It's been a week since the battle at Greenshade, and it's the longest period they have not gone out hunting. It feels strange, unnatural, and far too quiet without the screams of the dying and the blessed silence after. The thoughts in Viperish Night's head clammer for attention in this pause, it's nearly enough to drive him mad, but the pause was necessary. The past week has been spent in rest and planning. It is very nearly time to start the real war, but Viperish Night needs more of the undead in certain spots. So they have been locating areas where he can raise the dead that have few if any settlements near for part of this. Of course, some larger assaults are still needed, but how many of the orbs the Dominion have is in question, and have they shared them with the other allegiances? It cannot be a lot, or a trap would have been sprung sooner. Of course, the solution for those possible traps is simple, bring in those who have sworn to fight with Viperish Night in his war. All of them have been in wait, and some like the remnants of The Worm Cult have been killing on their own and creating mass grave-sites for Viperish Night to raise when he is ready. But at last, the break is ended and today they strike at Skyrim. The Razorhorn Clan are even now preparing to lay siege to the towns near the border and several more Reachmen clans have agreed to assist in the assault.
Viperish Night rises from the floor and stalks to the doorway. He pauses and looks toward the Throne Room, then turns to head in the direction of Jeziasi's room. Once there Viperish Night pauses outside as Zirasha walks out. She pauses to gaze at Viperish Night with an eager look in her eyes. "You do not like the stillness either," Viperish Night says.
"I get bored," Zirasha says. "Bored and hungry." Viperish Night tilts his head and taps his claw against his head. Zirasha stills. "...that too, Viperish Night," Zirasha softy says. "The fear is gone, the memories remain." Zirasha suddenly hisses at him and bursts into mist and flows away.
Jeziasi pokes her head out. "Getting her to open up always results in that, or threats to bite," Jeziasi says and she pulls back as Viperish Night walks into her room.
"Egg-mother," Viperish Night says, gazing at her intensely. What happened a week ago still bothers him. How he had to treat her, how part of him started not to care. It chilled him to think of it. He had slowly returned to his normal state, but the transformation had chilled him, and his emotions for a while. "Are you ready?" Viperish Night asks.
Jeziasi gazes back at him. "Yes, Viperish Night. Lead and I will follow," Jeziasi pauses, a look of thought crossing her face. "I am still thinking of a way to hunt him. He's stronger than my wolf, faster than Zirasha, and commands Coldharbour's legions. And we do not know all of it."
Viperish Night hisses slightly. "The four of us, my undead. It seems enough, Egg-mother but..." he tilts his head thinking. "It's not, is it?"
"Something we are missing," Jeziasi says. "I can feel it, my instincts can feel it. We need more time before our pack can strike."
"Before the war?" Viperish Night asks.
A troubled look crosses Jeziasi's face as she stills. "I do not know..." she softly says.
"The pain in your eyes, Egg-mother..." Viperish Night says as he lowers his head. "I..."
"I chose this, Viperish Night," Jeziasi says. "To walk with you."
"But you would have me swim another river," Viperish Night says with an angry hiss.
"I want better then this for you," Jeziasi says.
Viperish Night's eyes darken. "It is too late."
A look of despair crosses Jeziasi's face. "I know," she says simply and moves to him, resting her head against his. "Do what you must. I should tell you not to, mother's do that, but if I do I will lose you. I cannot bear that." Jeziasi whispers. "I have lost far to much already."
Viperish Night just leans into his Egg-mother, softly shaking. He must do this because nothing else makes sense to him. Only death does. Not to follow this path causes utter agony to surge through his spine. The screams of living grow and threaten to drown him. He will not let them win. They do not deserve mercy. No one does. Except...perhaps his Egg-mother. He cannot stop for her, even though the pain in her eyes flays him. Viperish Night struggles to explain, but fails and falls silent instead.
"Viperish Night..." Jeziasi asks. "Do you intend to transform again?"
"If I must," Viperish Night says.
