Viperish Night had risen earlier than the others, sleep far too uneasy to allow any kind of rest. He had gone to the throne room to think and as always seemed to be the case, Mannimarco had appeared. He even dared to question Viperish Night and his words seemed to mock him. Viperish Night clasps his claws together, a dangerous look in his eyes. His armies must be ready in every corner of Tamriel, he knows this. Hardly any land had been left untouched by Viperish Night and his allies. He could not yet target the Marsh, for the Hist saw far too much. It would have to be taken from the lands boarding it once he was done gathering the dead. Viperish Night's eyes slowly close. There was yet another land he had not ventured into. It was filled with the living like all others. It was a target. But he had not yet set foot upon that land. The land that... Viperish Night opens his eyes and snarls, slamming his fists upon the chair furious with himself for not targeting it before now, furious at Mannimarco for mocking him for it. Viperish Night trembles in anger, his claws scratching the stone. Zirasha walks in with Jeziasi a few minutes later and Viperish Night calms somewhat. It seems to ease him a small amount when his Egg-mother is by his side. Her eyes find him and she moves to his side, briefly resting her hand on his as she sits. Somehow she always knows when to remain quiet, and when to speak. After dinner is done, Viperish Night rises. "Elsweyr," he hisses softly, almost inaudibly.
Zirasha leaps up, "It's been a while since I tasted a Khajiit. Their blood is so sweet," she says.
Tyranius claps his hands together. "Khajiits always put up a fight, looking forward to this pup," Tyranius says.
Jeziasi is silent, her eyes once against moving to Viperish Night. His eyes seem almost conflicted, but this... a chill runs down her spine as she realizes nothing is off-limits, and that any hesitation could cost them everything.
-Northern Elsweyr-
The portal opens near a small settlement in the jungle and Jeziasi moves to Viperish Night's side as soon as Tyranius unclips the chain. "He watches us again," she says softly. Viperish Night's eyes scan the jungle depths, searching the shadows for his Egg-father, just glimpsing the glimmer of the monster's eyes in the depths.
Tyranius moves in close to them, his scythe already in one hand. "We got a large audience today, pup," he remarks. "Mannimarco is lurking further in." Tyranius leans in closer to Jeziasi. "Be bad, wolfy. Be very very bad."
Jeziasi narrows her eyes, her hands reaching for the bow. She follows Viperish Night's gaze. Again, it was a struggle to remain calm. To not aim the bow in his direction and let the arrow fly. Her aim was swift and deadly but against him? It had to be utterly certain for the hunt. Jeziasi's grip on the bow tightens but she turns her eyes from the shadows to the village.
Sparks of necromantic energy flow from Viperish Night into the ground and Khajiit, Senche-raht, and terror bird skeletons burst from the ground all around them. "I will raise more," Viperish Night hisses. "Go, and kill them all." Viperish Night's eyes pierce the town, seeking the sign of his unease. There had been no sign this small village was in any way protected, could they be that foolish? Or was the Khajiit that cunning, lying in wait somehow? Viperish Night hisses and expands his senses further as the dead continue to rise around him.
Zirasha streams into the village as mist, followed by Jeziasi and Tyranius. The night's peace is suddenly shattered by the sound of heavy trap doors springing open and armed Khajiit's start to stream from the houses, charging at the group and the undead behind them with a mighty roar.
Zirasha snaps out of her mist form behind a Khajiit and sinks her fangs into his furry neck. He roars and spins around trying to buck her off, but she savages his neck, dropping him with a crash to the ground. Zirasha laughs before surging towards the next Khajiit in a blur of vampiric speed. Tyranius's scythe slices another Khajiit clean in half and he spins and decapitates the next. Jeziasi halts and unleashes a barrage of arrows, none of the Khajiit will get past her to Viperish Night, this she will make sure of. Arrow after arrow finds a Khajiit's throat, dropping them in quick succession. The undead surge around them attacking any Khajiit they come across, some of the skeletons are felled but the number of the dead soon overwhelm them. When the last of the Khajiit warriors fall Viperish Night walks into the carnage and they rise to join him. "Finish it." Viperish Night commands and his allies and the undead shatter doors to kill the villagers as well.
Quiet soon descends on the village and Viperish Night stands in the middle, his claws soaked in Khajiit blood. The moons are bright overhead and Viperish Night lowers his head slightly as Mannimarco and Swims-In-Silence walk into the village. Mannimarco looks around and then at Viperish Night. "Somehow I thought you would hesitate," Mannimarco says.
