-Craglorn - The Howling Sepulchers -
Birds sing their song and the grass is green and lush underfoot, and the path slopes upwards to high crags. Viperish Night's eyes grace the skies above where vultures and harpies soar. He rests one clawed hand against a large rock. Above them in The Howling Sepulchers, the dead are awake. He can feel them and he will be able to control them when he needs to. They are so very restless as if drawn here by something dark and powerful. Viperish Night smiles, he too can feel it. An ancient power long since hidden from the world. Waiting for him. Viperish Night walks upward with Tyranius following by his side.
The sky darkens as they rise further up and Tyranius moves to a bridge. He nudges it with his foot. Its made of wood and ropes that span the canyons below the crags. "Someone's maintained them," Tyranius says.
Viperish Night touches the rope. "Magic," he hisses. "Someone has used this place in recent times. But now all I can sense is the dead." Viperish Night walks across the bridge and Tyranius follows. At the end of the bridge is a rock face with a cave-like opening looming before them. It is short and the sky can easily be seen on the other side. Two draugr hiss as the two approaches and Viperish Night holds up his staff and they still. "Attack anyone else that passes," Viperish Night commands them. Viperish Night and Tyranius pass through and the howl of wolfs meet them. Viperish Night tilts his head thinking only the dead lurked here, perhaps he was mistaken.
The wolves stalk across the small field at the end of the tunnel but they too are among the dead. Rotting flesh and dirty fur with arrows sticking out of their backs. They quiet for Viperish Night as well and he touches one lightly on the head before continuing.
Tyranius laughs. "They won't follow us so easily," he says.
Viperish Night glances at Tyranius. He knows they will come, Viperish Night had meant to scour the shop of life to send the soul beyond their reach but he had been interrupted. "I will raise more," Viperish Night says as his staff glows and more draugr erupts from the ground. He continues through another of the strange tunnels and across yet another bridge. This one has harpies swooping down upon their heads.
"Damn vermin," Tyranius says as he swings the staff upward, cutting the harpies down to fall to the canyon below. The bridge shakes and Viperish Night looks back and raises a claw. The harpies fly back up as zombies, settling on the bridge to guard it against pursuit.
The sky darkens further as a rumble of thunder crashes in the heavens below, followed by a bright flash of lightning. The rain starts to fall as they finish crossing the bridge and Viperish Night slams his staff down and even more Draugr rise along with various animal skeletons. A twisted grin crosses his face. They can follow if they like. They may just get torn to pieces in the process. Viperish Night smirks and they continue into another tunnel but this one leads to a large cave lit with everlasting braisers. A hole in the ceiling allows rain to pour in but it evaporates before it ever touches the ground. Funeral urns and sarcophagus line the room and in the middle is a massive ritual circle surrounded by more sarcophagus, though the markings are starting to fade. Viperish Night kneels by it, his claws gracing the surface of the rock. "I can feel the bones of something enormous." Viperish Night hisses as he pours necromantic energy into the ground but the bones refuse his call. He tilts his head and ceases, standing to look around. Anyone could find this place...what he is looking for is somewhere else. Somewhere hidden. Viperish Night closes his eyes briefly and snaps them open, heading toward the back of the cave, drawn by a haunting song. His hand brushes against one of the sarcophagus and he hisses at it. Tyranius grabs the sarcophagus and heaves it out of the way. A door cut out of the stone is hidden beneath. Tyranius tries to open it and fails. He bangs his fist against it. Viperish Night kneels and his claws rip away countless years of dirt and dust to reveal an inscription written in an ancient language. Viperish Night runs his claws over it. It's some kind of warning, though he cannot read it. He stands and presses his claws against the door and the door opens. So...it will open but only for him. "I'll guard out here," Tyranius says glancing in. "I rather not get murdered by an ancient curse." Viperish Night nods and moves through the door into what lies beyond.
At the entrance to the Howling Sepulchers, another group has appeared from the land below. Rufico is staring at the bridge across the small field. "We have to cross that?" Rufico says.
Theodyn looks around and then at the others. "Is he here, or did we beat him here?" he asks
Softly-Speckled-Crab kneels and her claws scrape against the dirt and grass. Heavy boot prints of a man in full armor and the clawed prints of an Argonian.
