-Viridian Woods, Bangkorai-
A wolf's haunting howl. Crows turning their black-feathered heads to watch the intruder in their words. Spriggons hissing from their trees. They will come for him...soon. Once, once he was welcomed here, abide for a brief time. Now? Now he was an intruder, an unwanted guest. Viperish Night's claws sink into the forest ground and his eyes dart to the trees, he hears the sounds of the living Viridian Woods. Once being here felt like peace. Now it burns into his scales, a disjointed melody out of tune with the dark song of necromancy. Viperish Night pauses and waits. And at last, she comes. She melts out of the woods like a ghost, her brown eyes narrowed, her black hair brushing her shoulders. Wyress Asteria, though she's older now, as he is. It had been so long ago that he met her. That she showed him this sacred place. His eyes dart from her to the woods around her. Yes, her sisters have come with her. Two emerge from the woods behind Wyress Asteria, the rest from either side of Viperish Night. All armed, weapons drawn. Pushing aside past memories, Viperish Night locks eyes with Wyress Asteria. "He once told me to seek you out." Viperish Night says. "When I chose my path when I was free of my former mentor." Viperish Night tilts his head awaiting her response.
Wyress Asteria steps forward, her spiked staff clenched in one hand. "No," she says. "Once, yes. If you had chosen another path. But this path? This corruption of life? No." Wyress Asteria raises her staff, fury in her eyes. "Do you think we would not feel the death of one of our sisters? You murdered her for nothing, Viperish Night, for we felt it and thus the forest knew the tale of her death."
Viperish Night hisses softly. That...had been foolish of him. He wanted to come unannounced but he underestimated how deeply their connection went. Viperish Night tilts his staff and the ground rumbles. The sisters start to move but before they can decayed vines shoot up from the ground and wraps around the two sisters behind Wyress Asteria. At the gasps of horror, Viperish Night just grins. "Even plants die." Viperish Night remarks. "I can raise them just as easily as any other dead. Make one move toward me, and they die. Painful and in agony."
The Wyrd freeze as one, the fury evident in their eyes. Wyress Asteria's hand shakes as her lips curl in a snarl. "I thought you different than other necromancers, once," she snarls. "But you're just like that mentor of yours. He threatened us just as you do, with the same darkness in his eyes."
Viperish Night freezes. "What," he utters.
"You did not know?" Wyress Asteria asks. "I was going to find you, Viperish Night. Tell you something you needed to know. He stopped me, threatened my sisters and the woods if I did."
Viperish Night lowers his head and sighs. Nothing his former mentor had done surprises him any longer. Yet another reason to find and kill him. His eyes cloud with anger. Not just at his former mentor, but at Wyress Asteria as well. "So your sisters before an outsider." Viperish Night remarks and then surges forward. Wyress Asteria swings her spiked staff but Viperish Night knocks it from her grasp and grabs her by the throat, lifting her off the ground. "Not surprising." he hisses. "You could have tried again. Found another way. The living always disappoints."
Wyress Asteria's fingernails dig into Viperish Night's scales. "The woods come first! Before us, before anything else." she chokes out. "You understood that once!"
Viperish Night brings his teeth in closer to Wyress Asteria. "Tell me." he hisses. "Or I will kill every living thing in this forest. All your sisters, every single animal down to the smallest insect, and the trees and plants. I've done it before. With utter ease," Viperish Night's eyes seem to glow as he reaches for the necromancy.
"Stop this!" One of the sisters cries out from the side. Viperish Night's eyes dart to her and a dead root surges from the ground to impel her, she lets out a strangled scream before dying.
The rest of the sisters start to advance but Wyress Asteria bids them to halt. "I will tell you." she spits. "Just so you know what part of you you threw away. So thoughts of what you could have been torment you!"
Viperish Night leans in, his breath hot against her face. "Then tell me." he hisses.
Wyress Asteria whispers something to Viperish Night and upon hearing it Viperish Night jerks back in shock releasing Wyress Asteria to fall from his claws onto the forest ground. "Impossible!" he snarls. "Your lying."
Wyress Asteria stands, eyes filling with untold volumes of fury. "Impossible as it may be, you know I speak the truth."
Viperish Night takes a step back, staring at Wyress Asteria. She's right. He feels it deep inside of him. A truth he did not know, but once he heard the words there was no denying it.
"Let my two sisters go and leave our woods. Wyress Asteria orders. "I have given you what you want. Now begone. You will never be welcome among us again. We are your enemy, Viperish Night."