Jeziasi is silent for a long moment before she cautiously speaks. "Using it...it draws you closer to him. I fear for you."
Viperish Night is silent, remembering what it felt like. Such power, freedom from the thoughts and emotions that plague him. Part of him knows she's right. But part of him wants to feel it again. He cannot promise her anything so he moves from her and turns, walking away. "Come, Egg-mother. We have battle to wage in Skyrim."
Jeziasi stares as he walks away and slowly lowers her head. "Yes, Viperish Night," she says softly.
-The Reach, near the border-
A landscape of harsh rugged highlands, scrub grass, and plans. And so very many Reachmen. Jeziasi's head spins for a moment as shards of memory surface. Viperish Night's first meeting with Razorhorn clan, and how he had taken her with them. And now, here they are back among them again.
Fasi moves up to them as the portal closes. "She's awake," Fasi says to Zirasha, and once more she seems mesmerized by Zirasha.
Zirasha looks at Fasi as she stares at her. "Fasi, you were like this before," Zirasha says curiously.
"I..." Fasi starts but is soon interrupted by the approach of Chieftain Dravrefe, who stops in front of Viperish Night.
"Clans Boneslasher, Storm Claws, and Bear Beaters have joined us," Chieftain Dravrefe says. "We are ready to strike Skyrim, to kill some Nords," he says with a bloodthirsty grin.
Viperish Night nods. "Simple rules. No survivors. I will raise the dead after to join my army." Viperish Night hisses.
"We rarely take prisoners," Chieftain Dravrefe answers. "Those we do take, never last all that long." he pauses and glances at Jeziasi. "Your pet is awake."
Viperish Night tilts his head. "Yes, she awoke from dreams and joined us. She's a very fierce pet." A smile crosses his face.
The Chieftain's eyes move to Jeziasi and the two stare at each other for long moments. "Something else as well," Chieftain Dravrefe says. "We recognize Hircine's own."
"That too," Viperish Night adds as the clans start to move, ready to march into Skyrim.
-Skyrim - Karthwatch -
Viperish Night and his allies had breached the border gate and crossed over into Western Skyrim. They had descended upon Karthwatch only to find the town utterly deserted and then the Nords had streamed down the rocky crags where they had been lying in wait. Tyranius laughs as he grips his scythe. "They must have sent half their army after us!" he yells as the Nords descend upon him.
"Let them come," Viperish Night says with a glimmer in his eyes as the necromancy starts to flow through him, at last quieting his screaming thoughts. The long-forgotten dead rise, as well as Dire Wolfs and Giant Bears. Several Mammoths' burst from the ground as well followed by Giant skeleton's. They surge forth alongside the Reachmen and Viperish Night's allies, as the battle is joined. The battle soon moves of town, and onto the fields north of the town.
Reachmen stream by Jeziasi as her daggers slice through Nord flesh and clash with Nord steel. Sometimes she feels the sting of a blade but ignores the shallow injuries. The battle is chaotic, Reachmen, undead, Nords, and Viperish Night and his allies all swirling around in bloody combat that will only end with the utter annihilation of the other side. Jeziasi soon gets separated from Viperish Night and the others. She turns to return to her son when ten Nords storm at her from all sides. Jeziasi snarls and throws herself into their midst her speed and deadly attacks against their brute strength. First, one dagger is lost, then another. A huge Nord comes at her with a battleax and Jeziasi snarls as her hand streaks out, the Nord flies backward, falling with a crash to the ground his neck a bloody ruin as if rent by claws. Before she can even think on this another Nord comes up behind her. Before she can spin around a ferocious snarl breaks the night as a Khajiit dressed as one of the Reachmen slams his claws into the Nord sending him crashing to the ground. The Nord staggers up, claw marks rent in his armor.