Viperish Night's gaze turns to him. "All the living are my enemies," he hisses. "I was just saving some for last." Viperish Night turns his gaze to Swims-In-Silence who's watching Jeziasi. Viperish Night hisses softly as Swims-In-Silence starts to move toward her and Viperish Night quickly follows a growl building.
Swims-In-Silence halts to look back at him. "Possessive again?" he says, his eyes driving into Viperish Night's.
Viperish Night's eyes narrow. "She is my pet, remember that." Viperish Night says. "Do not touch what is mine." Viperish Night's eyes follow Swims-In-Silence as he continues his stalk to Jeziasi, his claws flexing. It takes all he is not to stop him from speaking to her, but he must allow that at the very least. Swims-In-Silence stops in front of Jeziasi and she startles back as he stares at the blood splattered on her armor and flesh. "Be still, pet." Viperish Night softly hisses. "Let him see what kind of attack dog you are." Jeziasi's eyes dart to his and she lowers her head and stills, though a growl reverberates through her at Swims-In-Silence's intense gaze.
"You still will not speak to me, will you Jeziasi?" Swims-In-Silence hisses. "Even now, covered in innocent blood. Do you like it, I wonder? Or will doing this destroy you?"
Jeziasi once more keeps her silence, though the anger coursing through her blood makes it near impossible to keep silent, still. She can feel Viperish Night's gaze on them both but it is Tyranius who wanders over. "Careful, Prince," Tyranius says. "She's snapped at me for less. Wolfy's not yet fully house-trained, pups working on it still."
Swims-in-Silence's gaze moves to Tyranius before he turns and stalks away, the night swallowing him whole. Mannimarco glances at Viperish Night, his eyes warning him to keep his emotions under better control before he follows, leaving the four alone for now.
Viperish Night hisses softly and snaps open a portal. "We continue," Viperish Night says as he enters the portal, followed by Zirasha, Tyranius, and Jeziasi. Dawn is still hours away, and there is much of Elsweyr for them to play with.
-Skyrim Tomb-
After returning from the night's work Tyranius leans against the tomb, the snow falling from the sky onto his armor. The night is nearly gone, the sun is soon to rise. This tomb, resting in the mountains of Skyrim is very far from the Imperial City. Once, it was all he knew, all he wanted. Things...went in a different direction than he thought they would.
Tyranius's family had always been in the Legion. It was in the blood, it was the path the family followed. Tyranius had no issues with this. Growing up serving in the Imperial Legion seemed like such an honor. Even when news of his Father's death was delivered, he had no reason to change his course. But the problem was that Tyranius found he liked the savage side of it more than the rest. Skirmishes with bandits and other small nuisances were fun at first, but it soon grew tiresome. Endless guard duty, dealing with small threats, it did not sate his growing blood-lust. It was war he had started to crave. The thrill of it, the fact that he thought he could perhaps get away with anything if only there was a war to let loose in.
"Commander Vivicus, it has a nice ring to it," General Caesulus tells Tyranius. "Your father would be proud, was he still here among us."
"Yes, General Caesulus," Tyranius says. "You said you had interesting orders for me and my unit?"
"To the point, I like that." General Caesulus says. "Yes, you will take your men to the southern border. A group of Khajiit bandits has been raiding towns and trade shipments. Your orders are to stop them before they cross the border into Northern Elsweyr. Do not cross the border yourself, Commander."
"Yes, General," Tyranius says and turns to leave, smiling as soon as his back his turned. This sounds a lot more fun than anything he's been assigned so far. Being promoted has its perks.
"Damn cats," Tyranius spits as his men collect themselves after the battle. Tyranius's unit had surprised the bandits but their numbers were far more than reported and some Tyranius's unit had been felled and the bandit Captain and a group of his men had escaped across the border. His eyes scan the border and he turns to order his men to march across in pursuit. His second in command comes up to him as he does so.
"Commander, our orders were not to cross the Elsweyr border," Lieutenant Ruseus reminds him.
Tyranius looks at him with contempt, then addresses his men. "Are we going to let some cats get the best of us? Get away with killing our comrades? We cross the border. Anyone who fails to head my order... well that's treason, right? Let's go kill those curs." he turns and leads his men across the border and all of them follow him, despite their orders from the city.