Viperish Night stares at her and then his eyes move to the two sisters still trapped by his undead roots. "You chose your sisters over me." Viperish Night says. "Perhaps I can understand that. You did it to save their lives, so you would not lose them that day, long ago." Viperish Night's eyes go ice-cold as he clenches his fist and the roots suddenly and viciously contracts crushing the two Wyrd sisters, killing them instantly. "You lost them anyway," he turns his back and then looks behind him. "Come attack me. I do not mind slaughtering all of you today."
Wyress Asteria holds up her hand. "Leave," she says hoarsely. Knowing as much as they require vengeance for this, that it will only end in their deaths, the forest's death.
Viperish Night's hand moves to his amulet, and a portal opens, He walks through, leaving the woods and the Wyrd behind.
-South-Western Bangkorai-
The sun has set and night falls, stars illuminating the desert. Viperish Night stands, head down. The truth assaults him. And memories assault him as well, for Viperish Night stands in the very spot where the child died after his former mentor called Daedra to murder her for witnessing Viperish Night's necromancy. His fault, in part. He lost control for the first time in a long time that day. The child saw and ran in fear, deeper into the desert. Into a monster's clutches. This is where he found out how much a monster his former mentor truly was. Had suspected he murdered Seriana as well as others who saw. He would rather not be here, but he needs answers now. And only Stalks-In-Darkness or his former mentor can give him those answers. And he has no way to contact Stalks-In-Darkness, learning he had been a Dark Brotherhood shadowscale that turned rouge...was fascinating but less than helpful. And so, he came here. In hopes, his former mentor would show his face. Viperish Night raises his head, his eyes glimmering.
An hour later the familiar blue glow of his mentor appears. Viperish Night's eyes narrow at his former mentor, filling with fury and hatred. "Who are you really?" he snaps.
His former mentor stops in front of him and smirks. "One question, my former pupil," he says. "Is that the one you want? I will tell you who I am right here, right now. Just ask."
Viperish Night freezes, eyes widening. He did not expect any kind of openness from his former mentor. He studies the glowing mer. The mysterious mentor who he thought a spirit once. Who claimed it was astral projection that allowed him to appear like this, though he somehow still could affect the world. All Viperish Night knew about him was that he was a necromancer, he was a mer, and he was a monster. And that he was more deeply involved in Viperish Night's life than he ever suspected. Viperish Night opens his mouth and then closes it. Would knowing this monster's name change anything? Viperish Night still wanted him dead. Names did not matter so much when one was a corpse. So no. Viperish Night takes a deep breath, reining in his anger and hate as he runs through the questions in his mind. He could ask why. How. So many questions swirl in his head but one...no two questions were so very important to him right now. Thjonwulf's words from that night in his cabin ring in his head. Hunt them down to the ends of the earth... Viperish Night swallows. But there was only one question. To ask about his Egg-Mother... Or his Egg-Father? Viperish Night's claws curl. He suspected Stalks-In-Darkness...but he still could be wrong about that. The brutal Argonian confused him. But if Stalks-In-Darkness was... it would be a question wasted. He had other plans to find that truth out. "My...Egg-Mother," Viperish Night finally asks, "If I even have one."
"I am almost impressed," Mentor says. "Not who she is or where she is, or anything like that. Just that, and I now can either force you to specify a question about her or tell you what I wish," Mentor falls silent and stares at Viperish Night, who stares right back. Neither blink nor speak for long moments. "What did Stalks-in-Darkness tell you about her?"
"Only that my Egg-Parents was culpable." Viperish Night says.
"That could mean many things," Mentor says folding his arms over his chest.
"Or just a lie." Viperish Night hisses, claws curling.
"It is not a lie," Mentor says. "She bonded with your Egg-Father. To Argonians, that means an intent to have eggs," he pauses for a moment gathering his thoughts. "She clearly did not care what happened to the eggs after that. She never did make any kind of an effort to find out if the eggs hatched or where the hatchlings went, and you know that is true since you don't even know her name much less anything else about her."
Viperish Night clenches his claws into firsts, eyes filled with fury. "More lies?" he snaps.
"Not this time," Mentor says. "I never really lied to you, Viperish Night. Just misleadings and leaving information out," he shrugs.
"It cannot be true," Viperish Night whispers, a look of loss breaking through the hatred and fury.
"If it was the father, that would be true. But a mother can not possibly not know they have children, or in the case of Argonian's, eggs."
Viperish Night trembles. He wants to ask more questions. He wants to tear Former Mentor apart until he tells Viperish Night EVERYTHING. But he's not here...unless he wants to be.