Razum-dar inspects them as well. "This one thinks Viperish Night has lost one of his pets," Razum-dar notes. "Zirasha was not with him in the Imperial city and she does not seem to be here either."
Theodyn grips his sword. "We can deal with two of them," he says.
"And the horde of undead," Rufico adds helpfully.
Theodyn glares at him. "Thanks, now I'm scared again."
"Needed the company," Rufico says with a shrug.
At the howls of wolfs Jeziasi growls, "Not natural wolfs," she says.
"He must be expecting us," Iveryni says glancing around. "How are we to fight through all the undead to stop him? We will fail that way."
Jeziasi glances around and a small smile crosses her face. Instead of moving across the grass to the bridge she moves to a rocky incline and starts to climb it. "There is another path here," she says. "It should take us in the same direction, just a different route."
Razum-dar heads after her. "It is not easy to spot either. This one thinks we got lucky with this."
The rest of the group follows and once they get beyond the rocks all that lies in front of them are rocks and grassy fields. This way seems to be solid, without the need for bridges to span the lengths between. Soon enough they come across a huge door and Iveryni approaches it, placing her hand against it and reading the inscription. "Dragon Priest's tomb." she breaths.
"Those are nasty little things," Razum-dar says. "Is this where Viperish Night has gone to? Razum-dar sees no draugr."
Iveryni shakes her head. "It is sealed. Either we beat Viperish Night here or what he wants is further on."
Softly-Speckled-Crab moves ahead of the rest her eyes to the north-west. "It's over there," Softly-Speckled-Crab says with a shiver. "A dark and twisted thing that should never have been."
"Oh, that just makes me feel so much better, Softly-Speckled-Crab!" Rufico says as the group once more moves on following Softly-Speckled-Crab across the high plain to a long bridge that ends in a tunnel leading to a cave.
"This is it," Softly-Speckled-Crab says softly as she reaches for her staff, she is a healer but Iveryni has taught her some basic defensive spells. Everyone draws their weapons and crosses the bridge and quietly enters the cave.
Jeziasi looks around, there are indeed two entrances to this cave, though this one is hidden behind tall rocks. Knives in hand she leads the group to the back, where a door lies open in the rock face. "Why is there no Draugr?" she whispers.
Iveryni moves to the door and kneels as the rest guard her, watching for any sign of danger.
"Can you read it?" Razum-dar says, his eyes darting all around the cave as he keeps careful watch.
"Give me a moment...yes," Iveryni says, and then she gasps. "The scrolls missing piece this is it. This is the curse upon it." her fingers trace the ancient words. "A Hybrid Argonian created from a willing union of life and death, only they can wield The Band of T'zlich. All others who try will be eradicated, their souls forever lost to the dark."
Jeziasi pales. Willing union...she truly had to bond with Swims-In-Silence. It...was her fault. "I..." she says.
Razum-dar risks a glance at Jeziasi before focusing his eyes outward again. "Jeziasi you could not of known. We will fix this, here today."
Softly-Speckled-Crab places a hand on Jeziasi's shoulder. "Razum-dar is right. We can end this here if that is your wish," she says.
Jeziasi's eyes reflect sadness in the flicking light and then they turn hard and cold. "Yes," she says. "It is the only way now."
"Even I find that cold." a powerful voice has Jeziasi spinning around and the rest tensing. Tyranius moves from behind a sarcophagus, his scythe in his hands. "You, you, you..." Tyranius says pointing to each of them in turn. "Die now. Not her though," he adds as he glances at Jeziasi.
"Razum-dar is amused you think you can take us all on," Razum-dar says as he advances on Tyranius with his sword drawn. Theodyn fans out to the left with his sword and Rufico with his dagger to the right. Iveryni rises with staff in hand and Softly-Speckled-Crab moves to the back of the group for support.
"Six against one," Rufico says. "I like our odds.
-Inner Chamber-
The darkness is all-consuming beyond the door as if the light is forbidden from penetrating the tunnel cut out of rock. As Viperish Night feels his way blue necromantic energy streaks across the rocks leading him deeper. The tunnel lets out in a small room. On a pedestal lies a black armband glowing with blue runes. Viperish Night pauses, his eyes locked on it. This will give him what he wants. His pain and anger will cover this world and silence the madness. His claws move to it and suddenly he jerks them back as the glowing gold spirit of an elder mage appears before him. The spirit regards him with heavy eyes. "So...the day we feared has come to pass. I thought it impossible, but of course, if it had been the curse would have never taken to the band." His eyes move over Viperish Night. "So full of pain, fury, and hatred. It's driven you to this madness. The King's son coveted power, but you covet death. It is worse than I could have ever feared."