They catch up with the bandits soon, they have taken refuge in a small town, and Tyranius orders his men into the village to kill them all. The bandits charge out in one last stand and Tyranius's sword cuts them down, his men following suit. The battle is nearing its end and Tyranius cuts down another Khajiit without hesitation and it is not until the cat crashes to the ground that Tyranius realizes he was one of the villagers. Tyranius shrugs and continues onto the bandit leader, whom he cuts down without mercy, ending the battle.
Back in the Imperial City Tyranius is called to General Caesulus's office and once he hears what the General has to say, he slams his palms against the desk. "Demoted?" Tyranius snarls. "I killed the damn cats. They won't cause any more trouble. And for this, you demote me?"
General Caesulus's eyes narrow in anger. "Be glad that's it, Vivicus. You went against orders and incurred civilian casualties. You will be assigned to the city, for now, so you can think about your future in the Legion. It's for your own good."
Tyranius spins and stalks out, slamming the door on his way out. "Damn him," Tyranius snarls, before he notices a mer studying him. Tyranius turns toward him, recognizing him. Some time ago a magical explosion had torn through the city and Emperor Aquilarios had been lost, with no body ever recovered. The mage's guild had been found at fault, and it had been given over to Fellowship of Anchorites, led by a former Psijic mage, Mannimarco. Tyranius regards Mannimarco. "What do you want, mage?" he asks angrily.
"You seem, unhappy soldier," Mannimarco says. "Walk with me, away from prying eyes and ears." Mannimarco turns and walks down the street, vanishing into an unused ally. Tyranius stares after him before following out of curiosity. Mannimarco turns to him. "Everything is going to change very rapidly, very soon. There is a new Legion that will be put in charge of this city, and beyond in time. Zero Legion. I offer you riches and power if you would join it. As your proper rank, Commander."
"Are you mad, mage?" Tyranius says.
Mannimarco smirks. "Molag Bal will drop his anchors and this city will become a war zone. I and my group are helping. This city already belongs to us. It is only a matter of time before everyone else knows it."
Tyranius laughs. "The Daedric Prince?" he says and he moves closer to Mannimarco. "I don't care about gold."
"But you do care for war, don't you?" Mannimarco says. "I've seen your record, excessive use of force, disobeying orders in pursuit of your enemy, not caring if civilians get caught in the crossfire. You want to kill, I offer that. You will have more of that than you could ever have serving in their Legion."
A grin crosses Tyranius's face. "Why did you not lead with that mage? I'm in."
Mannimarco was right. The anchors dropped over Tamriel and the city became a battleground with Daedra everywhere, Imperials who refused the new order causing trouble, the three allegiances attacking. It was sheer chaos, ugly war and Tyranius loved every second of it. A group of rebels took part of the city back in the market district in open rebellion. Tyranius took his men to deal with them and set an example.
"No mercy for the traitorous curs," Tyranius tells his men. "Kill most of them, but leave a few alive for questioning."
The Zero Legion charges in led by Tyranius. Tyranius laughs as he brutely cuts them down with his men and soon the battle is routed and a few of the rebels have been collected. Tyranius stalks in front of the three and smiles under his skull helm as he picks out the one of the left. "This one is their leader," Tyranius says. "Kill the other two."
"Curse you to Oblivion," their leader snarls.
Tyranius shrugs. "If Molag Bal has his way, you'll get your wish. Makes no difference to me, as long as I get to cull the herd." Tyranius laughs and takes out a serrated knife. "You are going to tell me your name, the names of those whose bodies lie around you, and any co-conspirators that may still be out there." Their leader is silent, a furious look in his eyes. Tyranius smirks. This is going to be almost as much fun as war. The man lasts longer under Tyranius's torture than Tyranius would have thought, but in the end, he gave Tyranius just what he asked for. Tyranius kneels by the dying man and grabs his chin with his hand. "We are going to set an example of you curs. Track down your families, anyone connected to you, and your traitorous friends and drag them to the arena and let the Daedra have a bit of fun with them."
"Bastard!," the man says. "Your the traitors, not us. I will..."
Tyranius's knife cuts off his last words and he stands and kicks the man to the side before turning to his men. "Let's go round up these cur's loved ones. This will show the rest not to betray us."