"Come closer," Mentor instructs. "I will charge the amulet for you and instill it with her location, mind you, it is not perfect. You will have to search for her but she will be in the area. You can do what you want from there."
Viperish Night takes off the amulet and holds it out to his former mentor. "I will find you, you know that right? Viperish Night says.
Mentor clasps the amulet in his hands. "You can try but is that your priority now?" the amulet starts to glow.
"I see through your deceptions now." Viperish Night hisses. "Including Zirasha. I know you and Stalks-in-Darkness want me to find the relic." Viperish Night's eyes fill with icy resolve. "If you try to take it from me when I do find it..."
The amulet stops glowing and Mentor holds it out to Viperish Night. "I don't care if you find it or what you do with it," he says. "Its Stalks-in-Darkness you should be watching, not I. And, no he does not want the relic. He wants something else. But that is something you will have to find out on your own."
Viperish Night's eyes focus on the amulet and he reaches for it but at the last second his hand grabs Mentor's wrist instead, claws sinking into flesh. Viperish Night's eyes move to his former mentor and he smiles. "Just an astral projection." Viperish Night hisses. "In that case, will it matter all that much if I rip your hand off?"
A look of panic briefly crosses Menotr's face before he hides it. "I am not here." he hisses. "I never was. I reside in the cave Stalks-in-Darkness locked me into. I can briefly bring both forms into some semblance of connection, such as a hand."
"So you don't know then." Viperish Night says, tightening his grip. Mentor's blood drips onto the ground. The droplets are glowing blue, but does that mean he's bleeding back in the cave as well?
"Do you think this tiny bit of pain is anything compared to what has been done to me?" Mentor snaps.
"Perhaps not." Viperish Night says. "But necromancers need their hands." Viperish Night smiles as his eyes lock onto his former mentors. His spine tingles in pleasure at the fear he sees in those eyes.
"The look in your eyes." Mentor spits. "You'd do it, and laugh about it. So different from when I mentored you. So much like..." Mentor trails off.
Viperish Night tilts his head. "You helped create me. You helped turn me into a monster. Did you even know it would mean your doom?" Viperish Night releases his former mentor's hand, taking the amulet with him as he steps back. Mentor snaps his hand back and glares at Viperish Night. Fear, hatred, and yes, confusion in those eyes. "In person." Viperish Night warns. "I want to hurt you, maim you, kill you in person. Not like this."
"You can try," Mentor says. "You still have to find me first."
Viperish Night shrugs. He has found many things since leaving the island. Would it be so hard finding his former mentor as well? He turns to go, his claws fingering the amulet.
"The dark gift," Mentor says quietly. "You like it now. It consumes, but it gives so much knowledge and so much power in return. You could rule Nirn, but instead, all you wish is its doom."
Viperish Night swallows. Such a simple goal, and yet so horrific. "I am compelled," Viperish Night whispers, "The madness of this world destroyed me over and over again. The monsters that exist here tore me asunder with no hope of escaping them and becoming something better. The dead never betrayed me, and so they are all that should exist."
"You're mad," Mentor says. "You know this, surely."
Mad? It was the world that was mad, not him. "What did you want to do with necromancy?" Viperish Night asks, looking back at his former mentor.
The look in Mentor's eyes is longing and hunger. "Knowledge, the forbidden nature of it and the power it could give me," Mentor says. "It compelled me to reach for even greater power."
"You failed." Viperish Night points out. "I know that much at least. You would not be reduced to trailing Stalks-in-Darkness and teaching me otherwise."
Mentor's eyes are furious and he stalks to Viperish Night. "You think you can do better? You think you cannot fail with your mad plan?"
Viperish Night growls and then turns his head away. Again he is getting to Viperish Night, Viperish Night knows better by now than to let him.
"Wait," Mentor says and Viperish Night looks back at him. "I have one last thing to tell you."
-Elden Root-
Morning comes and everyone slowly wakes up. Razum-dar is leaning against the wall, munching on a delectable sweet roll. "This one talked a lovely Altmer mage into bringing us breakfast," Razum-dar says.
Softly-Speckled-Crab bolts right up and runs for the sweet rolls, grabbing one for each hand. She settles in on the floor munching happily. Rufico sits up and blinks a few moments as he realizes Softly-Speckled-Crab had been sleeping against him. He finally gets up and takes a sweet roll as well and tossing one at Theodyn who catches it from his spot on the floor.
"It is done," Iveryni says tiredly. as she walks over them and sits down with a sweet roll. She has stayed up all night, perfecting the locator spell. "I need to rest for an hour and then I'll begin. It could take days."