Viperish Night hisses. "You will stop me then?" Viperish Night raises his staff, necromantic energy flowing down it.
"I cannot," the mage says. "I bound my spirit to this place in hopes I could, but the band corrupted everything here. I am now powerless, all I can do is pled with you, not to do this."
"You are not the first to ask." Viperish Night says. "I did not listen to my Egg-mother. I will not listen to you," he moves closer to the band his claws once more reaching for it.
"One moment," the mage says, and as Viperish Night glances at him the mage's eyes pierce into his. "I cannot stop you, I cannot dissuade you, so all I ask is this. Think of what it means when the cost is the souls of those who die by the undead raised by the Band of T'zlich."
"They...are destroyed?" Viperish Night says. It is enough to pause him for a moment for he briefly thinks of a Khajiit and the moons.
"No," the mage answers. As Viperish Night waits for clarification, the mage shakes his "I do not know the answer to that. I spend a lifetime trying to find that question out, and the question of who gave the King's mage the knowledge to make this. All I found out is they do not cease to be." his eyes once more regard Viperish Night. "This is the path you want then," he says with great regret.
Viperish Night's claws wrap around the band and he pulls it from its resting place and clasps it to his left bicep. "The living are mad. I will end their suffering. All of them." madness glimmers in his eyes.
The mage bows his head as he starts to fade. "My task is done, and I have failed. One final piece of advice for you, the one who would end Nirn. Look inside yourself and see what you see. You may know all of who you are, but you may not. There may be something hidden beneath your river." the mage vanishes, his soul departing from this world after untold time guarding the band.
Viperish Night's eyes glimmer as he tries to process the mage's words before dismissing them for he feels the living outside this small cave. His Egg-mother and her cat have come, as well as the would-be heroes. They are too late. Viperish Night grins as he once more reaches for the enormous bones beneath the cavern's floor and this time they start to answer, slowly. Viperish Night stalks down the tunnel.
Viperish Night gazes out from the tunnel. Tyranius is faced off against six. So that is how many they have sent to stop him? Six people, instead of an army? He laughs as he steps out. "No," Viperish Night hisses. "Six against multitude." The dead in the chamber stir and rises from their sarcophagus even as the cave starts to shake. The dead shriek and run at the heroes as the cave shakes hard and rocks start to fall from the walls and the ceiling sending everyone scattering. Viperish Night runs for the entrance as the dead surge on the heroes with Tyranius on his tail.
"Do not let him escape, he has the band," Razum-dar growls as the group dodges rocks as they run to intercept Viperish Night.
Jeziasi pulls ahead of the others the entrance in her sights when a huge rock slams down in front of her sending her flying backward. Iveryni glances at Jeziasi before speeding ahead to burst out of the cave after Viperish Night and Tyranius. "Iveryni, dodge!" Theodyn screams and Iveryni dives to the ground as Tyranius swerves around, nearly taking her head off with a mighty swing from his scythe. Theodyn leaps at him, blade crashing against the next swing. "Get Viperish Night and the band," Theodyn says. Iveryni nods and resumes the chase.
The bridge is up ahead and Viperish Night is very near it. Iveryni's staff glows and a burst of wind sends her flying in the air to land in front of the bridge and in front of Viperish Night. "There is little dead in this spot for you to raise," Iveryni says as she flings her staff out and a fireball burst rains down onto Viperish Night.