"You rise?" The Khajiit says. "Foolish," his left hand curls on his staff and he pulls it out as thunder rumbles, and a moment later a powerful blast of lightning streaks from the staff and slams into the Nord killing him instantly. The Khajiit turns to look at Jeziasi. "The rest now," he says with a bloodthirsty grin. Jeziasi nods and the last few Nords are taken down quickly. Jeziasi scans the chaotic battlefield for she and strange Khajiit are in a bubble of momentary calm. "The necromancer is near, though rocks cover our view, and blood dampens his smell." The Khajiit tells her. "This one will take you his side." The Khajiit looks at the fallen Nords Jeziasi took down as Jeziasi collects her dagger. "This one thinks you have hidden claws. Werewolf, perhaps?" he asks Jeziasi. "Your scent is a little strange."
"It is complicated," Jeziasi says glancing down at her hands which appear normal but covered in blood. She did rend the Nord's apart. Her gaze snaps up to the Khajiit. Dusky brown fur, chocolate stripes, a manelike mohawk of near black. "Your a Khajiit," Jeziasi says as she follows him as he turns to move through the battlefield toward Viperish Night.
The Khajiit growls, a low angry sound. "This one is Reachmen, despite the outer appearance. Clan Storm Claw is this one's clan," he snarls softly. "This one's Khajiit clan betrayed him when he was very young. So never call this one Khajiit."
"Fair enough," Jeziasi says. "What do I call you then?"
He turns his head to look at her. "The Devourer of Khajiits," he tells her. At Jeziasi's stare, he adds, "Only my clan knows this one's true name." The Devourer of Khajiits focuses on moving through the field as Jeziasi follows. He suddenly laughs. "Yes, this one eats Khajiits. They give this one such power, power over the storm, over flames." He glances back at Jeziasi, his grin is slightly unsettling. "Now come, the battle awaits. This one likes killing."
Viperish Night's blades pierce Nord flesh and he grins as his undead streak out in all directions, the screams of battle like a melody of death. Still disjointed, but moving to the harmony of silence that will exist after. His eyes dart across the battlefield looking for his Egg-mother, and he relaxes slightly as he sees her running back to him with a... Khajiit?
Chieftain Dravrefe follows Viperish Night's gaze after he beheads the Nord he was fighting with his sword, made of bone with razor edges. "The Storm Claw's kitty," Chieftain Dravrefe says. "Savage cannibalistic thing." Chieftain Dravrefe laughs and gestures with his sword at the sky, which has started to cloud over as the battle stretched on. "The witches are almost ready to unleash the storm!" he declares.
Jeziasi reaches Viperish Night, breathing a sigh of relief to see him unharmed. Viperish Night gazes at her and his head tilts. In the storm-filled sky, her eye's almost seem golden. Before any words can be shared the storm breaks with a mighty crash of thunder followed by lightning bolts raining down, hitting Nords with blinding flashes. Jeziasi's eyes widen, she has heard of the Reachmen and their witches but this...this power was staggering. The Nords caught in the blasts had no chance at all from the storm's fury. As the lightning flashes through the sky in blinding flashes Jeziasi's eyes catch a flash of gold crossing the field of battle, heading straight toward Viperish Night. Jeziasi almost freezes, for what her eyes see is so familiar, but of course, it cannot be him. Jeziasi snarls low in her throat and she turns and bolts toward the golden figure. When she's near enough she leaps into their path and slams into him, sending the golden armored figure flying backward with a crash upon the blood-soaked grass. They jump up right away, a shimmering gold sword in their hands. "Stay away from my son," Jeziasi says with a beastal growl as she stalks them, her eyes taking it in. Golden armor, Dawnbreaker in his hands. But not Darien. Darien is long gone, this is a new champion of Meridia. As Jeziasi closes in on him she frowns as she sets eyes on his face. It looks almost like Theodyn but older by a few years. "Theodyn...?" Jeziasi breaths.
Theodyn looks at her, his dark brown eyes hard as he gazes at her. "Vestige," Theodyn says. "You have chosen him. Him, over Nirn."
Jeziasi nearly flinches, his voice is so cold, his eyes so merciless. "He's my son," Jeziasi answers. "I will protect him until the end. Even against you, if I must."
