-Skyrim Tomb-
Long after the sun has risen Zirasha returns to the room she shares with Jeziasi but pauses outside the doorway. Tyranius walks by a few minutes later and stands by Zirasha. "Girl...," Tyranius says quietly.
"I know, never going to happen," Zirasha replies glancing at Tyranius. "And love just complicates things." Zirasha moves her gaze back to the room.
Tyranius crosses his arms. "Girl, we are all going to die. Either that or kill everyone else and wander around Coldharber till Molag Bal gets bored of us."
Zirasha snaps her attention back to Tyranius and hisses. "I know that!" Zirasha snaps.
"Then what? You want to go first?" Tyranius asks.
Zirasha once more turns her gaze back to the room, back to Jeziasi. "...Maybe," she admits.
Tyranius sighs. "Jeziasi before Viperish Night. You before Jeziasi. This is a tangled mess. Forget it. Let fate pick who dies first."
Zirasha looks down, biting her lip. "I can't help it," she whispers.
"Wake wolfy up," Tyranius says. "Pup wants to talk to us before we enter the fray again." Tyranius turns and starts to walk away, glancing back. "This... none of this is what I expected either. It's more." And with that, he walks to the throne room.
Zirasha stares into the room a few moments longer. More... yes. Finally, she moves into the room and sits by Jeziasi's sleeping form. She did not wake even when they were talking. The depths of trust she had that her pack meant her no harm. Zirasha blinks a few times. Trust... yes. They trusted each other. Loved each other. Even though they were monsters. And this monster sleeping before her almost died. "Get up," Zirasha whispers. "Get up you stupid wolf. Don't you know wolves can't breathe underwater? Wolves are not fireproof either!" The last words come out as an angry hiss and Jeziasi's eyes snap open and she springs up. Zirasha looks up at her and Jeziasi gazes down before sitting beside Zirasha.
The words were spoken as she was still asleep but still Zirasha's words pierced their way to her. Zirasha, angry, nearly as angry as Viperish Night. "I..." Jeziasi trails off before continuing. "I cannot promise to stay alive," Jeziasi finally says. "I will fall before Viperish Night, before my pack. I cannot bear to be the last one alive... not again."
The anger starts to fade from Zirasha's eyes as Tyranius's words come back to her. "All of us want a different order," Zirasha whispers. "Why can't none of us die?" Zirasha's eyes snap up to Jeziasi's. "And do not tell me what happens if that is the result. I know! I do not want that either."
Zirasha suddenly leaps up and Jeziasi follows. "If...No. I hate that word," Jeziasi says, her eyes looking so very lost.
"This was just to be about making them pay!" Zirasha snaps. "About ending fear and hurting this world for what it did to us. How did it become this?"
Jeziasi stills as Wyress Asteria's words come back to her. She caused Viperish Night to suffer, but the alternative was worse. "Every path is cursed, every path leads to death," Jeziasi says, "But still..." Jeziasi's eyes grow distant as her thoughts take her past this room, past this accursed fate. Finally, she shakes her head. "We keep fighting," Jeziasi says. "Fighting against our fate, against the world, against everything that gets in our way. As pack, as family. Until the end of the river."
"Together," Zirasha whispers and reaches out for Jeziasi's hand, weaving it in her own. "I... is it alright if I..." Zirasha whispers, looking into Jeziasi's eyes.
What is in those eyes... Jeziasi realizes it is a truth she had not seen. The river they all swam in was full of rapids and pitfalls, death and blood. This had escaped her. "Zirasha," Jeziasi breaths.
"I know," Zirasha says. "Nothing can come of it. For so many reasons. I just..."
Zirasha's cold hand in her warm one, Jeziasi brings her other hand up to cup Zirasha's face. "Truth," Jeziasi says gently and Zirasha flinches slightly. "But yes, it is alright."
Zirasha smiles and then lets go of Jeziasi's hand and turns toward the doorway. "Viperish Night wants us," Zirasha says and then bursts into mist and vanishes to the throne room.
Jeziasi watches her vanish and then turns to put her armor on before following. The road that had taken her to this point. Nothing from the wars, from her travels, could of let her imagine this kind of path, this kind of river. To be on the other side, and to find that monsters were more than just monsters. To think they would be family. If only there was a different river they could somehow leap into. A distant expression crosses Jeziasi's eyes before she hardens them and follows after Zirasha.
Viperish Night sits on his throne claws clasped together and eyes closed. He feels his pack enter. First Tyranius, then in a burst of mist, Zirasha. Finally, his Egg-mother enters. Slowly Viperish Night opens his eyes to regard his pack. His...family. Such a strange word. He had returned just a bit ago and refused sleep. The clarity he had would soon vanish, and how long until the will to fight would vanish as well? There was only so much pain one could take before they broke. He already broke once in the arena that night. Those who had been his friends, ones he would never see again because he ended them. And it hardly seemed to matter now. So far had he swam in the river of death. Even as he fought, the depths called and slowly destroyed the old Viper. The one he thought was already gone before his Egg-mother had come to him. As Viperish Night studies his pack, he wonders. How much to tell them? Should he even mention the fact he would lose this battle if he was not killed? Viperish Night softly hisses and at last speaks. "We will hunt my Egg-father soon. He..." Viperish Night tilts his head. "He may know we will come for him. Can you break his hold?"
Jeziasi moves closer to Viperish Night and he turns to return his gaze. It is Tyranius who speaks first, however. "Got a plan for that, pup," Tyranius says. "Should work."
"The power of blood," Zirasha says. "I think if I have enough and am transformed, I can reach beyond the pain. Pain is just..." Zirasha pauses, her hand tracing the scar on her face. "What others cause, and what we cause ourselves. I think I can overcome it."
A small crafty smile crosses Jeziasi's lips. "He thinks he has me leashed, but his compulsion falls in the face of truth and Hircine's power," Jeziasi says.
All his pack looks at him. Viperish Night had thought on this as well, after returning from the island. "I think so," Viperish Night says. "The river may come from him, but it is my river. I will control it, not him."
"When, pup?" Tyranius asks.