"As if that is the only thing I can do!" Viperish Night snarls as his staff crackles with the burst of lightning bolts blocking the storm of fire. She is right, the dead in the cave is nearly buried, the giant beast will take longer to burst from its grave and the rest of the dead are beyond the bridge. There are so very many. Viperish Night thought he could feel them all before, but now? Now? It threatened to overwhelm him, feeling this many dead. It would take time to master, and time was not on his side at this moment. But they would not stop him. No one would. Viperish Night throws his staff out and lightning bolts explode around Iveryni and it's all she can do to block them and keep from being incinerated by the white-hot bursts of power. Iveryni slams her staff down and a wave of fire erupts toward Viperish Night, consuming the last of the bolts and threatening to consume him as well. Viperish Night hisses and ice shards fly in every direction as he furiously spins his staff against the flames. The fire sputters and goes out and Viperish Night slams his staff down and a blinding flash of lightning streaks past Iveryni blinding her. Viperish Night leaps at Iveryni and Iveryni holds up her staff her eyes watering from the bolt. Viperish Night slams his staff down on Iveryni's and it shatters. Iveryni stumbles backward as Viperish Night drops his staff. "No one will ever stop me." Viperish Night tells her. His claws flash out and tear across her throat. Iveryni falls backward hitting the ground hard as she struggles to breathe. Viperish Night scoops his staff up and runs across the bridge.
"Iveryni!" Theodyn screams before he dives to the side, nearly getting sliced in half by his hesitation. Razum-dar had burst from the cave after Iveryni had sped after Viperish Night and he and Theodyn had been keeping Tyranius at bay. Rufico and Softly-Speckled-Crab had been digging Jeziasi out of the cave-in that had blocked their exit.
Razum-dar comes under Tyranius's next blow and grabs the Imperial's arm with his, digging his claws in. "Go!" Razum-dar snaps at Theodyn. "Stop Viperish Night." Razum-dar turns his attention back on Tyranius, giving the beast a grin as Tyranius wrestles his scythe from Razum-dar's grip.
Theodyn runs past Tyranius, and in truth is all he wants to do is stop by Iveryni's side. But if he does that, they all will fail. And so he races past her after Viperish Night who's running across the bridge.
Softly-Speckled-Crab bursts from the cave and runs past the fight to fall by Iveryni's side, hands pressed against her throat, fighting to keep her alive. "Stay with me," Softly-Speckled-Crab says. "You must, you know you must!" Iveryni's eyes threaten to close and she tries to keep them open, tries to keep them locked onto Softly-Speckled-Crab.
Jeziasi and Rufico burst from the cave and Jeziasi leaps onto Tyranius, who has just wrestled his scythe free and is about to swing it at Razum-dar. Her knifes streak against her armor as she tries to find an opening, a weak spot. Tyranius snarls and grabs her throwing her to the ground as Rufico dives against his legs and sends him crashing down. Razum-dar leaps up and starts to go after Theodyn and Viperish Night but Tyranius leaps up and slams a fist into his head sending him crashing against the ground.
Too fast, he's going to escape! Theodyn thinks, his sword tight in his hand. But a harpy chooses that moment to dive down from the sky, crashing into Viperish Night and sending him crashing against the bridge ropes. Theodyn runs faster, he knows he can catch up now. He can stop this. Viperish Night is stumbling to his feet and his eyes lock onto Theodyn. But before Theodyn can catch up a wave of blood-red mist slams into Theodyn sending him tumbling and nearly off the bridge. Theodyn looks up to see the mist manifest into a female form. Her skin is so pale with dark corrupted veins and her eyes are nearly white surrounded by crimson. "Zirasha," Theodyn breaths as he staggers to his feet. But not as she had been last time he saw her. This Zirasha...is something altogether different.
Zirasha smiles at him, fangs glimmering. "Little Breton." Zirasha hisses. "I wanted to feast on your Imperial friend first, but you'll do as an appetizer."
Tyranius slams the scythe down and Jeziasi spins out of the way. Her eyes flash golden as she launches a furious attack on him with her knives. His armor is something altogether different than she's ever seen and her knives cannot pierce it. She snarls at him and her eyes shift to the golden glow of the wolf as Razum-dar staggers up and dives at Tyranius, knocking him to the ground. "Jeziasi," Razum-dar snaps. "Go after Viperish Night." Jeziasi looks at him briefly. "Theodyn is in trouble and you are the only one fast enough now." Jeziasi spins and runs to the bridge leaping over Softly-Speckled-Crab and Iveryni. Tyranius throws Razum-dar off again and spins to deal with Rufico who barely dodges. Razum-dar's sword flings out again Tyranius spins to block it. Razum-dar wanted to go after Viperish Night. Wanted to spare Jeziasi this, but things went bad far too quickly for that.
Jeziasi launches off the bridge, leaping over Zirasha and Theodyn. Her eyes look back at Theodyn. "I can take her," Theodyn says. "Get Viperish Night. I'm not as fast as you. I would never catch up now." Jeziasi nods and the wolf flows over her as she takes to four legs and races across the bridge after Viperish Night who has reached the other side and is racing across the grassy field.