Theodyn's grip on Dawnbreaker tightens. "Meridia told me of what you have done. I thought perhaps you just made a mistake but to side the spawn of Molag Bal? Viperish Night is an abomination that should not exist. That should never have existed." Theodyn's eyes go even colder. "Perhaps you did know Swims-In-Silence's truth all along."
Jeziasi's eyes flare with rage. She's sick of everyone thinking Viperish Night is an abomination. Even he thinks that for that is the only thing the world told him he was, that he could ever be. "Never call him that," Jeziasi snarls, and her eyes that are more golden than crystal radiate intense fury. "It's not his fault," she snarls at Theodyn. "I did not know. And I do not need you to remind me of my unforgivable mistake. I know it to my depths of my soul!"
"He is though," Theodyn responds. "And you are defiled, just as my Prince told me you were," his eyes narrow. "I thought her too harsh, but she was right all this time."
Something in Jeziasi snaps. All the held back fury, all the rage, and helplessness. Her utter inability to save her son, to alter his horrific course, everything. Jeziasi screams in rage and it turns into a bestial roar as the collar around her neck shatters and she sheds her mer form to become the wolf. Jeziasi bounds toward Theodyn as he raises Dawnbreaker, its fiery light streaks toward her. She snarls as the burning light engulfs her but she bounds through it to slam Theodyn with her clawed paw, sending him flying into a rock where he hits hard enough to crack his armor.
Theodyn stares at her in shock at the impossibly fierce blow. "Your..." he trails off. Meridia had not told him about this. That Jeziasi was on Viperish Night's side. That she was the chosen champion of Hircine. "I don't understand, why would Hircine..." again, trailing off.
Jeziasi snarls, "Try fathoming a Daedric Prince's thoughts. I do not deserve a second chance, and yet I have it." Her golden eyes narrow. "Cease your fight against Viperish Night, Theodyn. Or I will destroy you with all a mother wolf's fury."
Theodyn staggers forward, Dawnbreaker raised. "You know I cannot do that, Jeziasi," he says.
Tyranius is on the outer edges of the battlefield, having a glorious time fighting the Nords. He's about to dispatch yet another one, when a lightning bolt hits the Nord, sending him crashing to the ground dead. "Damn it," Tyranius snarls. "Someone is always stealing my kills!"
"That is not all you will lose this day," a female voice tells him.
Tyranius spins around just as a powerful bolt of flame hits him, sending him crashing to the ground, his armor smoking and cracked. "What in Oblivion?" he snarls.
"What in Oblivion indeed," A bolt of lightning in the sky illuminates Tyranius's attacker. A Dunmer with fiery red markings on her face, long black hair loose and blowing in the wind, and a scared throat stands before Tyranius. She's clad in Daedric armor, a mix of warrior and mage, and a Daedric Staff is clutched in her hands. Twin axes are belted at her waist. "Get up," she orders him. "You face Mehrunes Dagon's champion." Her eyes narrow. "And I know who's champion you are."
Tyranius gets up and takes in her measure, his scythe held tightly in his hands. "Damn," Tyranius says. "You are a lot different than the last time I saw you. Iveryni right? Guess I should just call you Dagon's lap dog now." Tyranius laughs. "Well, let's give this a go. Always wanted to fight another Prince's champion."
Iveryni's staff glows and another fire bolt bursts from it. This time Tyranius is ready and he leaps to the side and comes at her, his scythe swinging in a full-on attack. Iveryni dives under it and switches to her twin axes. With a cry, she leaps up as Tyranius swings around, and his scythe clashes against her axes with a mighty crash of Daedric steel. "Dagon's give you fun toys," Tyranius says as the two leaps back from each other and starts to circle, looking for an opening.
"That is not all I was given," Iveryni says as the markings on her face glow brighter. The ground starts to rumble and lava erupts under Tyranius's feet covering them. The lava cools and traps him in place as Iveryni smirks, sheathing her axes and taking her staff out again. She raises it and it glows with a fiery dark light. "I will end you," Iveryni says as she prepares a massive spell.