"He watches us. Every single battle," Viperish Night hisses, his eyes filling with rage. "He told me to let my Egg-mother die, he watches and thinks we are his, that he can make us submit. He enjoys watching us, thinking we serve his will." Viperish Night lowers his hands, the claws scratching on the thrones' armrests. "When we have a chance, one of us must do something to anger him. To draw him closer to us, so we may spring on him and end his vessel's life."
"It must be me," Jeziasi says and all eyes turn to her. "I am the only one who might still falter under all this." With a growl her eyes narrow. "Not that I will. But he thinks me weak. He thinks I would spare that what I should not, what Viperish Night has ordered not. So when we are all together, I will do so. When it seems right." Jeziasi's gaze turns toward Viperish Night, who nods quietly.
"Pup, you seem...different," Tyranius says.
Viperish Night tilts his head slightly. "I will be as I have been soon enough." A look of what could almost be called regret passes through his eyes. Jeziasi moves closer to him and he reaches out for her hand, so very warm in his. "The river consumes us all. But we will run it red with blood before it drowns us all. Preferably my Egg-father's sooner than later." His gaze turns towards his Egg-mother. A single star in all this darkness. Was that what the words meant? Viperish Night blinks a few times and then lets go of her hand and rises. "We hunt, once more. Perhaps it will keep the screams at bay so I can think clearly when we have our claws and fangs around Swims-in-Silence's neck."
-Elden Root-
The trees of Grahtwood were more alive than any tree Softly-Speckled-Crab had ever known. Yes, The Hist was more so, but the Hist was something more unfathomable than a tree. Softly-Speckled-Crab touches the bark of one and then nearly starts as a very large deer with massive antlers silently moves from the trees to stand before her, his eyes staring into hers for a long moment before turning back to the woods, looking once over his shoulder to see if she is following. Softly-Speckled-Crab rises and follows the deer. The mighty buck leads her deep into the woods and steps in a meadow before a statue of the Daedric Prince Hircine. Softly-Speckled-Crab blinks and then sits before it and the deer. "We were told none of the Princes could speak to us any longer," Softly-Speckled-Crab says.
The deer stands before Softly-Speckled-Crab at the statue's side, the deer that is somehow Hircine. "Sotha Sil's words could be interpreted that we must not speak to our chosen champions least we surrender into the temptation to join the hunt," Hircine tells her.
Softly-Speckled-Crab studies Hircine carefully. "You swim around the river," Softly-Speckled-Crab finally says.
"With caution, yes." Hircine's eyes lock onto Softly-Speckled-Crab's who cannot help but feel a shiver of fear at being regarded by this Daedric Prince. "You see their truth, mortal. The truth of my champion, the truth of her son."
Softly-Speckled-Crab dips her head and speaks, "Yes, to know their truths is to know true despair. Their rivers were taken from them."
"If not for Molag Bal's taint Viperish Night could have, would have, chosen differently. I spoke to him when he was on the edge of choosing. It amused me that he had managed to capture the attention and respect of the Wyrd. That one who swam in Molag Bal's sphere of influence would gravitate towards one so opposite in every way of that sphere. I saw into his heart. He was torn between two very different... how is it you Argonian's put it? Yes, rivers. He interested me. And when I looked closer and saw that somehow, he was part Bosmer, and one who could wield the magic of nature, of the Wyrd. Very curious, very interesting. And he was not even aware of it!" Hircine tilts his head slightly before continuing. "So I decided to enlighten him... just a little. To open his eyes to another river, one he could choose instead." Hircine's eyes focus on Softly-Speckled-Crab even more intently. "I kept my gaze on him until Molag Bal cast shadows upon my gaze and any other who might see the Daedric taint within. Viperish Night chose life, chose not to give into death."
"Until his river was taken from him," Softly-Speckled-Crab says. "What was done to him by Molag Bal and Mannimarco is unspeakable, unforgivable. But others did wrong by him, including The Hist, and my people," Softly-Speckled-Crab says. "He never had the chance other mortals had, to chose his own river."
"You know the truth of this then," Hircine says and his eyes start to glow. "Do you know the truth of this hunt as well?"
"Yes," Softly-Speckled-Crab says softly. "But..."
"Truths, the ways it should end. The ways it may end." Hircine gets up. "Do what you must for this hunt mortal. I will watch until the end. It is a hunt like no other." Hircine turns to go and then glances back at Softly-Speckled-Crab. "Jeziasi was always different from my other wolves. To know her child as well..." Amusement sparkles in his eyes before he turns and vanishes into the woods.
Softly-Speckled-Crab slowly rises gazing at Hircine's statue for a few moments before she turns and heads back to Elden Root, Hircine's words echoing in her head.
Softly-Speckled-Crab takes her place around the table, gaze thoughtful. Theodyn is tense in his chair until Rufico enters and takes his place in back of Theodyn and only then does he relax. Iveryni has her hands folded looking deadly serious. Iveryni's eyes follow each in turn. "Have you given thought to the idea I presented to you earlier?" Iveryni says quietly.
"It would mean we would help less people," Softly-Speckled-Crab says. "More would die, and if we chose wrong if Viperish Night and his pack are not there...But we need to be one."
"No matter the cost," Rufico says. "We need to end this war. And not a single one of us can stop this."
"All or nothing," Theodyn says before looking down. Those who would die that they, perhaps, could save. All to gamble on Viperish Night and his pack being in one specific spot.
"Are you sure, Iveryni?" Rufico asks her.
"No," Iveryni says with a shake of her head. "But he was in Murkmire..." she trails off and glances at Softly-Speckled-Crab.
"Murkmire was where his river was taken," Softly-Speckled-Crab says. "It is where he lost his choice. He chose a different path, and it was taken from him." Softly-Speckled-Crab's eyes narrow and a rare glimmer of anger shines in them as she hisses. "Why would he not return there if memories had not started to consume him? Why would he return to the spot of his fall as well, if not for that?"
The news had been brought to them. A mage had kept eyes on Oblivion Isle. For a time the mage's eyes had been cast in shadows, but he caught a glimpse of Viperish Night leaving the island and had informed Razum-dar, who had informed the group.