"You will regret that," Zirasha says to Theodyn. "You cannot beat me, you don't even have a chance!" Zirasha leaps at him with unnatural speed and Theodyn tries to bring the sword up against her but she bursts into mist and reappears behind him, her claws flashing down to rend through his armor and back. Theodyn yells and drops to the ground, rolling out of the way as she pounces down, the bridge shaking violently. Theodyn charges her but once more she moves at a speed he cannot match and he feels her claws rip through armor and flesh over and over until he falls to his knees with the world spinning around him. His sword slips from his grip and falls into the canyon below. Theodyn looks up at Zirasha with frightened but determined eyes. "Jeziasi will stop him," he tells her.
Zirasha stares down at him with a hungry glare and laughs. "You won't be around to see if that's true," she tells him as she leaps upon him, her fangs tearing into his shoulder. Theodyn screams as she rends his flesh, devouring his blood.
Tyranius viciously knocks Rufico to the ground. "You think you can pierce this armor? It's infused with Daedric magic, you idiots. Takes more than you got." His scythe slams down at Rufico and Razum-dar dives to the side and pushes him out of the way as the blade tears through Razum-dar's back dropping him to the ground.
Rufico staggers up, his dagger is useless against Tyranius. He's useless. Still, he gets back up, still, he stalks toward Tyranius again until Theodyn's heart wrenching scream stops him cold. "Theodyn," Rufico breaths and goes pale as he turns and races across the bridge passing by Softly-Speckled-Crab and Iveryni and skidding to a halt as Zirasha rises and turns from Theodyn, blood dripping from her face. "Your next, Imperial," she hisses, her demonic eyes sending bolts of fear through Rufico and he finds he's frozen by her vamperic gaze.
Tyranius backs away from Razum-dar who has struggled to his feet, blood pouring from his back. He glances at the other side of the bridge, Razum-dar's eyes follow Tyranius's gaze as they stop the fight to watch the chase between Viperish Night and the transformed Jeziasi.
Zirasha hisses low. "Games almost over for the day," she says. She should help Viperish Night, but she so very much wants to kill Rufico. She pauses and then leaps from the bridge and becomes mist. As fast as she can move, she doubts she can catch up to them in time.
Rufico falls to Theodyn's side, pressing his hands against Theodyn's shoulder. He's still breathing, somehow he's still alive. "Come on, don't die on me now," Rufico says. "You stupid idiot." Theodyn looks up at him weakly. "That's right, stay here," Rufico commands him.
Jeziasi speeds after Viperish Night as he swerves to the right heading straight for the cliff edge. She's faster than him now and not even the occasional Draugr can slow her. The world seems to slow down as her paws pound on the ground. Finish your hunt. Prove you are no longer prey. The words echo through her head as she prepares to leap and end this and save Nirn. To...kill Viperish Night. And as that last thought echos through her head, Jeziasi hesitates for one brief moment and at that moment the wolf is pulled from her in a blinding flash of pain and she crashes and rolls across the grass and rocks as Viperish Night leaps from the cliff. Jeziasi leaps up as an unholy roar shakes the crags and an enormous dragon skeleton rises from the canyon. Viperish Night lands on its back and his shoulders are tense as he struggles to control the dragon and his back is to Jeziasi. Jeziasi takes one of her knifes and prepares to throw it. Viperish Night is distracted and there is no way she can miss. She can end this nightmare and save Nirn as she has always done. The knife wavers and then slips from Jeziasi's hand to clatter on the rocks. Viperish Night turns to see Jeziasi looking up at him and confusion crosses his face. She...let him go? Viperish Night's eyes widen in shock as the dragon turns from the cliff and takes him away from Jeziasi and the crags.
Tyranius throws his head back and laughs. "We win!" he says as he uses a ring to open a portal, escaping as well. A cloud of mist streaks from the cliff heading in the direction the dragon and Viperish Night went.
Razum-dar stands there in shock, blood still dripping from his back. His eyes are razor-sharp, but he could not have seen what he thinks he saw. She is a distance away, he must be mistaken. "Damn it," he snarls and his paw goes to an orb on his belt, he throws it to the ground.
