens the Dominion, this one will no longer hold them back."

Iveryni slowly nods. "I have to trust your judgment then."

Razum-dar growls and Iveryni's eyes widen. "Never doubt my loyalty to my Queen and the Dominion. They will always come first. Even before a dear friend." he moves in close and speaks softly. "Everyone has their secrets. Even you." At Iveryni's shocked look he adds. "This is not a threat, just a reminder, Iveryni."

"You know then," Iveryni says her face seems made of stone as she holds her emotions back.

"We are chasing after a necromancer that threatens all of Nirn. Razum-dar would be negligent if he did not investigate his traveling companions. This one is the Queen's spymaster." he looks at Iveryni. "Razum-dar knows what you did, but not why you did it."

Iveryni's eyes turn to Softly-Speckled-Crab, who's on her belly watching Theodyn and Rufico spar, occasionally reaching out a claw to lightly tap a foot that gets too close. "Look at her," she says softly. "She's intensely curious, has a rather strange desire to touch, and an obsession with bread. She has innate talents in understanding plants and how they can heal." Iveryni looks at Razum-dar, a flash of pain in her eyes. "All the Telvanni would see when they look at her is a tool to be used and discarded. She would never get to learn new things, to do what she wants to do." Iveryni swallows. "It took an outsider to set her free. I...never did anything to help them. I never could figure out how. So I disowned myself from my house and set out on my own. Because I could not abide the Telvanni's ways. They are full of lies and betrayal and deceit...and all they do to anyone that's not like them is use and hurt." Iveryni looks down. "What I did is unheard of, Razum-dar. I do not regret it, but I have no place in Vvardenfell, no place in Dunmer society anymore."

Razum-dar puts a paw on her shoulder. "What you did was brave, Iveryni. And you have made your own way in the mage's guild. Without any help."

"Telvanni blood runs through my veins," Iveryni says. "I can disown my house, but I cannot change that. My talent comes from it, in part. All of this is why I fully commit myself to the guild and little else. There is nothing else. Or there was not before all this." she sighs and looks at her companions. "Razum-dar, I do not mean to hide this. I hate the Telvanni's ways. But how do I tell her that?" she looks lost as she looks at Softly-Speckled-Crab.

"When the time is right, you will find a way," Razum-dar says.

-Enduum, Glenumbra-

The central room of the ruins is vast, the ceiling stretches high above Viperish Night's head, and ancient rocks, moldering books, and strange structures litter the room. In the middle is an Ayleid well glowing with blue and white energy. Viperish Night reads the book, glancing up briefly to check the entrance. It's guarded by undead, as with many ruins Enduum is filled with them, skeletons and ghosts that patrol the ancient halls for time immoral. They serve Viperish Night for now. He was sure no one heard the window shatter or saw him depart with the mages. But he is more cautious now, now that he knows they are looking from him.

Viperish Night places the crystal in the well and it glows bright blue surrounded by brilliant white. All he has to do now is touch it. His claw reaches for the crystal and then he pauses, a slight tremble coursing through him. What is on this crystal he does not know. But he also instinctively knows there is no returning once he sees. Once he knows. He trembles again. Answers so long denied to him. He has been taunted, given crumbs. His eyes narrow. The answers will be his. His claw stretches forward and touches the crystal and the world explodes into blinding white light, his eyes closing from the deluge.

The sounds and smells of the marsh. The feel of water running over his feet. Viperish Night opens his eyes blinking white spots away. He's back in the marsh and it's the dead of night. The clouds cover the stars and the moons must be in new moon for not even a trace of light shines down. Only the luminescence of the vines gives any light, any hint of where he is. Coppertail, yes. The Hist and the egg-nest come into view as his eyes adjust to the dim light.