The Lightning bolts rain down upon the Nords and Zirasha pauses in her bloody sport and laughs, spinning under the thunderous deluge. Her eyes delight on a Nord who dived away from the bolt and she surges toward him, taking him down and sinking her fangs deep into his throat, enjoying the bloody feast. Zirasha's head snaps up a few moments later as a flash of movement comes at her. Zirasha hisses and leaps backward as the shadowy figure comes out her with a flash of silver. She lands backward on the grass and her hand touches her throat, a shallow cut lightly bleeding. Zirasha's eyes narrow and she moves forward at vampiric speed, her knives slashing at the shadowy figure who's moving toward her again, moving just as fast as she is. The two dance under the storm, moving at impossible speed, knifes slicing shallow wounds until Zirasha mists at the next strike, reforming to grab the shadowy figure's arm and yanks them violently forward to crash upon the grass. Zirasha hisses as the shadowy figure leaps up to face her, his hood falling to his shoulders. Zirasha's eyes widen. "The Imperial brat," she breaths. He seems older than last she saw him, the softness in his face gone to be replaced with hard jagged looks and icy cold eyes. His knife drips with Zirasha's blood. Zirasha holds up her knives, bloody as well. "Nothing to say?" she says.
Rufico is silent for a long moment as his eyes study Zirasha. "Only this, I will send you to the Void for hurting Theodyn back in Craglorn." Rufico suddenly moves forward, so very fast.
Zirasha growls and surges toward him as well. "Should have feasted upon you, too." she snarls as the two start their deadly dance anew.
Viperish Night spins around as he too spots the golden armored figure run towards him, but Jeziasi has already dashed off to intercept. Viperish Night's eyes narrow. This is...different. Near him, The Devourer of Khajiits suddenly erupts in a fury of snarls as growls as vines erupt from the ground ensnaring him. His snarls are cut short as a vine wraps around his neck, ensnaring him in a deadly trap. The Devourer of Khajiits falls silent and his eyes are filled with murderous fury. Viperish Night turns around and his eyes move to the Argonian that has made her way through the Reachmen to intercept him. Viperish Night tilts his head. Her scales glimmer in the lightning flashes, she's dressed as the Argonian's in the Marsh, but he remembers her from Craglorn. His Egg-Mother had mentioned her name, Softly-Speckled-Crab. Viperish Night utters a low hiss and the dead near him stir, moving closer to Viperish Night, ready to defend him.
Softly-Speckled-Crab stops near him but makes no move to attack. She just gazes at him, her eyes taking in his measure. "Keerasi-Zish," she at last says. "I see the drop in your eyes, nearly drowned in the river you are lost in," she adds, a hint of sadness in her voice.
Viperish Night snarls in anger. "Do not call me that. The Hist abandoned me, so I threw away the name it gave me." Viperish Night's eyes fill with icy fury and the dead edge closer to Softly-Speckled-Crab.
Softly-Speckled-Crab ignores the dead around her, continuing to focus on Viperish Night. She had seen him with Jeziasi, right before Theodyn had gone for him. She had asked her friend to let her be the first to confront Viperish Night, but the boy...no the man he had become was filled with merciless fury and ignored her request. "Jeziasi has chosen you," Softly-Speckled-Crab says softly.
"And the Hist you," Viperish Night hisses. Her clothes, her staff, so much about her reminded her of the Marsh and his fury grows. "I will END the Hist, as well as every last Argonian. They will regret what they have done." Viperish Night snarls.
The sadness in Softly-Speckled-Crab's eyes deepens. "We already regret it. You should have been loved." Softly-Speckled-Crab starts to say more, then stops, her head lowering slightly. She could tell him more, that the Hist weeps for what has become of him, but not a single word she has said has moved him, and nothing she says will matter to him. Only one drop in the ocean of despair he drowns in helps him. And how can that one drop make any difference at all, now? Softly-Speckled-Crab clutches her staff. "I have never killed another," she says softly. "But the Hist taught me if mercy fails, then it is a mercy to do so." Her eyes stare into his. "Will you not let the single drop save you, and put this madness aside?"