Theodyn looks up in distress and Razum-dar shakes his head. "It will take as long as it takes, Theodyn," Razum-dar says as he snags another sweet roll and brings it up to take a bite, he pauses however as he sees the dirty bag on a chair. He puts the roll down and prods it with a claw.
Theodyn's mouth drops open, a half-chewed piece of sweet roll falling onto the floor. Softly-Speckled-Crab tisks at him for wasting bread. "I am so stupid," Theodyn breaths. "I am so sorry, Razum-dar. An Evermore guard gave it to me as we were heading back. They think it belongs to Viperish Night."
"It is fine," Razum-dar says. "Yesterday was a long day for all of us."
"Every day is long," Rufico says as Softly-Speckled-Crab opens the bag, removing books to place them on a table, save for one she takes for herself.
Razum-dar's eyes dart over the books. "Necromancy, necromancy, more necromancy," he says. "Oh, what's this?" he says as he picks up a book rent with claw marks. "Mystic relics...this one seems important," Razum-dar says as he settles in a chair to read.
Iveryni finishes her sweet roll and lies down in a corner and is soon fast asleep.
Theodyn stares at the necromancer books. "We should not read these," he says softly. "They are forbidden."
Rufico shrugs and pulls one of the books over to him. "I have no idea how magic works, and I don't want to know," Rufico says. "They can't hurt me with their evil evil ideas."
Theodyn touches the bag. It's dirty and covered in blood. "Why did Viperish Night leave you behind?" he muses. "What was he after in Bangkorai?"
Razum-dar goes utterly still. "Oh dear," he says. Rufico and Theodyn look toward him, though Softly-Speckled-Crab is oblivious, lost in her sweet rolls and the journal she snagged. Razum-dar passes the book to Theodyn and Rufico who's eyes skim over what Razum-dar has found.
"This cannot possibly exist," Rufico says.
"You would be amazed by some of the things the mage guild finds," Theodyn says, brow furrowed. "Things that no one should have, that could cause so much havoc. The mage guild keeps them from those who would abuse them."
"It says the original scroll was in Craglorn." Rufico looks up and sighs. "Does that mean we are going to Craglorn now? Before Viperish Night steals this thing..."
Theodyn rises. "It does not say where in Craglorn. Or even IF the relic is there. I'll gather books on Craglorn though." he stands and looks back at Razum-dar, eyes frightened. "We cannot let Viperish Night find this band." he turns to the entrance and walks out.
Softly-Speckled-Crab looks up from her book, her eyes focusing on Rufico. "Not yet." she chides. "Craglorn will be a turning point. The path between two rivers. All of us need to be there."
Razum-dar regards Softly-Speckled-Crab carefully. "This lovely lady from your dreams tells you things?"
Softly-Speckled-Crab nods, her eyes wide. "Yes. She shows me things. It's not always easy to..." Softly-Speckled-Crab pauses and takes a frustrated bite of sweet roll. "I do not understand yet!" she says. "My mind needs to be open, to be what I need to become." she looks at Razum-dar and Rufico seriously. "We all have to become," she says.
"Hmmm..." Razum-dar says, stroking his chin with a claw. "Things that have not happened yet, dreams. This one wonders if Azura has chosen to contact you about this. She is the one to give us the prophecy." Razum-dar sighs. "This one hates prophecy."
Rufico looks a little confused. "So we all have to be together, become, and then we go to Craglorn?"
Softly-Speckled-Crab is still, she even puts the sweet roll down as she tries to put her thoughts in words. "Two paths," she says slowly. "We can stop Viperish Night in Craglorn, then and there, and then there is no need to become. But if we fail..." Softly-Speckled-Crab motions with her hands, having trouble putting her thoughts into words the others will understand. "Darkness, death." she finally says. "And then we must become, or all is lost."
"Then Razum-dar says it's better to stop Viperish Night in Craglorn," Razum-dar says. "It's decided, that is what we shall do! This one says it will be easy. We have all of you, we'll have the Vestige, and of course Razum-dar!"
Softly-Speckled-Crab frowns slightly but says nothing more just resumes munching on her remaining sweet roll. The images the lovely lady shows her. What could be, possibilities Softly-Speckled-Crab's mind cannot truly process. And there is something that she should see, but cannot, perhaps not meant to see. The turning point... something about it. Shivers run down Softly-Speckled-Crab's spine.