Viperish Night's eyes dart to a small golden glow that slowly grows in size and turns a vivid deep blue surrounded by cerulean tendrils. Two figures step out, one in a hooded mage robe holding something, and the other is Argonian clad only in a pair of armored pants. Viperish Night hisses. Stalks-in-Darkness. Which means the mage must be his former mentor. It was strange to see him without the glow. The two exchange words Viperish Night cannot hear and Stalks-in-Darkness opens a portal. His former mentor passes what he's holding over to Stalks-in-Darkness before entering the portal. Stalks-in-Darkness turns and Viperish Night's eyes widen. What Stalks-in-Darkness now holds is an egg. Viperish Night's eyes focus on the egg and he cannot draw his gaze away. It's HIS egg, he can feel it. But why does Stalks-in-Darkness have it? What is he doing with it? Viperish Night wants to burst forth. Wants to demand answers. But this is but a memory and he is frozen in place. Stalks-in-Darkness glances around and stalks toward the egg nest. He kneels in the Hist sap and lays the egg in an empty spot. He then rises and turns, the portal opening, and Stalks-in-Darkness steps through it without a second glance.

The memory fragments and the white light returns, Viperish Night closes his eyes and when he opens them, he's back in the ruins, the crystal a shattered mess of pieces. Viperish Night stares at the shards. Viperish Night always assumed his former mentor and Stalks-in-Darkness had been drawn to his power and decided to try and use them for their own ends. Only once did Viperish Night think it could be something more when he asked a question he almost had not dared ask. He never got a clear answer. Confusion crosses his eyes and he grips the well. Stalks-in-Darkness had always been aware of Viperish Night, had always had his claws into him. He held Viperish Night when he was still in his egg, utterly unaware that life was to begin soon. Had his egg-parents given it to him? Stalks-in-Darkness said they were culpable. Or was...the stone cracks as Viperish Night's grip tightens. What was the truth, the whole truth? Viperish Night closes his eyes and hisses.

The clatter of the dead snaps Viperish Night's eyes open and he stares at the entrance. The dead guarding it are streaming out, the sounds of their blades clashing with others echos. Viperish Night sweeps his hand through the crystal shards sending them flying to the ground as he stalks to the door. "Come out," he says.

The sounds of battle cease as the last skeleton falls and soldiers stream in clad in the armor of High King Emeric. They are some of his elite warriors, the Lion Guard. Viperish Night remembers them from his days of wandering. One steps forward. "I am Commander Kien, and I demand your unconditional surrender," he says as his guard falls in.

Viperish Night's claws wrap around his staff and his eyes take in their numbers. Twenty elite warriors. Only twenty. Slowly he starts to smile. The truth he uncovered deeply unsettled him, threw his world into chaos. But this would make him feel better. Silencing the living that stood before him and so he tilts his head. "What did I do?" he asks.

The look in Commander Kien's eyes is a well of anger and righteousness. "Murder for a start. Crimes against nature for another." he spits. "Necromancer. Surrender, or we will cut you down and bring your body back."

Viperish Night throws his head back and laughs. "But you only brought twenty men," he says as his eyes lock onto Commander Kien's and his eyes start to glow.

Commander Kien gives his men the order to attack and they surge toward Viperish Night. But it's too late, for Viperish Night already had started summoning the undead as Commander Kien had been trying to get him to surrender. They surge in from the doorway and burst from the walls and the floors, stones shattering as the dead eagerly set upon the soldiers. The first to fall is skewered by a great sword held by a mighty skeleton and as his blood hits the floor it's like an electric jolt to Viperish Night. He flings his staff with his hand and more undead rise until they outnumber the Lionguard five to one. The sounds of battle echo in the ancient ruin as one by one they fall to the hordes of the undead. Soon though, the sounds of the living quiet, and only Commander Kien is alive just barely. Viperish Night walks forward, his claws sinking into the blood as the undead part. Viperish Night looks down upon Commander Kien who's struggling to breathe from grievous wounds that cracked his armor and sliced into his chest. Commander Kien looks up at him. "Such hatred in those eyes." Viperish Night says. "And such fear." he knees by Commander Kien, his eyes taking in the man's final moments of life. "I think I'm starting to like killing." Viperish Night says. "Once I would have thought that was very very bad thoughts. Now?" he smiles, showing razor-sharp fangs. "Now...I rather like being on this side of things." Commander Kien breaths once more, and then the light fades from his eyes, and Viperish Night rises. It is going to take a very long time to silence the madness at this rate. A frown crosses his face. He could take entire towns down, but then the armies would in mass and come for him. They sent twenty of their best just to deal with him this time. Next time? There had to be an answer. Viperish Night's hand moves to his amulet. It had recharged at last and Viperish Night found he required yet another book. He had to find what kind of portal that was. It was unlike any he had ever seen before. But he could not simply walk into a mage guild and expect to be left alone. It would require... a different tactic. Viperish Night opens a portal and walks through it.