It takes all night to round up everyone, and Tyranius and his men drag them to the arena and throw them in. Tyranius leans against the stands, helm in hand, and watches with a smirk on his face as various Daedra are let out into the arena. The screaming starts soon after, and when it is over the arena ground is soaked with blood.
Tyranius is just leaving the arena when Mannimarco steps in front of him, two Xivkyn trailing behind him. The necromancer's eyes dig into Tyranius's. "This act of brutality has caught the Prince's attention," Mannimarco says. "He wishes to speak with you. These two will take you to him, there is a place deep in the sewers where the veil is thinnest."
Tyranius glances at the Xivykn and back at Mannimarco. "Not a request, but an order," Tyranius says.
"Correct," Mannimarco says. "You may regret attracting his attention, Commander."
Tyranius places his helm back on and shrugs. "Fine by me. He's the one that made this city so fun." One of the Xivykn turns and opens a portal and walks through it, Tyranius follows, with the second Xivykn following behind him.
The portal opens in a vast cavern beneath the White-gold tower. Huge portals to Coldharber are glowing an icy blue and numerous Daedra are spread out across the cavern. The Xivykn leads Tyranius to the center and blue energy swirls, forming into an aspect of Molag Bal. Tyranius looks up at him. "So this is a Daedric Prince," Tyranius says.
"Show respect, mortal!" One of the Xivykn snarls at him.
Molag Bal laughs. "Leave us." The two Xivykn turn and walk off, leaving Tyranius alone with the Daedric Prince. Molag Bal stares down at him. "Such brutality. I heard the screams of those innocents you gave to my Daedra. Such fear, such agony. You have no mercy, mortal."
"Traitors, Prince," Tyranius says. "The Empire is under a new order, those who go against it deserve to die like curs in the dirt."
"But you like it, mortal," Molag Bal says. "You delight in the slaughter, delight in war. You will be my champion. Kneel and submit before me."
Tyranius crosses his arms across his chest. "I don't submit to anyone, Prince," Tyranius says.
"You dare refuse?" Molag Bal thunders. His hand comes up and a bolt of Daedric power slams into Tyranius, sending him flying into the air and crashing down on the ground. "YOU WILL SUBMIT."
Tyranius staggers up, his armor cracked. He withdraws his sword. "I do not submit! I am not some mangy cur in the street." Tyranius roars and runs at Molag Bal.
Molag Bal's hand comes up and Tyranius is lifted off the floor, his sword falling from his grip as Molag Bal brings him to eye level. "Foolish mortal. See what your defiance brings you." his eyes glow and icy blue energy envelops Tyranius. Tyranius struggles and then throws his head back and screams as the energy shatters his armor and causes him agonizing pain. Molag Bal drops him to the ground. "Submit." Molag Bal says once more.
Tyranius staggers up, blood flowing from numerous wounds, the worst runs down the side of his face, having missed the eye by a fraction. The world blurs and his fist clenches. The power... and he, at last, realize the kind of power Molag Bal can give him...if he only submits like a damn dog. "Damn it..." Tyranius says as he, at last, kneels before the Prince. "This better be worth it, Prince," Tyranius says.
"Insolent, but you, at last, see the wisdom of submitting." Molag Bal says as he once more raises his hand. More energy streaks out to engulf Tyranius, and when it fades he's clad in Daedric bound armor. A mace hovers in front of him. "Rise and take my mace, champion."
Tyranius rises and grasps the mace. His hand clenches on it. "They've taken to calling me the Reaper, Prince. Mind changing this to something else? I want to reap souls for you, not just bash some heads in."
Molag Bal laughs and the mace reforms into a deadly looking scythe. "Reap their souls then, Champion."
Tyranius swings the scythe a few times and laughs. "Oh, I will."
It was fun why it lasted, Tyranius thinks as he looks back at the past. But Molag Bal's scheme failed and Tyranius had been forced to run, or face imprisonment and execution. He turned to mercenary work until Mannimarco had appeared and called in his favor. Tyranius turns his back on the sunrise to return to the tomb. Tyranius smirks. Molag Bal, Mannimarco. They both thought his loyalty was theirs. But only one could have Tyranius's loyalty. Viperish Night... he offered the best options. A war to end all wars. Win or lose, they would go down in history. Tyranius rather liked that kind of legacy. Of course, if they won, there would be no one to write it down.