Viperish Night hisses again. "Nothing in this world deserves mercy," he says. "I will not stop until all the living are silent, until their madness at last ends. Only the dead should be... only the dead don't scream and tear my soul asunder."
Softly-Speckled-Crab's eyes show depths of grief briefly before hardening. "Then this is how it must be," she says as the ground rumbles at her feet and vines writhe around her feet.
Viperish Night's claws move to his staff and he makes ready to attack, though his eyes are only halfway focused on her as he divides his attention. He needs to raise more undead.
Jeziasi howls and bounds forward once more ignoring Dawnbreaker's blazing wrath in pursuit of her prey. Theodyn leaps to the side and Dawnbreaker slashes down, cutting Jeziasi's arm deeply. She spins growling in pain and fury before slamming her arm into Theodyn sending him crashing down upon the ground. Jeziasi leaps at him and Theodyn stabs Dawnbreaker up and Jeziasi throws herself to the side, just missing the deadly strike. Theodyn is up in a moment and Dawnbreaker flashes down, cutting a long slash down Jeziasi's back. She spins and snaps jaws around Dawnbreaker, snatching it out of Theodyn's grip and into the grass nearby. Theodyn dives and his hand grabs the hilt as Jeziasi charges and slams into him again, sending him flying, Theodyn just barely managing to maintain his hold on his sword. He rises right away, and Dawnbreaker starts to glow brighter, casting his face in its cold golden light as he stares at Jeziasi's feral wolf form. The fallen Nords and Reachmen suddenly rise from their ruined flesh and their skeletons soon encircle Theodyn.
"Got fire, give you that," Tyranius growls. "Cannot believe you're forcing me to use this. Always seems like cheating." Tyranius's scythe starts to glow icy blue and Tyranius slams it into the ground. Shards of ice shoot up and form into icy blue blades that shatter the dried lava and then shoot up to encircle Tyranius. "Try this, Dunmer," Tyranius says and the icy blades streak toward Iveryni. Iveryni raises her staff and a nova blast of fire rains down upon Tyranius and his blades. Tyranius laughs and his scythe streaks up, more blades appearing to do battle with the flames why he starts to charge Iveryni. Iveryni slams her staff down and a wall of fire encircles her and starts to move toward Tyranius, but her attention is suddenly divided as the dead around her rise and come at her from all sides.
A deep cut on her arm has Zirasha's blood splattering the grass. But Rufico is also bleeding from a deep gash on his face. "So fast," Zirasha breaths. "I've never fought someone so fast!" Zirasha's eyes glimmer as Rufico brings his knife up and surges toward Zirasha once more. With a grin, Zirasha moves toward him, and the two dance with blades and killing intent once more. Zirasha bursts into mist and reforms next to Rufico, he spins, and her knife flashes, cutting his hand deeply and causing his knife to drop into the grass. "Now I'll taste your blood, Imperial brat," Zirasha hisses as she moves in for the kill.
Rufico smiles, a small deadly thing and a black blade that shimmers with all the darkness of The Void appears in his hand. "Now you will know silence," Rufico hisses, but before he can spring at her the fallen dead rise and block his path.
Softly-Speckled-Crab starts to attack, then freezes. Her eyes regard Viperish Night. "You have risen more fallen, even as we spoke," Softly-Speckled-Crab says.
Viperish Night's eyes fill with utter ice."Your friends seek to destroy my..." Viperish Night tilts his head. What had his Egg-Mother called them? "My pack," Viperish Night finishes with an angry hiss.
Softly-Speckled-Crab starts back. "The drop is not yet lost," Softly-Speckled-Crab says, and once more tries to speak reason to this mad lost necromancer. "Viperish Night. I can feel what the band and your necromancy does to the dead. You raise them instead of letting them rest. They anguish in this existence you grant them."