"I have done my research," Iveryni says. "Followed Viperish Night's trail through the time of the plane-meld as best as I could. Three of us will keep watch on the largest battles in Glenumbra, Bangkorai, and Rivenspire, and portal to the correct one when Viperish Night and his pack appear."
Theodyn's fists curl. "Watch. Watch as people die." Theodyn says, his angry eyes snapping to Iveryni's. "How are we to do that? Hide why people die. Why MY people die?"
"That is why you will keep watch in Bangkorai," Iveryni says.
Theodyn seems ready to spring from his chair at Iveryni, his body shaking with rage, but Rufico places a hand on his shoulder. "Theo," Rufico quietly says and Theodyn looks back at him. "Just for this, embrace the light," Rufico says. "Embrace the light and feel nothing. Just as I will cover myself in shadows. Just as Iveryni will cast herself into fire. Just... remember to come back to me after."
Theodyn calms just a little. "I... my friends were killed before this war even started. I wanted to...before I tried to go down my sister's path, I wanted to join the Lion Guard. To serve my King and people and protect my home. I...had forgotten that for a time." Theodyn says softly. Before Rufico can say anything Theodyn snaps at him, "And do not say I can do that after. There may be no after for any of us! And even if we stop him, how can we all..."
"I want after," Rufico says and Theodyn's hand comes up to cup his. "Try not to die, Theo. So we can have a shot at after. If... that is what you want."
Theodyn had not thought much of after. The light had blinded him, the war consumed them all. But the rare moments of time he and Rufico stole. "I want that too," Theodyn admits.
"Now that is settled," Iveryni says. "Rufico will watch at Rivenspire, I will watch at Glenumbra. Softly-Speckled-Crab will wait in Stormhaven to bring in the Lionguard and Ash'abah when we know he will strike. Viperish Night will not think it strange if those two come in to defend their lands." Iveryni stands. "All of you know the rest of the plans. We will not have long, but it is our best shot at defeating them. We will only have one chance at this plan. If it fails we will not be able to try it again."
-Bangkorai, near Bangkorai Garrison-
A light breeze blows and the clatter of the undead is all around Viperish Night and his pack. Bangkorai. Viperish Night's eyes move across the land. Near them is the home of the Bangkorai Garrison fort. Surrounded by tall trees in the middle of Bangkorai, yet to be claimed by the encroaching desert to the south-west. Viperish Night finds his gaze drawn in that direction. His army was far from that spot. The spot where an innocent child had died. Had her body been found, or had his former mentor disposed of it? Once, he thought it unspeakable for a child to die in such a way. But his undead had killed many now. Once, he would have cared, never would have done all he had done. Now? they were like the rest, living, screaming, growing up to join the madness. Viperish Night moves his claws to his forehead. Again he falls back into the river and yet...traces of clarity remained. Why he had been driven to Murkmire, why he had been driven here.
Jeziasi watches Viperish Night. He had told her the story of how he ended up on Oblivion's Isle, but not much before that. Memories of before seemed to haunt him. Seemed to remind him of how he used to be, what he could have been had not for all of this, and so she moves toward him and just looks into his eyes. She could ask the why of it, but how could she when the why of it usually was filled with so very much pain?
Viperish Night gazes at her, though his eyes seem far away. "He killed a child who saw me, Egg-mother. It was when I saw what he really was. A monster and I knew then he killed others to hide what I was." Viperish Night hisses softly. "It seemed as if he ended the world that day. Such an innocent... I can no longer remember what it feels like to care about such a thing." Viperish Night blinks rapidly. "Do you still..." Viperish Night trails off leaving the question unasked.
Shadows pass through Jeziasi's eyes. "Less and less," Jeziasi whispers. "The wolf can overtake me. Hunters see in a different way. All is becoming prey before my golden eyes, save for my pack."
Viperish Night is silent to that. There are ways to cast aside emotions. Bury or destroy a part of one's self. Become a monster in every sense of the word. He has gone down the river, drawn to the depths for a very long time now. "All I care for is my pack, Egg-mother." Viperish Night says at last and moves from her. Before he's tempted to say so much more, too much more. That if he surrenders utterly, he fears even that love will vanish in the depths.
Zirasha is standing by Tyranius, keeping an eye on the Garrison. "I told her," Zirasha hisses.
"Girl... Tyranius says with a sigh. "You did not."
Zirasha folds her arms across her chest and hisses again. "I told her I know nothing can come of it. She agrees, but she says it is alright still."
Again, Tyranius sighs. "Next thing I know you're going to tell me you love me too."
Zirasha looks sideways at Tyranius. "Maybe I do. Maybe you are an annoying big brother I never had."
Tyranius just shakes his head at that. "Girl...," he chuckles. "Somehow I know you don't mean the annoying part."
Before Zirasha can hiss a reply the Bangkorai Garrison gates swing open and Redguard and Breton soldiers march out en mass. Viperish Night stalks forward and the dead move with him. There is no more time for talk and the battle is soon joined. The garrison starts to fall, and then suddenly amid the battlefield a portal opens spilling out Ash'abah and Lionguard who surge in every direction scattering Viperish Night's pack.
Jeziasi snarls and the mer becomes the wolf and she sets upon the nearby soldiers working her way back to Viperish Night. Any who stand in her path are met with merciless claws and fangs. Tyranius's scythe flies as he engages a group of the Lionguard and Zirasha mists and plunges into the mist of a group of Ash'abah. Necromantic energy flows from Viperish Night and more skeletons burst from the ground, and from the soldiers fallen before his pack. His eyes narrow as he catches sight of an Argonian amid the summoned soldiers. One of them is here. Not the fire witch, not the one that nearly killed his Egg-mother, but Softly-Speckled-Crab. They try to stop them, try to kill his pack. Viperish Night's eyes fill with fury as even more dead surge from the land to set upon the army's sent against them as he moves forward to try and find Softly-Speckled-Crab.