Softly-Speckled-Crab briefly looks up from Iveryni and her eyes fill with anguish. Viperish Night is gone. It was not Jeziasi's wish to stop him. Softly-Speckled-Crab shudders slightly. She knew this day would hinge on the single actions of someone. She had been shown that much but had not known who. Though...she had suspected it was Jeziasi. She wanted to tell Razum-dar, but the lovely lady told her she must not mention it to him or anyone else. Must let things play out as they would.
Jeziasi stares out in the distance watching the skeleton dragon carry Viperish Night away. For the first time, she hesitated. For the first time, she failed to do what she should have done. A lost expression crosses her eyes as she turns and walks across the bridge. She stops as Rufico looks up at her, Theodyn's eyes are closed and he's barely breathing. She tries to help Rufico but he pushes her away and picks up Theodyn himself, struggling across the bridge with him to lay him in the grass besides Iveryni. Softly-Speckled-Crab moves to Theodyn, having done all she can for Iveryni, who's also lapsed into unconsciousness. Jeziasi looks down at Iveryni in horror and then at Softly-Speckled-Crab.
"They will not understand," Softly-Speckled-Crab sadly says. "I do, but I wish you had...I do not wish anothers death, but...it will cause so many more deaths than just his now." Jeziasi turns from her unable to speak and moves a distance away from everyone.
Portals suddenly snap open near the half-destroyed cave spilling out mage and fighters guild members, and Thalmor soldiers. Razum-dar directs the mage's to Iveryni and Theodyn before moving to Jeziasi to speak to her privately. Jeziasi stares at him and tries to speak, "I..."
Razum-dar stands in front of her a confused expression on his face. "Jeziasi..." he trails off to gaze at the Dominion's presence then back to Jeziasi. "What happened, my friend? You had him, then you lost your form. This one saw that much clearly," he pauses for a moment the confused expression deepens. "This one is not sure what he saw next."
Jeziasi can see from his eyes he knows what he saw. But he wants her to tell him. Tell him how she failed, why. "I hesitated and lost my wolf. I did not mean to hesitate, Raz. But I had my knife, he was struggling against holding that dragon under his control. He was overwhelmed," she falls silent and looks utterly lost. "There was no chance I would have missed. I just...did not throw the knife. I let Viperish Night escape."
Razum-dar's expression hardens. "What have you done Jeziasi? You know what he will do with the band! There may be no stopping him now."
Jeziasi's eyes turn to the four young heroes that came here with them. The mages have put Theodyn and Iveryni on stretchers and are taking them through the portal followed by Rufico and Softly-Speckled-Crab. She looks back to Razum-dar unable to speak.
"Jeziasi, you must explain this!" Razum-dar urgently says. "Now!"
"The last thing he would have seen was his Egg-mother killing him, Raz. I thought I could do this, but I could not." Jeziasi says. "I did not mean for this to happen! Any of it."
Anger crosses Razum-dar's eyes. "This one knows it was much to ask of you, too much. But Jeziasi! He will drown the world in blood and death. You have never hesitated. You barely know him and both times he tried to murder you. Viperish Night is just some twisted abomination, you must know this!" Razum-dar snaps.
Jeziasi is silent, unable to explain that when she looked into Viperish Night's eyes there had been a soul looking back at her. Damaged and lost perhaps beyond all recovery, but it was there. He was not just an abomination Swims-In-Silence made."
"Tell me this will not happen again, Jeziasi," Razum-dar asks. Jeziasi is silent and looks away from him. Razum-dar looks at her for a long moment and turns hir back. "You leave me no choice, old friend. This one is deeply sorry." Razum-dar walks to the commander of the Thalmor who walks to meet him.
"We came when you summoned us, Razum-dar. Please report," she asks of him.
"We have failed, Commander Joraire," Razum-dar says, explaining what happened pausing before finishing to glance at Jeziasi.
Commander Joraire gives him a look as she glances at Jeziasi as well. She had seen them talking as she was coordinating efforts. And now Razum-dar was hesitating. "You need to report how this happened, Razum-dar." At Razum-dar's silence, her expression hardens. "You are the Queen's Eye, report!" she snaps.
"Jeziasi let Viperish Night escape," Razum-dar says.
"What?" Commander Joraire says. "Are you sure, Razum-dar? This is very serious."