"No, they are silent. They feel nothing." Viperish Night hisses as he steps closer to Softly-Speckled-Crab. "Their madness flees with their worthless souls."
"Their souls are caught in Molag Bal's web. They will suffer until even their souls fade. He will have their pain, their terror, their everlasting screams." Softly-Speckled-Crab gazes at Viperish Night. "How can you want that? Can you not see this is what he wants, not you?"
Viperish Night grips his staff tighter. "I do not care," Viperish Night snarls. "The living only gave me pain, they deserve no mercy. Let my Egg-father have them. He'll join them in their suffering after I and my Egg-mother are done with him."
Softly-Speckled-Crab's head dips and sadness fills her eyes. Viperish Night will not be reached, and she cannot yet grant him the mercy of death, for the Reachmen have finished off the last of the Nords and they advance on the four heroes as well as the legion of the undead under Viperish Night's control. She can feel her friends being surrounded and so she places her staff on the ground and sends her intent through the living plants and grass all around her. Retreat. Softly-Speckled-Crab gazes at Viperish Night one last time. Yes... to know him is to know despair. Softly-Speckled-Crab turns as a portal opens and she enters it and it snaps shut behind her.
Theodyn backs away from Jeziasi and the undead. Softly-Speckled-Crab...is right. This was always meant to be a test of their enemies' strength. Theodyn sheaths Dawnbreaker. "You are wrong," he tells Jeziasi. "You should of put a dagger in his back. It would not have saved you from Meridia's Judgment, but it may have eased it." Golden light engulfs Theodyn and he fades from the Battlefield, Jeziasi's angry roar echoing in his ears.
Iveryni snaps a portal open and stares at Tyranius. "Next time the fires of a new dawn will destroy you, and your master," Iveryni promises as she turns and walks through the portal.
"Just try it," Tyranius says with a laugh as the portal closes.
The blade of Woe vanishes and Rufico steps backward. "Playtime's over," Rufico says. "Next time, I'll send you to the Void." A black portal opens and Rufico vanishes into it.
Zirasha smiles. He was so fast. "Next time, I'm going to bite him," Zirasha says to herself. "I wonder what a Dark Brotherhood's blood tastes like."
A cheer from the Reachmen echos to the sky as they clear and the stars and full moon's light shines down upon the blood-soaked battlefield. Viperish Night pushes Softly-Spoken-Crab's words form his head as he glances around with a glimmer of worry in his eyes. The Devourer of Khajiit roars and the vines burst into flame and he shakes their ash from his fur. "She is fine, nearby yes." The Devourer of Khajiits tells Viperish Night.
Viperish Night turns his gaze on the strange Khajiit as Zirasha appears from mist. She gazes at the Khajiit in rapt fascination. "He hates his race," she breaths. "I can see it in his eyes." Viperish Night glances at Zirasha, noticing the cuts on her face and hands, the way her eyes gleam as if she had the time of her life. She laughs at his gaze. "The Imperial is not a little brat anymore," Zirasha says. "He's as fast as me! I want to drink his blood! Every last dark drop of it." She spins around and then looks at The Devourer of Khajiits again. "Can we keep the kitty?" she asks.
The Devourer of Khajiits growls a warning deep in his throat. "This one's place is with his clan Storm Claws." he rumbles as he moves away to find his clan.
"Best take that as a no, girl," Tyranius says as he moves to the group. His armor is cracked and his boots are near destroyed. At Viperish Night's look, Tyranius just shrugs. "It will fix itself in time. Damn though, fighting another Daedric Prince's champion? YES!" Tyranius says with a laugh. Before Viperish Night can comment Jeziasi bounds in, still in werewolf form. Viperish Night looks up at her as do Zirasha and Tyranius. Tyranius laughs. "Looks like you got your fur back, wolfy."
Zirasha suddenly hisses as Swims-In-Silence steps from the shadows of a large group of rocks and stalks toward him. Viperish Night narrows his eyes hissing. He had not even known his Egg-Father was here this time.