A blinding flash of light suddenly hits amid the battlefield temporarily blinding everyone gathered. Amid the all-consuming light three portals open and when at last the light fades Theodyn, Iveryni and Rufico are standing in the middle of the chaotic battlefield. "Go," Iveryni says and that is all is needed as each of them dashes in different directions.
A surge of Lion Guard set upon Viperish Night, stopping him from chasing Softly-Speckled-Crab. Viperish Night hisses and his swords are in his hands as he sets upon the soldiers as his undead attack as well. Jeziasi's head snaps around as the scent of the heroes fills her nose and she bounds forward. Before she can get more than a few steps vines burst from the ground and wrap around her limbs pulling her to the ground with a thud. Jeziasi snarls and struggles against them, snapping them with her fury even as more seek to ensnare her. Tyranius starts to move toward Jeziasi after he finishes off his group of Lion Guard but Rufico bursts from the shadows and slams into him, a dark portal popping up and sending them both through. Zirasha snaps her fangs around the last of the Ash'abah and as they fall she sees the portal snap closed. Zirasha starts to move into her mist form but a wall of flames suddenly appears and incircles her. Zirasha turns and hisses through the flames at Iveryni who's walking toward her. Theodyn runs past the two toward Viperish Night who is raising the Lion Guard that lies dead at his feet. Viperish Night's eyes narrow and the undead surge and leap at Theodyn as Viperish Night races across the battlefield and leaps over the flames and crashes into Iveryni sending the two tumbling to the ground. Iveryni's staff hits the ground and she mutters softly, a portal opening under her and Viperish Night, and both fall through.
Theodyn pauses for a moment and then changes targets, as the flames die down he races to Zirasha and grabs her before she can mist, a golden portal taking them away.
-Some distance away-
Rufico springs from Tyranius's counter-strike and leaps up a tree above him. "Not happy about this," Rufico mummers to himself. Yes, this was a strategy they had taken before, but then they had been at odds with each other and stood no chance against Viperish Night's pack, who was of one mind and heart in their murder spree. Rufico glances in the distance, the Bangkorai Garrison is hidden by trees but near, too near. Rufico frowns as his hand grips the knife. He had meant to jump them further, much further. Something had snapped through the portal and dumped them here.
Tyranius raises his head to regard Rufico in the trees. If his helm had been off an amused puzzlement look would be seen. "Really?" Tyranius calls up at Rufico. "You're the one to try and fight me? You could not scratch my armor before and you think you can now still armed with that pig sticker?" Tyranius laughs.
Rufico smirks under his hood. That had been true, but he had been taught the art of murder, where any could fall under the Black Sacrament. Rufico knew how to take down civilians, as well as knights, mages and so much more. Everyone had a weak spot, even in Daedric bound armor. "Think yourself immune to me if you want," Rufico says. "But no one is immune to The Void."
Tyranius lifts his scythe. "Bring it," he taunts.
Theodyn stalks around Zirasha, and Zirasha follows his every move. Theodyn frowns. This had not been the plan. Softly-Speckled-Crab was to ensnare Jeziasi, Rufico would take on Tyranius for the Imperial would think he had an overwhelming advantage over the assassin, Iveryni would deal with Zirasha since if Iveryni focused enough fire on her, even her monstrous form would burn to ash, and Theodyn was to deal with Viperish Night for Dawnbreaker could easily cast the weaker of his undead into the light. But Viperish Night had surprised both him and Iveryni, coming in defense of his pack-mate. And...Theodyn softly growls. Something had disrupted the portal. Something filled with ice and darkness.
Zirasha hisses at him, her eyes never leaving him. She can still sense her pack. Can tell just who distributed the portals. Zirasha longs to take to mist and return to her pack, to Jez. All too well does she remember what happened last time when they tried to divide them, Jeziasi injured so badly she could not fight, that all she could do was give Zirasha her blood so she could take on those who tried to kill her. Zirasha's crimson eyes flash rage as she hisses at Theodyn again. "I've tasted your blood before, I'll take all of it this time."
Theodyn falters a step before regaining composure as memories of Craglorn return. The agony, the feeling of falling as his blood was drained. His grip on Dawnbreaker tightens. "You almost damned me," Theodyn growls. "Only Meridia's light purified the taint... but the light was almost worse than the disease."
A brief look of surprise crosses Zirasha's face. "I meant to kill you not..." Zirasha trails off hissing. "I have not forgotten what you did to Jez. I'll rend you to pieces for that!"
"And I will burn you in the hateful light for everyone you have killed," Theodyn responds as he holds Dawnbreaker up.
A tremor runs through Iveryni as she leaps away from Viperish Night. Not the plan. She was to take on the vampire. The portals were to take them farther. Iveryni narrows her eyes. This was the plan now. As Viperish Night rises, a murderous gleam in his eyes, Iveryni's runes flare brighter as she tries to hold the shaking that threatens to undo her back. Memories of Craglorn, Viperish Night's claws against her throat, falling, dying, though all thought she still lived. Mehrunes Dagon was the only reason she still existed. Iveryni fights to hold back the rage, knowing it for what it is, not just rage and anger at Viperish Night, but hate. All she wants to do is scream at this monster that he did this to her, forced her to live as something other than she had been, something Mehrunes Dagon could control. Whether or not she wanted what came after this war...it did not matter. She was the slave now...and she could not tell anyone of that truth or the truth of what was to come. "Damn you," Iveryni hisses. "I would not have faced you, but you forced my hand so you will burn." Iveryni's skin starts to glow and flames cascade down her body to set the grass all around them to tinder.
Viperish Night's eyes reflect the hatred in Iveryni's eyes. "You tried to kill my Egg-Mother!" Viperish Night hisses. "Tried to drown her, I am the one to drown the world! I will do the same to you." The words border on a familiar madness as those shards of clarity start to slip from Viperish Night.
The sight of her pack vanishing has Jeziasi tearing up and snapping the vines. She towers over Softly-Speckled-Crab. "You've tried to divide us like this before," Jeziasi growls. "It failed. And it makes my pack more eager to tear all of you to ribbons."
Softly-Speckled-Crab looks up at Jeziasi, at the werewolf without a trace of fear. "We were not pack then. We are now. You know why we must do this," Softly-Speckled-Crab says.