Iveryni wakes a short time later, taking time to eat some food and drink before she moves to the corner, sitting cross-legged. Iveryni closes her eyes and spreads her hands before her. She chants a spell and a glowing white orb appears between her two hands. It shines with intense light for a few seconds before dimming. "Half here, half there," Iveryni says. "I can see Mehrunes Dagon's realm, in a fashion. I will find the Vestige. It will take time and I must not be detected, so do not disturb me. No matter how much time passes."
"Let's hope Dagon does not notice this then," Razum-dar says and goes back to reading, Theodyn had brought books on Craglorn and all that's left to do is wait.
-Bangkorai-
Viperish Night faces the sun as it rises into the sky. He has been here for hours, eyes closed as the desert heats up. His former mentor thinks him mad but also fears him now. He had told Viperish Night so much more than ever, though if any half-truths or lies were tangled in the mess...no matter. He would find out. Viperish Night raises his head to the sun and smiles. He will find his former mentor someday, though he too, seemed almost like a pawn in all this. Stalks-In-Darkness...had many truths and most lay hidden under the river. Perhaps she could tell him more...if Stalks-In-Darkness was her bonded mate, or if she just gave him her eggs for reasons he could not fathom. What kind of Egg-mother would do that? Viperish Night hisses in confusion. He would ask her the truth of it! Ask her...before he killed her for her roll in this. Egg-mothers should protect their eggs, watch over them, help raise them with the tribe when they hatch. Not abandon them, or give them to a monster, or whatever it is she felt compelled to do! Viperish Night takes a deep breath, calming the anger that swirls up and down his spine. His hand clutches at the amulet. No more putting this off, he had to find her and look in her eyes...ask her why before he crushed the life from her. His eyes snap open as the portal forms and he stalks through it.
-Location - ? -
Hours searching for her. Avoiding being seen, following the amulet. The closer he got to her, the brighter it glowed. And soon it led him to a tower. He looks up at its three-story height, before he enters through the door-less entry. The structure is made of heavy stone walls and a winding staircase leads up. There are no windows on the ground floor, but he can see light trickling in from the second and third stories. It is deserted and devoid of furnishings, perhaps not fully built.
Viperish Night's eyes dart around searching. The amulet led him here, so where was she? A sound from behind a pile of metal and a figure walks out and starts when they see Viperish Night standing in front of the entrance. Viperish Night holds up the amulet, it flashes brightly before dying down and he once more puts it around his neck. He stares at her. She's clad in full armor and not a scale can be seen. The shadow of the helm cloaks her face and eyes in shadows. She has a large sword in one hand and she too stares at him.
Viperish Night hisses softly, and then bends down, laying his staff upon the ground before shrugging out of his robe and rising. After he has his answers...he would much prefer to kill her with his blades or claws rather than with the dead. Viperish Night stalks toward her and she raises her sword. Viperish Night's hands reach for his twin Redguard blades and he turns and starts to circle her.
She follows his every movement, not letting her guard down for even a moment. "What do you want?" she asks.
Viperish Night's breath catches in his throat. Her voice..the only time he has ever heard it. "You." Viperish Night rasps. "Answers."
She turns with him, never presenting her back. She holds the sword as if she's very familiar with it. A warrior then. She knew how to defend herself, how to fight. "I don't know you," she says, "How do you know me?"
"Of course you do not know me. You never wanted to know me," Viperish Night hisses, fury in his voice but also a jagged ting of sorrow.
"What?" she says confused.
"Tell me your eggs were stolen." Viperish Night says. "Tell me you thought them lost, absorbed by the Hist, something that would make sense of this!" Viperish Night stops circling to face her, anger radiating from him. He tries to control it, tries to remain some semblance of calm, but it is nearly impossible.
She lowers the sword slightly. "I never had eggs," she says finally after a long pause. "You have the wrong person."
Does he? Viperish Night tilts his head regarding her. Is she lying? She paused for far too long before answering him. But his thoughts are also on his former mentor's words. Viperish Night lowers his swords and his head, closing his eyes. She does not move to attack him, just stands there wary. Waiting for him.
Viperish Night knows how to be sure. He craved answers, had been on the search for all of them since leaving the island. He had resolved not to take another's words for his answers, but to find ways to make sure the answers he received were truth and not lies. And so, in between everything else Viperish Night had been thinking of a way to test Stalks-In-Darkness...to see if he was his Egg-Father or just a monster who somehow got his claws on eggs. And as luck would have it, Viperish Night had stumbled across a spell in one of the necromancy books. Blood was used to strengthen necromancy, blood was life and he found a way in that book to tell if blood called to blood. A simple spell, simple ingredients including Viperish Night's blood. He had been carrying it around in his pants pocket since making it, waiting for the day he would find Stalks-In-Darkness and make him bleed. He had only one, had been saving it, but he cannot trust his former mentor's words. He just needs one final ingredient to test it, and so his eyes narrow as he stares at her.