-Mournhold-

Later that afternoon Rodyn Greenford returns to the Mournhold mage guild with a heavy heart. He enters the courtyard and stands at the entrance watching the group. Razum-dar notices and heads over quietly, not yet alerting the others to meet with him in huddled conference. When it concludes Razum-dar runs a paw over his mohawk and the two approach the others.

Iveryni rises from the grass, she had been going over a healing techniques book with Softly-Speckled-Crab. Rufico returns Razum-dar's sword and Theodyn smiles at first, then his smile fades as he sees Rodyn's grim expression. "Something has happened, Razum-dar, has it not?" Iveryni says quietly.

Razum-dar's eyes are grim. "Viperish Night was spotted by a civilian last night with two undead following him near Daggerfall." he pauses and turns to Rodyn, who continues.

"Theodyn, I fear he attacked our guild," Rodyn says. "The reasons are not known but he may have taken books or items."

Theodyn swallows, trying and failing to look brave. "He killed someone, didn't he?" he says softly.

Rodyn places a hand on Theodyn's shoulder. "Brei and Sabri," Rodyn says gently.

"But...Brei was always so helpful." Theodyn says. "And Sabri was so smart. This is not fair!" he cries and tears well up in his eyes. Theodyn tries to fight them off as well as old memories that well up. "I..." he turns and races away.

Softly-Speckled-Crab's tail drops and she turns and follows Theodyn.

"This one fears the news gets only grimmer," Razum-dar says. "We will have to tell those two later." Razum-dar sighs. "Viperish Night was tracked to the Enduum Ruins by the Lionguard. He killed all twenty of them when they attempted to apprehend them."

Rufico backs away a few steps. "How are us five to fight someone who can do THAT?" he says. "I should have stayed in Anvil."

Iveryni places a hand on Rufico's shoulder briefly. "There must be a way. There always is a way. We just don't know it yet."

"Please collect the others and meet this one in the mage hall," Razum-dar says. "We are going to the Enduum Ruins to see if we can tell what Viperish Night was there for."

Iveryni nods and turns to find Theodyn and Softly-Speckled-Crab and Rufico reluctantly follows her.

Rodyn turns to Razum-dar. "Are you sure about taking them into the ruins?" Rodyn asks. "The bodies are being respectfully moved but from the reports, it's sheer carnage down there."

Razum-dar looks in the direction they went. "Razum-dar is not... but they are tasked with this. It's only going to get worse."

Rodyn tiredly nods. "Look after Theodyn for me. I never intended to place him in this much danger. His family has been through enough as is."

"This one will do his utmost to protect them all," Razum-dar promises.

Theodyn angrily wipes the tears away as Softly-Speckled-Crab walks toward him and simply and quietly sits by him and leans against his side. Theodyn looks at her briefly before returning his gaze straight ahead. Slowly the tears stop.

Iveryni and Rufico come along soon after stopping a distance from the two. Iveryni studies Softly-Speckled-Crab. "She is very emphatic," Iveryni says softly. "It must be why she likes to touch so much."

"I kind of just want to run away from all this," Rufico says. "I'm just a thief after all." his eyes seem darker than normal, tormented by memories Iveryni can only guess at.

"I am just a disgraced Dunmer," Iveryni says softly. "Theodyn is just a lost boy, Softly-Speckled-Crab just a freed slave." At Rufico's startled look she shakes her head. "We are not just, including you. We all have hidden potential if the world lets us find and express it." she pauses and sighs. "The world and people are not always so kind in that regard. We are given the chance though, we should not throw it away. The stakes are more than us."

"You are wiser than I.," Rufico says. "I'm not sure I fit in all of you in this. I'm not even sure if I can deal with it."

Iveryni is silent for a few moments then glances at Rufico. "I have never seen such horror as what I saw on Oblivion's Isle. But you, you have. Am I incorrect?"

Rufico lowers his head so his hair covers his eyes. "You are too smart for your own good," he says roughly.