"Prince," Tyranius says and Zirasha crosses her arms following Swims-In-Silence with her eyes.
Swims-In-Silence moves past him to stand in front of Jeziasi. Jeziasi stares down at him. The urge to pounce, to rend and feast was overwhelming and her blood screams at her. Only sheer force of will keeps her from attempting to tear him apart. His eyes, he showed no worry that Viperish Night or her would attack and kill him. What did he know that they failed to realize?
Swims-In-Silence's eyes are filled with icy awareness. "Your pet is off her leash," Swims-In-Silence hisses.
Viperish Night tenses as his eyes move to Jeziasi. Jeziasi meets his gaze and fights her instincts with all she is, finally dropping on all fours and moving to Viperish Night to lie in submission at his feet. Viperish Night glances at a nearby Reachmen. "Bring me some kind of collar. My pet accidentally broke her last one," Viperish Night orders him. The Reachmen leaves and returns with a twisted bit of metal. Viperish Night takes it and crouches by Jeziasi, who lowers her head, allowing Viperish Night access. Viperish Night wraps it around her neck and then snaps the chain on before rising, the lead in his hands. "You were saying?" Viperish Night says as he motions to his dead so they can hide and wait until they are needed again.
Swims-In-Silence laughs. "To have Hircine's champion on a leash...even I am surprised at her submission and loyalty to you." His gaze turns back to Jeziasi as Chieftain Dravrefe approaches.
Viperish Night turns to Chieftain Dravrefe. "You took our dead," Chieftain Dravrefe says with an angry snap.
Viperish Night tilts his head. "I never promised to leave them be. All the dead rise for my army." Viperish Night smiles, showing many fangs. "Do you intend to fight me over it? There are more dead than Reachmen, right now."
Chieftain Dravrefe stares at Viperish Night for long moments before turning. "We will remember this," Chieftain Dravrefe says. "But for now...and for the coming days The Clans of the Reach will be at your call again." He turns and then looks back. "You gave us Nord's to kill. We will gather our spoils and head home." Chieftain Dravrefe moves to his clan.
Viperish Night looks at his pack. "We will return now," Viperish Night starts to say.
"Wait," Zirasha says. "I need to do something first." Zirasha mists away before anyone can ask, what it is she needs to do.
Zirasha reforms near Fasi, who's crouched by a house in Karthwatch. Zirasha studies the woman. She's not much older than Zirasha is, and forever will be. "Are you sure?" Zirasha quietly asks. Back at The Reach Zirasha had seen the naked desire in Fasi's eyes for what Zirasha had. "I think vampires end up in Coldharbour when they die," she adds, even softer.
Fasi nods. "I have little aptitude for our kind of magic, even less as a warrior. I want to serve my clan, more than the little I do now. I want this," Fasi says firmly. "I want to be one with the primal life force. This is how I can serve my clan. How I can be strong." Fasi kneels. "Please. My brother is near and has agreed to look after me until I have the hunger under control so I will not hurt my clan."
Zirasha looks down at Fasi. She has never turned anyone before, not on purpose. Those she has attacked with fangs have died, for that was her soul intent. Zirasha kneels beside Fasi and takes her arm gently in her hands. "It is being a monster," Zirasha says. "But also freedom. It freed me from my fear when nothing else could." Zirasha lowers her mouth to Fasi's wrist and bites. Fasi stifles a gasp of pain and Zirasha drains her, stopping only when she is sure the infection has taken hold. Fasi goes limp and Zirasha picks her up and turns to see a Reachmen approaching, his eyes on his sister. Zirasha brings Fasi to him, laying her in his arms. "Chains work," Zirasha says. "Control is needed, bring her people to devour until then." Fasi's brother nods silently and walks away with her.
Zirasha mists back to Viperish Night's side. "Let's go home," Zirasha says, wiping the blood from the side of her mouth. Viperish Night tilts his head in a moment of curiosity, before turning to open the portal to return them home.