Viperish Night suddenly bolts forward, his right blade striking at her. She quickly raises her sword blocking it. Viperish Night whirls, both of his blades flying in lighting slashes and she fights back, so very fast. But he too is so very fast. When she blocks a strike from his right blade, his eyes narrow as he beholds the smallest slivers between helm and armor. His left blade slices out, opening a shallow cut in her neck. Her attack intensifies and Viperish Night snarls and leaps back. "Enough!" he snarls lowering his swords. She stands wary, sword clutched in both hands. She has stopped, but that could change at any moment. He can tell she's angry now.
Viperish Night slowly sheaths his right blade and takes out the vial, his claw opening it. Holding his left blade over it, her blood drips into the vile concoction. The liquid swirls and turns a bright orange color. Viperish Night snarls and tosses it onto the ground where it shatters. Blood called to blood. There could be no denying it now. His vision blurs as the anger threatens to wash over him and he looks at her with a murderous glare. "Why did you abandon your eggs?" he snarls. "The truth this time! Do you even KNOW the fate of your other eggs? They all failed. I am the only one that hatched!"
She slowly backs away, her sword still raised. "I told you, you have the wrong person," she says angrily.
"Lier," Viperish Night says. "Deny it all you want, lie about it all you want, but I see the truth. You never wanted me. You gave me to a monster!" he steps closer to her. "Is Stalks-In-Darkness your bonded mate?" he demands.
"I don't know who that is!" she snaps. "You're insane!"
Viperish Night withdraws his sword again, his hands shaking as he holds them both. He was not sure what to expect when he found her, but flat out lies were not it. His heart pounds and he howls and charges at her. Her sword comes up and the clash of blades is once more heard in the tower. Viperish Night's fury is overwhelming and his strikes that are not blocked rend deep scratches in her armor. Her sword clips him at times, shallow cuts he ignores. She dances backward from his next strike, up the stairs. Viperish Night follows, ignoring the height disadvantage, the long reach of her sword to his. He will not relent. As she gets to the second floor he leaps his swords slamming down at her. Her sword comes up, slamming into his blades and with her other hand she grabs his arm and throws him deeper into the second floor, and he crashes to the floor, his swords flying out of reach. "Stop this!" she snarls at him.
Viperish Night looks up at her, his breath ragged. She's stronger than he expected. He hisses and once more charges at her and she swears as she swings the sword at him. He grabs it with his left hand, ignoring the pain as it cuts into his palm. Surprised she hesitates briefly, allowing him to rip the sword from her grip. He throws it, it crashes down the stairs to the lower floor. She snarls and then charges him and the two crash to the ground, rolling across the floor until they hit the wall nearest to the windows. She leaps up the same moment he does and slams her armored fist into his head, dropping him stunned to the ground. "Enough!" she snaps.
Viperish Night lies on the ground, heart beating as he slowly calms his anger. And so when he opens his eyes all she sees in them is surrender. He's good at showing that, even when his intentions are anything but. She is still now, but why? Her gaze...she was looking at his back. At the scars still visible to this day. "Taught by a monster." he hisses. "Sold into slavery. I see the world as it is. The living are mad."
"I think so are you," she says cautiously.
Viperish Night sits up. "People keep telling me that." Viperish Night says. She thinks him mad now, thinks he has given up. His eyes narrow slightly. "You will pay for abandoning me, Egg-Mother!" he suddenly snaps and surges up, surprising her. His claws arc up and he feels them catch on the edge of the helm as the force from his attack rips the helm off, his claws ripping into the flesh underneath. She flies out the window and crashes to the ground below. Viperish Night stalks to the window, blood dripping from his claws. He leaps down and lands gracefully on the ground. She's lying on the ground, but she's still breathing. Unconscious but slowly starting to stir. He slowly walks to her and for the first time, his eyes gaze on her face, his thoughts snapping back to the Viridian Woods.
~/~
Viperish Night's claws are at Wyress Asteria's throat. Her eyes, such fury fills them as she finally speaks. "I was not sure at first. But when I and my sisters purified your blood from the Hagravens corruption...I knew the truth then, as impossible as it was." Wyress Asteria looks into Viperish Night's eyes. "You, Viperish Night, are not fully Argonian. You have Mer blood within you."