"My eyes have seen horror and I recognize the same look in your eyes as I now see in mine," Iveryni says. "You do not have to speak of it, Rufico. But you can if you need to."

"I can't," Rufico says. "Not now, not when we are going into what is in all certainty a bloodbath."

"So you are coming still." Iveryni smiles a little.

Rufico shrugs. "I...kind of like that you guys want me. It's strange, but maybe I like it. Maybe I don't feel so alone." he says.

Iveryni and Rufico head towards Theodyn and Softly-Speckled-Crab to tell them the rest and tell them they are heading to the very depths of the ruin where it happened.

-Wayrest-

The portal lets Viperish Night out on the side of Wayrest's mages guild, near the river that winds through the city. Viperish Night stills as the portal closes, it's afternoon and the city is busy and full of the living, full of their madness. Wayrest is also very very familiar. That day he came here long ago. The mage that had tried to alter this path unknowing she was against forces she could never overcome. Viperish Night stands there for a few moments then grips his staff remembering long ago taught lessons. He never used this lesson, but he still remembered even after all this time. Viperish Night starts to weave his staff and swirling black and red-orange portals start appearing all around the mage's guild. Daedra streams out, mostly banekin and clannfear but a daedroth also appears swimming out of the river. This will cause the mages to leave the building and keep them busy with fighting the Daedra and closing the portals. Viperish Night's eyes gleam as the screams start as the Daedra flood the busy streets. It does not take long for the mage guild doors to burst open and the mages themselves to pour out en-mass. Viperish Night slips inside in all the confusion.

-The Cave-

Mentor is watching the scrying pool and when he sees Viperish Night enter the mage guild he bolts up. "Now!" he snaps at Zirasha as he opens a portal for her.

Zirasha rises and dashes for the portal. "Finally. See you pond scum!" she leaps through the portal and Mentor snaps it closed behind her.

-Wayrest-

Viperish Night throws the book on the floor. All these books on portals and not a single one are useful. Viperish Night tilts his head, screams, and sounds of combat still echo from outside. The mages, city guard, and fighters guild are busy dealing with the mayhem he unleashed, and he had placed some of the portals in interesting places including one in the river. They will not all be easy to find much less close. Viperish Night heads downstairs only to be halted by a commotion. Still mages inside then. He grips his staff and stalks downstairs.

"You can not steal those! They are forbidden!" a male voice rings out and it is followed by the sound of a blade sinking into flesh.

Viperish Night leaps from the stairs landing before an Altmer woman holding a bloody knife, a male Breton mage on the floor in a pool of blood, struggling to rise. Viperish Night's eyes lock onto the Altmer's blue-green ones and then falls to the books she carries. Books on necromancy and other forbidden magic. His gaze rises back up to her eyes. There is such madness in those eyes of hers. Such bloodlust. Viperish Night's snout curls into a smile that shows his fangs as he moves closer to the woman. He motions for her to give him the books.

"Hey!" the woman snaps. "If you want to buy them, pay me."

Viperish Night looks at the door and then back at the Altmer and steps aside. "Leave then." he hisses at her. "Nearly every mage is out there with so very many Daedra.

She pauses a look of frustration crossing her face. "Do you have a safe way out?" she asks.

"For what you stole, yes." Viperish Night says.

"Damn it...agreed," she says. "Names Zirasha. Get me out of here, now. I don't like being caught. People tend to die."

Viperish Night moves to the mage on the floor and picks him up by the scruff of his cloak, looking at the mage in the eyes. This Zirasha inflicted a mortal wound but one that will take a while to kill him. "What do you want, you damn necromancer?" the mage says, blood dripping from his mouth.

Viperish Night leans closer, the mage's eyes are filled with fear and anger. "I want to end the madness the living cause," he says softly. "But right now I will settle for you opening the portal for us." he leans in to whisper in the mage's ear. "I can make your remaining moments agony," he whispers. "And chances are your friends would return by then, and I would have more mages to kill. You'd be dead by then of course, but I can always raise you and have you slaughter your comrades."

The mage's face goes utterly white and he closes his eyes shaking. "Take me to the back of the mage's hall," he whispers. "I'll open it for you."