A howl reverberates through the tomb has Jeziasi pausing in cleaning her armor. She starts to move to the doorway but Zirasha grabs her arm. Jeziasi growls softly. "Enough with the growling," Zirasha says. "You are not on show right now." Jeziasi turns to look at Zirasha and she lets go of Jeziasi's arm. "It's best to leave him be," and at the question, in Jeziasi's eyes, she adds, "Sometimes he loses control a little. More often now that your here."
A look of pain crosses Jeziasi's face. "I..." she trails off. Does she cause her son pain by being here?
Zirasha leans against the wall. "He acted like one of the dead when I met him. Trying to be, anyway." Zirasha says.
That made sense, from what Viperish Night had told her that must have been soon after he killed his friends. No one could do that and remain unaffected. Jeziasi swallows as she remembers a young Dunmer woman she briefly called friend. One she had to kill in the end. Viperish Night's reasons had been different than hers, but the result was still the same, a wound on the soul, one that could never be fully healed or forgotten. Jeziasi's eyes fill with fury. Swims-in-Silence, he had done all of this. Just for what he wanted, he took an innocent soul and this was the result, someone so broken they thought the only way they could end their suffering was to kill everyone. "Damn him," Jeziasi snarls. Zirasha tilts her head, a question in her eyes. "Swims-in-Silence," Jeziasi says.
Zirasha is silent for a long pause. "He...hurt you too." Zirasha finally says. "I killed those who hurt me. You should too, it makes things better."
Jeziasi is silent though she regards Zirasha with a thoughtful gaze. The way Zirasha speaks, the small trace of pain in her words. Jeziasi closes her eyes and leans against the wall. "I went with him willingly, Zirasha. What happened is in part my fault. For failing to listen to my instincts, that tried to warn me. Tried to tell me just who he was."
"He never told you what he wanted though," Zirasha says. "He never even asked you. He just took. Just..." she trails off, her eyes filled with anger and pain.
Jeziasi is silent, she knows Zirasha will react in anger if she says anything. At this moment though, Jeziasi realizes that Zirasha is similar to her son. Both of them had been innocent at one point. Neither was born monsters, but somehow they had been hurt bad enough to think that was the only choice left. She knows Viperish Night's story, but she does not know Zirasha, and she cannot ask her. A lost expression crosses Jeziasi's face.
Zirasha hisses angrily at Jeziasi's expression and stalks to the entrance. "You can't save us, Jeziasi. We don't even want to be saved at this point." She hisses again and is gone in an eye blink leaving Jeziasi alone.
Jeziasi closes her eyes a shudder passing through her. She knows that, far too well. And she knows if she continues to follow Viperish Night, she will be just as lost, just as much unsavable as him, and Zirasha. She opens her eyes and walks into the hallway, though she heads not for her room, but in search of her son's room. She cannot just...leave him.
Jeziasi wanders the hallways till she finds Viperish Night's room. She halts in the front of the entrance, there are no doors and so she looks inside. The room is lit by only one lantern casting most of the room in gloom. Deep claw marks mare the stone walls and Jeziasi edges inside and runs her fingers against the nearest of them. Such rage to cause these... Jeziasi's eyes probe the gloom, Viperish Night is curled up on his side on the cold floor. His breath is ragged and blood still covers his scales from the night's slaughter. Jeziadi edges to his side and kneels next to him. Slowly his eye opens to regard her. "Do I cause you pain?" Jeziasi whispers.
"No, Egg-mother, you...bring me a small measure of peace," Viperish Night responds softly.
"Then..." Jeziasi trails off and moves her hand to his. Trying to understand the depths of this kind of pain, to understand him.
"The world is what torments me, Egg-mother," Viperish Night answers. "I cannot rest when their madness rings in my ears. There is no true peace, save for death." His eye closes again. "Perhaps you should have ended me, Egg-mother."
Jeziasi closes her eyes, a single tear falling to land on Viperish Night's face. Her hand moves to stroke Viperish Night's feathered crest. "I could not, I will not," Jeziasi says softly. She stays there until Viperish Night falls into an uneasy sleep and then she rises and returns to her room.