Skin instead of scales, long pointed ears. A tangled dirty mess of hair a startling shade of magenta. Small graceful antlers that some Bosmer have and an old jagged scar on her face. Bloody rends from his claws up her neck and side of her face. Her eyes slowly open and it's all Viperish Night can do not to startle. Her eyes are so very pale, nearly white. Nearly the same color as his. Those eyes fill with anger and a golden light starts to build within them. Viperish Night steps backward. He has seen that before.
"You're insane," she growls as she slowly rises, her armor cracked and broken in spots. "Last chance, before I tear your head off!"
He had been searching for her for hours. He knew the dead vanished under the endless rivers of lava in this place leaving no trace of the dead. The volcanic rocky ground is hot beneath his feet and the sky is crimson and orange streaked with dark ashy clouds. His eyes lock onto hers. "You will pay, Egg-Mother." Viperish Night says. "The living always disappoint. Always cause me such pain. I somehow knew...you would be no different." a flash of pain in his eyes before icy darkness fills him. He needs the dead, but there is no dead here. But he needs them, and somehow his will is enough. The amulet around his neck glows and a portal opens and after a few moments a horde of skeleton Khajiit and skeleton Senche-raht surge out surrounding Viperish Night. The portal snaps shut.
"You're a necromancer," she says with a growl.
Viperish Night stares into those pale eyes of hers as they shimmer between crystal clear and the golden glow of a monster. Of course, she would be a monster too...How else could she do what she did and lie about it even when the truth was right in front of her? Viperish Night thinks of the last thing his former mentor told him, a name. "Yes, Jeziasi." he softly says. "I will free you from your madness... Egg-Mother." The skeleton Khajiit and Senche-raht roar, echoing Viperish Night's rage and hurt and surge forward toward Jeziasi.
"Crazy damn Necromancer," Jeziasi snarls as her body ripples and changes, the monster overtaking the mer until a brown and grey werewolf is standing before the horde and Viperish Night.
Viperish Night looks up at the werewolf snarling softly. She too has betrayed him, hurt him. He told her he expected it, but... part of him hoped it would be different than this. Foolish thoughts. His eyes fill with utter darkness as the undead swirl around him. "Rip her apart, Slowly, painfully, kill her," he orders them.
The skeleton Khajiit and Senche-raht surge forward on his command, roaring in ice and rage. So very many came at his call, there must be at least thirty. That should be more than enough to take down a werewolf. Viperish Night thinks as snarls.
Jeziasi slams into the first wave of Khajiit skeletons sending them flying. Her claws rend the head from another that leaps at her and then her jaws snap down on a Senche-Raht that leaps at her from another direction. The Khajiit skeletons swarm her en mass, their claws rend into werewolf fur and flesh. Blood soon mats her fur and she howls and drops on all fours and leaps into the horde, rending many of the Khajiit skeletons asunder. The Senche-Raht close in next and they leap at her from all sides, their claws rending flesh, their fangs sinking into her. Soon she's utterly buried in them, but it does not last long. With a mighty roar Jeziasi surges up in a whirlwind of rending jaws and mighty slashes and she tears the Senche-Raht into pieces, the bones clattering on the ground in all directions. The remainder of the Khajiit converge on her, one of them sinks their claws deep into her side and she growls in pain before swinging her claws to send its skull flying and the remainder of the bones crashing to the ground. Her eyes are furious as she takes on the rest, a flurry of snarling and snapping.
The last of the Khajiit skeletons fall and Jeziasi's golden eyes lock onto Viperish Night, filled with rage, confusion, and pain. She starts toward him, blood pouring down from the many wounds inflicted upon her, yet she still stalks forward, murder in her eyes. Viperish Night hisses softly, but before she can reach him she throws her snout back and utters a choking painful howl. She falls backward, the fur and claws melting away to leave only the Bosmer behind. She briefly struggles to rise again, before falling unconscious, and fully at Viperish Night's mercy. Viperish Night stalks toward her, his claws clenching. He will strike the final blow himself. He hopes she wakes, so the last thing she sees is his eyes, and that there is no mercy for her in them.
-Elden Root-
Iveryni's eyes are still closed, she still searches. She has been so still for so many hours it startles the others when she suddenly jerks. "Something is wrong." she gasps. "Something is causing chaos, at this rate, Mehrunes Dagon will become aware of it. GET a portal mage, NOW!" she snaps. "I am close but I can no longer see. I can still find her though!"
Theodyn bolts right up, the book he was reading falling to the floor, and races out of the room to find a mage who can open portals.