Viperish Night moves to the back and puts the mage down, he leans against the wall as he opens the portal before he falls to the ground struggling for his last breaths of life. Viperish Night's eyes glance at a table near the portal, a book lies open beside a sleeping grey tabby with black stripes. Viperish Night snaps the book up then turns to look at Zirasha. "Coming?" he says.

Zirasha glances at the door. "Take my chances with a homicidal necromancer or the mages who might think I did this?"

"You did some of it." Viperish Night remarks.

"What did you mean?" Zirasha asks. "That thing about ending the madness the living cause?"

Viperish Night's eyes narrow a fraction. "They cause pain, suffering. They betray and scream for others to bleed for them, die for them. I wish to end it all until all is the silence of death."

The tabby gets up and arches his back, hissing at Viperish Night before leaping off the table and running for the stairs.

Zirasha glances at the cat and laughs. "You frightened a damn cat, necromancer." she turns back to him. "Does that include the damn Imperials? Because if it does, I want to watch."

"I have no mercy for anyone." Viperish Night hisses and walks through the portal.

"That is a yes then!" Zirasha says a mad gleam in her eyes as she follows Viperish Night through the portal. The mage breaths his last, and the portal snaps shut.

-Enduum, Glenumbra-

"Well, this is a mess," Razum-dar says as he steps around pools of blood. The blood is splattered on the floor and walls.

Theodyn is looking deathly pale and he walks behind Razum-dar, doing his best to look straight ahead. Rufico and Iveryni follow them, though Iveryni breaks off and heads toward the Ayleid well. Softly-Speckled-Crab wraps her claws about Theodyn's arm as she looks around her eyes wide. "Razum-dar, they forgot an arm." she points to the far corner.

"Razum-dar did not need to know that," Razum-dar says as he stops with the others around the well. "Iveryni?"

Iveryni has her hands on the well, and she glances down as her foot crunches on something. Bending down she picks up a shard and holds it to the light. Ayleid memory crystal." she says. "Or what is left of it.

Softly-Speckled-Crab moves around her and drops to the ground, gathering the shards and piling them up in front of Iveryni. "You can put it back together?" Softly-Speckled-Crab asks.

"I cannot do that," Iveryni says. "But I'll see if I can get anything from them. Here, let me see that one, that's the biggest piece."

Rufico moves to Theodyn's side. "I really don't want to, so I know you really really don't want to," Rufico says. "But all this should be looked at."

"Why?" Theodyn says, his eyes snapping shut. "I..."

Rufico looks around. Memories threaten to scream through his head and it's only with great effort he pushes them away. "Evil did this. If you close your eyes you can dismiss it. Convince yourself they are not really evil, just misguided, following orders, anything but evil."

Theodyn opens his eyes, forcing himself to look around at the blood-splattered throughout the room. "You speak from..." he trails off.

"Experience?" Rufico says bitterly. "Trust me, you don't want to know. I almost wish I never had followed him that day. It was easier to be blind than to see."

Theodyn turns to Rufico. "Rufico," he says.

"Not now," Rufico says. "Or you may have to carry me out of here. I spend the past five years running from memories like this. Worse than this. I can not deal with those memories and this at the same time."

Theodyn nods and briefly puts his hand on Rufico's arm. Softly-Speckled-Crab moves to the two of them and rests her head on Rufico's shoulder. "This Argonian is very bad," she says.

"Understatement much?" Rufico mutters.

"I think I can bring part of what was on the crystal to life," Iveryni says and everyone turns toward her. "It will not last long and it will be just a shard of the memory stored in this crystal, but perhaps it will help." she places the shard in the well and weaves her staff through the air. A shimmer of white and blue pulses and when it fades an Argonian appears to be standing before them, though it's just a shard of memory.

Razum-dar moves closer. "This is not Viperish Night," he says studying the Argonian's dark scales, blue-grey eyes, and horns.

"He has an egg!" Softly-Speckled-Crab examines as she moves closer to the image. "Why does he have an Argonian egg?"

The image suddenly vanishes and Iveryni shakes her head. "There is nothing more I can do."

"Razum-dar thinks this raises more questions, not less." Razum-dar grumbles. "We will return to Mournhold and put this Argonian to paper and try and find him as well."

The group solemnly leaves the ruins, heading back to the mage guild so they can return to Mournhold