"...I know," Jeziasi growls, "I also know I will protect them until my last breath."
"You know this is wrong, yet you do it for love, for you are utterly lost in despair," Softly-Speckled-Crab tells her. "Your rivers was taken from you."
Jeziasi snarls softly, but she feels her pack nearby. They had not been taken far. Why...? Jeziasi pushes it away. This is an opportunity. Jeziasi releases the wolf and returns to her mer form and takes out her daggers. "I will not hold back, but I chose to fight you this way," Jeziasi says. These heroes will try and take her son from her, her pack. But she cannot bring herself to hate them. Once, she had been like them. Never again, but once.
Softly-Speckled-Crab grips her staff and the remaining vines retreat. "Forgive me, But it is a mercy to all to end this, so I will not hold back either." Hircine's words return to Softly-Speckled-Crab as she prepares to face his Champion.
One moment Rufico is in the tree next in back of Tyranius and his dagger strikes out at the armor joints of the elbow slicing deep. Tyranius spins around and his scythe swing nearly takes Rufico's head off as Rufico is forced to dive to the ground to avoid it, he rolls and leaps up in one swift movement. "Fast," Rufico breaths. He knew of Tyranius's power, that he was a champion, but the speed surprised him.
"Was gonna say the same thing about you," Tyranius says as blood drips from his arm. Damn brat cut deep, deep enough to affect movement, but Tyranius still grips his scythe with both hands. Never show the enemy any weakness. "Try this again..." Tyranius says as blue blades of ice form around him. "Don't like using these, but well...got a pack to protect now."
Rufico brings his dagger, wet with Tyranius's blood up to eye level. "That is the only thing we can agree upon," Rufico says before he becomes a blur of speed crossing the distance between the two in less than a heartbeat, but this time Tyranius is ready and the ice blades scissor through Rufico's Dark Brotherhood armor cutting bloody paths. Tyranius swings his scythe and Rufico leaps up past the strike to land crouched on the blade as his knife slices toward the slimmest of margins between Tyranius's helm and armor.
Tyranius flings his scythe and falls backward to avoid the fatal strike leaping up quickly as Rufico lands nearby. "Damn," Tyranius utters, "Gonna have to take you seriously,"
Again, a blur of speed as Rufico moves toward Tyranius, and more ice blades appear and surround Rufico surrounding him in a tornado of blades. Rufico spins his blade, all that protects him from a bloody fate.
Dawnbreaker strikes and with it, a wave of cleansing light follows. Zirasha dives to the side and spins up. She hisses. Not enough blood to transform yet, but can she push it still? Should she? Zirasha's crimson eyes follow Theodyn as he circles her. She... had not known that she had infected him. Just meant to end him that day. Zirasha growls. It did not matter in the end. Zirasha moves and in a blur of speed has her in front of Theodyn in a moment her dagger slicing at his neck. Theodyn grabs the blade in his left hand and brings Dawnbreaker to bear with his right and Zirasha lets go of the dagger and leaps from it as he strikes. The light it throws off scalds and Zirasha hisses as she moves back, this time it is she that circles looking for an opening.
Theodyn follows her. "The way you talked before..." Theodyn says. "You love the Ve...Jeziasi." Theodyn raises his left hand to grip Dawnbreaker in both hands. "I once thought any of you was incapable of such thing."
Anger flares in Zirasha's eyes as she hisses at him. "We may be monsters, but we are pack! We are more than any of you think."
"Then you should stop this!" Theodyn declares. "Stop this for your pack."
"Idiot," Zirasha hisses, "We all know it is gone too far for that. I have my reasons, we all do! There is no going back." Zirasha hisses and then smiles. "You care for your pack too," Zirasha breaths, and then she remembers how Rufico had come for Theodyn in Craglorn. "That Imp brat..."
Theodyn's eyes tighten and he springs toward her with Dawnbreaker. Zirasha dodges and Theodyn's swing hits the ground with a mighty shock-wave. Zirasha mists to avoid it and reappears behind Theodyn who spins around faster than expected Dawnbreaker crashing down. Zirasha's eyes widen and time seems to freeze. She must try...and her eyes flare red as the transformation takes her, somehow easier than before but also more painful as if it is drawing on her life-force in absence of enough stolen blood. With a roar, she grabs Dawnbreaker in one hand, even as it burns her.
Blazing fireballs meet sizzling bolts of lightning. Energy surges all around Iveryni and Viperish Night as their magic and hate clash. "You will not find me so easy to kill this time," Iveryni hisses as a bolt of white-hot fire surges from her staff at Viperish Night.
Viperish Night dives to the side and springs up, throwing his staff out and a wave of electricity surges toward Iveryni. "All will die, all," Viperish Night hisses back. "Save for my pack!"
Fire bursts from Iveryni's staff and body and slams into the wall of electricity with a mighty crash. When the energy fades Iveryni's eyes lock onto Viperish Night's. "If I have to burn Nirn to the ground to stop you, I will," she snarls as the runes on her face glow brighter, her skin starting to glow near translucent. Iveryni floats into the air, her hair flying in all directions.
Viperish Night throws his head back and laughs even as his undead surge toward him only to get incinerated. Truthfully, his stronger had surged in every direction after his pack. They would keep the stray soldiers away why his pack dealt with the heroes. "I want to drown the world, you want to burn it! I know why I want to, but why do you want to?" Viperish Night asks a spark of curiosity in his eyes shining through the hate and returning madness.
Iveryni pauses. "I just told you!"
A grin crosses Viperish Night's face. That was not the true reason. Viperish Night laughs again. "I have been told my reasons are utterly mad, but yours...very much more so. If that is the truth of it," Viperish Night utters. Her truth, is what he now sees, even as the shards of clarity melt amid the battle, the fury and hate he feels toward her. She is broken, and on the verge of becoming a monster, just like him.