"No, no, no!" Iveryni says. "She...something is very wrong. I need to bring her now. But I cannot open portals!" she shudders, eyes clenched shut tightly, struggling to see what is going on, but she no longer can. All she knows is Jeziasi will die if she is not pulled out of Oblivion right now.
"You are in need of assistance, Dunmer. I can show you."
Iveryni freezes as a voice echoes in her head. "Yes. Show me how. Before it is too late." she says.
"Look with your magic, feel with it. Now... Now open the portal!"
Iveryni's eyes bolt right open as her magic surges, this, this is what she had been missing. A portal rips open in midair.
-Deadlands-
Viperish Night has nearly reached Jeziasi when a portal forms beneath her. "No!" Viperish Night snaps and leaps forward only to have something throw him back as the portal consumes Jeziasi and snaps shut. Viperish Night stands, eyes filled with fury. A Daedra stands before him, a staff gripped in his hands. "Leave this realm, or be destroyed." The Daedra orders him. Viperish Night tenses, ready to spring forward and rend him into bloody ribbons, but the sound of armored footsteps pauses him and he looks around. Surrounded. His claws go to his amulet, surprised to find it's already recharged. Viperish Night opens a portal and stalks through it.
-Elden Root-
Jeziasi falls through the portal and lands on the ground with a crash. Iveryni's eyes roll back and she collapses backward onto the floor. Softly-Speckled-Crab grabs her bag and dashes to Jeziasi, kneeling by her side. Razum-dar's eyes widen and then he narrows them and turns to Rufico. "Damn it. Rufico, do not let anyone in her save for Theodyn!" he snaps.
"What, why?" Rufico says.
Razum-dar growls. "The last thing we need is everyone seeing the Vestige in Daedric Armor! Now go!" Rufico dashes for the door, slamming it closed on his way out. Razum-dar's eyes dart between Jeziasi and Iveryni, but Softly-Speckled-Crab is by Jeziasi's side so he moves to Iveryni, who's weakly trying to get up.
"Someone...told me how," Iveryni says as Razum-dar helps her sit up. "It, along with the locator spell depleted my magic. I cannot help her."
"Rest. This one thinks Softly-Speckled-Crab has it in hand." Razum-dar says and moves to her and Jeziasi.
Softly-Speckled-Crab is pulling the ruined armor off of Jeziasi, setting the blood-soaked armor to the side. "Help," she orders Razum-dar. Soon the two have the armor off and Softly-Speckled-Crab attends to her.
Theodyn walks in alone and stops dead, swallowing hard. "She..." he softly says, looking sick. "How can she survive this?"
Razum-dar looks sharply at Theodyn. "Jeziasi is resilient. Though this one wants to know how she got in such a state."
"Broken ribs." Softly-Speckled-Crab mummers. "Injuring inside. Lacerations here, here...all over. Punctures, and bite marks. Softly-Speckled-Crab looks at Razum-dar. "We need to take her to the infirmary as soon as I secure the broken ribs." Softly-Speckled-Crab holds out a clawed hand. "Shirt," she commands.
Razum-dar pushes Theodyn forward. "You heard the lady," Razum-dar says. "She requires your shirt. A small sacrifice, yes?"
Theodyn furiously blushes as he shucks off his shirt and hands it to Softly-Speckled-Crab. Softly-Speckled-Crab rips it into shreds to bind Jeziasi's ribs.
"Why not your shirt?" Theodyn says, crossing his arms over his chest.
"If this one went around shirtless, the ladies would swoon," Razum-dar says. "Many unconscious mer, very bad." Razum-dar's eyes move back to Jeziasi, worry filling them.
Softly-Speckled-Crab rises. "She can be moved now," she says.
Razum-dar moves to Jeziasi's side and gently picks her up in his arms. "She would hate being carried like this," Razum-dar says. He looks at Iveryni who shakes her head.
"I just need rest. Take care of her." Iveryni says.
"Very well. Theodyn, hide the armor." Razum-dar says as he and Softly-Speckled-Crab walk out with Jeziasi.
Theodyn gathers the armor up and puts it in a discarded box. "I'll take this to my room. I...need a shirt anyway." he blushes again and walks out the door.
Iveryni glances around concern in her eyes. Concern for the Vestige, for their mission. But also concern for something...else. Iveryni closes her eyes. "Who are you?" she whispers. It had been a male voice in her head. Commanding. He had shown her how to master portals in a single instant, a skill she had not mastered in all this time trying to learn how. There is, however, no reply.