Jeziasi opens her eyes to behold the gloom, to feel the icy cold once more. Black rock under her, all of Coldharbour below her. This time he has brought her to one of the many floating isles in the sky. A tremor courses through her, a mix of rage and fear. Slowly the rage is overtaking the fear for the more she knew of what he had done to Viperish Night the more her rage grew. He had taken an innocent soul and corrupted it to such a horrific extent, for all she tried, she could not truly reach Viperish Night, and neither could she let him go. Jeziasi softly growls. She will hunt Swims-in-Silence, but for now, she must remain on her knees. Even though the hunter is near and she wants only to spring and hunt him. But she cannot hunt him here, in this world of dreams and nightmares.
Swims-in-Silence's claw steps come closer and he stops behind her. "Do you ever wonder why?" Swims-in-Silence asks her. "Why, when perhaps I could have chosen another?"
Jeziasi raises her head slightly. Her former allies had said he needed life magic. Bosmer, Wyrd. If she had refused he would have gone after someone else. The question needed not be answered, she knew he took satisfaction of making her submit after she had hunted and defeated him. So silence is once again her answer.
Swims-in-Silence moves in front of her. "Speak to me, Jeziasi," he hisses. Jeziasi lowers her head and ignores him, closing her eyes. She feels his claws on her face, feels him lean in close. "You will speak to me, my mate," he whispers. "Or else I will change this dream to Shadowfen, to the memories we share."
Jeziasi's eyes snap open briefly as her furious gaze locks onto his and then she closes them again trying not to tremble. "I know why," she angrily says. "Life magic and you wanted my submission," the last word comes out as a growl.
Swims-in-Silence laughs softly as he drops his hands from her face. "You both look at me with murder in your eyes," Swims-in-Silence says sounding pleased. Once more he touches Jeziasi's face with his claws as she growls at him. "Truth," he breaths. "But not all the truths." Jeziasi's eyes snap open again. "It took so many tries to make Viperish Night's egg. The final truth of it, my mate, is that if I had chosen another they never would have survived."
Jeziasi stills her eyes searching for the lie in his words, for this cannot be true. Swims-in-Silence sees it in his eyes and his claws move to her neck. "Vestige... you know it changed you. It changed your very soul. You freed the souls I took but they did not return to the mortal form, just moved on. Yours though returned to you from my realm. It can withstand my cold, none other could..." Swims-in-Silence laughs at the horror that fills Jeziasi's eyes. "Only you, Jeziasi. If only you were not so foolish to submit to me, none of this could have happened. I could not force you, after all." Swims-in-Silence rises. "Our son will deliver all the souls of Nirn to me and become so corrupted by the near-endless slaughter and the ultimate power he grasps that he will be mine. And you? You who is foolish enough to love him...this weakness will be your undoing for you will follow him and be mine as well."
His mocking laughter follows Jeziasi as the nightmare shatters and she bolts awake. The lanterns flicker and Jeziasi looks around to see that she is alone. Her heart is beating wildly and she tries to calm it. Swims-in-Silence could be lying. He is the Prince of schemes after all... but a deep chill inside her fears he is not lying about this at least.
-Southern Elsweyr-
Viperish Night takes them through the portal to Southern Elsweyr. As the portal closes he glances back at Jeziasi. She has been so very quiet tonight. Briefly, he thinks of the morning as he tried to sleep. How she came to him and tried to comfort him. How her tear seemed so warm on his scales, how her hand gently stroked his feathered crest until sleep, at last, took him. How could she show such love for a monster such as he? He had lead her into the depths of his river, and she followed. Never saying a word as she killed for him, threw away everything for him. This...to ask her to do this could not be right. But to not have her by his side, was somehow so very much worse. And she would not leave, even if he told her to. He turns his head to the town and the dead start to rise even as the Khajiit and Senche-raht burst from hidden holes all around the village.
Jeziasi's eyes move over the Khajiit warriors and the Senche-raht. She never returned to sleep after the nightmare. After what Swims-in-Silence had told her was the truth. She wanted to deny it, push it away, tell herself he was lying. He had to be lying. But she had hide from the truth for far too long. She could not hide any longer. If it was the truth, all of this would have never happened had she not walked into the marsh of Shadowfen with him. The pain strikes her like agony and she withdraws her daggers and suddenly charges forward, throwing herself into a group of the Senche-raht. She will hunt, it drives the emotions from her mind, and the Senche-raht are the perfect prey for this. The group of Senche-raht roar and Jeziasi spins with her daggers, a flash of blades and steel that strikes out at the cats with savage fury. The Senche-raht respond in kind, claws and fangs clashing against her armor, rending into her flesh. Jeziasi roars and slams into one, sending it flying, and then turns, her blades slicing across another's throat, felling it. She feels stronger than she should be, as if she's the wolf at this moment, though the collar is still around her neck, and she has blades and not claws. The wolf...is so very close though and Jeziasi surrenders utterly to the hunt ignoring everything but the bloody combat.