Iveryni's eyes fill with utter fury before they start to glow a solid white-hot color. "You started this!" Iveryni snarls. "I will end it! Watch my flames burn your path to ruin, burn everything to ruin!" Flames burst from her in a swirling storm, a tornado of flames and hatred. Iveryni throws her staff to the side and takes out her axes and dives from the air to land in front of Viperish Night, as if magic is no longer enough as if she needs to spill this monster's blood to satiate the hatred and anger that burn through her. Viperish Night flings his staff to side his twin swords in his hand as Iveryni comes at him. Blades clash against Axes and flame swirls all around them, and soon blood is flying as well as the two viciously attack each other.
Fire, so much fire in the distance. Jeziasi narrows her eyes. She yearns to transform, to run to her back but Softly-Speckled-Crab will move to stop her. And so Jeziasi focuses on her. She has to trust that her pack is strong enough to win their fights, as they have every time. Jeziasi snarls and springs forward daggers lashing out in a deadly twin slash. Softly-Speckled-Crab brings her staff to bear the blades crashing down upon it and flings herself forward, causing Jeziasi to fly backward briefly stumbling on the ground. Softly-Speckled-Crab surges forward and the staff slams down, Jeziasi dodges and it crashes against the ground. Coming from the side Jeziasi's daggers streak out, the staff blocks them again, but Jeziasi summersaults back, and when Softly-Speckled-Crab presses the attack Jeziasi leaps over her head and spins in midair, slashing blades down as she comes down on Softly-Speckled-Crab's back. Softly-Speckled-Crab hisses in pain and spins around, the staff slamming into Jeziasi sending her crashing to the ground. In a moment she's up again and circling Softly-Speckled-Crab who circles with her.
"I do not want this, any of this," Softly-Speckled-Crab says. "If I could ask you, ask Viperish Night to cease...I would. But you both are too lost to ever stop."
"I follow my son," Jeziasi says. "If he stops, I will stop. If he goes on, then I will as well. There is no other way this will end but death. You said you understand."
Softly-Speckled-Crab's eyes show sorrow. All of them were lost in Viperish Night's despair. All of his pack, Softly-Speckled-Crab, and her pack, and all of Nirn. Everyone was blinded, so sure it could win only two ways. And in truth, that must be what would happen. Any other outcome was so lost in the dark, it might as well be an impossible dream. "Yes," Softly-Speckled-Crab says. "But still you see light, however faint. Still, you must yearn for it." It makes it harder to fight Jeziasi. Harder to do what she must. When she understands what drives them to such madness. Softly-Speckled-Crab once more lunges at Jeziasi and the battle is on again.
Rufico's blade flies off into the grass from one of Tyranius's ice blades and with no other choice, he surges through the ice blade tornado ignoring the slices of agony as the blades cut through his armor leaving bloody slices all over his body. A shimmer of shadows and Rufico briefly vanishes to reappear above Tyranius in a deadly strike, the blade of woe glimmering darkly in his hands. Tyranius steps back and grabs Rufico's hand and the blade stops a heartbeat before his neck. Rufico's eyes are shadowed by the hood, but his grin is clear as his left hand surges out with a dagger glowing with crimson runes. It sinks through Tyranius's armor and sinks deep into his side. Tyranius growls and throws Rufico to the ground and tries to lift his scythe, before falling to his knees. "Damn...it," Tyranius says as he struggles to get up, one hand on the scythe, one hand on his side even as the blood gushes.
"Could say I cheated with that one," Rufico says. An enchanted dagger that would break through even bound armor. "But any tactic used to send one to the Void..." Rufico lifts his hand, the dark blade threat enough. "Make this quick on you. It is far more than you deserve." Rufico moves toward Tyranius but then pauses. "Damn it..." Rufico swears. "A quick end will have to wait. Stay here and die." With that Rufico springs toward what has caught his attention, a fiery blaze that is quickly growing in strength and ferocity.
Tyranius starts to struggle to his feet but falls again, his head falling. "Damn it," he swears again as the world starts to blur around the edges. "Pup..." Again he struggles to get up. To return to his pack. Never had he ever cared much to protect anything. Just the war, the brutal killing that fueled his endless blood-lust drove him. Now? Tyranius staggers to his feet and then falls back to his knees, his scythe falling before him.
Clawed footsteps behind him. "Weak...my champion. To fall to one of the Dark Brotherhood. I devoured one whole."
Tyranius glances to the side. Swims-in-Silence. Molag Bal. "Come to gloat?" Tyranius growls.
"Remove your armor," Swims-in-Silence hisses. "Or I will do it for you."
Tyranius bits back a vicious reply as he stares across the battlefield, at the growing firestorm. Pup's there, as are the rest. If Swims-in-Silence wanted to gut him for his failure, it would make no difference. He could not reach his pack, and so Tyranius releases his armor. "Already kneeling, Prince. Put me out of my damn misery already. I failed pup." Tyranius says.
Swims-in-Silence laughs as he crouches at Tyranius's side and whispers in his ear. "All of you will submit in time. All of you." His ice-cold claws move to Tyranius's side and Tyranius throws his head back and howls at the icy agony that shoots through the stab wound and through his body. The world spins and Swims-in-Silence rises and steps back. "Get up, my champion. Go to my son and make sure he does not fall. Dagon's champion..." Swims-in-Silence laughs. "Go see for yourself." Strength once more flows through Tyranius's body and he stands, his armor covering him once more. Without a look back at Swims-in-Silence, he runs toward the firestorm.
"How can you withstand Dawnbreaker?" Theodyn demands as Zirasha holds it in an iron grip. "You are one of the undead. Meridia's light should annihilate you."
Zirasha hisses. "Do you see me as an imperfect Altmer? Do you see me as a glorious monster?" Her eyes glow with furious light. "I was like any other once. This world destroyed me, so the only path was to BE a monster. Viperish Night understands, but do you?" Zirasha hisses and then her eyes change just a little. "My monstrous pack taught me how to...love. Such a strange emotion. Something I was never shown." Zirasha smiles, her fangs glimmering as she releases Dawnbreaker and steps back. "You are broken too, and you know love as well, despite that. I can see it in your eyes."