"This one is sure, and she admitted as much," Razum-dar says. "In her werewolf form, she is faster than Viperish Night. She could have ended it with a single leap." Commander Joraire looks startled as do others in hearing range. Jeziasi's head snaps up and she stares at Razum-dar in shock. Razum-dar continues. "Viperish Night was distracted trying to control a dragon skeleton he lept upon. Jeziasi had a second opportunity to kill him, and being a trained assassin her blade would not have missed. But she dropped the knife and let him escape instead."
Jeziasi takes a step back in disbelief, her eyes staring at her friend. Commander Joraire turns and approaches Jeziasi. "Do you deny what Razum-dar reported?" she asks Jeziasi.
Jeziasi's eyes turn to Commander Joraire and she shakes her head no.
"We will have to sort this out back in Elden Root, then. You can plead your reasons there," Commander Joraire tells her as she signals for the Thalmor. "Place her under arrest."
Jeziasi growls softly as the Thalmor approaches her. "Raz!" Jeziasi snaps. "I could not do this. You know I tried. Get them to back off."
Razum-dar looks at Jeziasi. "This one is sorry, my friend. Come quietly, and we will sort this out." At Jeziasi's angry glance Razum-dar softly sighs. "Queen Ayrenn fears you may have been a willing participant in Swims-In-Silence's plans. Razum-dar told her this could not be true and she agreed. But what you failed to do here today... you will be suspected for this." A look of pain crosses Razum-dar's eyes before he hides it. "Razum-dar cannot hide this for you, my friend. This one cannot hide any of your secrets any longer. No matter your reasons."
"Raz..." Jeziasi says one last time.
"Do not fight them, Jeziasi. This one knows you could. Come back and explain things." Razum-dar asks her.
"Listen to Razum-dar," Commander Joraire says. "Do not add resisting arrest to your crimes."
Jeziasi snarls, pain flashing through her eyes. "Crimes?" she asks bewildered.
"Aiding a necromancer and if Swims-In-Silence is one as well then that is twice fold." Commander Joraire states.
Jeziasi stares at her, back at Razum-dar, then at the Thalmor which have surrounded her. They seek to trap her, cage her. Razum-dar, he betrayed her, but has she betrayed him? Everyone? She starts breathing harder as everything that has happened since she left Oblivion catches up with her. Jeziasi's eyes turn golden and the wolf explodes from the mer as she howls and sends the Thalmor scattering.
"Jeziasi, no!" Razum-dar cries out as the Thalmor coordinates and comes at her from every direction. Jeziasi growls and slams into the nearest one sending them flying. Another comes from behind her and she backhands them sending them tumbling over the cliff.
"Put her down now!" Commander Joraire snaps. The Thalmor's blades come out and Jeziasi lowers her head sending several scattering across the grass. Another by her side pierces her side with his sword and Jeziasi howls and turns on him snapping jaws around his neck crushing it. She then spins around to knock more away dangerously close to the cliff's edge.
Razum-dar darts past Commander Joraire and dives to the ground rolling across the grass until he's in front of Jeziasi. He leaps up and opens his jaws wide growling at her in an angry rumble. "Stop this, Jeziasi! They are going to KILL you!" Razum-dar stares up into Jeziasi's savage ones. "You will have to kill this one to escape, Jeziasi."
Jeziasi hesitates and at last, she lowers her claws. Once more she has hesitated in the hunt and once more the pain surges through her. She throws back her head and howls in agony as the wolf retreats. Jeziasi drops to the ground breathing hard, head down and her hair hanging in front of her face. "Please don't let them do this, Raz." she pleads.
Razum-dar shakes his head as one of the remaining Thalmor binds her wrists. "If you went peacefully this one could have done something!" Razum-dar says. "Queen Ayrenn may have understood that we asked too much of you! That you letting Viperish Night go was not malicious." Razum-dar falls silent and just stares helplessly at Jeziasi. "You murdered Thalmor soldiers, Jeziasi. This one can not help you anymore."
The Thalmor yank Jeziasi up and she glances up once to look at Razum-dar before lowering her head again and allowing them to lead her through the portal.
"You have a lot to explain to Queen Ayrenn, Razum-dar." Commander Joraire says as she walks toward the portal, Razum-dar and the remaining Thalmor following behind. Razum-dar lowers his head. He knows...and he knows this will not end well for any of them.