"Wolfy's damn savage tonight," Tyranius says to Zirasha. "Can't let her have all the fun. Let's go, girl." he charges at the Khajiit, who are only all too happy to meet his charge with their own.
"Don't have to tell me..." Zirasha says, blood-lust shimmering in her eyes, though there is curiosity as well. She shrugs and flows into her mist form, reforming on top of a Khajiit who falls under her relentless assault.
Viperish Night continues to raise dead instead of joining the fight. There is something...here. Something familiar. But it will take time to reach it so he focuses on it as his allies and undead war. His eyes find his Egg-mother and he tilts his head. Jeziasi is so very angry tonight. What upset her this much? Viperish Night raises his claws and several of his skeleton Senche-raht to attack a few of the Senche-raht on the edges of the melee to assist her.
Claws on the ground have Viperish Night turning and his eyes narrow. More Khajiit is coming, so very much more. They must have been lying in wait, in case this village was one Viperish Night decided to target. Viperish Night throws his head back and laughs. If they had been here a few minutes earlier? Now, now it was too late. The ground starts to shake violently and a giant skeleton rises, roaring to the night sky. Viperish Night regards his second Dragon, though wing bones are so damaged that this one will not fly, even with the necromantic power of the band. But it needs not to fly, the Khajiit have no wings, after all. Viperish Night hisses in delight as the dragon skeleton charges the Khajiit force and tears into them, rending them into pieces.
After the battle Viperish Night moves into the village to start raising the dead of the newly fallen. Zirasha is on top of a Khajiit who's clinging to life, taking her time drinking his blood, Tyranius is leaning against a wall, cleaning his scythe, and Jeziasi is standing amid blood-splattered grass her knifes hanging from her hands. Viperish Night walks to her side. "Your...upset," Viperish Night quietly says. Jeziasi turns to him and her gaze seems so lost. "So very upset." Viperish Night reaches out to trail his claws gently against her arm, not all the blood is from her prey. Some of it is hers. Jeziasi gazes at Viperish Night. She has not mentioned the nightmares to him, the fact that Swims-in-Silence is targeting her in such a way. She cannot. And so she turns her gaze from her son. "Egg-mother," Viperish Night says. "Have I...upset you?"
Upset? Jeziasi turns her gaze back to her son. No, he does not upset her. Saddens her, makes her feel so lost, for she cannot see a way to save him. "No," she says softly. "Just..." her eyes move to the shadows at the far end of the village. Eyes again, watching them.
Viperish Night hisses in anger and he turns. "Come, Egg-mother." Viperish Night says. "Dawn is hours away and we have time to be monsters until the sun chases us away." He moves from her to open a portal as his undead, including the second dragon, hide. Jeziasi follows him, followed by Zirasha and Tyranius.
-Skyrim Tomb-
At dawn the four return, and this time Swims-in-Silence does not follow them home. Viperish Night relaxes slightly. His Egg-father's eyes always on him, searching for weakness, looking to see if he perhaps cares too much for his Egg-mother. He turns to look at Jeziasi. He wants to ask her about tonight, but she seems so tired and so he just moves to her and rests his head against hers. She leans into him, shaking slightly. "Rest, Egg-mother. Do not worry about me this night. You are hurt, and need to rest." Jeziasi turns to look at him and just nods and heads wearily to bed. Viperish Night watches her go and then leaves to his room.
Zirasha moves to follow Jeziasi, but she stops to look at Tyranius. "Tyranius, why don't you bash heads in?" she asks, puzzled. When she was younger she found a few forbidden books on the Daedra and read them. She assumed that the Lord of Domination would give his champion his mace, but instead Tyranius had a scythe.
Tyranius looks at her. "Girl, I like my scythe. Ever think that's what she prefers to be?"
Zirasha just stares at him. "And you call me creepy? I always knew you had an unnatural relationship with that thing." she laughs and flows into the hallway.
Jeziasi bolts awake near nightfall. Again he came to her. Taunting her, showing her what could be...what he wanted it to be. And if she refused to speak to him, he threatened to show her memories she could not bear. Jeziasi takes a deep breath and suddenly stills as the hair on the back of her neck stands up. Jeziasi slowly sits up and turns around to find Zirasha watching her, her crimson eyes staring, searching.