Theodyn blinks a few times as he regards the monster towering above him. Her words hit far too close to home. Meridia had blinded him, changed him...and perhaps Zirasha was right. Perhaps she broke him as well. "Love cannot stop this." Theodyn hoarsely says. "Softly-Speckled-Crab may believe it may come down to that, but all of this. All the people who are dead because of Viperish Night, because of you, all of you."
It is Zirasha's turn to blink. To regard Theodyn. In their first encounters, he had been so full of hate, so very vicious. Now...he seemed to understand. And his words started to sink in. The little girl who only wanted to be, and be loved, not just be the perfect Altmer her parents demanded. The pretty one who had died in Cyrodil. They never would have done this. Never would have thought themselves capable of this. Zirasha's thoughts turn to Murkmire. All those Argonian's who died to ensure the civilians were evacuated, saved. "It's too late," Zirasha whispers. "Your right. Love cannot stop this. Love cannot save us. I will follow my pack into the dark. Into the end."
"This is not fair," Theodyn says. "I will fight all of you. I will...kill any of you if I can. This must stop..." Theodyn trails off and then glances. A firestorm had been growing and it was close to engulfing the Garrison. "Truce," Theodyn breaths. "Something has gone wrong." Theodyn glances back at Zirasha, whose gaze has turned toward the firestorm as well.
What one of her pack is in the midst of that? Last time it had been Jez, but this...this was beyond Murkmire. Zirasha swallows as a rare trace of fear suddenly courses through her. Theodyn was broken. She had seen that in his eyes. But was their fire witch even more broken? "You are the good guys," Zirasha growls. "You are not supposed to break!"
"The world is not that fair," Theodyn says. "Truce or not?"
Zirasha stares at Theodyn then turns toward the firestorm. "Truce." she spits out and then is in the air flying toward the firestorm. Theodyn races behind her becoming almost a blur of light as he races across the battlefield.
Softly-Speckled-Crab and Jeziasi spring from each other. Softly-Speckled-Crab is bleeding from multiple hits from Jeziasi's daggers and Jeziasi's armor is cracked in spots and bruised underneath from Softly-Speckled-Crab mighty strikes. The two seem ready to go at it again but the flames in the distance spike growing into a mighty conflagration that suddenly surges and engulfs the garrison. Jeziasi turns from Softly-Speckled-Crab and starts forward then stops and turns her attention back on Softly-Speckled-Crab. "This should not be happening," Jeziasi says.
Softly-Speckled-Crab's eyes are filled with horror as she feels the soldiers still in the garrison tried to flee only to be destroyed by the flames. "Iveryni," Softly-Speckled-Crab breaths. "She should not be doing this." Softly-Speckled-Crab's head turns toward Jeziasi. "I will not attack you, you will not attack me. If Iveryni continues, she could set half of Bangkorai on fire. This is not what we want."
Jeziasi just nods, her eyes shifting to the wolf. "I will save my pack, you deal with yours," Jeziasi says as she transforms into the wolf and races toward the blaze.
Softly-Speckled-Crab races across the ground after her, her thoughts on Iveryni. Since she returned Iveryni had reminded her of a wildfire, but she felt contained. As if she could control it. Something had set her off, had snapped her control and perhaps her sanity as well. Iveryni had managed to hide far too much from Softly-Speckled-Crab, for now, all was uncontained wildfire, anger, hate, and despair.
Numerous wounds some deep leak blood, or in the case of Iveryni what passes for blood. Iveryni leaps back from the bitter clash panting hard. Their vicious battle seemed to last longer than it has as Iveryni and Viperish Night strove not just to end the other but to make it hurt. Viperish Night springs back as well, just as cut up as Iveryni, breathing hard as well. The two stare at each other as if their eyes are enough to end the other if only one hate is stronger than the other.
"Damn you, why will you not just die?" Iveryni says.
"I will fight until the depths take me," Viperish Night hisses.
Iveryni throws her head back and howls, starting Viperish Night slightly. The fire bursts into a raging storm engulfing both of them and spreading out in every direction consuming all in its path. Iveryni lowers her head and glares at Viperish Night. "My fire will consume you, I will annihilate you for what you have done!" Iveryni declares and once more she screams and the fire intensifies.
Viperish Night stumbles backward but there is no way out and the fire threatens to consume him. Viperish Night's eyes narrow. Never will he stop. Even if it would be better to let the fire consume him, he will not stop fighting. Viperish Night drops his swords. Not surrender, but close, for only the depths can save him and so once more Viperish Night throws himself to their mercy or lack of it. The monstrous transformation courses through him and Daedric energy pulses combating with the flames as Viperish Night howls and stands before Iveryni as the bone colossus.
"That will not save you!" Iveryni hisses as she throws her arms out and the fire reaches a new crescendo as she tries to overwhelm Viperish Night with flames, tries to murder him in the burning dawn.
Beyond the fight, undead is falling by the dozens to the flames that streak uncontrollably in every direction. But unlike every battle before where the flames spared Iveryni's allies, this time the Bangkorai soldiers, the Ash'abah, and the Lion Guard fall before the flames, their screams cut off soon by the fire's fury turning all it consumes to so much ashes. The Garrison is soon engulfed in flames as well killing all inside and still the firestorm grows fueled by Iveryni's rage and hatred.
Inside the heart of the firestorm, it is all Viperish Night can do to shield himself with the Daedric energy to avoid being devoured by the flames. As his glowing eyes struggle to see Iveryni through the flames a ghastly grin crosses over his face as he feels the living fall. She is killing her allies. She is breaking. Viperish Night laughs. In the moment, in the icy depths, it amuses him more than it should.
Jeziasi bounds toward the edge of the flames and Zirasha is waiting for her in her monstrous form. Unable to breach the flames Jeziasi starts pacing before them, growling. Soon Tyranius joins them. Jeziasi looks at both of them, horror in her eyes. It is Viperish Night that is trapped in this inferno fighting the berserk Iveryni. With a whimper, Jeziasi turns to the flames and throws back her head and howls a heartbreaking cry.
Zirasha moves closer to the flames but is just forced back. With a painful cry, she transforms back to her normal form, kneeling on the ground as her body shakes from the forced transformation. "The...The fire witch came for me. Viperish Night stopped her. For... me."