"Your hiding something," Zirasha hisses. "which means your hiding it from Viperish Night." She hisses again, showing her fangs.
Jeziasi stares at her, "Why are you so loyal to him?" Jeziasi asks. Zirasha revels in the slaughter, the blood. And not just because she is a vampire. It goes far deeper than that, enough to chill the blood. But the Altmer is also damaged.
"Do not change the subject, or I will bite you," Zirasha threatens. "Just a little though, or Viperish Night will be angry with me."
Jeziasi rubs her face with her hand tiredly. "Swims-in-Silence has a damn dream amulet. He comes to me in my dreams. In my nightmares." Jeziasi softly says.
Jeziasi suddenly starts back as Zirasha moves and is suddenly right in front of her, mere inches away. "Does he..." Zirasha trails off, a crazed look in her eyes.
"No," Jeziasi says. "Just torments me, tries to test me. I will not fall for it." she pauses and finally adds, "He did the same thing to Viperish Night. It's how he tortures us. Though it's how I know what's going on. I can prepare myself, as best as I am able."
Zirasha sits back. "Why don't you tell Viperish Night?" she accuses.
"You've known him longer than I, you know better than I do what he would do if I did." Jeziasi answers.
"Damn it," Zirasha says. She knows as well as Jeziasi that Viperish Night may utterly lose it and show far too much to Swims-in-Silence. "Why can't we all just jump him? We outnumber him. And we are all so very strong."
"If it was that simple, Hircine would not tolerate me to hunt this way," Jeziasi says. "My Prince would be furious at submission if any of us, or all of us, could just kill Swims-in-Silence that easily."
Zirasha frowns. "I want to help you two." At Jeziasi's look, Zirasha snarls. "You want me to say it?" Zirasha looks away to hide the pain in her eyes from Jeziasi. "Viperish Night is broken like me. The only way to soothe the pain and fear is to become monsters. So the monsters who hurt us can never hurt us again. You will never know the peace killing can bring us. You were a hero. No one tried to break you like they broke us." Zirasha lets out a breath and lowers her head. "Do you think this is the life I wanted? I want it now, but back before they hurt me... I just wanted a different life than my parents wanted. I did not want to be a perfect Altmer, living that kind of life."
"Zirasha..." Jeziasi breaths. Slowly she reaches out and rests her hand on Zirasha's. Zirasha hisses angrily at her but makes no move to shake Jeziasi's hand off. Jeziasi takes a deep breath, knowing better than to push her harder. "I... I thought I was beyond breaking," Jeziasi says quietly. "What happened in Vvardenfell hurt me deeply, Summerset more so. And before that, the wars left deep scars. But I never broke from it. Damaged, but not broken. So I thought after all that, I was unbreakable..." Jeziasi trails off. "Swims-in-Silence showed me how wrong I was. He managed to break me. And I find myself utterly trapped. If I try to be a hero again, I would have to kill my son or stand by and watch as someone else killed him. And if I follow my son...I am something I never intended to be."
Zirasha's eyes move from the floor to Jeziasi's hand covering hers. "But you follow him. You love him," Zirasha whispers.
"I will until my last breath," Jeziasi says. "He's so broken, so lost. And yet I can see what he once was. It breaks me to know the torture Swims-in-Silence and Mannimarco put him through... the torture this world put him through. No one let him have any chance at all. Viperish Night, he deserves better but I cannot change the past. So he at the very very least deserves his Mother's love. Even if it cannot save him. Even if we fail and end up in Swims...Molag Bal's clutches." Jeziasi closes her eyes and shudders. Trying not to cry, for the impossibleness of it all.
Zirasha turns her hand over and wraps it around Jeziasi's. "We won't tell Viperish Night about this," Zirasha says. "He cares for you too in what way he can. The thought of Swims-in-Silence torturing you...he may very well snap." Her eyes move to Jeziasi. "I know you're different than us, but let us go kill more people. Let me show you just how you can lose yourself in it. Why it soothes us. Maybe you'll understand a little better...or feel a little better." Zirasha releases her hand and rises.
Jeziasi looks up at Zirasha before she too rises. "Let us go hunt with Viperish Night then, Zirasha. Until the very end."