Tyranius stalks in front of the flames unable to breach them anymore than the girls. "Damn it," Tyranius growls then yells through the flames. "Come on pup, rip that witch's heart out!"
Zirasha rises. "You better not die, Viperish Night. We are not done yet!"
Softly-Speckled-Crab, Rufico, and Theodyn stand a distance away on the edge of the flames as well. Rufico glances at the trio of villains and then back at his pack. "...Truce, for now," Theodyn says.
Softly-Speckled-Crab's hand moves toward the flames then she snatches it back. "We need to reach our friend. She is suffering. She is in agony." Softly-Speckled-Crab says as her head falls. "Iveryni hid this pain from me. I do not know how."
"Damn it," Rufico swears. "I asked if she could control it. She said she could." Rufico's hand touches his blades.
Theodyn freezes as his eyes move to Rufico's slight movement, remembering Rufico's blade against his neck as Rufico considered if Theodyn was a threat. "Rufico," Theodyn breaths.
"She is going to destroy us all Theo," Rufico says and then glances at him. "I can take her down without killing her. I just need to get past the tiny flames first."
Relief in Theodyn's eyes as Softly-Speckled-Crab moves closer to Rufico. "I will bind you in vines. They...they will burn instead of you." Softly-Speckled-Crab says softly. "Once inside you should be safe from the flames for a time, since she concentrates on Viperish Night."
"...Do it then," Rufico says and looks at Theodyn as Theodyn brushes his arm.
"Be careful," Theodyn says softly.
Rufico turns to Theodyn and grips Theodyn's hands in his. "Working toward after Theo. I'll come back. Bring her back as well."
Rufico drops Theodyn's hands and turns toward the fire. Softly-Speckled-Crab closes her eyes and vines reach from the ground and wrap around Rufico. They will sacrifice their life to protect him. To end this insanity, to save their friend who has broken from a pain she hid so very well. As soon as Rufico is covered a giant root breaks from the ground and slams into the tangle of vines and sends it shooting deep into the firestorm.
Rufico hits the ground as the last of the vines burn to ash. The heat is enough to nearly knock him from his feet. He stands and just stares for a moment. Viperish Night is in his monstrous form, the Daedric energy shielding him from the flames. The Daedric energy is a pale shadow of what it had been in previous battles, Viperish Night is losing the fight against Iveryni's flames. And Iveryni? It is she that captures Rufico's attention. She's floating amid her firestorm and she no longer looks like the Iveryni Rufico knows. Her skin is completely translucent, showing the fire that runs instead of blood inside of her. Her eyes are devoid of pupils, devoid of any trace of mortality, and burn with the white-hot fire that consumes her. Her hair is floating in the air and seems more like flames than anything so mundane as hair. "Iveryni," Rufico breaths. Rufico starts forward and then stops his gaze returning to Viperish Night. Viperish Night who could be ended on this night. If he can stand against the flames for a little longer, if he lets Iveryni finish this. He should. It is what the Brotherhood taught him. Viperish Night should be ended, at any cost. But... Rufico turns his gaze back on Iveryni. The cost could be what remains of her soul, her mortality. If her fires consumed that as well as Viperish Night? Was the cost worth it? Time seems to stop and Rufico blinks rapidly as images appear in the flames. Nirn engulfed in flames. Daedra streaming through gateways, setting all to ruin. Iveryni laughing as she sets whole cities on fire. Reveling in it. And watching over all of it, Mehrunes Dagon. As the images vanish Rufico surges toward Iveryni. So focused on Viperish Night she does not see the shadow at her back as Rufico's blade slices the back of the neck. He lands on the ground, the flames starting to devour his armor as Iveryni freezes and suddenly drops from the sky to land with a crash upon the ground. The flames vanish, cut off from what has powered them and Iveryni returns to the more familiar form. Rufico puts the knife away. Poison, one that would work against Daedra. The lightest touch would stun, allow for the kill. He had hoped to use it on Viperish Night. Rufico leaps to Iveryni and gathers her in his arms as he stands.
The flames vanish and Viperish Night lowers his arms, the Daedric energy fading. He snarls as he sees Rufico with Iveryni but at the very limits of enduring the transformation leaves him and he crashes to the ground. Jeziasi races to his side and snarls at Rufico, fur raised. Tyranius and Zirasha are right behind them. Viperish Night shakes slightly. He heard the howl through the flames, the cries of his pack for him. His eyes move to them before narrowing back on Rufico and Iveryni.
Rufico stares back, steel and desperation in his eyes. "You will let us go," Rufico says. "She would have destroyed Viperish Night on this night. I just decided her soul was more important than winning the war."
"Pup?" Tyranius asks his hand on his scythe.
Viperish Night hisses slowly as the world spins before settling. His eyes turn from Rufico to Iveryni. She had broken. She had nearly turned into a monster, just like him. Ending those she swore to protect. Viperish Night lowers his head. It could cost them to do this. "Leave," Viperish Night whispers. "We will finish this another night." Viperish Night then staggers to his feet and turns to the night. Somehow, his Egg-father had disrupted the portals, still disrupts them, and so Viperish Night hisses into the night. "Do you hear me? LET THEM LEAVE."
Grey-blue eyes glimmer from the darkness. "Weakness. But I'll indulge you for now. You are nearly mine." The eyes vanish.
Softly-Speckled-Crab and Theodyn move to Rufico and Iveryni. Theodyn turns and a portal opens and the four depart through it.
Viperish Night stares out at the night. There is nothing alive all around them. But it was not he who ended it. Suddenly Viperish Night feels so very tired and he opens a portal. He turns and looks at his Egg-mother, who has transformed back, and holds out his hand. She comes and takes it in her own and Viperish Night shudders softly. "We will pay for this," Viperish Night whispers.
For a moment Jeziasi cannot find her words. She never thought she would see her son spare another. Just like that, in a heartbeat of time. Was it to lure Swims-In-Silence in, or something...more? "Together," Jeziasi whispers back. A glance at Zirasha and Tyranius, they agree. One pack, until the end. And with that, they return home.